'Army Wives' cast to help local homeless

The cast of the television series "Army Wives" probably won't be in tattered clothing, but they will have the homeless in mind when they attend a benefit in North Charleston on Sept. 6.

Eight principal cast members of the Lifetime series filmed in Charleston and North Charleston, including Catherine Bell and Kim Delaney, have indicated they will step out of a limousine onto the red carpet for the $125-per-ticket homeless shelter fundraiser at Quarters H and I on the old Navy base, North Charleston Grants Administrator Shannon Praete said.

Quarters H and I are shown in the military-themed series as the base's headquarters. Only 250 tickets will be sold for the 6 p.m. event.

"It will be a fun night for a great cause," Praete said. "It will be a little bit of Hollywood in North Charleston."

Other stars of the show, which has been picked up by Lifetime for a third season, who indicated they will attend include Sally Pressman, Brigid Brannagh, Wendy Davis, Sterling Brown, Brian McNamara and Drew Fuller.

"Army Wives" tells the story of four women and one man who are brought together by their common bond — they all have enlisted spouses.

The show airs at 10 p.m. Sundays. It is an ABC Studios/Mark Gordon Co. production for the cable network Lifetime and is filmed entirely in the Charleston area.

The fundraiser will feature cocktails, heavy hors d'oeuvres and a silent auction of donated items such as gift certificates and dinners. Extra security will be in place because of the TV stars.

All money raised will go toward the proposed shelter for women and children called SOLD, for Sustainable Opportunities for Life and Dreams. The shelter will be located on 3.75 donated acres on Leary Street near the new Remount Venture LLC defense- contracting facility off North Rhett Avenue.

The $3.6 million facility will have 148 beds and be run by North Charleston Housing Authority.

The shelter will help women repair their lives, get jobs and eventually live on their own. It probably will not open until 2010.

"We are throwing everything behind it that we can," Harry Bring, series co-executive producer, said. "It's not only a good reason, but it's also a good way to give back."

While the principal stars of the show have expressed interest in attending, Bring cautioned that one or two could get called away at the last minute.

"Nothing is taking anybody out of town, but I imagine we will have a good turnout," he said.

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey welcomed the "Army Wives" cast's interest in supporting the city's efforts to help the homeless and called it a major fundraiser.

"We are doing this to change people's lives," Summey said. "We need to teach them to have independence and self- worth. We are making a statement that North Charleston is a caring community."

Statistics do not show the projected number of homeless people in North Charleston alone, but the projected homeless population for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties is 5,066, said Becky Van Wie, associate director of the Lowcountry Continuum of Care Partnership.

"We are excited and think the fundraiser will be wonderful," Praete said.

Reach Warren Wise at 745-5850 or wwise@postand courier.com.