Ten local “star” dancers, matched with ten local dance instructors, dressed in tinsel and glitter, and danced with a lot of confidence as they performed their Tango, Cha-cha, Salsa, Charleston and Lindy Hop on the Riverside Stage.

Emceed by broadcasting veteran Hamp Elliot, and judged by the locally talented Lance Sexton, Donna Roberts Mitchell and Adam Schnell, the 600 ticket holders were treated to an evening of unparalleled entertainment presented by local non-profit, Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition. The end result was just under $200K for the Agency whose mission is to guarantee all Indian River County women access to prenatal care and all infants’ access to services that promote normal growth and development.

Top three winning couples: 2nd Runner-up Chris Bieber and Stefani Conrado; Top winners John Sarbak and Karren Walter; 1st Runner-up Deryl Loar and Patti Rooney

The Mirror Ball trophy went to Plastic Surgeon John Sarbak and his instructor Karren Walter. First Runner-up was Sheriff Deryl Loar and his instructor Patti Rooney; 2^nd runner up was CenterState Banker Chris Bieber and his instructor Stefani Conrado. Highest Fundraiser was John Sarbak with a total of over $36K raised.  Best Dancer was a tie between Ace Hardware Owner John Talmadge and his instructor Amy Trammell and Blondies on Ocean Owner Trish Hickey-Reid and her instructor Tom Isola.

The other dancing couples included Attorney Adam Chrzan with instructor Terry Greene, Non-profit volunteer Page Curtis and instructor Barry Trammell, Inside Track AlmanacPublisher Kerry Firth and instructor Joe Wynes, Real Estate Broker Michelle Kantzler with instructor Freddy Vega, and former Mayor Mary Beth McDonald and her instructor Robert Scott.

Best Dancers: John Talmadge and Amy Trammell; Trish Hickey-Reid with Tom Isola

The selection process for the 2014 Star Dancers and Instructors will begin over the summer. Interested parties should contact Cheri at the IRC Healthy Start Coalition, 772-563-9118 to have their name placed on the prospective list.

What will look like an arrival to the Red Carpet at Hollywood’s Golden Globes or Oscar events will soon be duplicated in Vero Beach when the red carpet rolls out for the arrival of the ten star dancers and their instructors at the 5^th annual Dancing with Vero’s Stars.  Saturday evening May 11 is the date and the Riverside Theatre is the spectacular location. The annual event benefits the Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition.

The Red Carpet event is coordinated by former star dancer of 2011, current event committee member Judy Van Saun. Classic cars, courtesy of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA), will take their turns delivering the committee co-chairs, Laura Guttridge and Cheryl Gerstner as well as the star dancers/instructors to the Red Carpet beginning at 6:30 p.m. One by one, and dressed to the nines, each star dancer will exit their limo, wade through the awaitng papparazi, drama students from the Indian River Charter High School Schumann School for the Visual and Performing Arts, and join Red Carpet Emcee Bobby Guttridge, the winning star dancer from the 2011 season.

The papparazzi, dressed in vintage clothing supplied by Alison Bertrand and Jackie Ferreira, will click photos and receive autographs fron the passing stars while Jeff Zachary video tapes the proceedings. The audience will enjoy the moment while each star dancer offers a glimpse into their dancing experience and naturally, discuss the “bling” they are adorned with for their exciting evening. The pre-show cocktail party will begin at 6 p.m.immedia.tely inside the lobby and a bar will be set up by the Red Carpet.

Tickets for Dancing with Vero’s Stars are now on sale at $200 for Exclusive seating, $150 for Premium seating and $100 for General seating (while they last). They may be purchased by visiting the Riverside Theatre Box Office in person, calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office directly at 772-231-6990, or by visiting www.Dancingwithverostars.com. For those who wish to make a donation for their favorite dancer, become a sponsor of the event, or donate a Silent Auction item, they may do that as well on the website.

The IRC Healthy Start Coalition develops, evaluates and funds a full spectrum of services to support pregnant women’s health, baby’s health and families parenting young children.  For more information, call the Healthy Start office at 772-563-9118

One of the highlights of the evening is expected to be the Silent Auction.  Once the auction items are sold, the dancer then receives one vote for each dollar spent on the item.  That is added to their total votes. Dancing this year is Chris Bieber, Adam Chrzan, Page Curtis, Kerry Firth, Trish Hickey Reid, Michelle Kantzler, Deryl Loar, Mary Beth McDonald, John Sarbak and John Talmadge.

Attendees of the event may visit www.Dancingwithverostars.com in advance of the May 11^th date and by clicking the Menu tab, they will see some of the items that are going on the auction block and what business has donated them.

