As the performers were warming up at JE Arena Thursday, Nov. 7 for the 2024 Big Brothers Big Sisters Erath County Dancing for the Stars, the audience was challenged with matching the amount the nonprofit receives in state funding. The amount was beaten before the first couple danced and nearly quadrupled by the end of the event.
The challenge came from Talan Cobb, the BBBS Market President for Abilene and West Central Texas. She announced that state funding for the local organization was up at $32,000, but the number of children enrolled has also tripled since 2022.
Thanks to a generous crowd and the chops of auctioneer Ferron Lucero, $41,000 was raised in donations and the auction of prize baskets assembled by the performers. The final amount raised from the event and its teams was $162,707.
“We have grown the program [in Erath] by 60 percent since last year,” said BBBS Erath County Executive Director Sarah McNeal-Weaver following the event. “We still have a waitlist of 30 kids we can’t match until we have the funds.”
Matching up a Big and Little for one year costs $2,000 with expense like volunteer screening and training, activity and resource funding and more.
Cobb reminded the audience Thursday that 100% of these donations will go to the Erath program.
Cobbhasbeenvolunteering with the organization since 2002 and announced that she is mentoring her third ‘little’, a 12-year-old named Audrey.
Cobb said being a Big Sister “changes the way I parent my children,” and she has seen the positive effect it can have in stories like ‘David’, a former little in Erath county whose dedicated mentor helped give him the confidence and motivation to set his sights on being the first member of his family to graduate from college.
Cobb emphasized the lasting impact of BBBS volunteering and donations, saying the ‘littles’ of today will be tomorrow’s employees, bosses, teachers, pastors and more.
“I hate that we are needed but I’m thankful that we are an overwhelmingly positive solution,” said Cobb.
She said she is also grateful to Sarah McNeal-Weaver who, along with her volunteers, donned a flight suit for the “Come Fly With Me” theme of this year’s event.
Performing couples, who worked with Studio 6:14 in preparing routines, danced to songs from the “Top Gun” and “Top Gun: Maverick” soundtracks, starting with Dublin’s team of Jodi and Kolby Noles who took the stage to the sounds of “Highway to the Danger Zone.” They were followed by Shani and Marcus Taylor, Jill and Ross McAngus, Taylor and Lee Sims and Kimberly and Ben Dunnahoo. Judges provided commentary and scores before the teams went into the crowd to collect cash donations added to the total by the professional counters from BMY. All totals were compiled at the end of the event with the team bringing in the most donations proclaimed the winner.
Team McAngus with their fun hip-hop routine took top prize after starting with a bit of an advantage: two judges seats were auctioned off with the winners opting to send their $3500 and $3100 bids as votes for McAngus.
Weaver said the event was a success as there were no empty tables set up at JE Arena as the crowd enjoyed drinks, catering by Tarleton and a photo booth from B&H Media.
She also called JE Arena, located between Dublin and Stephenville a “hidden gem” and praised the owners for being so easy to work with.
Weaver thanked all the volunteers and organizations for making the event so successful, but says there is always a need for donations to increase the outreach as well as male and female volunteers to mentor.
“Dancing for the Stars is amazing,” said Weaver. “It helps keep our doors open. Additional funding allows us to enrich the lives of more children in the community.”
For more information, find Big Brothers Big Sisters Erath County on Facebook or visit bbbstx.org.