Lineup set for 2012 Dancing Stars event
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on December 26, 2011 1:46 PM
With just a couple changes to the lineup and location, online voting has begun for Dancing Stars of Wayne County, the spring fundraiser for local education efforts.
Organizers Debbie Grady and Beverly Carroll said they learned a great deal from the sold-out first event last year, which raised $77,000 for teacher scholarships and mini-grants.
The initial venture was so popular that changes were made to accommodate the anticipated crowd. The March 24 event will be held at the Family YMCA.
"Walnut Creek (Country Club) did a great job for us last year," Ms. Grady said. "It's just a space issue. We had 425 tickets last year, and it was really crowded."
The change of venue will allow up to 700 tickets to be sold.
Recruiting participants was also "unbelievably easy," Ms. Grady said. No sooner was the winner announced last year, than dancers for 2012 began signing up.
And it hasn't stopped there.
"We have actually started a list for next year," she said.
There have also been a few changes to this year's group, she pointed out. Two dancers, Anthony Grady and Lloyd Godley, had to drop out of the competition due to other obligations.
Fortunately, two more were ready to step into their dancing shoes -- Stephen Barnes, president of Barnes Jewelers, and Arnold Flowers, a member of the Wayne County Board of Education.
The latter was an unexpected surprise, she said, since Flowers' wife, Gloria, had been enlisted early on.
"Arnold called and said it was something that he and Gloria could do together," she said. "And being a Board of Education member he wanted to show support for this project."
It's not too early to buy tickets or begin voting.
Two websites feature pictures and a brief bio of each dancer, along with the capability to cast a vote -- each vote is $10 -- and a running tally of the amount raised. For those without Internet access, paper ballots can be mailed in or dropped off at the Chamber office on William Street.
At the event there will be one grand prize winner, tallied by 50 percent judges' votes, 50 percent people's choice. There is also a People's Choice winner, totally voter-driven, both online and the night of the event.
"Last year, we were out there groping in the dark," said Mrs. Carroll, who admitted to being a former naysayer. "I didn't feel we would sell tickets. This year, it's been so easy because people know that it's a wonderful event. It's for a good cause."
"We underestimated family and friends, colleagues and church members," Ms. Grady added. "It's just been amazing how far into this community this reached. Many times you have larger events and it's one segment, but this crosses over every community in our area and we had people from all walks of life."
Local businesses have also been supportive of the education projects that come under the umbrella of Wayne Education Network, or WEN, through the Chamber of Commerce.
Ad sales and sponsorships have been going well, Mrs. Carroll added, thanks in part to the Chamber, which held a TRC, or total resource commitment, campaign allowing members the option of financial support for the fundraiser.
"Because we participated in the TRC with the Chamber, we no longer can knock on those doors," Mrs. Carroll said. "What we need to let those people know is, if you did not participate in the TRC and that was overlooked, you can call the Chamber for an ad or sponsorship."
In addition to Barnes and the Flowers,' the dancing stars include Thomas Bradshaw, vice president of operations at Wayne Memorial Hospital; Kevin Coakley, manager of Accu Copy; John Collins, president/financial consultant, Collins' Wealth Management; Jimmie Edmundson, senior vice president and city executive, Branch Bank & Trust; Lindsey Grimes, manager, Sam's Club; Holly Harper, owner Blue Bike Communications, representing Wayne County Chamber of Commerce; Michael Headen, Goldsboro city councilman; Dr. Teague Horton of Goldsboro Pediatrics; Geoff Hulse, attorney with Haithcock, Barfield, Hulse & Kinsey; Whitney Jansta, community engagement manager with United Way of Wayne County; Phillip Johnston, account executive with Curtis Media Group East; Kathy Jones, director of information technology at Wayne Community College; Kim LaFevers, homemaker and wife of dentist Dr. Scott LaFevers; Ronald Lawrence, attorney with Everett, Womble, Lawrence & Brown; Allen Lumpkin, assistant tax administrator with Wayne Tax Office; Dr. Sandra McCullen, county commissioner and associate superintendent with Wayne County Public Schools; Bethany Perry of Goldsboro Builders Supply; Leonard Person, foreman of the tree crew with Tri County EMC; Stephanie Ross, vice president business development of D.S. Simmons; Col. Ann Winkler, 4th Mission Group commander on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base; George Worrell of Wayco Ham; and Tammy Yates, director of competitive aquatics at the YMCA.
In addition to Barnes and the Flowers,' the dancing stars include Thomas Bradshaw, vice president of operations at Wayne Memorial Hospital; Kevin Coakley, manager of Accu Copy; John Collins, president/financial consultant, Collins' Wealth Management; Jimmie Edmundson, senior vice president and city executive, Branch Bank & Trust; Lindsey Grimes, manager, Sam's Club; Holly Harper, owner Blue Bike Communications, representing Wayne County Chamber of Commerce; Michael Headen, Goldsboro city councilman; Dr. Teague Horton of Goldsboro Pediatrics; Geoff Hulse, attorney with Haithcock, Barfield, Hulse & Kinsey; Whitney Jansta, community engagement manager with United Way of Wayne County; Phillip Johnston, account executive with Curtis Media Group East; Kathy Jones, director of information technology at Wayne Community College; Kim LaFevers, homemaker and wife of dentist Dr. Scott LaFevers; Ronald Lawrence, attorney with Everett, Womble, Lawrence & Brown; Allen Lumpkin, assistant tax administrator with Wayne Tax Office; Dr. Sandra McCullen, county commissioner and associate superintendent with Wayne County Public Schools; Bethany Perry of Goldsboro Builders Supply; Leonard Person, foreman of the tree crew with Tri County EMC; Stephanie Ross, vice president business development of D.S. Simmons; Col. Ann Winkler, 4th Mission Group commander on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base; George Worrell of Wayco Ham; and Tammy Yates, director of competitive aquatics at the YMCA.
To learn more about the contestants or to vote, visit www.thedancingstars.org or www.wayneeducationnetwork.org. DVDs from last year's event are also being sold for $25, through the Chamber.