10th annual DWTPC Stars event slated for Saturday; dress rehearsal is Thursday

Tuesday, May 29, 2018
The 10th annual Dancing with the Putnam County Stars competition set for Saturday, June 2, the DePauw University Indoor Tennis and Track Center, where it took place for the first several years of the competition. The event remains the chief annual fundraiser for the Putnam County Youth Development Commission. This year’s stars include (front from left) Jill Albers, North Putnam Middle School instructional assistant; Cathy Clodfelter, nurse practitioner at North Putnam Family Health Care; Darrel Thomas, retired extension agent and Putnam County councilman; Tracy Bridges, Putnam County recorder; (back) Stacie Stoffregen, Greencastle Middle School science teacher; Andrew Ranck, Putnam County Comprehensive Services executive director; Travis Nicholson, Co-Alliance service team leader; Zach Rhine, Greencastle Police Department; (pictured below) Indiana State Trooper DuJuan McFadden; and nurse and clinical operations specialist Jen Balka. Besides the June 2 event, the annual dress rehearsal is set for Thursday, May 31.
Banner Graphic/JARED JERNAGAN

Making a return to the venue where it all began, the 10th annual Dancing with the Putnam County Stars event is set for Saturday, June 2.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. at the DePauw University Indoor Tennis and Track Center, where the first several DWTPCS events took place.

There will be a buffet dinner at 5:30 p.m., followed by the dancing competition at 6:30.

Festivities will also include a silent auction, 50/50 raffle and a cash bar.

Attendees are asked to pull up to the front entrance to drop off guests, return to lot to park and a shuttle service will take them back to the front entrance

Tickets are still available by calling the PCYDC office at 653-9342.

The event serves as the chief annual fundraiser for the Putnam County Youth Development Commission so that it can continue to enable youths to participate and contribute to their community in positive ways through programs such as CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates), Choices, Coats for Kids, National Night Out, Putnam County Teen Court and school-based Teen Court.

One of 10 Putnam County Stars will be crowned the 2018 champion at night’s end, along with the runner-up as well as the Fundraiser Extraordinaire and the fundraiser runner-up. This year’s competitors include Darrel Thomas, Stacie Stoffregen, Zach Rhine, Andrew Ranck, Travis Nicholson, DuJuan Presley-McFadden, Cathy Clodfelter, Tracy Bridges, Jen Balka and Jill Albers.

Besides the Saturday night competition, a more economical and kid-friendly way to get in on the fun is to attend the open dress rehearsal on Thursday evening. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., followed by dancing at 6.

Cost of admission for the dress rehearsal is simply a canned food donation for a local food pantry.

___

Jill Albers

Jill Albers is a sixth-grade instructional aide at North Putnam Middle School and an executive Rodan + Fields consultant.

She is married to Aaron Albers and together they have one son, Brayden Morse, 13. She also has two bonus daughters, Morgan, 21, and Camryn, 16.

She enjoys traveling, hosting get-togethers and hanging with family and friends.

Albers is also a volunteer swimming and diving coach for both North Putnam High School and North Putnam Middle School.

“I have been to almost all of the previous Dancing with the Stars events,” Albers said. “I’ve always admired the ones who braved the crowd, got out there to dance and raised money for our youth. PCDYC is an amazing group that I am happy to help.”

Albers said she is also looking forward to meeting new people, raising a ton of money and having the best time of her life.

Dance Experience: “Wow, where do I begin? I grew up being upside down and bent in half! I couldn’t walk through my living room or down a hallway without doing some kind of flip. Tumbling and dance was my life for many years. I believe I was around six when I started taking dance lessons. I was also a South Putnam cheerleader from seventh through 12th grade and on the dance team for a couple of years.”

Jen Balka

Jen Balka

Jen Balka is a clinical operations specialist for Pain Management and a registered nurse in the Putnam County Hospital emergency department.

She is married with four children.

Balka lists her hobby as finding home renovations for her husband on Pinterest.

She lists her community activities as “helping communities all over the Midwest battle chronic pain through better living.”

Balka said she hopes to gain “New friends, new moves and the opportunity to help” from the experience.

Dance Experience: “Zero! I love any excuse to dance with my husband.”

Tracy Bridges

Tracy Bridges is the Putnam County Recorder and a realtor with Collins Evans Real Estate.

She is the mother of three children, Carter, Carmen and Charlie, and the daughter of Dallas and Opal Sutherlin.

She lists her hobbies as anything outside.

Bridges’ community activities include chairing the Republican hog roast and sitting on the education committee for the Indiana Recorders Association.

Bridges said she agreed to participate in DWTPC Stars because she was “strong-armed” by Linda Merkel and Patti Harmless.

“I took it as a challenge to push myself out of my comfort zone,” Bridges said.

Dance Experience: “This should be apparent when my dance is over — absolutely none!”

Cathy Clodfelter

Cathy Clodfelter is a nurse practitioner at North Putnam Family Health Care.

She has been married four 44 years and has three sons “married to three wonder women” and eight grandchildren.

Her hobbies include spending time with her grandchildren, sailing and reading.

Clodfelter’s community activities include serving as secretary of the Family Support Services board, serving on the Transformers Board and a past Board Member of the United Way.

