Valley Focus: Power of the Purse Promises Mimosas and Men Modeling Handbags

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hey ladies! Imagine starting your morning with mimosas and men showing you designer handbags! Get your bestie ready for Power of the Purse! This fundraiser for United Way of Tulare County promises a fun morning of philanthropy.

Kris Bruce and Kendra Carson are board members with United Way and involved with the Women United Affinity Group. They were guests on Valley Focus with host Margot Kim. Here are some excerpts of the interview (aired Sunday, May 13, 2018)

Margot: Kendra, first tell us about Power of the Purse. Let's get right into these handbags for a cause.

Kendra: This is the third year of doing this event. We have currently over 40 designers, brand-new designer handbags that have been promised, and we're collecting them.

Everything from Coach, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Brighton. And we even have a Roberto Cavalli.

Margot: Women are all ears right now.

Kendra: Oh, yes.

Margot: Yes, who doesn't love a new purse?

Kendra: Right? Exactly.

Margot: Well, we're watching some video from last year's event, and these gentlemen are dapper. Tell us a little bit about the models, Kris. Who will we be seeing?

Kris: This year, we've got a big selection. We're going everything from a cowboy. We've got some sheriffs, so local people. My husband's actually gonna be modeling this year, and he's

pulling in some people with him. So, yeah, we're excited.

Margot: Yes, speaking of a few good men, our own Cory James and Brian Johnson will be models on the runway this year as well.

Kris: It's such a fun atmosphere, and it's such a day to give back and also to give to yourself as well and just relax and have a fun time.

Margot: Why is it so focused on women, Kendra?

Kendra: It's because of the fact --It's Power of the Purse, you know? It's -- Men are definitely invited to come, but because they're purses, it's geared a little bit more towards women.

However, it's -- We started this with the affinity group, Women United. And our focus was -- is for the literacy in Tulare County. Tulare County's illiteracy rate is 41 percent.

Margot: Wow.

Kendra: And there are other areas within Tulare County that are much high even than that. So we know that if children, by the age -- or by the time they're in third grade, if they

aren't reading proficiently by that time, they are more apt to not even graduate from high school, let alone proceed onto a college-level and to be able to get higher-paying type jobs.

And it's -- literacy is just a really huge issue in Tulare County, and that's what we want to do. All of the monies that are -- proceeds from the event go towards funding books for

students that are from second to third grade.

Power of the Purse is Friday, June 8, 2018, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Visalia Convention Center. Call (559) 685-1766 for ticket information or go online.