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Swingin’ for Katrina
by Kelly Taaffe
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 — With some jumpin’, jivin’ and an attitude of generosity, Debra Sternberg and Tom Koerner have jitterbugged their way to raising more than $2,500 for Red Cross disaster relief. Their dance company, Gotta Swing, recently held two dances to support the American Red Cross. The first was for Tsunami relief; the most recent, dubbed “Hurricane Jam,” supported recovery efforts in the Gulf Region following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Katrina relief organizer Debra Sternberg dances with a Lindy Hop student
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Sternberg noted that they have selected the Red Cross as a beneficiary because of the organization’s reputability. “I think the Red Cross is one of the most effective organizations, if not the most effective, to provide services needed after disasters,” she said.
The idea to hold swing dance fundraisers to support disaster relief came from a former Gotta Swing student who spurred on and coordinated the earlier Tsunami benefit. “He sent me an email this summer and said we should do another event,” Sternberg recalled. “I said you know, it’s funny you said that, because I’m seeing all the devastation from Katrina. So we were able to bring all this together.”
“These relief dances are very exciting,” said Sternberg, who manages the company with business partner Koerner. “We get the chance to do all the things we love to do, knowing our donation is going towards a worthy cause.”
Over 150 people of all ages, including many Gotta Swing dance students, attended this month’s fundraiser at the Chevy Chase Ballroom in Washington, DC. During the Hurricane Jam, live music echoed throughout the ballroom—most attendees danced the Jitterbug or Lindy Hop. “It’s a very friendly group,” Sternberg said. “There’s no snobbery about ‘You can’t dance as well as I do.’ It is a very positive atmosphere.”
Koerner and Sternberg are experienced in hosting charitable events, especially fundraisers for either the American Red Cross or the United Service Organizations (USO). During the 2004 dedication of the World War II memorial in Washington, DC, about 800 people attended their USO benefit dance at the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, which starred the Artie Shaw Orchestra. And nearly as many lindy hoppers have supported Red Cross disaster relief.
With 400-plus students, Gotta Swing is the largest swing-only dance instruction company in America. Advertised as “a great way to get some exercise while meeting new people,” Gotta Swing recognizes the importance of supporting the community through philanthropy. Sternberg and Koerner look forward to collaborating on more fundraising endeavors in the future. “The need is so great,” Sternberg said. “We could do this again in three months.”
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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