“You’re here for the creativity, the competition and the cause.”

That’s how event coordinator Marie Howd welcomed a packed room Saturday night as the 17th annual “Bras for the Cause and Boxers, Too” fundraiser took over the Clermont Arts and Recreation Center, raising more than $120,000.

“And an event at this scale takes a village,” she adds.

That village showed up in full force.

Hosted by the Greater Clermont Cancer Foundation, this year’s “Guns ’n Hoses” theme brought together members of the Clermont Police and Fire departments alongside local business leaders, community members and cancer survivors for a night that was equal parts high-energy and deeply meaningful.

Before the runway, before the laughter, before the bidding wars, the room paused for a moving tribute to Holly Nichols, a beloved community member now battling a rare form of brain cancer after her 2025 diagnosis. The room rallied around her in spirit as a video slideshow of Holly, her family and friends played to the song “Head Above Water,” a reminder that this cause isn’t abstract. It’s personal.

“We have this video tonight because we have a community member that is struggling and she needs all of our support,” Marie announced. “She is a past model and she’s so far raised more money than anybody else has in this show for GCCF and I just want to put my hand out there and tell Holly and fer family that we love her and her community supports her.”

That emotion deepened when guests were asked to light candles found at each seat in honor of those who have been touched by cancer in any way. The glow stretched across the venue, quiet and powerful, a shared moment that set the tone for everything that followed.

“This is why we’re here, and you look around this room maybe you’re holding someone’s hand or maybe you have your arm around them, I want you to remember this is your community, these are our cancer families,” Marie said through tears. “This is why we fight, why we persevere and why at times, we grieve. We are who we are because of you. This light is a beacon of hope and it means we see you.”

Then, the energy surged.

Serving as masters of ceremonies, Eileen Scates, owner of Scates Realty and Pink Door Management, who also closed out the night as the final model, and Kelly McGillicuddy kept the crowd engaged, while auctioneer Billy Flanigan turned every bid into a moment, keeping spirits high and laughter rolling.

And the bids came fast.

Custom-designed bras and boxers, each with names like “Striking Out Cancer,” “Neon Inferno,” “Diamond Strength” and “Warrior,” took the runway with powerful backstories tied to personal battles, loved ones and survival.

They sold for anywhere from $1,000 to $11,100.

In one of the night’s most unforgettable moments, Fire Chief David Ezell put out a fire, aka, his wife Kristeen, by spraying her literally smoking bra with an actual fire extinguisher on the runway. Two firefighters, two separate times, also turned the runway into an impromptu ‘different type’ of fundraiser, as guests rushed the stage with cash to stuff into their boxers, raising hundreds in minutes during a playful exchange: all in fun, all for the cause.

Another standout moment came when longtime GCCF volunteer, board member and cancer survivor Kay Simpson was revealed as the mystery model. As she walked the runway, the crowd once again surged forward, stuffing her bra with donations in a lighthearted but meaningful show of support.

Even some local mascots got in on the action, with Hank the Buffalo of Buffalo Wild Wings and Andy the Armadillo of Texas Roadhouse adding a dose of fun to the night as models, as well.

In the lobby, the impact stretched even further with a silent auction that ran alongside the live event, and inside, local restaurants and sponsors filled the space with food, drinks and desserts, another example of a community showing up in every way possible.

Marie made sure to recognize that effort from the start.

“I want to thank each and every one of you for attending tonight,” she says. “This is a team effort… there’s no way we could do this without a phenomenal team.”

For her, the mission is personal.

“The reason I got involved is because my family’s been touched by cancer,” Marie said before the show. 

That mission has been at the heart of the organization since the beginning.

“The Greater Clermont Cancer Foundation was formed in 2004,” says Laura Henry, noting that the organization, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was built by local leaders, including co-founder Phyllis Hutchison, with the goal of helping cancer patients right here at home.

“We are 100% volunteer,” she says. “And everything we do, every dollar we raise, goes right back into helping local patients and their families.”

Since then, the organization has assisted more than 1,300 patients and, through events like this, has raised more than $400,000 to provide financial assistance, support and comfort to cancer patients, their families and caregivers when they need it most. 

By the end of the night, one thing was clear.

This wasn’t just a fundraiser. It was a community, a village, showing up for the Greater Clermont Cancer Foundation, for Holly Nichols and for every South Lake family navigating the realities of cancer.