On May 2, 2024, the 12th annual Red Carpet Party was held at Canoe Brook Country Club in Short Hills. According to Leslie Patrizio, a fashion event planner and owner of Style Matters who founded and has been coordinating this event since its inception, it was the best year ever.
All 225 tickets were sold and $150,000 was raised for Family and Children's Services, Inc., a non-profit in Elizabeth that provides critical services such as mental health counseling, parenting classes, life skills and more.
The event included cocktails, dinner, a fashion show, a handbag raffle and a silent auction. While Leslie and her incredible committee of volunteers like to change things up each year to keep things fresh, they also make sure to maintain attendees’ favorites.
“We once again had Millburn firemen modeling, and this year their outfits were from Pour HoMMe in Chatham,” she says. “The firemen are always a crowd favorite. I have beautiful models on the runway modeling beautiful gowns, and the firemen always steal the show.”
The handbag raffle, a huge attraction every year, included 36 handbags from Coach®, YSL®, Kate Spade and other top designers. All are donated by local stores and local designers. “Committee members will also purchase a bag and donate it,” says Leslie. “Guests buy tickets, and put them in the handbags that they want to win, and at the end of the evening, we pull out the winning tickets. The women love the handbag raffle almost as much as they love the firemen.”
The silent auction is also always a big hit. “We had a jersey signed by Eli Manning from the New York Giants, a Phillies baseball bat signed by J. T. Realmuto, and gift certificates for restaurants, shoes, a round of golf and lunch at Canoe Brook Country Club, and a Liberty Hall Museum tea. Chez Barbara also donated a cooking class for eight people.”
Each year, she tries to include a new designer or a new store because she loves to promote local businesses. The Blue Iris in Chatham was one of these. “Iris is the owner, and she has some really cool vintage pieces, as well as some new merchandise.”
Attendees were also excited to hear from the honorary chair, Dr. Kareem McKenzie, a New Jersey native and two-time New York Giants Super Bowl champion who also played for the New York Jets. After retirement, Kareem earned his Master’s in Mental Health Counseling and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Supervision in order to work with at-risk youth.
“The audience absolutely loved hearing Kareem's speech. His message was clear and he was an amazing speaker!”
Leslie says the success of this event would not be possible without people like Kareem, her fantastic volunteer committee, local businesses, and the community that contribute and donate. “Frontline Insurance, owned by Nancy King’s husband, Willis, is our title sponsor. Nancy has worked with me on this event since the very beginning. She’s the former president of the board of Family and Children's Services, and currently vice president and board member.”
Adds Nancy, “Family and Children's Services works very hard to help the most vulnerable children in our society.”
To volunteer for Leslie’s committee, or find out how you can help in other ways, go to LesliePatrizio.com.