The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WALLA WALLA—Local Walla Walla celebrities will compete on the Gesa Power House Theatre stage on Sat., Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. for the 4th Annual Dancing with the W2Stars fundraiser for Valley Residential Services.

Local participants are paired with professional dancers and have a week to rehearse and learn a ballroom dance routine before a live presentation before judges. Local “celebrities” include:

Dawn Adams - Retired Director of Home Health/On-Call Chaplain, Providence St. Mary Medical Center

Peter Erb - 911 Dispatch Supervisor, City of Walla Walla

Melissa Cunnington - Teacher, Milton-Freewater School District

Ruben Hernandez - Outreach Coordinator, Walla Walla Community College

Claire Evans - Development Officer, Whitman College

Matt Mahan - Funeral Director, Herring-Groseclose Funeral Home

Kelly Watson - Assistant to AVP/CEO, Banner Bank

Steve Owens - Member Services/Communications Specialist, Columbia REA

First place 2016 winner Lawson Knight (Edward Jones) will be Master of Ceremonies. Judges are former winners Greer Buchanan (Providence St. Mary Foundation), Amy Figgins (Leonetti Cellars), Nabiel Shawa (City of Walla Walla), Jason Valentine (KAPP KVEW TV).

Community members may donate on behalf of their favorite dancer, which will give the dancer extra points in the competition.

In addition to the competition, professional dancers will perform and an after party will be held upstairs with the dance floor remaining open until 11 p.m. Reserves seating is $45 and tickets are available at http://www.phtww.com.