Published: December 06, 2008 10:38 pm         

Benefit event raises toys, food, money for 14th and Chestnut Community Center

TERRE HAUTE — Katie Maurer didn’t know if she and her sisters would make it to their performance at Indiana State University when she looked out the window Saturday morning.

Maurer, 12, of Marshall and her 4- and 7-year-old sisters are dancers at the A+ All Star Productions Dance School. Dancers from the school performed at a benefit for the 14th and Chestnut Community Center hosted by the ISU Sparkettes.

Admission to the benefit was a nonperishable food item, a new toy or a cash donation. This was the third year for the benefit.

“I think it turned out great,” said Maurer, who has been dancing since she was 3. “Everybody did awesome.”

A+ dancers performed to various Christmas songs such as “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” The Sparkettes and ISU color guard also performed.

Members of the women’s softball team, Sycamore Sam and Santa Claus were also on hand to help.

“I think it’s good because it helps other people get food,” Maurer said about using the event to collect items for the community center.

Her mother Menzie also thought it was a good idea and said she loved the performances.

“I think that’s wonderful,” she said about collecting donations. “It’s a good time of the year to help other people.”

She admitted that though their morning drive from Marshall to the event was long and slow, they weren’t going to let the weather stop them.

Sparkette Whitney Nord, a Ferdinand senior, said the weather added something to the event to make it more festive. They told the girls they ordered the snow for Christmas, she said with a laugh.

Having been dancing since she was 3, Nord said she remembers looking up to the older dancers when she was little much like the little girls look up to the Sparkettes, so “it’s kind of like full circle.”

“I just think it’s really good to have people come together to help out the community, especially in times like this with the bad economy,” she said, “and it’s just fun to see all the little girls dance.”

Nord said she thought the event turned out well and that it was good to see so many families attend and all the people interact with each other.

Proud parents lined up with digital cameras and video cameras to capture images of their children throughout the performances as well as before and after.

Terri Nash came from Fairmount to see her 4-year-old granddaughter Calee Coleman dance as she does every year, she said, and she wasn’t disappointed.

The fact that the event also doubled as a food/toy drive made it better, she said.

Tammy Schaffer, Sparkettes’ coach and owner of the dance school, was surprised by the large turnout despite the morning’s poor weather conditions.

“We filled the stands,” she said. “That was amazing.”

Though she couldn’t say how much the group had collected for the community center, she was confident that it was more than last year which was two carloads of toys and food.

“There’s a real spirit of community here that’s very important,” Schaffer said.

All donations will be taken to the community center Monday, she said.

“When we deliver to 14th and Chestnut, we know it’s going to a worthwhile organization,” Schaffer said, “and it’s heartwarming to know we helped.”

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.