It may be hard to top the first contest, but the owner of Polly Claire's tearoom is hoping for more crowning achievements in the second annual Hats Off to a Good Cause.
Last year's inaugural fundraiser for Bethel Bible Village in Hixson produced hats sporting flowers, feathers, flags and spokes, among other embellishments. They adorned everything from wide-brimmed sun hats to simple cloches to fancy fascinators.
Polly Claire's keeps a stash of more than 200 hats for patrons to wear while dining, and owner Rashelle Stafford says guests often ask if they can purchase their borrowed toppers. The contest gives them a chance to purchase a new favorite.
Hats may be entered in the contest through Wednesday. Donors can simply buy a fabulous hat without bothering to further embellish it, but the trick, of course, is to make the hat stand out. Some of the hats will be selected for an auction, but prizes also will be awarded for the best entries in five categories: Creativity, Edible, Recycled, Vintage and Glam.
Contest guidelines
› Donations: Hats may be dropped off through Wednesday, Aug. 21. Hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. daily (closed Sunday). Hats will be sold in the auction and will not be returned to the owner.› Size: Donated hats should be no larger than 2 feet wide and 2 feet tall and be ready to display.› Donor information: Include a tag with name, phone number, email and full description of the hat. If applicable, include the year, genre, theme, artist or designer and any interesting facts or ingredients used to create the hat.› Voting takes place Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 22-24, either through Facebook or by visiting the restaurant, 6178 Adamson Circle.› Winners will be announced by 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25.› For more information: 423-521-4832, www.pollyclaires.com, www.Facebook.com/pollyclaires/.
At least six will be selected for an auction to be held Thursday through Saturday. The hats will be displayed in the restaurant foyer and online, and bidders may message the tearoom on Facebook or visit the restaurant to vote.
All donated hats not included in the auction will be sold in the gift shop to benefit Bethel. Suggested donation is $20 per hat.
"Each hat that comes in is so different from the next," says Stafford, remembering last year's entries. "It's going to be really hard to choose which ones will go in the auction. I'm just excited to see the whole thing unfold."
Stafford says she chose Bethel, a home for children and teens in crisis, as the auction's beneficiary because of its similarities to Bonny Oaks School, a children's home from 1895 to 1985 that occupied the property where Polly Claire's now operates. Known as the Dent House, the historic structure was built in 1854 by railroad contractor Jarrett Dent and is the area's only remaining antebellum home.
Bethel Bible Village won't be the only beneficiary of the fundraiser. An afternoon tea for two will be awarded to the donor whose hat receives the most votes and the donor whose hat brings in the largest dollar amount in the auction.
Winners will be announced by 8 p.m. next Sunday, Aug. 25.
Polly Claire's, 6178 Adamson Circle, is open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday for hats to be dropped off for donation or perused for vote decisions.
Staff writer Emily Crisman contributed to this story.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.