Ticket prices for Dancing with Vero’s Stars are $200 for Exclusive seating, $150 for Premium seating and $100 for General seating (if still available). The ticket cost will include a pre-show Red Carpet event, a cocktail party complete with an open bar and hors d’ouevres, and the silent auction.  You may purchase a ticket by visiting the Riverside Theatre Box Office in person, by calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office directly at 772-231-6990, or visit www.Dancingwithverostars.com . Be certain to designate your ticket purchase to the dancer of your choice.

For more information on the Silent Auction, contact the IRC Healthy Start Coalition at 772-563-9118. The IRC Healthy Start Coalition unites together locally in community partnerships to promote a system of care that optimizes/maximizes healthy outcomes for all pregnant women, infants, young children and their families.

In a sneak peak preview of some of the diverse items in the Auction, a small group of donors gathered at artist Virginia Knapp’s home with their auction items. From left to right:

• Virginia Knapp with “Tango In Paris” for Page Curtis-A 24 x 36 Mixed Media Painting by artist Virginia Knapp. Courtesy of artist Virginia Knapp with a value of $3,000;
• Wayne Burkett  with What’s Cookin’, Good Lookin’ for John Talmadge-The Big Green Egg outdoor cooker. Courtesy of Ace Hardware Vero Beach with a value of $1,007;
• Arleen Arsenault with”Tee Time” at the Moorings for Trish Hickey-Reid-Foursome of Golf and Cart Fee at the Moorings Club.  Courtesy of the Moorings Club with a value of $400;
• John Michael Matthews with The “Vero” Bag for Marybeth McDonald-Vero Designer Hand Bag By Debbie Brooks exclusively for John Michael Matthews Fine Jewelry.  Courtesy of John Michael Matthews with a value of $368;
• Mark Wygonik with “A Star is Born” for the IRC Healthy Start Coalition-Two (2)  2013-2014 season tickets to the Vero Beach Theatre Guild with complimentary concession credit for each show and a walk-on appearance in the July, 2013 fundraising show, The Pirates of Penzance.  Courtesy of the Vero Beach Theatre Guild with a value of $350.

Gracing the stage as Emcee for the 5^th year is Hamp Elliott, Radio Host of 93.7 The Breeze, from 10a.m.-3p.m. Monday through Friday. Elliott has been a veteran broadcaster on the Treasure Coast for over 30 years.

“I am a big fan of the ABC version and love having the opportunity to play the role of Tom Bergeron, the host of the TV show” Elliott exuberantly boasts.  “I will do my best to duplicate his professional performance; but most of all, I am proud to be involved with an event that does so much for the community in supporting the Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition.”

New to this year are the emcees for the Silent Auction portion of the evening. We welcome Dana Daniels and Geoff Moore, co-hosts of The Morning Show on 93.7 The Breeze, 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily. They will bring their charm, wit and enthusiasm to the pre-show cocktail reception as they let the guests know all about the Silent Auction being held in the adjacent Waxlax Theatre.

Dancing with Vero’s Stars Emcees, goofing around in The Breeze studio are (left to right) Geoff Moore, Dana Daniels and Hamp Elliott.

According to Daniels and Moore, “Attendees will also enjoy our visiting with them in the audience following all the dance performances and while the tallying of judge’s votes take place. We will get them all geared up for the end of the show…it will be great fun”

Tickets for Dancing with Vero’s Stars are now on sale. Ticket prices are $200 for Exclusive seating, $150 for Premium seating and $100 for General seating. They may be purchased by visiting the Riverside Theatre Box Office in person, calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office directly at 772-231-6990, or by visiting www.Dancingwithverostars.com.

Interested in more information? Contact the IRC Healthy Start Coalition at 772-563-9118. The IRC Healthy Start Coalition unites together locally in community partnerships to promote a system of care that optimizes/maximizes healthy outcomes for all pregnant women, infants, young children and their families

Tickets for Dancing with Vero’s Stars, to be held at Riverside Theatre on Saturday evening May 11, are now on sale at $200 for Exclusive seating, $150 for Premium seating and $100 for General seating (while they last). They may be purchased by visiting the Riverside Theatre Box Office in person, calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office directly at 772-231-6990, or visit www.Dancingwithverostars.com.

Host Rodolico, who also danced in the 2012 season, chatted with this season’s dancers about their experiences preparing for the dance competition which will be held on May 11 at Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach. Tickets for Dancing with Vero’s Stars are now on sale at $200 for Exclusive seating, $150 for Premium seating and $100 for General seating. They may be purchased by visiting the Riverside Theatre Box Office in person, calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office directly at 772-231-6990, or visit www.Dancingwithverostars.com.

 The event was held at The Polo Grounds at Vero Beach, and despite a cold, windy and rainy day, hundreds of people came out to enjoy local celebrity and professional polo players, live entertainment, the “Fashionista Hat Contest” and fine dining under a massive white tent. For more information on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, contact www.orlando.cff.org or call 407-339-2978.

