Kaua‘i’s women donned mini-skirts and high-heeled shoes and showed up en masse for a special Sunday night screening of the movie “Sex and the City” at Kukui Grove Cinemas, with all proceeds going to the YWCA. “The best way to
Kaua‘i’s women donned mini-skirts and high-heeled shoes and showed up en masse for a special Sunday night screening of the movie “Sex and the City” at Kukui Grove Cinemas, with all proceeds going to the YWCA.
“The best way to enjoy a guilty pleasure is to do something positive with it,” said Starwood Vacation Ownership’s Tracy Hughes, the event’s mastermind. “Why don’t we do something to empower the women of the island who are less fortunate?”
Hughes, who recently moved to Kaua‘i from New York City, saw the movie as an opportunity to meet other fans of the show and help a good cause.
The Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort’s Pu‘uwai Committee, which coordinates SVO’s local charitable activities, arranged to purchase all 259 seats at $8 apiece and sell them for $20 apiece, with the full difference going to fund YWCA’s various programs.
Leila Fuller, Director of Fund Development at YWCA of Kaua‘i, said that the proceeds will help the group maintain its family violence shelter, domestic violence services, sexual assault treatment, sex offender treatment, sex abuse treatment, Girlz Zone program and Camp Sloggett facilities in Koke‘e State Park.
“It means a lot. Getting what we do out there, a lot of women here don’t know the services that we provide. Once they find out, (if) they know somebody that needs our services, they can help them,” Fuller said.
“More than anything, it’s a way for women to get together to support one another. That’s really what it’s all about,” she said. “Financially, it’s going to be great, but more importantly, it’s a way to get the word out about what we do,” Fuller said.
The tickets quickly sold out, and Hughes briefly considered expanding the event to two theaters to meet demand. In the end, she decided that it would be more fun to keep all participants together for the evening.
Hughes said that event organizers had recruited “hunky” boyfriends and husbands to serve as ushers and sell raffle tickets at the pre-screening reception for $5 apiece, bumping the total raised to $3,705.
Raffle prizes included a variety of “Sex and the City”-themed gifts, donated local services and a grand prize of a two-night stay at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa with dinner for two at Tropica restaurant.
“It’s just a start. We still have a lot of work to do,” Hughes said, “but I think it was a huge success. Everyone had a blast.”
The throng of women came dressed to the nines and were lined up outside of the theater almost an hour before the screening was set to begin.
“We had women out shopping for new dresses and new shoes for this event,” Fuller said. “They’re making a whole ‘girls’ night out’ of it — going to dinner before coming to the theater.”
“Women have gone all out — stilettos and wigs and boas,” Hughes said.
“Sex and the City,” an R-rated adaptation of the popular Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning HBO romantic comedy series, follows four New York City women through their friendships, professions, and, as the title would suggest, love lives.
After six seasons on television and a four-year absence, the movie debuted on May 30 as that weekend’s top-grossing box office film, according to media reports, raking in almost $57 million despite mixed reviews.
“I have to admit, I watched (the television show) religiously. It wasn’t about sex, it was about women. It was about friendships. It was about being there for each other … always,” Fuller said.
“So, ladies, thank you so much. Thank you for supporting the YWCA. Thank you for supporting each other.”
For more information or to donate to the YWCA of Kaua‘i, call 245-5959.
