PORT TOWNSEND — The town just might be overrun today with leopard-, zebra- and tiger-print-wearing women.
They’ll be prowling uptown and downtown for a cause.
This is the annual Girls’ Night Out, benefiting the Jefferson County Breast and Cervical Health Program — and it’s more than a night.
The event starts at 11 a.m. today with dozens of Port Townsend shops serving food, drinks and discounts.
There’s also the tool kit: the “goodie bag,” 500 of which have been stuffed by Main Street Program volunteers.
The bagful of coupons, treats, Ozone cotton socks and animal-print scarves is on sale for $10 at participating businesses, with proceeds shared by the Main Street and Jefferson County Public Health programs.
In addition to the goodies, raffle tickets for a stay at the Resort at Port Ludlow and dinner at the Fireside — a $400 value — are on sale for $5 apiece or five for $20.
Girls’ Night Out’s main event finishes up at 8 p.m., at which time Alchemy, the bistro at 842 Washington St. beside the Haller Fountain, will host a “wrap party” with prizes, appetizers and desserts.
Admission is a $5 donation.
For more details about the festivities, visit www.PTMainStreet.org or phone Mari Mullen at 360-385-7911.
Among the merchants with special offers and free treats and prizes during Girls’ Night Out today: The Food Co-op, 414 Kearney St., with free tea, coffee, dessert and personal-care gift bags; Uptown Nutrition, 1002 Lawrence St., with chair massages from noon till 2 p.m.; foot massages from 2 p.m. till 4 p.m. and free chocolate samples; Izadora’s Tanning-Spa-Salon, 712 Washington St.; Connie Segal’s Natural Skin Care, 930 Washington St.; Wild Sage, 924 Washington St., with tea tasting and treats; The Wandering Wardrobe, 936 Washington St.; Lehani’s Eat Local Cafe, 221 Taylor St.; Abracadabra, 936 Water St.; About Time, 839 Water St.; Bickie’s Cotton Casuals, 926 Water St.; The Clothes Horse, 910 Water St.; Elevated Ice Cream & Candy Co., 631 Water St.; Expressions Apparel, 834 Water St., with chocolate-dipped shortbread.
Also, The Green Eyeshade, 720 Water St.; Mad Hatter & Co., 926 Water St.; Maestrale, 821 Water St., with a trunk show of woolen shawls and scarves; Maricee Fashions, 913 Water St., with a Janska Polartec Fleece trunk show; Ms. Bee Haven, 1020 Water St.; Perfect Endings Cupcakes, 909 Water St.; Personalize It!, 1007 Water St., with a “Pin the Tail on the Zebra” game for prizes; Sea Grass Coastal Home, 633 Water St., with a terrarium- and hurricane-building station; Sport Townsend, 1044 Water St.; Summer House Design, 930 Water St.; Tickled Pink, 825 Water St.; Wandering Angus, 939 Water St.; What’s Cookin’ on Water Street, 844 Water St.; William’s Gallery 914 Water St.
Goodie bags and raffle tickets, meantime, are available at Uptown Nutrition, the Green Eyeshade, About Time, Maricee Fashions, Bickie’s Cotton Casuals, Personalize It!, the Clothes Horse and Elevated Ice Cream.
Funds from the bags and raffle help Jefferson County Public Health provide mammograms and Pap tests for local women with little or no medical insurance.
And Julia Danskin, Jefferson County Public Health’s nursing director, sees today’s event as an opportunity to remind women to be good to themselves and one another.
“Women spend most of their time and energy taking care of others,” she said. “Girls’ Night Out is a great opportunity to have fun and encourage all women to take care of ourselves.”
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3550 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.