Dancing for the Stars Raises Over $30,000

The community danced with excitement on Thursday, February 22, as the annual Dancing for the Stars benefit event raised over $30,000 for the United Way of Toombs, Montgomery, and Wheeler Counties.

“The real winners here are all the agencies supported through our local United Way,” United Way of Toombs, Montgomery, and Wheeler Counties continued from page

Executive Director Patricia Dixon emphasized.

This annual event coordinated by the Power of the Purse is a celebration for all members of the organization, offering them a fun night out to raise money for a good cause. Each year, several members of the community volunteer to compete in a friendly competition for bragging rights, as they dance for the title of Dancing for the Stars champions.

This year, six couples competed, Darien Adams and Zachary Dalgard; James Copeland and Gloria Stanley; Gary Edwards and Carrie Warren; Logan McElveen and Mario Zamorano; Charles Tapley and Deidre Barnett; and Brittany McIntyre and Conner Thigpen. Each couple took turns performing, and received scores which were calculated with a 40% emphasis on their dancing and a 60% emphasis on the amount of monetary votes received. Ultimately, it was McElveen and Zamorano’s fast-paced groove with a Latin flavor that took home the ultimate prize.

The event received a large amount of community support, as nearly 400 attendees filled the room. Presenting sponsors for the event included Dot Foods, Peoples Bank, Memorial Health Meadows Hospital, Paul Thigpen Automotive Group, Southern Nuclear: Hatch Nuclear Plant, Quickly Hire, Trane Technologies, and South Central Realty. Jitterbug Level sponsors were Dermatology Associates: Dr. Lewis Collins, Jr. and Shai Hobbs, NP-C, and EZ-E Photography. Community Hospice was the Tango Level sponsor, and Foxtrot Level sponsors included Vidalia Federal Savings Bank, Mc-Intyre’s, and Sweet Onion Social. John and Ursula Spence were the event’s Waltz Level sponsors.

“Thank you to everyone for coming out, and to our sponsors and Power of the Purse members for making this possible. We appreciate all of you and cannot wait until next year,” Dixon remarked.

For more information on the local United Way, or about joining Power of the Purse, contact Dixon at (912) 537-2776.