It's an old saying but it's true - if you don't have your health, you've got nothing.
Supporting healthcare in the north is what's behind Boogie With The Stars, a glamourous event that takes place on New Year's Eve at the Civic Centre.
Combining a love of ballroom dancing and fundraising for the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, organizers of the gala ask members of the public to vote for their favourite of 10 couples competing in the dance competition. It costs $5 per vote and people can vote as many times as they wish. During the event each couple gets to showcase their uniquely choreographed dance routine to the audience and a panel of three judges.
In combination with advance online voting, voting during the event and the points awarded by the judges, a winning couple will take home the Boogie With The Stars trophy and bragging rights.
The evening features a plated dinner that will be served at 7:30 p.m., the dance contest will start at 9 p.m. and then at 10 p.m. the seven-piece band Pink Champagne will offer guests the chance to boogie into the new year.
The fundraising efforts will go towards refurbishing a fleet of wheelchairs needed to serve patients during the healing process at the University Hospital of Northern B.C. In total $100,000 needs to be raised for 62 wheelchairs.
Organizers of the event Peter Weedon and Paz Milburn have set a goal of raising $50,000 toward the funding needed.
Boogie With The Stars was held annually from 2010 to 2014. When it became too much to organize for Weedon and Milburn, as well as putting pressure on those supporting the event to come out each New Year's Eve, it was decided to host the event every other year instead.
"We just felt it would be better to take a break in between and I think that turned out to be a wise decision,' said Weedon about the event that raised $5,000 the first year and then grew every year to finally raise $36,000 in 2014.
There are 10 teams competing this year, up from the usual six that have danced in previous years.
"We couldn't turn anyone down," said Weedon. "We have a lot of very energetic, keen people this year."
Most teams feature an amateur and a pro instructor, while one team has friends coming together under the guidance of a pro.
Longtime friends Selen Alpay, owner of the local Canadian Tire store, and Colleen Sparrow, publisher of The Prince George Citizen and current president of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, were invited to participate in the dance competition.
"Selen and I are very dear friends and that just makes it so much fun," said Sparrow about entering the contest.
"I am very passionate about health care in the north and this is a great way to help raise funds for the foundation. Dancing with Selen just makes it that much better."
Sparrow said she and Alpay, who won the trophy in 2012 with pro partner Paz Milburn, are laughing a lot during rehearsals and their song choices reflect their personalities. Their routine features five distinctly different styles of dance.
"So while we're striving to present a great dance, we are still both amateurs, so for us this is about our friends, family and co-workers supporting us with their votes in order to raise funds for this very worthy cause," said Sparrow. "We have a goal to raise the whole $100,000 for the wheelchairs and with 10 teams working toward that goal I believe we can achieve it but ultimately Selen and I have another goal and that's to take the trophy home - I'm not going to lie - and as Selen puts it 'we will take the trophy home.'"
So there's the challenge issued to each team to get those votes in and raising money for the wheelchairs needed at UHNBC.
Early bird tickets are on sale now for $90 and will be $100 starting on
Dec. 1. Tickets can be purchased at Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, Books & Co. and from event organizers Paz Milburn 250-640-0490 or Peter Weedon 250-565-8888.
To vote for teams online, visit:
http://spiritofthenorth.ca/fundraising-events/third-party-events/boogie-with-the-stars
