Fashion show helps charities

Fast food and fashion came together Saturday afternoon at the South Carson Street McDonald's for the KidsHopeKidsFuture.com fashion show for charity.

Twenty-five local children and three adults modeled clothing and products from the Carson City-based web retailer, which donates 20 percent of the revenue to Ronald McDonald House and Breast Cancer Network of Strength.

KidsHopeKidsFuture.com is the brainchild of Carson City resident Sharon Kassity. Being a cancer survivor like her mother and grandmother, Kassity wanted to come up with a way to help out the cause.

"I just decided that a Web site program would be a good way to raise money," she said. "McDonald's corporation is the national sponsor for Breast Cancer Network of Strength, so it was an easy decision to support that breast cancer organization, and Ronald McDonald House was a natural for me."

Kassity buys a variety of products for children and adults, and sells them on the Web site. They track where the orders come from, and funnel a share of the proceeds to the nearest Ronald McDonald House.

The fashion show is an idea Kassity hopes will raise the profile of KidsHopeKidsFuture.com, and that can be duplicated in other cities.

She recruited the models from her children's school, and had more volunteers than she needed.

Nevada First Lady Dawn Gibbons was on hand Saturday to lend her support to the cause as well.

"I met Dawn a couple of months ago and we've become friends, and she's been a big fan," Kassity said. "She said, 'Sharon, you've go to do this, it's a great idea, and a good way to raise money for Ronald McDonald House.'"

Kassity hopes to do similar fashion shows in other cities next year.