Who is the Greek god of love?

“I am definitely competitive - one hundred per cent my aim is to win.” That is a quote from Pete Loring in the lead up to last Saturday’s night’s Swinging with the Stars. He wanted that mirror ball trophy and at the end of the night, the glory was his as he combined to take out the 2021 gala fundraiser with dancing partner Paris Ackland.

Even his facebook post in the week leading into to Saturday night’s performance, the coffee roaster and barista had victory in his sights.

“Paris Ackland drew the short straw and was paired with me for Swinging with the Stars,” he wrote. “Her commitment to HYPE dance and her students is nothing short of amazing and it’s flowed into our dance partnership. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner; she’s competitive, driven, has endless patients (sic) and is just so much darn fun!! She’s trusted me with flipping her, throwing her around and dropping her to the floor but never loses composure. She’s believed in me from the beginning and has always encouraged me to keep pushing and get better. I literally could not have done this without her. No one deserves to win this more than her, Paris, thank you.”

Of course, the real winner from the major fundraiser is the Stand Like Stone Foundation and in 2021, $108,000 was added to the foundation’s coffers courtesy of the fundraising efforts of each of the eight stars.

Penola Coonawarra Sub Fund entrant Kate Palm might not have been the dancing queen but she was the queen of the fundraising, taking out the people’s Choice Award for the most money raised by an individual entrant.

Kate’s efforts very much a team effort, as she acknowledged in the lead up to the event, once her fundraising events had finished and she was looking to focus on those four dances.

“The fundraising has been incredible,” she said. “The generosity of our community has been overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a huge job in amongst learning all of the dancing but I have been lucky enough to have a group of very supportive people behind me helping make it all happen. I am extremely proud of how much we have raised.”

Given the 2020 event was cancelled, to have The Barn filled with supporters there to cheer on their favourite star and to have more than $100,000 added to the foundation’s bank account – money that is then filtered through the community for various local groups and projects – was a great reward for the Stand Like Stone Foundation and event organisers.

The other stars were Bryce Smith, Stephen Holmes, Caroline Barr, Marian Hodson, Macey Humphries and 2020 Streaming with the Stars winner Randall Jones.

It was a reimagined version of the gala fundraiser last year– where anyone from the public had their chance to submit a video doing the jive – and Randall emerged the Judges Award winner but the Port MacDonnell favourite was unable to take his virtual victory into the real world.

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SWINGING WITH THE STARS: (Above main) - the 2021 Swinging with the Stars cast celebrate another successul event; (top left) - 2021 winner pete Loring & his dancing partner Paris Ackland in action; (centre left) Pete Loring gets his hands on that mirror ball trophy and celebrates with dance partner Paris Ackland; (bottom far left) People’s Choice winner Kate Palm with dance partner Lewis Riley, who was competing at his first Swinging with the Stars and (bottom right) 2020 Streaming with the Stars winner Randall Jones with dancer partner Alex Williams