Plans have begun for the August 3rd Dancing Under the Stars event to be held at Holiday Inn Express-LaMalfa.
This annual event marks its tenth year of pairing local civic, political and corporate personalities with area dance professionals to compete in a dance contest.
An April 19th kickoff revealed the 2018 dance team matching each celebrity dancer with their professional dancer. This year’s lineup is one of the largest yet with fourteen members competing for the coveted trophy and bragging rights.
Celebrity dancers are as listed:
- Ryan Callender, Attorney at Squire Patton Boggs
- Paul Catalano, Mortgage Loan Officer at Home Savings Bank
- Anthony Dibacco, Insurance Agent at Diversified Insurance Concepts and Co-Owner of Dave’s Cosmic Subs
- Ken Filipiak, City Manager, City of Mentor
- Lynda Frate, Owner, Pub Frato and BRIM
- Julie Janco Gidley, Psychologist and Owner, Coping Corner
- Scott Marn, Senior Vice President – Investments at Benjamin F. Edwards & Co.
- Stephanie Meacham, Commercial Claims Support Specialist, Progressive Insurance
- Miguel and Tanisha Solivan, Product Manager, Avery Dennison and Director, Inside Sales at Meritec
- Steve Trivisonno, Head Football Coach, Mentor High School
- Sarah Wade, Process Development Engineer, Lubrizol
- Kristina Willey, Director, Holden University Center and Off-Site Facilities at Lakeland Community College
- Cookie Wilson, Salon Manager, Ladies & Gentlemen Salon and Spa
“We are so pleased to have so many wonderful celebrity dancers this year to add to the fun of the event and to the raising of funds to help our local community,” states Volunteer Chair, Dione DeMitro. Not only will each dancer be learning new dance steps and routines over the next few months but they each will be responsible for individually raising funds to contribute to the event’s total proceeds. Since its inception, the event has raised nearly $350,000 for Lifeline and the Family Planning Association of Northeast Ohio, a division of Signature Health.
“This is truly one of those events everybody just has fun with. It’s amazing to see over a few short months the progress the dancers make with the help of their matched professional dancer,” states DeMitro. “This event would not be so successful if it weren’t for the time and dedication of our professional dancers. We are forever grateful for them and look forward to their showcasing their creative talents.”
This year’s professional dancers are as listed:
- Bobby Ford, Savelli Dance Studios
- Hannah Elizabeth Green
- Darlene Kelbach, Fine Arts Association
- Ethan Konig, Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Chagrin Falls
- Dan Nichols
- Maggie Runyon
- Dianne Savelli, Savelli Dance Studios
- Shari Smith, Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Chagrin Falls
- Shannon Taylor, Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Chagrin Falls
- John Thompson
- Alyssa Watson, Serendipity Dance
- Anthony Wilson, Viva Dance Studio
Joining the dancers will be emcee, Jessie Baginski, CEO of Leadership Lake County, honorary chair and past winner, Libby Hill and judges Maurice Coffee (past celebrity dancer), Heather Felden (past professional dancer and winner), Common Pleas Judge Eugene Lucci, and Nicole Parker (past winner).
Tickets will go on sale soon for the August 3rd event (6:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) priced at $75 per person or corporate tables of 10 with preferred seating for $900. For more information visit Dancing Under the Stars or call 440-728- 6542.
About Lifeline
Lifeline, founded in 1973, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to lead the Lake County community in the fight against poverty by offering programs and opportunities to empower residents to achieve self-sufficiency. Lifeline’s Board and staff believe firmly that self-sufficiency means something different to every consumer. To some it may mean securing affordable housing and keeping their utilities connected so that they have a safe home. To others it may mean having access to medical services so that they can properly maintain their health. And to others it might mean enrolling in school or job training programs so that they can pursue different career opportunities.
As a Community Action Agency, Lifeline is uniquely poised to rapidly respond to the critical needs of our local community and is proud to provide a safety net for those in need.
Because poverty affects every household differently, a wide variety of programs are offered designed to combat the many effects of poverty. Currently programming is divided into four main areas: Healthcare Assistance, Housing & Energy Assistance, Consumer Education & Job Training, and Information & Referral Services.
About the Family Planning Association of Northeast Ohio
The Family Planning Association of Northeast Ohio, Inc. (FPANEO) was established in 1970 to provide the community with medical services, counseling, and education related to reproductive health. Clinic sites are located in Lake, Ashtabula and Geauga counties with the mission of promoting informed decision-making and personal choice about parenthood and sexuality in a confidential and compassionate manner. Over 65,000 men and women have received services provided on a sliding fee scale based on family size and income. Everyone receives services regardless of income or inability to pay.
Although birth control services were among the first provided by the FPANEO, many others have been added over the years. Screenings for breast and cervical cancer, testing for and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections, pregnancy testing, counseling, gynecological care, prenatal care and men’s services are also offered. Educators provide programs and workshops to the local community in schools, youth and adult detention centers, and other social service organizations.
In 2017, FPANEO began the process of merging with Signature Health, a major provider of behavioral health services in Northeast Ohio. Signature Health’s new designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center added primary care to their menu of services, including voluntary family planning services. The organization is excited about the potential to provide more holistic care to all clients as a result of this merger.
Pictured In Cover Photo: Front Row: Cookie Wilson, Sarah Wade, Shannon Taylor, Maggie Runyon, Anthony Dibacco, Tanisha Solivan, Miguel Solivan, Back Row: Ant Wilson, Paul Catalano, Scott Marn, Hannah Elizabeth Green, Ryan Callendar, Julie Janco-Gidley, Kristina Willey, Stephanie Meachum, Dan Nichols, Steve Trivisonno