She agreed to dance because PCYDC is “a wonderful organization serving many of my patients.”

In participating, she hopes to make “a lot of money for the cause” and learn to dance.

Dance Experience: “Absolutely none.”

DuJuan Presley-McFadden

DuJuan Presley-McFadden

DuJuan Presley-McFadden is an Indiana State Trooper.

He is the father of two “beautiful and ‘Juanderful’” kids, 20-year-old Trent and 10-year-old Nevaeh “Neve.”

Presley-McFadden loves to make people laugh, read personal development books and make social media videos.

In the community he tries to “just assist people across Indiana as a state trooper and know that we are here to help everyone.”

“I love to have fun,” Presley-McFadden said. “Great way to meet new friends, great cause — make some lasting relationships.”

He hopes to gain “lifelong positive memories.”

Dance Experience: “Nothing professional — college show band.”

Travis Nicholson

Travis Nicholson is Co-Alliance propane service/safety manager.

He and his wife Tina have two children, Tanner and Makenna.

His hobbies include sports.

Nicholson’s community involvement includes coaching youth sports.

In competing in Dancing with the Putnam County Stars, Nicholson hopes “to take advantage of the opportunity to raise money for our local youth and its programs” as well as “to have fun and give back to this community.”

Besides simply being “a part of such a great event,” Nicholson also hopes “to gain knowledge of PCYDC and community the importance of the community and its involvement.

Dance Experience: None.

Andrew Ranck

Andrew Ranck, raised in Columbus, Ind., moved to Greencastle from Indianapolis in 2014 to assume the executive director role for Putnam County Comprehensive.

Since graduating from DePauw in 1991, he has dedicated his career to ensuring individuals with development disabilities have an equal life experience and voice as their non-disabled peers.

Ranck is an active participant in productions at the Putnam County Playhouse, bringing his directing, design and acting skills honed at DePauw. He is also vice president of the Greencastle Kiwanis Club, adviser to the Kiwanis Aktion club at PCCS and is on the advisory board for the Transformers Group in Putnam County.

“I took on the challenge of DWTPC Stars as both a philanthropic opportunity and to get outside of my performing comfort zone.”

He also wanted to give a huge shout out to Sarah Bond, his friend and instructor, for her patience, talent and creativity.

Dance Experience: Andrew cites dance as his “weakest strength” in the performing arts.

Zach Rhine

Zach Rhine is a police officer for the Greencastle Police Department.

He and wife Amber have one son, Lincoln.

Rhine enjoys spending time with family, hunting, fishing and video games.

His community activities include Fraternal Order of Police Santa Drop and Shop With a Cop as well as police boot camp and National Night Out.

“I wanted the opportunity to give back to a county that has given so much to me,” Rhine said of his reason for dancing.

He said he hopes to meet new people and build relationships in the community.

Dance Experience: None.

Stacie Stoffregen

Stacie Stoffregen is an eighth-grade science teacher at Greencastle Middle School.

She has been married to Kori Stoffregen for 25 years this August. Together they have two “beautiful and talented” daughters, Alexandra, who recently graduated from Wartburg College in Iowa, and Seelye, a senior at Greencastle High School next year.

Her hobbies include hanging out with family, walking her dog, jogging at the DePauw Nature Park, golfing with her husband, scrapbooking and being outside.

Stoffregen’s community activities include DePauw after school STEAM Club, Tri Kappa Beta Psi chapter, DePauw Nature Park Running Club, grant writer for the MSP $250,000 grant for infusing STEM education into Greencastle Schools and automatic timing official for DePauw track and field meets.

“Our daughter, Seelye, volunteers on various PCYDC groups such as Teen Court, PIE Coalition and Youth Development Commission,” Stoffregen said. “I have seen firsthand how impactful these groups are for the youth of our community.

“I can’t thank Linda Merkel and Patti Harmless enough for what they do for this community, so I guess I can dance.”

She is also looking forward to the fun she will have in the competition, particularly with dancing pro partner Josh Bain.

“I am excited to work with Josh, as his enthusiasm is contagious,” Stoffregen said. “This community event brings the entire Greencastle community together and I am looking forward to meeting new people and learning from them.”

Dance Experience: “I vaguely remember taking tap and ballet classes as a youth.”

“I have always loved watching couples who know how to dance at a wedding, including Kori’s folks and my late grandparents. I know I am going to work my tail off and learn new skills. My husband is hoping I learn to let my partner lead.”

Darrel Thomas

Darrel Thomas is retired from Purdue Extension Service.

He and wife Diana have two daughters, Lisa and Kara, and three granddaughters, Kayla, Rachel and Josie.

His hobbies include golf and reading.

Thomas is active with People Pathways and the Putnam County Community Foundation. He is also a multi-term member of the Putnam County Council, serving for several years as the president.

Thomas says he agreed to dance because the perseverance of organizers finally paid off.

He said he hopes to have fun and meet new people.

Dance Experience: Fred Astaire Academy, 4-H Camp for 40 years.

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  • I remember DWTS began at the airport.

    -- Posted by savethebabies on Wed, May 30, 2018, at 10:56 AM
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