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Brained resident Elizabeth Everson-Villella, 9, shopped for a purse at the Auction. Photo by Ken Korczak
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The second annual Purses for Partners event hosted by Kinship Partners in Breezy Point on Saturday, April 25, was a smashing success, drawing more than 140 people and raising more than $8,000.
Kinship Partners marketing coordinator Elise Mink called the turnout "terrific." She said last year's event drew 88 people and raised $5,100.
"I think everyone last year had such a great time, and they told everybody about it," she said.
Purses for Partners is a luncheon and purse auction to raise money for Kinship programs.
Most of the purses are donated by local, regional and national merchants, and also by celebrities. This year's purse auction featured donated purses from former Miss America and Fox TV newswoman Gretchen Carlson, Oscar-winning actress Hillary Swank and actress Meg Ryan, among others.
Also auctioned were four VIP tickets to the "Dr. Phil Show" and four VIP tickets to "The Doctors," a medical information TV show.
"We wrote to their producers, and they sent us the tickets," Mink said. "The Dr. Phil package was our highest selling item, bringing $300."
Kinship Partners of Crow Wing County is a nonprofit youth mentoring organization, serving families in Crow Wing and southern Cass counties. It provides positive role models for youth in local communities.
Mentors are matched up with children ages 5 to 14. Children from "all socio-economic groups" are matched with adults, who spend quality time with the children and serve as positive role models.
The first Kinship program began in the Twin Cities in 1954, and now has 24 branches throughout Minnesota. Kinship Partners of Crow Wing County started in 1986.
