Page 1 - Martin Downs Bulletin - November '19

VOL. 21 NO. 11 www.seabreezepublications.com NOVEMBER 2019

Dancing With The Martin Stars

Reaches For The Stars And Raises $177,500

By Beverly Bevis Jones
September was a dramatic month with Hurricane Dorian
roaring up the coastline. While the storm made fundraising
more difficult for this year’s contestants, an unexpected
donation three days after the show, brought this year’s total
to a new all-time high.
If you’ve never been a part of the excitement that is
Dancing with the Martin Stars presented by Martin County
Healthy Start Coalition, you are missing out on a spectacular
evening. This year’s event was held on Sept. 28 at The Lyric
Theatre with a sponsors’ reception at Flagler Place before
the event.
In my opinion, this event is the equivalent of an Ironman
Competition. Each contestant must learn how to dance
ballroom style using current music. Dances performed
included the Argentine Tango, Fox Trot, West Coast Swing,
Salsa, Disco/Cha Cha and Jazz/Hip Hop.
In addition to mastering the dance routine in three months,
the stars are committed to fundraising for Healthy Start. This
can include sponsorships from businesses, soliciting family Left to right: Dancing with the Martin Stars 2019 cast of instructors and star dancers: Laura Crawford and Bob Murray,
and friends and hosting special parties and events to raise Amy Snow and Brian Spector, Megan Acosta and David Bradford, Marianella Tobar and Eddie Arguelles, Overall Winners
Travis Scott and Maggie Slobasky, Fabi Gonzalez and Faith Mary Angela, Dean Lopes and Bimika Salois, Craig Calvin
Dancing With The Martin Stars on page 4 and Kim Brisky. Photo by Liz McKinley
Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Big Taste Of Martin County

Raised Attendance, Awareness, There was wall to wall food and drinks by over 30

Community Outreach And restaurants throughout Martin County sampling and serving
up bites of their signature dishes. A few of the participating
Money For Local Kids’ restaurants were Bobby Rubino’s Place for Ribs, The Dolphin
Bar & Shrimp House, Kyle G’s, Twisted Tuna, Berry Fresh,
Mentorship Programs The Gafford, O Gourmet French Bistro & Catering, and
Ellie’s Deli to name a few.
Known as the Big Taste of Martin County, this annual All attendees were invited to vote on their favorites.
fundraising event for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Palm Beach The winners were: Best Soup – Twisted Tuna, Best Salad
and Martin Counties was held at The Stuart Jet Center on – Cypress on Ocean, Best Appetizer – Martin County High
Tuesday, Oct. 15. School Culinary Institute, Best Entrée – Drift at Hutchinson
This premier food and wine festival of the Treasure Coast Shores Resort & Spa, Best Dessert – O Gourmet French
delighted hundreds of attendees. The jet hanger was a great Bistro, Best Drink – Babe Wine, and Best Presentation –
setting for this fundraiser under an airplane hangar. Nearly Martin County High School Culinary Institute.
500 people attended from the community to support Big Jay and Christine Lovelace, Tiffany and Michael Cristoforo,
Brothers Big Sisters. Big Brothers Big Sisters on page 6 Leo Cristoforo and Jean Cristoforo
Audi Stuart Hosts Mark Garwood SHARE Foundation

2020 Phoenix Scholarship Night

By Jackie Holfelder from a five-year battle
The Mark Garwood SHARE Foundation gives with prescription drugs,
recovering addicts a much needed boost – financially, they started a nonprofit
emotionally and socially – to get their lives back on track. to finance scholarships
That’s accomplished with the annual awarding for qualified, motivated
of scholarships that are game-changers. As former recovering addicts from the
scholarship recipient Christopher Collins says, “Getting Treasure Coast and Palm
sober is easy. Building a life is hard.”
After John and Erica Garwood of Stuart lost their 2020 Phoenix Scholarship
athletic, gregarious 24-year-old son Mark to complications Night on page 3

(Center): Erica and John Garwood with scholarship winners Robert Mullen, Daryn
Finkelstein, Brittany Wey, Alexandria Voyles, Kara Serbeck and Thomas Stager, Jr. at the
Mark Garwood SHARE Foundation 2020 Phoenix Scholarship Night. Photo by Liz McKinley