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Area stars lace up their dance shoes for Dancing with the Tri-State Stars
Eric Arnold and Nicole Riedel practice a dance routine for Dancing with the Tri-State's Stars on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, at Marshall University.
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HUNTINGTON -- This week, medical professionals, politicians, educators and others were putting in their final hours of dance practice before Dancing with the Tri-State's Stars, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena.
"Dancing's going very well. I love it," said Dr. Eric Arnold, chair of the School of Kinesiology at Marshall University. "I found a new passion."
Arnold said the dancing is for a great cause, as the competition will benefit Ebenezer Medical Outreach. Ebenezer is a free medical clinic in Huntington. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $10 for students and Ebenezer patients, and are on sale at the box office and through Ticketmaster. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event starts at 7.
Arnold's dance partner will be Nicole Riedel, who's originally from the Tri-State area and was trained as a dancer in New York. As part of the kinesiology department, Arnold said he is very much interested in health and wellness and the impact of exercise in people's lives. He also said it's important to give back to organizations such as Ebenezer, which provides care for many people who are underserved.
"I think what Ebenezer does is a wonderful, wonderful thing," he said.
Cabell County Delegate Kelli Sobonya has also been rehearsing to dance in the competition. She will be dancing with Steve Gallagher from Club Dance in Dunbar.
Sobonya also said she's enjoyed participating in the fundraiser.
"I am not a dancer at all, but this has inspired me to stay with it and get in shape," she said. "I used to take tap dancing lessons in first grade by Nancy's School of the Dance in Westmoreland (Huntington) and was a high school gymnast, but being 47 years old, this has been a little difficult."
Sobonya also said she's very supportive of the work that Ebenezer does in delivering health care services to people who can't afford them.
"The TV show 'Dancing with the Stars' is very popular, and I think this is a great idea for the people of the Tri-State to come out and have an enjoyable evening and at the same time help raise funds for a very worthy cause," she said.
The lineup of "Tri-State stars" also includes Dr. Rick Booth from Valley Health; Sabrina Conley, director of health and wellness at the YMCA; Dee Delancey of WOWK-TV; Sean Hornbuckle, student body president at Marshall University; Brandi Jacobs-Jones, director of administration and finance for the city of Huntington; Britanni Mills, Miss West Virginia United States; former Marshall University coach Bobby Pruett; Cabell County delegate Doug Reynolds; Ironton mayor Rich Blankenship; William Smith, superintendent of Cabell County Schools; Kelli Sobonya, West Virginia delegate; Carol Templeton, principal of St. Joseph Grade School; JB Miller of Miller in the Morning; Huntington City Councilman Mark Bates; and Randy Yohe with WSAZ.
More information is available by calling 304-529-0753, Ext. 118, or e-mailing ashleythompson@ emohealth.org.
