Bel Air, MD (December 8, 2009) – Patti Dresher won the Judge’s Choice and Top Fundraiser Awards at the 2nd Annual “Dancing for the Arts” Gala to benefit the Center for the Arts. She danced with Tom Rzepnicki, co-owner of Dancing with Friends, and wowed the judges with her interpretive dance. In addition, she won the Top Fundraiser Award by raising over $7,800 for the Center for the Arts. Patti is a personal trainer at the Arena Club. The gala raised $99,630 and 276 guests attended the event on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at the Residents’ Club at Bulle Rock. Last year, the gala raised $75,000. The Honorary Chair of the gala was Community Volunteer Betty Ward. Betty was the winner of the Top Fundraising Award and the People’s Choice Award at the “Dancing for the Arts 2008” Gala.
The emcee for the evening was Wyatt Everhart from ABC2 News. The station carries the popular “Dancing for the Stars” program. The dancers were judged by the Honorable Angela Eaves, Circuit Court for Harford County; Tony Meoli, of A&T Properties; Deborah Pro-Marshall, a dancer and General Manager of North East Racing and Sports Club; and Mark Welsh, of BB&T Mortgage.
The 2nd Annual “Dancing for the Arts” included Rick Dempsey, MASN analyst, Orioles Hall of Famer, and 1983 MVP. Rick danced the west coast swing with Debbie Howley, co-owner of Dancing with Friends.
The other Harford County “Stars” who showcased their ballroom dancing talents and competed for top honors included:
*President Campion Insurance, Inc., Betsy Campion dancing the cha cha with Tony Novak
*Harford County Tourism Manager, Wini Roche dancing the quickstep with Tom Rzepnicki
*Attorney/ Principal, Brown, Brown, & Young, Jay Young dancing the hustle with Carole Novak
*President/CEO Upper Chesapeake Health, Lyle Sheldon dancing the foxtrot with Shara Rzepnicki
*Harford County Sheriff, Jesse Bane dancing the tango with Debbie Howley
*Painter/Poet/Author, Joan Henderson Hodous dancing the waltz with John Dawson
*Director Quality Assurance/Loss Prevention Hess Hotels, Alan Doran dancing the east coast swing with Shara Rzepnicki
John Dawson, Carole Novak, Tony Novak, and Shara Rzepnicki are instructors from Dancing with Friends.
The theme of the event was “IMAGINE- Your Center for the Arts in Harford County!” The evening included an auction, open bar, dinner by Laurrapin Grille, and exhibits of artwork by notable local artists, students from the John Carroll School, Edgewood Elementary School, the Highland School, Exploration Art School, Conversation, Warped Weavers as well as on-site demonstrations by local artists.
In addition, there were performances throughout the evening by the Harford Youth Chamber Orchestra, Harford Ballet Company and Dance Conservatory of Maryland, Poet Larry O’Neal, and the Harford Community College Jazz ensemble.
The Headlining Art Society Sponsors were The Harford Mutual Insurance Company and Maryland Public Television. Art Society Sponsors included the Orioles, “Baltimore Magazine”, Comcast, Clark Turner Signature Homes, and “Mason-Dixon Arrive”.
Friends of the Arts Sponsors were The Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Plum, P.A., Betty Ward, APG Federal Credit Union, Upper Chesapeake Health, Homestead Publishing, WYPR 99.1 FM, and “Harford’s Heart.” Art Galley Sponsors included Forest Hill Airpark, Harford Community College, “Havre de Grace Magazine”, Hess Hotel Group, and Shop Rite Kleins.
The Center for the Arts is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization, incorporated in 2005 to build a Center for the Arts in Harford County. Their mission is to nurture arts, artists, and community through creative and collaborative experiences. The Center for the Arts will include theatres, gallery spaces for local and traveling exhibits, a gallery dedicated to the history of Harford County, rehearsal spaces, classrooms, and an amphitheatre. In addition, it will include meeting space for businesses that will include state- of the- arts conference rooms and space to host special events. Currently, many businesses have to go outside of the County to utilize large enough meeting or special event sites. For more information about the Center for the Arts visit www.CenterForTheArtsHarford.org
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