ST. LOUIS - Culminating months of practice and preparation, seven St. Louis community leaders performed in front of 650 people on Jan. 27 for a star-studded fundraiser and dance competition at Dancing with the St. Louis Stars, a benefit for Independence Center. The bright stage lights illuminated the ballroom as the star couples danced with their hearts and soles to build awareness for mental illness and collectively raise more than $567,000!
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All of the couples put on stellar performances and campaigned for votes to raise a phenomenal amount of money that will restore the lives of hundreds of individuals living with severe and chronic mental illness.
Mark Bulanda, Senior Vice President of Emerson, and Angie Brooks were crowned Dance Champions and Dancing MVPs after raising over $93,000 in votes and $119,000 overall! DeAndra Smith with Independence Center and Emily Wehrman were awarded Judges’ and Crowd Favorite.
Claire Kellett of KMOV News Channel 4 served as emcee. Event chair Bill French, owner of Wm French Buyer’s Real Estate Services, gave an inspirational and personal speech while guests dined and Executive Director Mark Bethell shared how Independence Center is restoring the lives of adults with mental illness.
The 2018 star couples included; Matt Geekie, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel for Graybar, and his professional instructor, Nina Middendorf; Lauren Herring, IMPACT Group CEO, and her professional instructor, Robert McKenney; Mark Bulanda, Emerson Senior Vice President, and his professional instructor, Angie Brooks; Carmen Jacob, CEO of NexGen Information Services, and her professional instructor, Michael Fitzgerald; Dan Rothery, President of BJC Home Care and Community Services, and his professional instructor Roxanne Maier; Nancy Gilbride, Senior Vice President of Centene Corporation and Chief Executive Officer of Envolve, and her professional instructor, David Scherer; and DeAndra Smith, Independence Center Member, and his professional instructor, Emily Wehrman.
The stellar line-up of judges included Lisa Nichols, Chief Executive Officer, Technology Partners, Mike Keller, Former Independence Center Executive Director and Past Dancer, Robin Wentworth, Amateur Ballroom Dance Competitor, and Brittny Adams, Past Member Dancer and Independence Center Board Member.
The event would not be possible without the talented professional instructors including Robert McKenney, David Scherer and Roxanne Maier, with Convergence Dance & Body Center, Nina Middendorf with Just Dancing Ballroom Dance Studio, Michael Fitzgerald with Just Dancing West, Emily Wehrman with Discover Ballroom and Angie Brooks with St. Louis Dancing Classrooms.
Event sponsors included Ascension, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Bethesda Health Group, BJC HealthCare, Bunge North America, Centene Corporation, Daugherty Business Solutions, Diamonds Direct, Edward Jones, Emerson, Express Scripts, Healthlink, Husch Blackwell, IMPACT Group, Graybar, Mercy, PwC, McKelvey Homes, Mount Pleasant Winery, Scottrade, St. Louis Cardinals, Stifel, SqWires Restaurant, Watlow, and Wm French Buyer’s Real Estate. Generous donations were made by Coca-Cola, FLIP Services, Major Brands, Route 3 Films, and Anheuser-Busch.
About Independence Center
Proceeds from Dancing with the St. Louis Stars allows Independence Center to continue the mission of providing a comprehensive system of high quality programs and services that assists adults in the St. Louis metropolitan area with serious and persistent mental illnesses to live and work in the community, independently and with dignity.
To accomplish its mission, the Center promotes rehabilitation and employment, provides educational, wellness, social and housing opportunities and offers training in its approach to community based care. In collaboration with Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the BJC HealthCare system, the Center also provides clinical and case management services.
