Dancers bring it home for CASY

Oct. 8—Sullivan Automotive Group's Joe Mascari drove away with the first-place trophy for "Dancing with the Terre Haute Stars" Friday night, and the fundraiser garnered at least $297,000 for Chances and Services for Youth (CASY), another record high.

In the event's history, every year's intake has surpassed the previous year's. This year's total is not yet final because a silent auction continued after the dance winners were announced.

Mascari performed the salsa to Marc Anthony's "Mala" with his coach, Kelsey Clement, and raised north of $47,000. He seemed shocked and more than a little pleased to have won the competition.

"I'm not that good — everything belongs to her, Kelsey," Mascari said. "I have two left feet, and Kelsey made them one right, one left. Without her, there's no way I could have accomplished this. She's phenomenal, the best of the best."

Mascari opted to forego an alcoholic beverage to salve his nerves before dancing, but had one at the ready once his performance was over.

"I am treating myself now," he said. "Right after the dance, my partner and I agreed to have a shot of tequila and one cocktail each. It's a fantastic time."

Clement agreed. "We had such a good time together," she said. "It was a blast. He was so easy to work with and made my life easy as a teacher."

Second place went to Leslie Hemminghouse, a stay-at-home mom who danced the East-Coast swing to a Bruno Mars song.

First Financial Bank's Jon Scherle took third rumbaing to "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere."

The Judges' Choice trophy went to Jimmie Merk, representing Cook Medical Group of Spencer, who danced the merengue to Alexandra Stan' "Mr. Saxobeat."

Merk's triumph was particularly gratifying, given that during rehearsal the previous evening, he suffered a wardrobe malfunction.

"My pants have not been staying up quite where I want them," he confessed before the competition, "and during rehearsals yesterday..."

"They made a grand appearance," interjected his instructor, Elizabeth Eichmiller.

"One of the best bloopers we've had in 16 years," said event coordinator Brandon Halleck, CASY chief operating officer and owner of The Dance Studio.

"So I've been working through that, working some safety pins and some Velcro," Merk continued. "So I've got that to worry about tonight."

After winning the Judges' Choice, Merk said, "That was a surprise. My pants stayed up — that was a win in itself. The judges saw it last night — I think they were surprised they stayed up, as well."

Despite the embarrassment, Merk was high on appearing on "Dancing with the Terre Haute Stars."

"I'd encourage anybody who's thinking about it to do it," he said. "It's a challenge, but it's a ton of fun. I'm really happy I did it."

"We worked really hard and had a good time laughing and dancing around, just enjoying this experience," Eichmiller added.

Hemminghouse received an early birthday present with the second-place trophy — her birthday is Saturday. She will celebrate her birthday — and her strong showing — by taking a Jamaican vacation.

Her husband Neil was relocated by McCarthy Building Companies to Texas. "When I found out that my husband's contract [in Texas] was extended a year, I actually asked to dance," she said. "I just wanted to get back to my hometown for [CASY]."

Hemminghouse was aggressive in her fundraising, with four events, from a golf outing to a touch a truck event for kids at the Mill raising a combined $19,100. She hit up social media, asking for a birthday present in the form of donations to CASY.

"I've hit the community hard and they've backed me up," she said.

Taylor Austin of Century 21, who performed a country two-step to Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman," got involved because Halleck, in addition to his work at CASY and The Dance Studio, also sells real estate with her. He invited her to join "Dancing" at a real-estate conference in Las Vegas last March.

"I said, 'That'll be fun,'" she said. "I'm trying to be [confident] — fake it till you make it, you've got to be confident."

"I've made friends with the other dancers," she continued. "Some of them looked familiar, and I actually knew some of them already. We got to hang out and to get to know each other a little bit better."

Alia Shuck of Ivy Tech danced the tango, and claimed a first that underscored her resilience.

"I have to take Dramamine before my lessons because I get so dizzy from doing some of the spin moves," she said. "I think I'm the first star who's had to take Dramamine before lessons, but that's OK."

Shuck used to work for CASY. "It was my first job, which brought me to Terre Haute to be where I am today," she said. "I was glad to help because I can't repay this bringing me here to fall in love with this community."

And even though she claimed, "The tango is everything that I probably am not," she grew to embrace the training.

"I told Brandon yesterday that I'm going to miss taking dance lessons, so I'm going to have to recruit someone to take some lessons with me."

For his part, Halleck was ecstatic at the evening's outcome.

"It just goes to prove once again that we live in a giving community," he said, "and that Terre Haute is one of the best places to live and to work in a nonprofit and to help all of the kids we're helping. I can't thank the community enough."

Other participants included Alisa Abney-Bonine of Tolly's and the 25th Street Tavern, Novelis' Amanda Houge, WTWO morning anchor Shelby Reilly, Brenda Wilson of the Vigo County Council, Westminster's Lauren Keisheimer and Eleni Miller of the Vigo County School Corporation.

The event was televised live on WAWV-TV.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.