Local celebrities were dancing for dollars on Saturday at the Storytelling and Arts Center’s “Dancing with the Scotland Stars” fundraiser.
Nine dance pairs got together to take part in the competition and to promote the “Arts Desire” Auction that took place during the night.
SACS Director Jan Schmidt said that the sold-out event was a success that should demand repeat performances. Officials did not have final figure on how much was raised at presstime, but they seemed pleased with the evening.
“It was a success in every sense. Both as a fundraiser for SACS and as an entertaining event,” said Schmidt.
Winning the overall score dance competition were Tyris Jones and Joy Ellison. The couple danced in an upbeat style that drew many from their seats and also won the “People’s Choice” award for the evening, as determinhed by attendees.
Scoring the highest number of points with the judges, Judge John Horne, Annie Cureton and Theresa Alexander, were Roylin and Dee Hammond.
Ray and Jan Armstrong won the award for receiving the most money in the donation jar, which was ongoing throughout the contest.
Also receiving awards were Gary and Terry Gallman (best shag dance), Richard and Laura Bailey (fanciest dressed), Tomm Parker and Tippy Dowling (funniest dressed), Noran and Jennier Sanford (most creative), Joyce and Robert McDow (most eclectic) and Lisa and Mark Canada (best Latin dance).
Asked if he was excited to say “yes” when asked to dance by the SACS Committee, Noran Sanford said that “Yes” was not his first response. “My wife said “yes” when she was asked two weeks before I found out,” joked Sanford.
Sharing words of praise for the event’s organizers was dance participant and Laurinburg Mayor Tommy Parker.
“You don’t normally see everyone together in a venue this large filled in Laurinburg and I think it is a testament to what that SACS group has been doing. We don’t want to be one-dimensional town. We want to be a place for people from all walks of life,” Parker said.
Because dancing is something he does as a hobby, the mayor said that he was not nervous heading into the competition.
“We practice a little bit too,” Parker said.
The evening also featured successful silent and standard auctions.
“There were so many donated items,” said Brenda Gilbert of SACS. “There were just so many donated items.
Items ranged from custom handbags, to sports biographies to vacations in the mountains.
Master of Ceremonies Whit Gibson captured the spirit of the evening, saying that the people gathered downtown for the fundraiser were there for two purposes: “To raise some money for the arts and to have some fun.”
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