The 13th annual Challenge Your Fashion event on Saturday, January 25, 2020 was filled with fun, fashion and great times. Thanks to our guests, volunteers and event sponsors for making this year's event such a success.
This great night for a great cause benefits the YMCA of Greater Kansas City’s Challenger program, which provides children with diverse abilities the opportunity to build confidence, learn new skills and make friends through sports programs, swim lessons, social events, before and after school programs and more. Event proceeds will also help the Y build additional accessible sports fields at the YMCA Challenger Sports Complex.
Challenge Your Fashion guests enjoyed cocktails and a silent auction, dinner, a fashion show, a live auction hosted by Kansas City Royals broadcaster Rex Hudler and the Nigro brothers and an after party with live music from Lost Wax.
Each year, current and former players from local sports teams walk the runway with YMCA Challenger athletes and buddies. Models this year included Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders, Kansas City Royals players Brett Phillips and Nicky Lopez, Challenger Buddy and UMKC soccer player Sam Gettings, the founder of Disabled but Not Really, Wesley Hamilton, who was featured on Season 4 of Queer Eye on Netflix and many others. Co-emcees Steven St. John and Aly Trost from Sports Radio 810 hosted the fashion show.
During the program, several guests shared how the Challenger program has grown over the years and the impact Challenge Your Fashion has on supporting this growth.
"Funds raised from Challenge Your Fashion not only give youth with diverse abilities the opportunity for physical activity, but they also boost mental health, too, which is so important for their success," said John Mikos, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. "When everyone has a chance to participate, it makes all of us stronger."
David and Karla Shepard, parents of Challenger athlete and Challenge Your Fashion model Charlie, talked about how much the Challenger program means to their son and how they have found support from the program and the staff.
Take a look at our Google Photos gallery for event photos.
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