Vela

Although red remains her favorite color, the one associated with Judge Rose Vela these days is the one she wears behind the bench.
   As judge of the 148th District Court, Vela dons the customary black judicial robe. But two years ago, when she decided to run for public office, Vela chose to incorporate red into her campaign colors of blue and white. Given her first name, she said, red is a logical choice, as is using the red rose as her campaign trademark.
   "I used the red rose on everything, from my campaign push cards to my signs and billboards," recalled Vela, who recently donated a red suit she wore during that successful campaign to Dress for Success South Texas, a non-profit organization that helps low-income women make tailored transitions into the work force.
   "I debated about giving up this suit because it has such special meaning for me," Vela admitted. "But I thought it would be a nice gesture to hand it off to someone else."
   Vela and 14 other local professional women each donated a favorite suit to the Dress for Success program. The organization will display the suits on mannequins Monday during a "Suit Tales" fund-raiser, celebrating Women's History Month and wrapping up the organization's annual Clean Your Closet Week company clothing drives. The benefit begins at 5:30 p.m. at 21 nightclub, 317 N. Mesquite St.

   Handing over memories

   Like Vela, Vicki Garza, a Workforce Network career consultant, also wanted to hold on to her favorite suit, but decided the organization would put it to better use. Garza donated the red wool suit she was wearing when she and other members of the Mexican American Democrats (now the Tejano Democrats) had lunch with presidential candidate Bill Clinton.

Courtesy Photo

Vicki Garza photograghed with then Presidential candidate Bill Clinton during his first election campaign. Garza donated the red suit, shown here, to a Dress for Sucess benefit.

   "Our organization was at a convention in Laredo at the time and afterward we were invited to lunch at La Posada as his guests," Garza said. "It's a suit that means a lot to me and, believe me, I thought seriously about parting with it. But I believe in encouraging, promoting and enabling women to be the best they can be. I hope whoever wears this suit will be as successful and happy as I've been in my life."

   Sharing a little luck

   Another suit came from Kathy Kirk, a certified public accountant, who donated the royal blue jacket and pleated skirt she wore the day she convinced a federal judge to appoint her a Chapter 11 Trustee.
   The trustee appointment process, Kirk recalled, involved various security checks, including an FBI investigation, IRS check, and fingerprints taken at a police station. Kirk passed the security checks, but it was her business acumen that won her the appointment.
   "I want the woman who receives my 'lucky suit' to wear it with confidence and pride, knowing that she can do anything if she believes in herself," Kirk said.
   Also donating this year is Marion Luna Brem, president and chief executive officer of Corpus Christi's Love Chrysler and Love Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Alice. Brem donated what she wore during a photo session for a magazine story published about her in this month's For Women First.
   "Suit Tales" admission is $25 per person. For more information about attending, call Dress for Success at 882-4770.
  
 

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