The mission of the event is to “serve those who serve others,” with a night of a shared meal and award recognition.
“To talk about justice in a community is to enact love and compassion. This event salutes those whose daily work is kindred to those principles. From universities to food banks, from hospitals to foundations, together, we can continue to strengthen the bonds within our community and uplift those who tirelessly serve others,” said Julius Bailey, executive director of Dance Stomp Shake.
At the event, 15 residents who were nominated by 225 youths in the community will be honored with awards named after three “local legends” — Sheila Rice, Carl Clark, and Blontas “Winkie” Mitchell (posthumously). Bailey said these legends will be remembered annually through recognitions nominated by surveys conducted throughout the year.
The guest speaker will be Florence Randolph, a Community Outreach Specialist from the Yellow Springs Police Department. Her role bridges the gap between citizens in need and vital assistance programs such as social services, counseling, healthcare, mental health support, substance abuse assistance and homeless shelters.
Tina Lafaive, of Faith Community Health Ministries (FCHM), one of the event’s sponsors, are excited to partner with Simply Serving.
“Faith Community Health Ministries (FCHM) supports Simply Serving and its vision to reach out to those individuals who are making a difference in the community,” she said. “FCHM brings a holistic approach to health (mind, body, and spirit), and we are delighted to partner with Simply Serving to care for those who are serving the community.”
This year’s Presenting Sponsors are the Mental Health Recovery Board of Clark, Greene, & Madison Counties; Rotary Club of Springfield; and Nehemiah Foundation. The food will be catered by Kore 4 Soul Kitchen. Bailey is still looking for table sponsors for the event
“The rising cost of catering and tight budgets that families are experiencing make this type of free event challenging. We hope to find people who might be willing to sponsor a table or donate to this event,” he said.
While this is a free, invitation-only event, a limited number of tickets have been made available for the community. For tickets or to sponsor, contact Bailey at 217-454-0622 or via email at dancestompshake@gmail.com.
Last year, the event hosted 125 teachers, counselors, first responders and ministry leaders who share a deep commitment to community service.
Dance Stomp Shake will also host three other upcoming events:
Art That Bonds will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the Springfield Museum or Art, where artistic talents, poetry and music from the youth will be showcased. This year there will also be an art auction to support classrooms and the students in the event.
The Dance Stomp Shake show and workshop will be held on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, and was moved from Springfield to the at The Dayton Masonic Center at 525 W. Riverview Ave.
YC3, formerly known as the Teen Summit, will be held in spring 2024 for 100 teens from city and county high schools to discuss important issues.
For more information, visit dancestompshake.org.
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