Lakeland College News & Announcements
2010 Movers & Shakers Gala an evening of spectacle, fundraising
A sold-out ballroom of over 400 guests were wowed by a spectacular night of celebrity dancing in an evening of fun and fundraising at the third annual Movers & Shakers Gala, a benefit for Lakeland College and the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra held May 22 at Lakeland.
This star-studded night featured seven well-known celebrities in a glamorous setting complete with red-carpet glitz and gourmet cuisine. Lakeland's Todd Wehr Center was transformed into a beautiful ballroom, including a dance floor framed by wall-to-wall carpeting, a massive lighting setup and huge video screens that put a who's who of Sheboygan County in the spotlight.
A gallery of photos is available.
The celebrities were each paired with a professional dancer, and after months of training they competed to win the support of four judges and the guests, who were busy buying votes both in the ballroom that evening and online for weeks leading up to the event.
In an effort to have more impact on the community, each of the seven dancers selected a local charity or nonprofit organization that also benefitted from their efforts. Half the proceeds from the votes sold for each dancer go to these special organizations.
Paula Gentine's hot and spicy version of the salsa earned her the Movers & Shakers Gala title for 2010. A member of the St. John the Baptist Church school board and a community volunteer, votes for Gentine also benefitted the Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County. Paula's husband, Louie, was a celebrity dancer in 2008.
Wally Waldhart's performance of the American tango wowed the judges and earned him the inaugural Judges' Choice Award. This new award was presented to the dancer who exhibited the most outstanding technical performance. Waldhart is vice president of sales and communications at ACUITY and an active community volunteer. Votes for Waldhart also benefitted Safe Harbor and the Theatre for Young Audiences.
Other local celebrities in the 2010 Movers & Shakers lineup included:
- Susan Bemis, a Sheboygan native and long-time employee at Bemis Manufacturing where she is involved in new process and material technology development, performed the cha-cha. Votes for Bemis benefitted Camp Anokijig.
- Johnathan Brotz, materials production supervisor at Plastics Engineering Company, performed the Viennese waltz. Votes for Brotz benefitted the Sheboygan Christian School Scholarship Fund.
- Kazuko Hirota, who is involved in management at the Lakeland College Japan campus and has worked in international education for two decades, performed the Latin showcase dance "Fragrance of Japan." Votes for Hirota benefitted the Lakeland College Japan campus.
- Arthur Perry, an active community leader and volunteer for over 50 years, performed the waltz. Votes for Perry benefitted the Weill Center Endowment.
- Deborah Wente, an active community businessperson and volunteer and the chair of the Movers & Shakers organizing committee, performed the fox trot. Votes for Wente benefitted PSC Partners Seeking a Cure.
Bill Te Winkle, managing partner in the Sheboygan law firm Rhode Dales, pastor of Hope Reformed Church in Sheboygan and a fixture in community theatre, served as emcee for the evening.
Wente, a member of the Lakeland College Board of Trustees, said the Movers and Shakers Gala continues to deliver a night of un-paralleled entertainment and community support.
"Our goal is to deliver a night that offers something special and unique, and our guests are telling us that they love this event," Wente said. "Lakeland and the Sheboygan Symphony are two deserving community resources, and we're proud to help our dancers benefit organizations that are close to their hearts."
The evening once again alternated between celebrity dancing, a multi-course gourmet meal and a number of unique live auction items, including the chance to be a dancer in the 2011 Movers & Shakers Gala, which is set for May 21 at Lakeland.
A unique reserve auction raised $44,250 for Lakeland's Special Assistance Grant fund, which provides additional financial aid for Lakeland students who are experiencing, or whose families are experiencing, financial hardships tied to the nation's economic problems.
The evening's first live auction added its own special twist as Ed Felchner, a vice president at ACUITY, provided the winning bid and joined the three professional judges throughout the evening in scoring the efforts of each dancer. The average of the four judges accounted for 25 percent of each dancer's total score.
The meal was prepared by Lakeland's food service and served by over 100 enthusiastic, hard-working volunteers from Lakeland, the SSO and the community. Guests sat in beautifully-decorated tables surrounding the dance floor.
Major sponsors of the 2010 Gala were the Frank G. and Frieda K. Brotz Family Foundation and Sargento Foods Inc.
To see more information about the dancers and the event visit moversandshakersgala.org.
