Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois raised more than $18,000 during its 8th Annual Dancing With Our Stars (DWOS) fundraiser at Krieger’s Convention Center at the Holiday Inn in Mt. Vernon on Saturday, Aug. 06. Dance team The Hocketts, sponsored by Higgins Custom & Collision, took home the Mirror Ball Trophy for first place. Mt. Vernon High School Drama Club, sponsored SSM – Good Samaritan Hospital, won the Judges Choice award.
Also participating were the dance teams of: Drama Mammas, sponsored by Jill Gobert; Lesa Woods, sponsored by Larry and Bobbie Drury; Carolyn and Dean Montague, sponsored by Ron and Paulette Schneider; Centre Stage Sparklers, sponsored by Centre Stage Studios; Double Trouble, sponsored by Higgins Custom & Collision, Anna Lamczyk, sponsored by Lamczyk Veterinary Clinic, We Are Girl Scouts, sponsored by Carla Nilson; and L & M sponsored by Olympic Freightlines, Inc.
“What a wonderful night during our 8th Annual Dancing With Our Stars,” said Villie M. Appoo, GSSI Chief Executive Officer. “We are so grateful to everyone who participated in and supported this year’s DWOS fundraiser,” said Appoo. “Everyone from our DWOS committee, to our dancers and the generous Mt. Vernon community helped make this fundraiser very successful.” According to Appoo, funds raised during DWOS will help Girl Scouts continue to develop leadership programs for girls, maintain and improve its camps and help
out-reach to at-risk girls.
Co-hosts for the event were Brandon Bullard with RARE Chop House and NRE and Rachel Hunsell with with Mt. Vernon Convention and Visitors Bureau. Celebrity judges were Mike Beard with Jefferson County Chamber of
Commerce; Kay Zibby Damron, Rend Lake College Foundation; Finny Mathew of Crossroads Community Hospital; and Mary Beth Mezo with Smokin’ T’s Competition BBQ.
Teams competed to win DWOS’ Mirror Ball Trophy by earning the top spot in a two part scoring system. The judges’ scores provided the first element to the dancers’ scores. The second element added a dash of audience participation and even more excitement, as dancers accrued points with donations from their supporters and attendees at the event.
Other DWOS sponsors included: Trophy Sponsor: Crossroads Community Hospital; Cocktail Hour Sponsor, Mathis, Marifian & Richter LTD Attorneys at Law; Silent Auction Sponsor: First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, Dance Floor Sponsor, NRE; Judges Sponsor, Provision Eyecare and Country Financial – Sarah Staley; Premier Sponsor for Wine Grab, RARE Chop House; Premier Radio Sponsor, WDML; Fred and Tammy Klapetzky, DJ; and Krieger’s Convention Center at Holiday Inn. Other donors included: Carla Nilson, Susan Bowman, Speakeasy Liquors – Marion, Pheasant Hollow Winery, United Way of South Central Illinois, Just for You, Angela Boyd, Amy Sample and Jill Gobert.
Teams competed to win DWOS’ renowned mirror ball trophy by earning the top spot in a two part scoring system. The judges’ scores provide the first element to the dancers’ scores. The second element added a dash of audience participation and even more excitement, as dancers can accrued points with each donation from their supporters.
All proceeds from DWOS will be used to provide financial assistance to at-risk girls, to maintain and improve GSSI camps and to develop Girl Scout leadership programs for nearly 14,000 girls throughout southern Illinois.
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is a high-capacity Girl Scout council serving nearly 14,000 girls and almost 5,000 adult volunteers in 40 ½ counties in southern Illinois. Girl Scouting has inspired more than 50 million girls and women since its founding in 1912. Today, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is the largest voluntary organization for girls in the world. Its sole focus is to meet the needs of all girls (ages 5-17) from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Today’s Girl Scouts not only enjoy camping and crafts, but they also explore math and science and learn about diversity, good citizenship, leadership and teamwork. Girl Scouting is the place where girls experience the fun, friendship and power of girls together.
