Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County proudly celebrated the 10th anniversary of its signature fundraiser, Dancing with Our Stars, netting over $57,000 to support local residents who are elderly, disabled, or homebound. The funds will be used to deliver nutritious meals, reduce hunger, improve health outcomes, and promote independence across the county.
For the first time, this year’s event had a special theme: Decades. Dancers and their professional partners performed routines inspired by musical hits from the 1920s through the 2010s, with costumes and music reflecting the distinct styles of each era. The event, held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Noblesville, paired local professional dancers with some of Hamilton County’s most well-known residents, who competed for the coveted titles of Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice.
This year’s Judges’ Choice (male) title went to Doug Pileri (Retired VP and Chairman of the Board of Music for All). He presented an award-winning 1930s-inspired dance with pro dancer Natasha Cox. They performed a Viennese Waltz/Tango/Paso Doble fusion to “Spanish Tango” by Lucas Gutano Family.
The 2024 Judges’ Choice for a female dancer went to Marti Brown, a mortgage lender at Fairway Independent Mortgage. She and pro partner Ed Godby-Schwab dazzled the audience with a 1970s Disco/Fusion routine to “Knock on Wood” by Amii Stewert.
Audience votes awarded the People’s Choice Award to Matt Rapp (Facilities Director for Hamilton Southeastern) who wowed the crowd alongside Diana Miller. The pair performed a powerful Tango to Prince’s iconic “When Doves Cry,” representing the 1980s.
Other Hamilton County “celebrities” include:
- Melissa Carter – Owner of Balanced Health Clinic
- Linda Mylin – Certified Health Coach
- Kim Kerchval – Co-owner of Village Pizza
- Trevor Pike – Controls Analyst for Freedom Mortgage
- Benji Lewis – Physical Education Teacher at Monon Trail Elementary
- Cameron Rivers – Student Mentor and HR at Esource Resources
This year’s professional dancers also included Adam Trogdlen, Yulia Shook, Rob Jenkins, Scott Shook, Olga Cansino and Kristen Motz, who provided exceptional performances alongside their celebrity partners.
Community Health Network served as this year’s Diamond Waltz Sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. Platinum Rumba Sponsors include Lake City Bank, Wolfpack Restaurant Group, Riverview Health and AIS Facilities Services. Gold Bolero Sponsors include Current in Carmel, The HoneyBaked Ham Co. and ClaimDOC. Silver Tango Sponsors include KSM CPAs & Advisors, Napleton Automotive Group, the Fields Group, Citizens State Bank, Gibraltar Design, Fairway Independent Mortgage, Turning Pointe Academy of Dance, ESource Resources, Jack’s Donuts and Boomerang Development.
The Dancing with Our Stars event continues to be the largest fundraiser for Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County, with each year’s donations supporting the delivery of thousands of meals to homebound individuals. The organization extends its heartfelt thanks to all the participants, sponsors and community members who helped make the 2024 event a success.