Dancing Like the Stars raises over $42,000 for Komen Maine

    BANGOR — The inaugural Susan G. Komen Maine’s Dancing Like the Stars event was a great success, raising over $42,000 for the local affiliate.  The event was held at Gracie Theatre on March 9. Eight local “celebrity” dancers competed for the top prize by collecting $1 votes both before and during the event. Dancers spent eight weeks training for the event with dance coaches from the Back Door Dance Studio.

    The performers were: Allen Adams from The Maine Edge with dance coach Kristy Michaud, Andre Cushing, State Senator and from ERA Dawson Bradford with dance coach Kristy Kerns, Andrew Hamilton from Eaton Peabody with dance coach Amber Saucier, Dolly Perkins of Brownville from Realty of Maine with dance coach Terence Lee, Dorian Daniels from I-95 with dance coach Dave Kneeland, John Osborne from Hollywood Casino with dance coach Carole Deschaine, Melissa Kim from WLBZ-2 with dance coach Tom McKay and Nichi Farnham with dance coach Josh Theriault.
    The winning celebrity was Osborne, who raised $12,525 for the event. Second place went to Cushing, who raised $7,525. Third place was nearly a tie with Perkins at $6,860 and Hamilton at $6,516.
    The judge’s top scores went to Perkins and Lee for their dance performance of the tango and Adams and Michaud for their more theatrical rumba.
    Co-hosts for the evening were Jackie Ward from WLBZ-2 and Dan Cashman of Cashman Communications and Joe Kennedy served as announcer.  Judges were Deb Neuman from WVOM, Annette Lee and Terry Leavitt.
    Due to the annual success of the Race for the Cure and other fundraising efforts like Dancing Like the Stars, the Komen Maine Affiliate has invested over $2.6 million for education, screening and treatment programs and over $780,000 for breast cancer research through the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Grants Program. The community grants program is the backbone of the local affiliate, but their impact reaches far beyond those programs, including breast health education offerings and community organizing.
    The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Promise: to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.
    For additional information about the Maine Affiliate of Susan G. Komen, visit their website at www.komenmaine.org or find them on Facebook (facebook.com/komenmaine) and Twitter (@komenmaine).