With “A Magical Night” Disney theme and 10 participating teams, the 14th edition of Dancing with Easter Seals Stars brought in $130,000 Feb. 28.
The champions at the sold-out event were star Joshua Sarazin of Team Elite Remax, Remax Crown Realty and first time pro Jersey McMahon, of Spotlight Dance Company.
Their two show-stopping Aladdin and Deadpool and Wolverine power performances captivated the audience’s loudest cheers on the night.
Second place went to the equally dynamic dance pair, star Steven Fuller of Fuller Industrial and new pro Melissa Spencer, with a fan favourite and energetic Hercules number.
Third place was secured by a sultry tango inspired Mulan Rouge – Roxanne number followed by a Bollywood inspired Jai Ho performance by star Vijay Iyer of University of Toronto Snolab, and returning Pro Dawn Condon of Connected Living Yoga and Wellness.
The People’s Choice award voted on strictly by the audience in attendance, went to star Genvieve Dumont of NTT BPO/hockey mom and newcomer pro Andi Ngenda, a student at College Boréal.
The 2025 Top Fundraiser award went to star Steven Fuller and his partner pro Melissa Spencer. Together they garnered support from all over raising $9,077, including a large donation from Alberta.
“Good news travels fast, and I am the first to say, we put the FUN in fundraising!” said MJ Pappin, community development officer for Easter Seals Sudbury.
“With a lot of moving parts, this event is nothing short of a production, and we capitalized on the enchanted evening, bearing some technical difficulties 24 hours prior to the doors opening, and a snowstorm to boot! The excitement and enthusiasm from our participants who have been rehearsing for months while raising funds was matched by everyone who drove in bad weather to witness magic.
“The interest in this event from sponsors to event partners and small businesses that donated their time or support is absolutely magical.”
All funds raised through Dancing with Easter Seals Stars Sudbury will go toward Easter Seals Ontario’s programs and services that help children and youth with physical disabilities reach their full potential and make the most of their abilities.
Easter Seals Ontario has been a leading provider of programs and services for children and youth with physical disabilities since 1922. Their goal is to empower individuals with physical disabilities to reach their full potential and make their own positive impact on the world.
They offer a wide range of programs and services, including mobility and accessibility equipment funding, fully accessible summer camp, post-secondary scholarships, youth ambassadors, and advocacy and public awareness.
Easter Seals is only able to provide these programs thanks to the generous support of its donors and sponsors. To learn more, visit EasterSeals.org or connect on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.