By Parker McKenzie
Boronia Mall will be transformed into a fashion show to raise funds for both veterans and breast cancer on Saturday 29 April, as the Aussie Veterans Op Shop hosts its Vintage Fashion and Market.
From 11am to 2pm, the mall will host a vintage fashion parade and market stalls in the central foyer, with the proceeds going towards charitable causes.
Aussie Veterans Op Shop assistant manager Kristy Harris said the shop is always trying to find ways to engage the local community and raise funds for charity.
“This year, one of our volunteers Keith, he’s from Wantirna Village and he knows a lady Eileen Erwin, who is 90 years old, and she had spoken to him about looking at wanting to donate things to us, vintage clothing and to parade them would there be an opportunity?” she said.
“Then from there, obviously working in an op shop, you’ve got so many other vintage items that you can you collect and sell; it’s the best place to be if you’re going to do a vintage sale.”
Market stalls at the event will include a bake stall, clay bead bracelets, fabrics, vintage clothing patterns, books and craft magazines, vintage baby and child clothing, electric wares like sewing machines and other collectables.
Ms Harris said Ms Erwin will be MCing the event, which will be held in the “centre stage” of the mail.
“We’ve even managed to get a red carpet, and there will be stadium seating around the stage for people to sit, with priority for people with special needs and mobility issues,” she said.
“We are hoping it will bring some people into the mall to see what else is here and support some of the other businesses.”
She said there has been negative publicity around the mall and while some shops have been empty for a while, there are a lot of shopkeepers there doing it tough.
“They’re local to the area and some have been here for a long time. Some even own the shops, while others are leasing them and with the bad press people sometimes think there is no point going to the ball because there’s no one in there,” she said.
“It’s always worth having a look and coming down to support, we have the secondhand store ourselves and a foodbank, different ways of supporting the community, and we’re always looking for volunteers.”
Boronia Mall is located at 50 Dorset Square, Boronia. For more information about the event, visit the Aussie Veterans Op Shop Facebook page.