 Come watch Trish dance with her partner Tom Isola. Tickets for Dancing with Vero’s Stars, to be held at Riverside Theatre on Saturday evening May 11, are now on sale at $200 for Exclusive seating, $150 for Premium seating and (if available) $100 for General seating. They may be purchased by visiting the Riverside Theatre Box Office in person, calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office directly at 772-231-6990, or visit www.Dancingwithverostars.com.

Page Curtis, one of ten star dancers in this season’s 5^th Annual Dancing with Vero’s Stars, benefiting the Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition and Riverside Theatre, volunteered her time to help raise funds for a mammogram screening program offered by Treasure Coast Community Health (TCCH).

From a booth at the monthly Oceanside Business Association’s street party, Page and two dozen other volunteers sold raffle tickets for a variety of prizes while nearly 200 people adopted ducks that will participate in the Great Duck Derby in May with one lucky winner receiving a $2,500 cash prize. The proceeds will benefit the Women’s Healthcare Safety Net Fund which underwrites the cost for screening mammograms, diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and needle biopsies when necessary, for tens of women who simply do not have the resources to be screened.

Come watch Page dance with her partner Barry Trammell. Tickets for Dancing with Vero’s Stars, to be held at Riverside Theatre on Saturday evening May 11, are now on sale at $200 for Exclusive seating, $150 for Premium seating and $100 for General seating. They may be purchased by visiting the Riverside Theatre Box Office in person, calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office directly at 772-231-6990, or visit www.Dancingwithverostars.com.

Photo and Caption:  Participating in the Treasure Coast Community Health Raffle and Great Duck Derby adoption, from their booth at the Oceanside party were: (left to right) Steve Dorrance (Executive Director of TCCH Foundation), Michelle Knight (Seacoast National Bank), Dr. Robert Rappell (Director of TCCH), Page Curtis, Brian King (COO of TCCH) and Seacoast volunteer Tina Bennett.

The date for the fifth season for Dancing with Vero’s Stars will take place on the evening of Saturday, May 11. While it is several months away, the tickets are a hot commodity now.   The Riverside Theatre, a new community partner with the Healthy Start Coalition, is the venue this year,  with  proceeds from the event benefiting programs and services of the IRC Healthy Start Coaltion and Riverside Theatre. Hopeful ticket holders are urged to purchase their tickets now to avoid disappointment  later.

Ticket prices for Dancing with Vero’s Stars are $200 for Exclusive seating, $150 for Premium seating and $100 for General seating. The ticket cost will include a pre-show Red Carpet event, a cocktail party complete with an open bar and hors d’ouevres, and silent auction.  You may purchase a ticket by visiting the Riverside Theatre Box Office in person, by calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office directly at 772-231-6990, or visit www.Dancingwithverostars.com . Be certain to designate your ticket purchase to the dancer of your choice.

Photo Caption (left to right):

Enjoying the “Rah Rah” party for Dancing with Vero Stars were: Dancing instructors and Stars Joe Wynes, Kerry Firth , Trish Hickey-Reid, John Talmadge, Tom Isola, Page Curtis, John Sarbak, Karren Walter, Jose Ratto, Chris Bieber, Michelle Kantzler and kneeling, Adam Chrazan with Mary Beth MacDonald.

The V.I.P. viewing of Safe Haven, based on the book by Nicholas Sparks and starring Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel, will be held on Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre on U.S. 1 in Vero Beach

The showing of this movie, geared to teens and their parents, is $20 for adults and $15 for students under the age of 18.  The ticket price will include the movie, soda, popcorn and one free raffle ticket towards an array of great prizes.  Additional raffle tickets will be available for purchase. Raffle prizes include tickets to the Majestic Theatre, Vero Beach Theatre Guild and Riverside Theatre, as well as gift cards for Mark’s at the Point, Vero Bowl, The Mandarin, Waves Auto Spa, Indian River Chiropractic, a woman’s shell necklace from Shells & Things, Safe Haven books from the Vero Beach Book Center, ice cream from Kilwin’s, chocolates from Faith Hope and Chocolate and cupcakes from Frostings.

A portion of the ticket cost, raffle ticket proceeds and additional donations will represent votes for one of your favorite star dancers who will be introduced just prior to the movie.. This special screening is expected to be an early sell-out so advance tickets are suggested. They are on sale now at the Majestic Theatre Box Office or by visiting www.majesticvero.com.

The IRC Healthy Start Coalition unites together locally in community partnerships to promote a system of care that optimizes/maximizes healthy outcomes for all pregnant women, infants, young children and their families. For more on the Movie Fundraiser and/or the May dance competition, contact 772-563-9118 or visit www.dancingwithverostars.com.