Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois’ raised nearly $14,500 during its 5th Annual Dancing With Our Stars (DWOS) fundraiser at Krieger’s Convention Center at the Holiday Inn in Mt. Vernon on Saturday, July 27.  Approximately 200 people attended the event and the dance team called The New Evolution earned top honors and took home the coveted DWOS Mirror Ball Trophy.  The New Evolution dance team was sponsored by National Railway Equipment Company.  Also earning special recognition as the Judges Choice Award was Kristin Crain sponsored by Stewart Producers, Inc.   Debi Richardson from Crossroads Community Hospital presented the DWOS Mirror Ball Trophy to the winning team. 

Competing for the coveted DWOS Mirror Ball Trophy were the dance teams of:

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YMCA Zumba; sponsored by YMCA of Jefferson Country
The Bollywood Twisters;  sponsored by Kaushal Pediatric Services, Ltd.           
Cadence Cloggers; sponsored by Rent One
The New Evolution; sponsored by National Railway Equipment Co.
Kristin Crain; sponsored by Stewart Producers, Inc.
PCD Mix; sponsored by Bennett Metal Products, Inc

“What a wonderful night of competition and dancing during our 5th Annual Dancing With Our Stars,” said Villie M. Appoo, GSSI Chief Executive Officer.  “We are so pleased and 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 the Girl Scouts continue to  develop leadership programs for girls, maintain and improve its camps and help in its out-reach to at-risk girls. 

Co-hosts for the event were Jo David Cummins with Community First Bank of the Heartland and Brandon Bullard from Rare Chop House.  Celebrity judges were Mike Beard from The Insurance Store, Joe Gliosci with Peoples National Bank and Mary Beth Mezo with Mt. Vernon Township High School.   

Teams competed to win DWOS’ the 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.  Following the dance competition, guests then took to the dance floor for an evening of music and dancing.

This year’s DWOS sponsors included:

Trophy Sponsor:  Crossroads Community Hospital

Vote Tabulation Sponsor:  Community First Bank

Silent Auction Sponsor: Old National Bank

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Dance Floor Sponsor: Crossroads Specialty Clinic

Judge Sponsor: Rare Chop House

Exclusive Radio Sponsor: WDML

Table Sponsors: 

  • Enterprise Rent-a-Car
  • Peoples National Bank

Dance Sponsors:

  • Bennett Metal Products, Inc.
  • Kaushal Pediatric Services, Ltd
  • National Railway Equipment Company
  • Rent One
  • Stewart Producers, Inc.
  • The YMCA of Jefferson County

Special Giving Sponsors

  • St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Inc.
  • Continental Tire

Other DWOS supporters:

  • Fred and Tammy Klapetzky
  • Just For You Designs, Eileen Twenhafel
  • Krieger’s Convention Center at Holiday  Inn
  • Mt. Vernon Register News


All proceeds from DWOS will provide financial assistance to at-risk girls, to help maintain and improve GSSI camps, and to develop Girl Scout leadership programs for girls throughout southern Illinois.

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois serves 14,000 girls and 4,800 adult volunteers in more than 40 counties in southern Illinois. Girl Scouting has inspired more than 50 million girls and women since its founding in 1912. Girl Scouting is focused on providing a premier Girl Scout Leadership Experience for girls in the 21st century, while ensuring the traditions and values that have been core to Girl Scouting since its beginning remain strong and relevant. Currently GSSI is celebrating its 100th Anniversary of Building Leaders for America.

Also check us out at:  www.gsofsi.org

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