Rachel Harding and I were first formally introduced in a dressing room at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, where our team was preparing to photograph her for this story. I knew of her, we’d exchanged countless emails and I’d taken her photo at a number of social events, but this was the first time we’d really “met.” She was wearing tiny black leggings and sophisticated ballet flats. Her hair was up in curlers and she had her hands neatly folded in her lap. She was friendly and familiar. And when we shook hands, her broad, megawatt smile lit up the room — the picture of grace, poise, style, and of course, effortless beauty.
And although it may sound trite, it’s true. With Rachel, the beauty you see on the outside is just a smidge of that which she has on the inside. She has a philanthropist’s heart, giving freely of herself to the nonprofits and organizations that request her time and support.
Giving back is just second nature for her. From an early age, her parents Dave and Holly Parker [Parker Auto] taught her about philanthropy. “No matter how big or small, they emphasized the importance of giving, for even small contributions can make a big difference,” she says. “Several years ago, we started a new Thanksgiving tradition of serving food to the homeless through the Arkansas Union Rescue Mission. It is a really nice way to start the day. I hope Buddy and I are able to make a strong, supportive and loving family unit for our growing family like my parents did for my siblings [Jessica Parker Casey and David Parker] and me. There is nothing more precious than family.”
This “Buddy” she speaks of is her husband Buddy Harding, an investment banker at Crews & Associates and son of notable Arkansas philanthropists Linda and Rush Harding. Rachel and Buddy went to high school together at Pulaski Academy, but weren’t together as a couple until their last semester in college. “Once we started dating, we knew this was it,” Rachel reminisces.
The couple’s firstborn is due at the beginning of May, and (now that the morning sickness is long-gone) Rachel is giddy with excitement. “He will be carrying on his dad’s name, so he will be named Rush Flowers Harding V. Everyone has been calling him Five. His actual due date is 5-5-13. Buddy’s old basketball number in high school and college was five, and since he is the fifth Rush, we find that ‘Five’ seems to be fun and appropriate,” she beams. “We are really excited to meet him and start this new chapter.”
But before Five arrives, Rachel’s got a runway fashion show to pull off. She’s chairwoman of Easter Seals Arkansas’ annual Fashion Event, scheduled for Thursday, April 4, at the Peabody Little Rock.
This is the sixth year for the Fashion Event, which began in 2008 under a tent in the Pleasant Ridge Town Center parking lot. The show has grown rapidly since its inception and will this year showcase the latest spring fashions from more than eight local boutiques and retailers (see below). The Fashion Event will also have a silent auction and hors d’oeuvres and refreshing libations for attendees. Jacqulyn Sexton of Society Events will create the table arrangements and event décor, and Boom Kinetic will provide live music during the show and at the after-show dance party.
The theme for this year’s Fashion Event is Hometown Heroes. “Our Easter Seals children and adults are the real heroes, and we are so excited for them to strut that confidence down the runway,” Rachel says. “Every year, the show features local boutiques, local models and some of the Easter Seals kids and adults. When the Easter Seals models walk down the runway, there is just something about the whole room that changes. The energy is incredible. It’s fun to see some of our Easter Seals models start off a little shy, but by the end of the walk they are doing extra poses and twirls. It really is a magical, heart-filled night.”
Money raised from the event will support Easter Seals’ myriad programs and services, among them the High Risk Infant Monitoring Program; preschool and therapy services for children; residential therapy and education services for children ages 3-18; and job training, placement and other adult services, like independent living skills and apartment housing, says Easter Seals’ Public Relations Director Julia Hamra.
Rachel is not a fashion show newbie. She first started volunteering with the Easter Seals Fashion Event when a friend recruited her to serve on the committee about five years ago. She had just graduated from UofA with a psychology degree and had moved back home to Little Rock. When she was asked to chair this year’s show, Rachel says she approached the task with a mixture of fear and excitement.
“But when you have the support and committee I do, it doesn’t get too overwhelming or stressful,” she says. “I work with Easter Seals Special Events Coordinator, Cara, my co-chair, LeAnn and our committee of women from around Little Rock. Jeanne Johansson — chair from last year — gets a text from me about every other day, and I can’t thank everyone on the committee enough for all of their help and enthusiasm.”
In addition to serving Easter Seals, Rachel is also a Wish Granter for Make-A-Wish, and she and Buddy are members of the Peacekeepers, a young professionals group that serves Women & Children First.
Easter Seals Arkansas President and CEO Sharon Moone-Jochums couldn’t imagine a better person to chair one of Easter Seals’ largest fundraisers. “It was a natural choice for us to ask Rachel to chair the event,” she says. “She has taken on this project wholeheartedly and her sense of style and grace are present in every detail. Under her leadership, the event is sure to be a financial success as well.”
Rachel will work day and night to ensure a successful event, but when we asked if she’d strut the runway, that’s where this mama-to-be draws the line. She took to the stage her first year on the committee, but she’s more than happy to have turned in her stilettos. “One time was enough for me,” she laughs. “I am really glad I did it because I faced a fear. But for me, one time down the runway will suffice!”
Easter Seals Fashion Event
When: 6 p.m., Thursday, April 4
Where: The Peabody Little Rock
Tickets: $50 general admission; $100 for table seating; $1,000 for tables of 10
Info: Cara Neal, 227-3702, [email protected]
Participating Fashion Event Boutiques
Barbara/Jean | Beyond Cotton | Faux Pas | Forsythe’s | Greenhaw’s | The Independent
Lavender | Proposal’s | Roberson’s | Scarlet | The Toggery | Tulips | Vesta’s
A Room of Her Own
S: Are you into home décor and DIY?
RH: I enjoy anything that has to do with design and decorating. Whether it is a great HGTV show, checking out new furniture or ideas, or a home DIY project, I enjoy it. If you stop by my house on the weekend, there is a good chance I am in the process of rearranging something. Before I was pregnant, Buddy would just love waking up on the weekend to me dragging things across the room. Now, he drags the furniture across the room!
What is your favorite room? Do you have a favorite current home trend?
My favorite room in our house is the kitchen. We remodeled our house before we moved, so I was able to design it. The kitchen is all white, and I love it. Actually, every room in our house is mostly white and very neutral. I like to know that if I want to change the look of a room, all I have to do is change up the pillows and flowers!
What’s your next big home project?
RH: Our next project is the nursery, which has a rustic theme. We are putting up a gray salvaged wood feature wall. Of course, everything so far is very neutral, and I am still trying to decide on an accent color. But I am really excited about everything coming together!
Rachel Harding wears clothing and accessories from Box Turtle. Shot on location at The Rep.
Rachel Harding credits her co-chair LeAnn Wolf and her committee for making the planning process run smoothly.
Rachel Harding at the Rep.