At last year’s boutique (from left): Janet Abrams, Karen Perkins, Cindy Schapiro, and Mimi Arnold. Photo Contributed
Eighteen years ago, Lisa Sandler Spaeth asked her mom, Froma Sandler, to make a bow for her daughter's hair that would stay there without falling out. Froma experimented with adding buttons and bows to pony-tail holders and hair clips. Her granddaughter loved them, she created more styles and patterns — and the hair accessories became an instant hit at her granddaughter’s school.
“Bows- Etc” was born and the home business of creating custom hair accessories for children grew into a thriving business. They sell their products at the many bazaars and school boutiques in the area — but have now branched out into wholesaling to many children’s stores.
Lisa Sandler Spaeth died eight and a half years ago from pulmonary fibrosis, a difficult-to-treat fatal disease that progressively damages the lungs and starves the body of oxygen. She and her family lived for two years with the devastating prognosis that there is no cure. After she died, her parents launched the Lisa Sandler Spaeth Memorial Fund to help fund research for pulmonary fibrosis. Froma said, "We now partner with the Johns Hopkins Center for Pulmonary Fibrosis and our foundation has raised $3 million.”
Froma donates everything she earns from Bows, Etc. to find better treatments and hopefully one day a cure for pulmonary fibrosis. "We have helped fund a larger
department with more doctors doing research. It's a real tribute to Lisa that we have been so successful at raising funds to help the many who have this disease. More than 40,000 people die from pulmonary fibrosis each year — more than breast cancer." She also serves as an advocate, lobbying Congress for more awareness and funds for this dreadful disease.
As difficult as it must have been, Froma continued on with the business. She now has a partner, Robin Miller and together they have grown the business, branched out into many stores and are selling "hundreds and hundreds of bows." They are soon launching a website and expect that the business will become bigger and bigger.
The WHC Boutique supports Lisa's foundation and other charities including Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, Suited for Change, Promise for Prom, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and MADD and many more. As Michele Citren said, "It's shopping with a conscience because each vendor donates 20 percent of their total sales to our philanthropy."
The boutique is one of Potomac's most-awaited shopping venues each year. With 20 new vendors and 50 altogether, the show is perfect for discovering "one-of-a-kind" gifts and personal treasures. Shoppers can choose among the extensive jewelry collections, children and women's clothing and accessories, home decor gifts, food items and more. Some of the vendors are All Things Olive, Serenity Fitness Boutique, The Supreme Court Historical Society, Equilibrium Activewear, Glass by Design, KEEP Collective. Swirl, Girlie Glitz and Glam, Candace’s Fine Jewelry, Create-a-Plaque, Dreams to Your Door, In Bloom Jewelry, Jodie’s Jamboree, Pink Avenue Girl, Sababa Israeli Jewelry, Soom Foods — and more.
WHC President, Sandy Nesbit said, "We are pleased to support small businesses, both local and from farther away. We have been presenting the boutique for 29 years and we are proud to continue the tradition of supporting the charitable missions of the WHC Sisterhood. Every year we add new vendors with exciting new products. Shoppers return year after year to support our wonderful vendors, to participate in the Silent Auction and to dine on great food."
Martha K. Bindeman, former president of the WHC Sisterhood, is proud of the variety of Silent Auction offerings for this year. She said, “One wonderful item is the ‘Meet the Press’ Control Room. Four people will have the opportunity to sit in the control room for the taping of Meet the Press. They will be able to meet moderator Chuck Todd and his guests and watch the interviews from the studio — this is such a unique item. We have several vacation opportunities including a week in Siesta Key, Fla.” The Silent Auction will also feature a variety of gift certificates from restaurants and stores, sports tickets, event planning, a mini-photography session for four, Nationals items, a catered dinner for 10, themed gift baskets, golf outings, theatre tickets, jewelry, children’s items and more.
Shoppers alos will be able to purchase raffle tickets for the Wine Wall — an opportunity to win 60 bottles of wine donated from community members as well as a wine experience from Total Wine at their store for 10.
At the boutique’s cafe, visitors can pick up home-baked goodies, deli-sandwiches from Bethesda Bagel and J. Chow’s California Chicken Salad, Greek salads and vegetable chili — or, the most sought after, Monday night’s brisket and kugel. Dine-in or take it home.