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Meet the 2017 Putnam County Dancing Stars
For 12 Putnam County residents, a 12-week journey to stardom comes to an end this week with the ninth annual Dancing with the Putnam County Stars competition.
The marquee event each year for the Putnam County Youth Development Commission, the dancing is finally coming this week.
Slated for Saturday May 6 at the Putnam County Fairgrounds, the event begins when d oors open at 5 p.m., followed by dinner from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and on to a night of dancing.
The show will take place in the indoor arena, while food will be served in both the arena and the goat barn.
For those who can’t make the big night, a dress rehearsal will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 4.
Admission to rehearsal will be donations for the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry.
Linda Clute
Linda Clute is the operations manager for the Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University. She is a member of the Greencastle Presbyterian Church, PEO and the Master Gardner Association. She is married with three children and six grandchildren. Her dancing experience includes a dance drill team she participated in during high school and college.
“I’m not gonna lie,” she said. “I love to dance. But to be able to benefit a worthy cause makes it even better. I believe it’s important to give back to your community.”
Amber (Asher) Greene
Amber Greene is the owner and manager broker at Greene Realty in Roachdale as well as the owner and attorney-at-law at Greene Legal. She is the president of the North Putnam School Board and a member of Roachdale Christian Church. She is married with six children.
Greene has no dance experience, but she says, “It’s a great event put on by great people for a great cause. How could I say no? This is way out of my comfort zone and scary for me. I want to set a good example for my kids by showing them that it’s important to be brave in life and to have the courage and confidence to try new things.”
Brian Hayden
Brian Hayden’s hobby is work, and he works at York Chevy and Racers Auto. He is married with three children, Andrea (27), Nikko (23) and Chandler (16).
“It sounded like fun and a great chance to give back to the community,” Hayden, who has no dance experience, said. “I want to meet new people and have fun. And learn some new moves!”
Trudy Selvia
Trudy Selvia is a public defender in the Superior Court and the ALJ-ISP firearms section as well as the attorney for the Putnam County Council. She is a Teen Court judge and a member of the Greencastle Board of Works.
She is married with two children, Brand (22) and Gabrielle (17). Her hobbies are tending the koi pond her husband built for her, cooking from antique cookbooks and bragging about her children. Selvia participated in tap dance and ballet as a child, but hasn’t danced since then.
“I love the YDC programs!” Selvia said. “‘I want to have fun, meet and make new friends and raise money.”
Heath Pruitt
Heath Pruitt is a graduate, school counselor and cross country, swimming and track coach at South Putnam Jr./Sr. High School. His hobbies are running and reading. He is married to Ann Marie Pruitt.
Pruitt has no dance experience, but he agreed to participate because “it sounded like a lot of fun, and I was happy to be offered the chance to help the Youth Development Commission. The YDC does tremendous work in our community. I hope to challenge myself and have fun in an area outside my comfort zone, become a better dancer and raise funds for the YDC.”
Mitch Myers
Mitch Myers is the owner of Myers’ Market in Greencastle. He is a member of 100 Men Who Care, and he enjoys riding motorcycles, fishing and kayaking. He is married to “my beautiful wife Diana.”
Myers has no dance experience, but he hopes to gain a trophy and said, “I wanted to have a positive impact on a great community organization and thought this would be a fun way to do it.”
Kedric Siddons
Kedric Siddons works at Teachers Credit Union, but his hobbies are photography and graphic design.
“It will be a fun experience and an awesome way to contribute to the Putnam County YDC,” Siddons, who has no dance experience, said. “I want to gain at least dance moves I can use for a future event if one should so arise.”
Tyler Wade
Tyler Wade is the associate director of admissions at Wabash College and a member of the Greencastle City Council, 100 Men Who Care and Bethel Church. He enjoys reading, watching sports, playing golf, traveling and cooking. He is “single and ready to mingle.”
His dance experience includes dancing to the top 100 hits during halftime at basketball games as a member of the Sphinx Club (honorary leadership club).
“I participated in Dancing with the Putnam County Stars because who could say no to Linda Merkel?” Wade said. “The Putnam County YDC is such an important part of our community. Our children are the future of our community, and it’s so important that they have a solid foundation to build a better future. I hope to gain a deeper appreciation for the needs of the youth in our community, to raise awareness to their challenges and to become a little better at dancing!”
Heather Taylor
Heather Taylor is a local State Farm Insurance agent. Originally from Ilinois, she opened her agency just a few months after she and her husband David moved to Greencastle in 2011.
Since then they have enjoyed getting to know the community and participating in local youth sporting teams, school sponsorships, Safety Squad Saturday and United Way. They have one daughter, Lilly (2), and enjoy spending time together. Outside of work and her family, Taylor is an avid golfer.
She has no dance experience, but she looks forward representing the community in Dancing with the Putnam County Stars.
Julie Thompson
Julie Thompson is the financial services officer at the Putnam County Community Foundation, a member of 100 Women Who Care, a Greencastle Christian Church youth group leader and a 4-H leader. She is married to Gerrit and has two sons, Tyler (17) and Seth (13).
Her hobby is “enjoying whatever life has to offer,” and, despite her “little to none” dancing experience, she is pursuing that hobby with Dancing with the Putnam County Stars.
“I agreed because it strengthens the future resources for the many youth programs led by the YDC,” Thompson said. “It was sure to be fun. I want to gain a better understanding of what the YDC offers to Putnam County and please the crowd with a fun evening of uniting together.”
Dawn Tucker
Dawn Tucker is the principal of Cloverdale Middle School and a devoted attendee of any and all school events. Her hobbies also include spending time with family, reading and sports. She is married with two sons.
She’s not sure it counts, but her dance experience includes being a Cloverette in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
She hopes to “raise money for YDC. They do so much for youth in our county. And I like a challenge, but it is also so fun. My brother, Brad, participated in 2010, and I want to beat his score. I’m looking forward to learning something new, meeting new people and being a part of an amazing fundraiser for YDC.”
Ed Wilson
Ed Wilson is a sergeant in the Greencastle Police Department and is also a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and the Morton Masonic Lodge 469. His hobbies are metal detecting, fishing and running. He is married to Lisa and has two children, Riley and Shelbi.
Although he took ballroom dancing in college, his reason for participating was “The chief (Tom Sutherlin) asked me to. And it’s a good thing for the community. I want to have a fun time and experience.”