[10/1/2008 SteppersUSA News]
Steppers Making A Difference
By Markie Bee
Buy Tickets Best Of Both Worlds Dance Extravaganza
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Here Buy Tickets + Chicago Steppers Convention Info -
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Here New Email Address for Pluggers:pluggers@steppersusa.com For
those of you who have paid attention to this column, you will remember
several months ago, I asked you to email some stories about people
making a difference in the Chicago style steppers community. Actually, I
asked the same question in the original forum back when SteppersUSA was
born in October 2004. No one ever answered the call. Let's fast forward
to the present day. Once again no one answered the call. These days,
when I do get out of the dark recesses of of my office at SteppersUSA
central it's usually for a client to take photos, or shoot video at an
event. The best part about getting out to the clubs and different events
is I get the opportunity to see people I've met over the years, and to
make new acquaintances. A little over a month ago I got a call from
Monique Salter, someone I haven't seen in a while. Monique wanted a
website rebuilt and she explained what she was doing. She explained to
me that there are steppers who are having financial difficulties as a
result of having breast cancer and she wanted to do something about it.
She created a 501c 3 not for profit organization Called
The Step and
Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation. Over the last few
weeks, we worked together online and on the phone and developed a full
multimedia web site with information about the organization, it's goals,
and how it will achieve those goals
www.stepandthinkpink.org Here's a stepper who is trying to make a
difference not only in the steppers community, but the world in general.
She's hooked up with some very visible people and organizations in the
national steppers scene too, she has garnered support from Cristine
Jones Chicago, IL, Chicago Steppers Convention, Lana Reid Los
Angeles, CA, True Passion Steppers Atlanta, GA, Tyehimba Jelani
Oakland, CA, Mary Sampson Seattle, WA, Dominique & Company
Milwaukee, WI, (Dominique Robinson & Charnia "Lele" Travis), LC's
Steppers Workshop, Chicago, IL, (LC Henderson), A True Steppers
Connection Chicago, IL, (Donnie, Charlette, Monique & LC) ,
Sisters In Sync Chicago, Atlanta, Milwaukee, (Charnice Simmons,
Cheryl Powe, Melanie Fields, Deon Farr), SteppersUSA.Com Chicago,
IL, Silky Smooth Steppers Inc Chicago, IL, After 7 Productions Chicago,
IL. These people made the decision to get involved, and Monique hopes
you will decide to get involved by showing support for fellow steppers
who are battling this deadly affliction that effects one out of three
women and men in our community.
On the site,
you will also see an events page where the first planned event will be
the "The Pink Lollypop Project" at the Chicago Steppers Convention in
November where they will be selling... Yep, you guessed it! Pink
Lollypops for donations. In the meantime, while you are
on the web
site, sign up for the monthly "Pink
Newsletter" which will keep you up to date on activities and
information which may be useful to you.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and SteppersUSA.Com wants to
encourage you to get involved in your own way. Monique is making a
difference with
The Step and
Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation. Perhaps you can help
too!
If you or anyone you know has any photos, footage or information about
or from any Steppers contests for the
History of Stepping Project,
I'd love to add it to what we have. It's Your History! OR If you have a personal recollection concerning stepping or if you care to help
with the
in any manner, please
Send us an email.
SteppersUSA.Com sells Steppin' DVDs from across the Steppers Community.
Click Here to view the listing
or
send us an email
if you would like to include your DVDs on SteppersUSA.Com
The SteppersUSA Daily News and SteppersUSA.Com are both
daily
publications which update continually. We accept and publish Steppers
classes and workshops, Daily events, weekly events, monthly events,
special events, steppers news, requests for information which we can't
answer but our visitors may have an answer to. All of this makes us the
most complete listing of Steppers information available anywhere. Send
your submissions and pluggers or flyers to us at
webmaster@steppersusa.com TODAY!
Please copy the message below and send it on to as many steppers as
you can please!
This is an open message to ALL steppers. Please share it
with as many people as possible.
As many of you may already know I started a new web
site for the benefit of the greater steppers community. It's called
History of Stepping Project. I wish to encourage you to add your
knowledge to the timeline. If you know anything about stepping, please
share this with the public on this site. We are looking for all
information related to stepping from it's beginnings to the present. The
information literally includes everything from clubs and bars which held
steppers sets and parties to contests and the participants and results,
to when different steppers organizations and classes started, who the
instructors were and are; Musical bands, and artists, DJ's, radio and
television personalities, Movies, videos, and photos… literally
everything stepping.
Creating an accurate historic timeline will go a long
way toward helping the community take the next step in its logical
progression as it continues to grow nationwide and will become a
valuable resource for all in the future.
Your input, your knowledge and your effort have made the dance what it
is today. Don't you feel your place (and your organization's) in the
timeline is well deserved? I do!
Please send an email to your members or readers inviting them to
participate. Place a link on your web site also please. All support is
appreciated!
The effort requires more than just posting the
information. The need for fact checkers, people willing to do some
research exists in this important ongoing project. Just a few minutes a
week can make a difference.
