A record crowd of 350 guests made merry in Oakmont Aug. 22 for an evening with Carabella women's boutique owner Carol Kinkela's special guest, New York designer Donna Degnan. After dining outdoors on heavy hors d'oeuvres, wine and the delicious Carabellatini and bidding on silent auction items, guests filed into the venerable Oaks Theater for a fantastic fashion show coordinated by Tricia Deems and featuring 60 hot fall-winter looks by La Degnan on 12 stunning Docherty models.

Event emcee and Oakmont resident Jim Roddey was all smiles in a dapper seersucker jacket, but the night belonged to Debbie Maddock of Jefferson Hills, who won a five-minute shopping spree at Carabella and felt "fabulous!" as she looked over her haul. As she hurried through the store with assistance from Kinkela and company, dozens of women watched outside and waited to get inside to shop. Other guests stayed outdoors and enjoyed sweet treats from Oakmont Bakery. Highmark gave $20,000 to underwrite the event, proceeds from which benefited the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.