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Red Shield ReDesign Bash raises money and awareness.
By Sally Gress
With an undercurrent of restoration and rehabilitation, The Salvation Army Red Shield ReDesign Bash in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., raised money and awareness Oct. 18 for the Army’s Plymouth Colony, a local shelter for homeless families.
Roughly 150 philanthropic and design conscious people attended the event, a live auction of redesigned furniture pieces. Twenty “ReDesigners” from the community—both interior design professionals and talented amateurs—shopped thrift stores, yard sales or grandma’s attic to find a “design challenged” piece of furniture in need of help to redesign, restore, repurpose or rehabilitate. The ReDesigners then donated the pieces to the Army.
“This event was important to the community because it brought together a diverse group of supporters and we believe, opened the door for better communication and interaction with members of the local LGBT community,” said Captain Luis Viera, area commander in Fort Lauderdale.
HGTV star David Bromstad hosted the event, choosing his five favorite pieces that were then sold at live auction. The remaining pieces went into a silent auction, with proceeds from both going to Plymouth Colony.
Bromstad is openly gay and received both criticism and support from the LGBT community for his decision to accept the Army’s invitation, saying that he applauds the Army’s “symbolic handshake toward acceptance and would be foolish to not extend my hand in acceptance.”
In total, the event raised $35,000.
Lilly Gallardo, Plymouth Colony director of social services, said, “The money raised from the event will allow us to expand our enrichment program for the teens at our shelter, buy cribs for newborns and purchase necessary items for the apartments as new families move in.”
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