Out & About: Models strut their stuff in Y thrift shop fashions

A fashion show isn’t usually an audience-participation event — unless your emcee happens to be Latasha Wilson-Batch.

The YWCA Westmoreland County chose the executive director of the Best of the Batch Foundation (and spouse of former Steeler Charlie Batch) to narrate its annual Girls in Pearls: Walk the Red Carpet fashion show.

Batch had the crowd dancing and clapping as models strutted their stuff in outfits from the Y’s downtown Greensburg thrift shop.

“They’re playing all my jams,” she said of DJ Larry Hornyak’s background tracks.

The sold-out event took place Aug. 19 in the banquet hall at Rizzo’s Malabar Inn in Crabtree.

The audience ooh-ed and aah-ed as Batch revealed the cost of like-new outfits, many including designer labels. No head-to-toe look, complete with shoes, bags and other accessories, topped $54.

Models included Jody Adams, Ashly Carney, Melina Carter, Pat Cummerick, Gabriella Elentri, Brooke Hildenbrand, Marcy Paul, Cecilia Petrush, Cairynn Porter, Rita Powell, Rosin Rivera-Bretaña, Ruth Rodriguez, Ruth Tolbert, Maybel Yanecko, Linda Yonkey and Corinne Coulson, recipient of the 2019 YWCA Rising Star Award.

The award goes to a woman age 35 or younger who exhibits early professional success and future potential, and who demonstrates willingness to help others. Coulson is manager of strategic communications and marketing at Penn State New Kensington.

Fashion show committee members included chairwoman Carlene Williams, Diana Basick, Kelly Carlson, Alejandra Castile Smyntek, Jamie Hightower-Poindexter, Keisha Jimmerson, Marcy Karasek, Paula Maloney, Rosin Rivera-Bretaña, Theresa Rusbosin, Norma Skillings, Nichole Smalley and Y executive director Cindy Leonard.

Board president Diane Hightower gave opening remarks.