Mitchell County High Culinary Arts students present a check for $500 to Dan Phillips, South Georgia Regional Development Director of the Alzheimer's Association, Georgia Chapter, for Dancing Stars of South Georgia, in memory of Reginald Garrard. Pictured left to right, standing, are Dondre’l Williams, Erin Moore, culinary arts teacher Lillibel Wingate, Kameisha Perry, Tatayana Johnson, Terry Emanuel, Phillips, Matthew Clark and Kierra Silas. Front, left to right: Larissa Potts, Bertha Penaloza, Shanteria Gaines and Zakia Toombs.

Mitchell County High School students in Lillibel Wingate’s Culinary Arts I class donated $500 this past week to the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter in memory and support of Reginald Garrard, who passed away March 18.

 

A friend and former educator, Garrard most recently was publisher of the Camilla Enterprise and Pelham Journal. He was representing Camilla and Pelham as one of 10 Star Dancers in the upcoming Dancing Stars of South Georgia to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter.

 

“His goal was to raise $10,000, so we decide to help out by donating $500,” Wingate said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Please join us in making his dream come true!”

 

Wingate said the students have been making casseroles and selling them to the public. The money so far has been used for competitions and field trips. When she told the students about Dancing Stars, they decided to honor Garrard’s memory this way.

 

The Camilla and Pelham communities have raised $3,200 so far in Garrard’s memory. Donations may be made on line by visiting dancingstarsofsouthgeorgia.com and clicking on Reginald Garrard’s name. On the website, Gerrard says he planned to dance in memory of his stepfather, Hugh Inman, who passed last year from complications of Alzheimer’s.

 

“I made a promise to myself to continue to fight this debilitating disease in whatever way that I can. I think that by participating in this event, I will be able to make a difference, no matter how great or small,” Garrard wrote.  “I am asking all my friends, associates, and family to help the Alzheimer’s Association in its tireless efforts to help both the sufferer and their families as they cope with the disease. I also hope that the combined efforts of all will eventually bring an end to the disease that strikes so many throughout the world.”

 

Dancing Stars of South Georgia is a star-studded event to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter, scheduled for May 4 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. In the event based on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, local celebrities are paired with local dance professionals to learn a dance in the weeks leading up to the event, to perform for judges and the public.

One of the judges will be the reigning Miss Georgia, Leighton Jordan. Dancers win the judges’ choice by the technical aspects of their dance, and the people’s choice by the amount of funds they raise, with donations representing votes.

Tickets are $100 each, with tables for $1,000. Sponsorship opportunities are available, with presenting sponsor at $10,000. Plant Telecommunications is the leading Silver Sponsor with a donation of $5,000. Purple sponsors are DOCO Credit Union and Dr. Mac Sims with $2,500 donations. Media Partners are WALB-Tift, Plant Tift Net and the Tifton Gazette. Community Sponsors are: MotionDance Studios, The Pink Slipper of Albany, Off Broad STreet of Thomasville and A Time To… Inc. dance studio of Albany.

Karla Heath-Sands of WALB-TV and Tyron Spearman of The Spearman Agency will be co-hosts. Other judges are dance professionals Carolyn Ellis of Tifton and Jeani Synyard of Valdosta and Tifton Mayor Jamie Cater.

Vivien Gallagher Scott, wife of U.S. Congressman Austin Scott, is one of the dancers, paired with dancer Aubrey, both of Tifton. Debbie Drury of A Time To… dance studio, Albany, was to be Garrard’s dance pro. She said, “I only danced with him a few times, and we had a great time. He was such a nice guy.”

Also, Ginger Sterling Nelson of Plant Tift Net is paired with Angel Aquilar of Angel’s Touch Salon, both of Tifton; Daryl Salter of DOCO, is paired with Kaycee  Land of The Pink Slipper dance studio, both of Albany; attorney Chip Morris, is paired with Amanda Johnson of The Hairitage Salon and Spa, both of Tifton; Jay Lacy of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, is paired with Kevin Bailey, both of Tifton; Carrie Ann Turner of Tifton, is paired with Alvaro Leyva of MotionDance Studio of Valdosta; Reginald Garrard, publisher of The Pelham Journal and The Camilla Enterprise, paired with Katie Carter of Cordele, a corporate health consultant for Phoebe Putney of Albany, paired with Ashley Helton of A Time To… dance studio, Albany; Alzheimer’s Association Regional Board member Michael Hobbs of Hahira, paired with Hannah Moore of MotionDance Studio of Valdosta; and Keri Jones with Allen, Pritchett, Bassett, CPAs, paired with Van Jackson of Southern Pride Cheer, both of Tifton.

For more information on the dancers, the reasons why they dance, how to purchase tickets or vote for dancers with their donations, visit the website: http://dancingstarsofsouthgeorgia2013. kintera.org.

The dancers have already raised just over $20,000 so far for the Alzheimer’s Association, which is the top nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s disease research in the world. Among many other services in 35 counties of South Georgia, the association provides a 24/7 Helpline for those needing information and consultation on Alzheimer’s and related dementias, 1-800-272-3900. Call this number for more information on Alzheimer’s disease or Dancing Stars of South Georgia.