Craig’s Fine Jewelry in Ridgefield, Conn., kicked off its
Craig’s Cares fundraising events on May 26 by raising money for a local
playhouse.

The store hosted a trunk show featuring Lazare Kaplan, Shaesby,
and Katie Diamonds and raised more than $2,000 for The Ridgefield Playhouse
Arts for Everyone program.

The non-profit performing arts center is walking distance
from the jewelry store, Terri Garlick, Criag’s Fine Jewelry marketing and
social networking coordinator tells JCK.

“The designers come in and we offer 20 percent of sales from
that night to the charity,” Garlick says. “What’s fun about the trunk shows is
that they often offer lines [from designers] that we don’t usually carry in
Ridgefield.”

A local winery offered wine tastings at the event; there was also a raffle for tickets to the playhouse. “We had several members from
the Ridgefield Playhouse attending,” Garlick says. “The artists signed show
posters and those were given away.”

Two winners were invited to attend a
show at the Playhouse that evening.

The event was the first of six to continue throughout the
year. Garlick says the store started doing a regular series of Craig’s Cares
events two years ago. “We’ve been very fortunate to have a thriving event when
others aren’t growing,” she says. “We do it to showcase a local organization
and to help them raise awareness and funds.”

Garlick says each event will feature two or three designer
trunk shows. “Jewelry designers can get new clients and they can showcase their
designs in Ridgefield,” she says.

The next Craig Cares event will benefit The Ridgefield Boys
& Girls Club on July 14.

JCK