THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

AMERICAN PRESS

B1

RESTAURANT
REVIEW

Claim Jumper
Restaurant and
CJ Grille
B2

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Local
celebrities
strut their
stuff for
charity
By Mary Newport

mnewport@americanpress.com

ts blazing hot
outside, but
on Saturday,
it promises to
be even hotter
inside. Thats
the night of the Mad Hot Ballroom Gala, when some of the
citys best-known faces gather
to swing, sway and dance
the night away while raising
money for a good cause.
The gala is a fundraising dinner, social dance and
competition all wrapped in
one. First, attendees gather
for champagne and a threecourse dinner. Then organizers introduce the competitors,
prominent citizens and expert
dancers who employ everything from the classic tango to
uptown funk in their attempt
to win the Mad Hot Ballroom
Mirror-Ball Trophy. After a
winner emerges, the dance
floor clears, and attendees can
show off their own moves.
While it may come together
smoothly, event chairperson
Leah Bossano said its a big
night that takes a lot of preparation.
The actual event we
normally have around 700
people attend, Bossano said.
Couples have been practicing
since December, and theyll
do a ballroom dance of their

choice, anywhere from hiphop to the Charleston. After a night of

fine dining and entertainment, we have an open dance
floor for all the patrons.
The competing couples
consist of a local celebrity
paired with an expert dancer.

Rick Hickman / American Press Archives

Lauren Morris and Brad Forsyth dance at last years event.

Rick Hickman / American Press Archives

Bray Harris and Lacey Harrison compete at last years event.

Both are volunteers, offering

their time and skills
to help make the event
a success.
In the beginning it was
hard to convince people to do
it (volunteer), but through
the years people have begun
submitting names, Bossano
said. Organizations submit
the names of people to represent them. Individuals submit
their own names. Then the
board looks at the submissions.
The board is also made up
of volunteers, In fact, everyone involved is a volunteer,
from the organizers and
coordinators to the photographer and public relations
director. Theyve all offered
their time in order to support Dancing Classrooms, a
program that visits schools in
Calcasieu, Jeff Davis and East
Baton Rouge parishes, as well
as cities all over the U.S., to
give ballroom dance lessons to
students in the fifth through
eighth grades.
The dance is a tool for
getting the children to break

2015
MAD HOT
BALLROOM
DANCERS
Celebrity dancers:
Eric Avery
Lorette Bass
George Cestia
Doug Gehrig
Allyson Miller
Kalieb Pourciau
Melissa Rasberry
Barbara Van Gossen
Jamie Yelverton
Tyler Williams

Expert dancers:
(in pair order)
Lacey Harrison
Damien Thibodeaux
Lauren Morris
Amanda Yellott
Marcus Bebee
Emily Porch
Edward Marsh
Robert Miller
Angie Peck
DaLanne Babineaux

See MAD HOT, B3

SULPHUR COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY

National Night Out returns

By Kara Carrier

kcarrier@americanpress.com

Rick Hickman / American Press Archives

A boy looks on as Louisiana state troopers parade through the West Cal Arena on motorcycles at the 2014 National Night Out in Sulphur.

Coming together to take

a stand against crime is the
theme for Sulphurs annual
National Night Out community event, set for 6-8 p.m. Aug.
4 at the West Cal Arena and
Event Center.
The event is hosted by the
Sulphur Police Department.
Mel Estess, department
spokesman, said National
Night Out is a nationwide
event held the first Tuesday
of August to increase awareness of crime, help prevent
drug use and violence, and to
encourage community participation in decreasing crime.
Estess said this is the 13th
year the city has held the free
event, which is similar to a
block party.
This is an opportunity
for our community to come

together and take a stand

against crime, he said.
Its about getting people
in the right frame of mind
to tell crime that we are not
going to tolerate it and that
we will let law enforcement
know if something is going on
in our community and on our
streets.
Estess said activities will
include free food and drinks,
live music and entertainment
and an antique car show. He
said there will also be exhibits
and demonstrations from local
law enforcement agencies, fire

departments, the Coast Guard

and more.
Estess said the event has
grown every year and that he
is expecting several thousand
attendees.
He said crime has steadily
decreased in Sulphur over
the past few years which
he credits to Neighborhood
Watch groups and a more visible police presence.
We want to encourage
people to come out to see what
law enforcement and other
agencies have to make our
communities and make our
state safer, Estess said.
It will be a real good time
for everyone, and people can
see whats available and how
safe the community can be and
whats provided for them.

For more information, call

527-4500.