A comic fashion show is part of the Ripon Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary evening gala on Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Ripon Post located at Olive Avenue and West Ripon Road.
Dinner is planned for 5 p.m. The fashion show is at 7:30 p.m. followed by an evening of music and dancing to the melodies of a DJ. Tickets are $15 a person and the event is limited to adults only.
A major attraction among the models is Ripon Mayor Dean Uecker.
Four of the “models” were present for an advertising photo shoot last week. Members of the auxiliary had a rack of dresses for them to select their dream outfit prior to this Saturday’s show. Arnold Rothlin, Fred Garber, Jim West and Adrian Fondse demonstrated their good sportsmanship by allowing the women to dress them, said Auxiliary past president Sherie Layson.
She said that the “rough and tough” guys become so feminine when you dress them in women’s clothes even asking to wear clip-on earrings.
“Jim West didn’t like his first dress, saying he wanted to look classy.” she noted.
The women of the Auxiliary are now working to sign up more models for the event from leaders of the Ripon community including police officers. The late chief Red Nutt was a member of the comedy elite in past years and brought the house down with laughter.
The women members are planning to do the makeup, fingernail and toenail polish for the men in the fashion show. The cast of characters have asked for open toe high heel shoes so their toes will be seen by the crowd of onlookers.
Former Ripon police officer Jim West said he will push his luck in cuddling some of the VFW veterans he finds in the audience and will be “doing a little surprise move when I come out in those high heels – hope I don’t break my neck,” he said laughing.
Retired Marine Craig Moffat will be escorting the “women models” in the fashion show onto the stage dressed in formal white Class A uniform. Moffat is known as everybody’s mailman who has also been very involved in the gift-giving Toys for Tots program.
West’s son JJ did three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and has reported back to the Auxiliary members on how much his fellow soldiers had appreciated their yuletide gift boxes they send the first week in December every year.
VFW Commander Fred Garber dressed in bright red said he will seductively show his left leg from under his skirt as he goes out on stage hoping to draw the attention of the men in the audience. The growth of hair on his legs serves as a definite give away to his gender.
The Auxiliary is hoping to pack another 100 gift boxes for the troops again this year and will start a production line of volunteer packers right after the Thanksgiving holiday. Those volunteers have included the Ripon High JROTC cadets, Walgreens staffers, Girl Scouts and members of the VFW Auxiliary who gather at the post to help make a difference for the troops.
The ticket price includes a ham dinner, fashion show, music and dancing. Tickets are available at the VFW Post or by calling Terry Emslie at 209-456-4546.
To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.
