Elettra Wiedemann is a Model on a Mission

Elettra Wiedemann is a Model on a Mission

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It takes moxie to name a charity One Frickin Day. But Lancôme spokesmodel Elettra Wiedemann and her fiancé James Marshall knew exactly what they were doing when they settled on the spunky moniker. "We toyed with names such as Just One Day, but they all sounded too aspirational," says Elettra. "We wanted something provocative." That was the first of a number of missions accomplished by the gorgeous young couple in the two years since they co-founded the charity, the name of which refers to the notion that you don't have to be a big wig to make a difference. Their organization is set up so that donating just one (frickin) day of your salary or your time makes a significant impact on their goals. "James and I felt if we created a charity where the goals were achievable-such as when we raised $500, 000 to bring solar electricity to a clinic in Burundi-and people could see the results of their contributions, they'd be more likely to donate to future projects," says Elettra. This past Friday, the couple co-hosted a party at Christie's in New York City to kick off their latest initiative, an online auction called Model Behavior. The brainchild of Elettra's fashion stylist Nick Steele, the auction centers around dazzling designer gowns donated by Elettra's supermodel pals including Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson, Amber Valetta, Christy Turlington, and Heidi Klum (that's Elettra above at the party, surrounded by a few of the confections). If you're not exactly in need of a red carpet dress, there are plenty of other enviable items and experiences to bid on, including a handwritten poem by Bono, tickets to Prabal Gurung's next fashion show, a shopping party at Cynthia Rowley's store, and a makeover at the Lancôme boutique on New York's Upper West Side (supervised in person by Elettra!). All of the funds raised by Model Behavior will go to Partners In Health (PIH) and Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) to help buy solar panels for clinics in Haiti and Rwanda that have extremely limited or zero access to electricity. The auction is open through December 7th at charitybuzz.com. If you can't afford to bid on the prizes, you can make a contribution at onefrickinday.org -where even a small donation can go a long frickin way. PHOTOS: MATTHEW CARASELLA/©SOCIALSHUTTERBUG.COM

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