The Richmond News February 13. 2013 A11
Entertainment T H E
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FUNDRAISER
Casino boss learns cheeky little charity cha cha PHILIP RAFAEL/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS
Dancing with the Richmond Stars competitor Rick Duff and dance instructor Linda Chen finish up practising the cha cha at The Grand Ballroom. March 2, Duff and six other local celebrities will perform to raise funds for the Richmond Hospice Association.
Watch for updates on the progress of Richmond’s celebrity dancers as they hone their skills. Video will be posted in the paper via layar and on the Richmond News’ Facebook page.
View a video on this with layar.
BY PHILIP RAPHAEL Special to the News
Seven Richmond celebrities and their dance instructors have been busy tip-toeing their way across the hardwood since early January to help raise funds for the Richmond Hospice Association. And over the coming few weeks, they will be perfecting their routines for the second annual Dancing With the Richmond Stars event March 2 at The Grand Ballroom in the Ironwood area. “Coming from my experience in last year’s event, this is crunch time,” said area Laura Van Sprang, the winner in 2012. “So, I am seeing a lot more people in the ballroom, more often.” It’s all in good fun for an important cause, she explained. “It’s very touching and heart-warming to see how much time and effort people put into this. It’s also them (competitors) putting themselves on the line. It’s not easy to learn the dance. And it’s not easy to put yourself out there in front of your whole community.” Van Sprang, who is a funeral director and embalmer at the Richmond Funeral Home, as well as the hospice association’s events coordinator, will be back to perform a support dance on the night and hand over the trophy to the winner. One of the seven competitors who has been paired with an instructor, just like in the reality TV show Dancing With the Stars,
Development at the Edgewater Casino. are doing the Jive — was also a big incen“I’ve never been one to not be open to tive. embarrassing myself,” said Duff who added “Although, having said that, it’s so scary he is looking forward to having fun with the and I’m just starting to have sleepless nights experience. “I’ve always loved to dance.” trying to remember steps and the sequence He and instructor Linda Chen will be and choreography. It’s only three minutes, performing the cha cha, a dance picked to but to remember all the steps that go on is match Duff’s affable personality. hard. And the technique is something extra.” “He seems like such a fun person,” Chen Patko said she loves rock and roll — she’s said. “And because of our size difference, I a big Rolling Stones fan — and loves to thought the cha cha would be better.” dance. But the formal kind was limited dancChen said the cha cha is cheeky, playful, ing with her father at weddings. “and there’s a lot of character. And Rick has Other competitors include: Fanny Ng, a lot of personality.” a medical social worker, Karina Lapalme, While each competiHuman Resources tor is given three minutes Manager with the “... because of our size City of Richmond, Air to perform Duff said, judging by the practices, Canada pilot Terry difference, I thought that can seem like a lifeDavid, and the husband the cha cha would be and wife team of realtime. Asked for a predictor Lynda and lawyer better.” tion on how he and Chen Richard Terborg. — Linda Chen will do, Duff said, “I’m Money is raised in the casino industry, so through ticket sales and I’m saying I’d be a long shot to win it.” pledges to the individual dancers, both of Fellow competitor Georgina Patko, a which can be done online (richmondhospicemanagement consultant for non-profit orgaassciation.com) by clicking on the Dancing nizations, said signing up to dance was a with the Richmond Stars section. “no-brainer.” Last year the event raised around “I’ve recently stayed with a friend in a $25,000. This time around, hopes are the fighospice. Watched her go through her jourure can be doubled as word spreads. ney, and so to be asked to do this was some“With the exposure we got last year, thing I could do in her honour and in her there’s just that much more buzz,” Van memory.” Sprang said. Patko added the opportunity to learn how Pat Miller, the hospice association’s exec-
lenging for non-profit organizations. And when she learned what the Central Okanagan Hospice Association had done several years ago by starting its own Dancing with the Stars event, she immediately seized the opportunity to develop a Richmond version. “They’ve been doing it in the Okanagan for five years and have raised an enormous amount of money,” Miller said, adding last year’s total was around $300,000. “We’re excited to move forward and build on what they’ve done. It’s great, exciting and fun for everyone. And we’ve learned we can put the words fun and hospice in the same sentence. And that’s a hard thing to do.” “From a management point of view and strategy for a non-profit, it’s about time we had some new ideas on how to raise money. And this is a great, new idea,” said Patko. Three celebrity judges (MLA Linda Reid, media personality Kayce White, and Blundell Elementary school principal Don Dixon) will determine the overall winner. There is also a People’s Choice award handed out to the dancer who has raised the most funds. The money goes towards the association’s programming. “We offer grief support, support for those at end of life and their families and friends,” said Miller. “And what that means is we provide trained and qualified volunteer visitors to the palliative unit at the hospital, to hospice house on No. 4 Road, the residential care facilities in our community, and private