Living and Giving Photo Gallery - Oct. 21, 2012

Sunday, October 21, 2012

This week's events:

Catanzaro roasted for scholarship fund

What: Dr. Jim Catanzaro, president of Chattanooga State Community College, was on the hot seat for an evening of fun at the inaugural First-in-the-Family Dinner of Firsts at The Chattanoogan. About 275 guests attended the roast/toast, which will annually honor a leader who can claim some type of 'first' he or she has achieved. Dr. Catanzaro was the first in his family to attend college.

Benefits: More than $47,500 was raised for scholarships to support first-generation college students attending Chattanooga State.


Dancers raise $40,000 for Kidney Foundation

What: Ten celebrity amateur dancers paired with local dance teachers to perform at the fifth annual Dare to Dance fundraiser. The competition sold out with 700 guests attending the event at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

Benefits: Raised $40,000 for public education programs and patient services of the Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area.

Celebrity dancers: Tami Crawford, Tiffani Robinson, Blair Bennington Cannon, Dennis Clark, Dreanne Newton, Melissa Turner, Ken Nicholson, Donna L, Harry Hawkins and Jason Disharoon.

Grand Champion: Melissa Turner, half of the 'Dex and Mo' afternoon drive team on US-101 Radio, won for her waltz. She also won the Best Smooth Performance category.

Other first-place winners: Donna L won Most Memorable Performance for her cha-cha; Ken Nicholson's swing dance won the PeopleĀ¹s Choice Award and Fred Astaire Dance Studio was presented the Shining Star Award.


Komen race raises more than $300,000

What: More than 6,600 participants ran or walked in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at McKenzie Arena. The race director was Denny Marshall and the race was co-chaired by Carol Money and Jackie Stephenson. Suzette Carlisle served as honorary survivor chairwoman and Dr. Todd Cockerham was the honorary race chairman.

Raised: The annual event raised $306,000 for the Chattanooga Komen affiliate. Seventy-five percent of net proceeds from the race stay in the Chattanooga/North Georgia area, the remaining 25 percent supports research.