MOULTRIE – A dancing contest will soon come to Moultrie in an effort to raise funds for a residence to house expecting mothers whose home lives are unstable.
Seven local community members will put their dancing skills to the ultimate test with the Mustard Seed Cottage’s Moultrie spin on the hit American television competition series “Dancing with the Stars.”
The competitors include Paulisa Bautista, Bull Barge, Bill Bishop, Rod Howell, Laurie Scarrow, Angel Saunders and Leah Fields. Audrea Hampton was named the choreographer for the event.
The Dancing with the Moultrie Stars dance show is scheduled to be held at Withers Auditorium at 7 p.m. Aug. 10. Adult entry tickets will cost $35 and children under 12 can enter for $10. Attendees will be allowed into the auditorium starting at 6 p.m.
“We’re really looking forward to it. We have a lot of people coming to support the contestants and to support the cottage, so we’re excited. It’s a really exciting time for the cottage and for these people,” Leslee Adams, the Mustard Seed Cottage founder, said in a phone interview Monday.
The contest will begin with the competitors entering the auditorium from the lobby area and transition into a group dance followed by a welcome from Adams. She organized the contest along with the Mustard Seed Cottage Board of Directors to help bring their maternity supportive housing residence into fruition.
The residence is a Christian faith-based organization with a mission to offer hope, help and compassion to mothers, 18 years old and older, who are facing unplanned pregnancies.
The contest’s theme will be “Dancing through the Decades.” Audience members will be taken back in time through a musical selection that will feature songs starting from the 2000s back to the 1960s.
“I am grateful for each one of our STARS who have selflessly given of their time and talents to make this such an entertaining event. I am especially indebted to Aundrea Hampton, owner of In Motion Dance Company, for her choreography talents and for helping each of these STARS shine so bright,” Addams said in an interview.
The contest will end honoring three winners of the Judges Pick award, the People Choice award and the Contestant who Sold the Most Tickets award. Although three judges will choose the Judges Pick award, the audience will decide the winner of the People’s Choice award. Hampton will also perform a solo dance during the event.
Adams encouraged audience members to bring additional funds to the contest so they have a chance to participate in choosing the People’s Choice award winner.
She said, “We’re going to allow the audience to vote on their favorite dancer. They can go to the lobby and put money in [the dancer’s] jars. Whoever has the most money in their jar will get that award.”
Tickets will be available for purchase from the seven contestants until Monday, Aug. 7.
Tickets can be purchased at several merchants within the Downtown Moultrie area including Clements Printing Services, the Hearing Center of Moultrie, Crystal Pharmacy and Main Street Galleria. The organization also has posters and flyers positioned throughout the area with QR codes, a type of two-dimensional matrix barcode, that will lead to the online ticket purchase website.
Those who purchase the tickets online will be able to obtain a physical ticket at the door the night of the event. The acceptable payment methods are cash, check, Venmo, PayPal and Cash App.
In January, Adams had already received eight calls from potential residents interested in the program.
That number has nearly doubled in the past six months.
“Also as of today we have had 16 calls for ladies needing assistance that have been referred to other homes/programs in Georgia simply because we aren’t open yet. We pray to have a temporary home open by the end of the year where we can serve at least three women until we can build the seven-bedroom home,” she said.
Check out the Mustard Seed Cottage Facebook page for more updates on the fundraising events.
To learn more about Mustard Seed Cottage or to donate please contact Executive Director Leslee Adams at 229-921-5966 or leslee@mustardseedcottage.org.