Drag queens featured at Griffith fundraiser

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Carrie Hudek | Provided Photo

Updated: February 14, 2012 8:05AM

A grand bit of fabulous, feathers and fantasy will descend on the town’s south side to honor the tragic death of a friend and help someone pursue their dreams.

Ben Mollin Hair Education and Salon will host the town’s first ever Drag Night Saturday, Jan. 14, to raise money for Carrie’s Fund, a scholarship for low-income students seeking to pursue careers in beauty or culinary arts. The fund honors Carrie Hudek, one of five women gunned down at the Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park, Ill., in 2008.

Hudek, a high school counselor at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor Ill., worked with teens who weren’t dealt great hands in life, said Ben Mollin, founder of Ben Mollin Hair Education. Her family, friends of Mollin’s, established the scholarship to honor her work.

In turn, Mollin, who hosted a sold-out charity fashion show for the Flamini Foundation at his former salon, Bang Bang, and countless other fundraisers, wanted to do something huge for the fund but none of his previous methods felt right. Then he and freelance stylist and makeup artist Alex Garcia, of East Chicago, with whom Mollin works, went out to celebrate their birthdays at the end of November.

They ended up at a drag show in downtown Chicago, and the lightbulb went on.

“Alex found four drag queens who were happy to help, and it was done,” Mollin said.

Mollin fully expects the crowd to be full of artistic, eclectic people, which will make the event all the more fun. There will be singing, lip-syncing, noshes, beverages and raffles throughout the night.

All money raised will go toward the fund, which is a nationwide endeavor that provides a substantial amount of money toward its recipients’ education, if not full tuition. Because of the cost, the fund has put two recipients through school so far, according to Mollin.

“A top-tier beauty school costs between $15,000 and $18,000, so it’s not cheap,” he said. “But we’re planning to host more events throughout the year so we can replenish the fund.”