Everyone just seems to be outdoing themselves lately, and for Alpha Chi Omega at Southern Methodist University that means big bucks for victims of domestic violence. The girls put on a fashion show called “Alpha Chi Couture” and it really was couture. Girls walked down the runway wearing Culwell and Sons, Betty Reiter, and longtime Alpha Chi Omega Couture sponsor Tootsies and over 500 people came to see it.

The focus of the show was to raise awareness for domestic violence, and the girls raised over $80,000 for their cause to be donated to the Genesis Women’s Shelter. Emcee Janice Strimple shared empowering facts about each of the models (sisters) as they walked down the runway to empower victims of domestic violence. What’s really cool, though, is this was not just a campuswide event. Taking place at the Dallas Market Center, women from all over the Dallas community were able to benefit.

In addition to ticket sales, the girls put on a silent auction, but according to AXO’s philanthropy chair Brinley Williams, “We actually met our fundraising goals through ticket sales and donations alone so everything we make through the silent auction now is icing on the cake.”

Alpha Chi is making all types of moves and we should all be taking a lesson from their book. This was the ninth annual event but the first to rake in that kind of dough. It is possible for all of us to up our philanthropy games and actually feel like we have two legs to stand on when we say we’re doing good in the community. According to SMU Daily, AXO “is the first to raise $1.5 million for women and it is also the first women’s sorority to partner with the JED Foundation to prevent suicide and mental illness.” Let’s all try to be like them today..

[via SMU Daily]