High stepping; Dance fundraiser returns for a new cause
Published 10:57 am Friday, May 15, 2015
Diane and Mark Petrik rehearse the foxtrot Wednesday at Banfield Elementary School in Austin. The couple will dance in Saturday’s Dancing with the Freeborn-Mower Stars event at Albert Lea High School. — Colleen Harrison/newsroom@austindailyherald.com
By Colleen Harrison
newsroom@austindailyherald.com
A number of Mower and Freeborn county residents are getting ready to dance for a cause.
Habitat for Humanity will have its Dancing with the Freeborn-Mower Stars fundraiser at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Albert Lea High School auditorium. The fundraiser benefited the Red Cross in years past, but according to Habitat for Humanity’s Freeborn-Mower Executive Director Brigitte Fisher, volunteers with Red Cross approached her organization about taking over the event so that it would continue on. She said Habitat was more than happy to do so.
“It’s a really fun show,” Fisher said. “There’s a lot of high energy.”
The Petriks have been practicing for 12 weeks in preparation for Saturday’s Dancing with Freeborn-Mower Stars event. The event is a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity.
Tickets for the event are $15 per person and can be purchased at Hy-Vee in both Albert Lea and Austin, as well as the Habitat ReStore in Austin. Proceeds will benefit Habitat’s mission of building safe and affordable homes, said Fisher. Ten percent of Saturday’s earnings will go toward building homes in Tanzania.
One couple that will appear in Saturday’s show is Diane and Mark Petrik of Austin. Diane is a certified public accountant with CliftonLarsonAllen in Austin and Mark is manager of support services at Hormel Foods Corp. in Austin. The couple has three sons: twins Alex and Blake, 11, and Kyle, 8.
The couple will dance the foxtrot and has practiced for the past 12 week. They’ve had a lesson on nine Sundays out of those 12 weeks. Other than the lessons, the Petriks have made a point of practicing on their own at least once a week. They’ve been practicing at Banfield Elementary School where their youngest son, Kyle, goes to school.
The Petriks admitted they’re working to keep the pre-show jitters at bay leading to Saturday.
“We know our routine,” Diane said. “We just need to keep the nerves away on performance night.”
The couple hasn’t had any dance experience in the past, but said their instructor has worked well with them.
“It’s been a great experience,” Mark said. “We hope to put on a good show.”
Dancing with the Freeborn-Mower Stars
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Albert Lea High School auditorium
Cost: $15
