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HUNTINGTON -- It was a brazen effort by Andrea Leffingwell, organizing a "Dancing with the Tri-State Stars" event as the major fundraiser for Ebenezer Medical Outreach.

Would Tri-Star stars give up three or four weeks to learn the dances? Would anyone come watch?

Those questions were emphatically answered Saturday night, as about 1,000 people cheered on 15 volunteer dancers and their partners.

"It's amazing what they did for us," Leffingwell said. "There's no words or amount of money to thank them enough."

For just about all the dancers, it was a time commitment they had to make room for. But there wasn't one who regretted the opportunity to help Ebenezer.

"I think Ebenezer is an amazing organization, providing health care to those who can't afford it," said Miss WV Brittany Mills. "That means the world to people. Anybody with an opportunity to help would. It's my privilege to donate my time."

Ebenezer Medical Outreach is a free medical clinic that provides health care services to the uninsured and underinsured of the Tri-State. The organization is currently serving more than 1,500 patients from 19 to 64 whose household income is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.

Leffingwell said the event likely raised double their normal fundraisers -- close to $30,000. That's a big chunk of unrestricted funds to provide more than what the state dollars can. That can include exercise opportunities, education and other services that can help people get healthy and stay healthy.

"(The people who supported Dancing with the Tri-State Stars) are allowing us to provide health care to the uninsured," she said, adding that the dancers helped sell tickets and VIP tables.

That was the main goal, many participants said. It had nothing to do with whether they could dance.

"I may be Miss West Virginia, but I've got two left feet," Mills said. "I have zero rhythm."

Sabrina Conley, director of Health and Wellness at the YMCA, said she had no dancing background. But the hours of practice were worth it. She learned to dance, and she helped an organization that YMCA collaborates with.

"Ebenezer is a good cause, and this way get the community involved," Conley said. "Everyone can give back. And the time, there's more meaning to it."

The dancing teams included Dr. Eric Arnold, chair of the Kinesiology Department at Marshall University, and Nicole Riedel; Ironton Mayor Rick Blankenship and Ramya Velury; Dr. Rick Booth from Valley Health and Christina Daniels; Conley and McLean Stricland; WOWK reporter Dee Delancey and Melanie Wheeler Slusher; Marshall student body president Sean Hornbuckle and Summer Ogg; Brandi Jacobs-Jones, City of Huntington Director of Administration and Finance, and Shawn Colbert; JB Miller of Miller in the Morning on Magic 97.9 and Noelle Kelley; Mills and Jack Austin; former Marshall football coach Bobby Pruett and Pam Carden; Delegate Doug Reynolds and Jill Morris; William Smith, superintendent for Cabell County Schools, and Bette Vickers; Delegate Kelli Sobonya and Steve Gallagher; Huntington councilman Mark Bates and Dianne Coriell; St. Joseph Grade School principal Carol Templeton and Steve Prowse; and WSAZ reporter Randy Yohe and Jeannine Shelton.

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Dancing with the Tri-State's Stars was held Saturday at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. The event raised funds for Ebenezer Medical Outreach.

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