7th Annual Dancing with the Stars just two weeks away

By Chuck Gibson

LOVELAND, OH (October 3, 2025) – The NEST Community Learning Center Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) fundraiser event is coming Friday, October 17th at the Oasis Golf & Conference Center.

This is the seventh year for the event supporting the NEST (Nutrition, Education, Safety, Transformation) Community Learning Center non-profit mission to break the cycle of generational poverty in suburban and rural communities by addressing academic and non-academic barriers which perpetuate poverty to at-risk school children. N-Nutrition, E-Education in a S-Safe neighborhood environment to T-Transform their future outcomes. 

NEST CLC was the vision of Evangeline “Van” DeVol who founded the organization in March 2016 with a goal to provide those NEST serves with a fighting chance to change their futures.

While Van DeVol recently passed the torch to new leadership, NEST CLC continues now in its 10th year. The NEST DWTS is one of many events organized for the purpose of funding programs to assist in the delivery of life-changing educational support for local kids. Like the popular television Dancing with the Stars program, local celebrities have been chosen to pair-up with professional dancers and compete for “the coveted Mirrorball Trophy” during this special evening which includes: dinner, drinks, dessert and, most importantly, DANCING with the Stars. The professional dancers, who volunteer their time to choreograph and teach the local “stars” to dance come from studios like: Dance Manor, Phoenix Rising Latin & Ballroom, Arthur Murray Cincinnati, Bonita Brockert, Jonathan Pikar and Mike Hartman.

Already they’ve been rehearsing, working hard and preparing to entertain you for several weeks. Here now is the list of Stars and their Pro Dance Partners: (Note: Local celebrity star is listed first)

• BRIAN GOODYEAR with Dance pro Bonita Brockert
• JEREMY GROVE with Dance pro Joy Ingram of Phoenix Rising  
• SCOTT RUSS with Dance pro Melissa Vaughn of Arthur Murray Cincinnati
• SCOTT COSTELLO with Dance pro Elena Derkach of Midwest Ballroom Dance Club

Again, just like the television show, a panel of judges with select the winner after all contestants perform. It is a great fun and entertaining evening for all. Most importantly the funds raised truly make a difference supporting the NEST CLC mission to help local kids escape the cycle of poverty.  The Judges are:

• Emily LaRosa,
• Angie McNeil,
• Elonzo Coppins,
• Karin Eppert 
• Adam Engel

Each of the local celebrity stars is not only working hard on their dance steps, they also have a goal to raise $5,000 or more while raising awareness for NEST CLC. With just two short weeks remaining, the dancers are still seeking your support as they compete to raise the most funds for NEST and earn the “Stepping Up Award” or have the most supporters in attendance to earn the “Stepping Out Award”.  On the night of the event, you’ll have the power to choose the dancer who wins the “People’s Choice Award”.

All proceeds from the event go directly to NEST Community Learning Center to help deliver life-changing educational support to local kids.

Here’s how you can help:

• Attend!  DWTS Ticket Link
• Support your favorite STAR – Donate directly at Support a Dancer
• Become a sponsor – Sponsorship Opportunities
• Volunteer – after school program + office hours!
• Join us in our mission to break the cycle of generational poverty: Donate to NEST CLC Directly – Venmo: @NESTCommunity-LearningCenter

NEST CLC 7^th Annual Dancing with the Stars 2025

• Friday, October 17, 2025
• Oasis Golf and Conference Center
• Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
• Dinner served 6:45 p.m.
• 8 Dance teams competition begins at 8:00 p.m.
• Attire: Cocktail
• Event Emcee is Randi Rico of WLWT and Loveland resident. 

MORE on NEST CLC:

• On the web at: www.nestclc.org
• Facebook: @NESTCommunityLearningCenter  – @NEST’s DancingwiththeStars
• Instagram: @NEST.CLC
• NEST is located at: 10663 Loveland-Madeira Rd. Ste 115, Loveland, OH 45140
• Email: NESTCLC@NESTCLC.org