Days of preparation trickled down to these 150 minutes. 150 minutes that had to go perfectly. 150 minutes to entertain, fundraise, and spread the truth about heart disease, all while running a fashion show.

All day, Aniston Barnette’s team of friends, family, and other participants spent hours decorating and building. Not a paid team, rather, people who found it in their hearts to help a cause bigger than just this show.

Barnette had given her speech minutes before, a shaky notecard in her hand her sole piece of guidance. Her speech elaborated on the purpose of the American Heart Association, and how she hoped to raise awareness and money for stopping heart disease, a cause very dear to her own heart. Her grandfather suffered from heart disease and passed away.

The pressure was high. Everything had to be perfect. Her hair was styled: the front section swooped across her forehead, while the rest of her locks were neatly pulled back in a high ponytail, styled by her friend and hairdresser, Grace Gloves.

With a few minutes to quickly change out of her red blazer and matching bottoms, she debuted her second outfit of the night: a denim skirt with silver detailing, a sparkly top, and a white button down draped across her shoulders.

Questions rolled through her head. Could she really pull this off? Did she look okay? How much money would she raise? She would have never known that in the future, she would end up becoming the National Team of Impact of the Year, raising $65,000.

The audience chatted from the other side of the curtain, yet Barnette could only focus on how to “wow” the crowd. Give them an experience, but also something bigger than just a show.

She listened intently, and heard the music drop. Her heart pounded faster than the beats as she took her first step.

Showtime.