Quiet Oaks Hospice House Dancers Waltz Away With Victory Raising Over $100,000 at Dancing With Our Stars Live Competition

(KNSI) — The Women’s Fund’s Dancing With Our Stars competition has raised nearly a half-million dollars for charity.

The organization announced the amount Monday night, just hours after the last performance. The official total is $463,005.93. Of that, $290,005.93 was raised by dancers and special events held in the area by the selected nonprofits. The remaining $173,000 comes from event sponsorships.

A crowd of 500 people packed into Escher Auditorium at the College of St. Benedict for the 8th annual competition. They watched radio newsman Jim Maurice take home first place. He partnered with Quiet Oaks Hospice House. The nonprofit will get $100,707.49.

In second place was Steve Jones, who raised $88,778.81 for United Way of Central Minnesota. Debra Leigh, who brought home $51,581.56 for St. Cloud Technical and Community College, picked up the bronze.

The rest of the community stars finished as follows:

4.) Cathy Elness (St. Cloud Area YMCA) – $39,053.70
5.) Michelle Meier (Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Camp Oasis) – $27,025.31
6.) Brady DeGagne (Boys and Girls Clubs of Central MN) – $16,859.06

Final scoring was based 60% on the amount of money raised in the runup to the contest and 40% on judges’ scores of the dance routines.

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