City Councilor and Zoning Vice Chair Dance for Health Cause

HealthFirst Family Care Center, in Fall River, Mass., will have a dance fundraiser to defray costs of its medical services for area residents. (Image: HealthFirstFR.org)

The following article is from the bilingual OJornal.com.  Scroll down for the Portuguese translation.

FALL RIVER, Mass. - They say they are having a ball.

      Ten local individuals are taking swing and fox trot lessons to compete in the upcoming "Stepping Out" dance fundraiser to benefit the Healthfirst Family Care Center on County Street.

      They are all amateur dancers representing a wide spectrum of community sectors, ranging from a city councilor to an auto dealership owner.

      Fall River City Councilor Cathy Ann Viveiros admits the task is proving to be more difficult than she initially thought.

      "It's clearly partner-oriented and requires us to be synchronized," she said. "Being the female [dance partner], it's important to learn how to follow. When you're in leadership roles all of your life, it's a little bit difficult to be a follower."

      Nevertheless, she says, the experience has been "a lot of fun" and she is hoping to be able "to make a respectable debut" at the competition, which will be held at the Hawthorne Country Club in Dartmouth on Nov. 7.

      "This is not about winning," she said. Rather it's about lending a helping foot to a great community resource.

      "They offer tremendous services," she said.

      Healthfirst is a nonprofit federally-qualified community health center that provides a wide range of services to meet the health care needs of Greater Fall River-area residents.

      Viveiros and the other nine contestants have been paired with professional dancers from the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Swansea, Mass., where the lessons are being held.

      "I am having a ball," said Fall River Ford proprietor Fernando Garcia, who returned O Jornal's phone call identifying himself humorously as "Fred Astaire."

      "It's a unique experience, but a lot more work than I thought," he confessed. "I am not a naturally-gifted dancer, but it's working out very well. I hope to keep the amount of embarrassment down."

      This is not the first time Garcia has lent a helping hand to the center. When Healthfirst was in need of a van for its dental care program, Garcia matched the $6,000 raised by the center and offered them a vehicle.

      "It's a good cause, and I am always willing to help," he said.

      Anthony F. Cordeiro, an insurance broker and developer, said he is "embracing the challenge" even though "it's absolutely more difficult" than he ever thought.

      "The hardest part is to remember the routine without counting. To do the dips and twirls and still stay focused," he said. "But I am very proud and pleased to be part of it. It's a great cause. When I was asked, there was not even a second thought."

      Jason Rua of Rua-Dumont-Audet Insurance admits the experience has been more physically demanding than he originally anticipated.

      "It's great exercise," he said. "But I am picking it up, and it's been very rewarding and a lot of fun."

      Yet, his greatest challenge has been the big time commitment, he said.

      "I came in later so I was a little behind and had to catch up," he noted, adding that he has been also practicing with his girlfriend, Christine. "The fun part is that it takes you away, after a day at work...it's an escape."

      Other contestants include: Gene P. Alves, vice chairman of the city's Zoning Board of Appeals and a member of the HealthFirst board of directors; Jo Ann Bentley, an architect; Grace Gerling, executive director of Community Development Recreation; attorney Robert Marchand; Gerry Silvia, member of the Rotary Club; and Jennifer Preston Sousa, owner of B&L Limousine.

      "We wanted to have represented different aspects of the community," said Paula Harrison, spokesperson for Healthfirst. "They are all local and have a strong commitment to the community. They are people who do wonderful things in the community on a regular basis."

      According to Harrison, the center needs to raise a substantial amount of money.

      "The center has a lot of needs," she said. "We are in dire need of a new building. We've outgrown it many years ago."

      And although the center gets reimbursed for services it provides, the amount it receives does not always cover all services offered to the patient.

      "For example, if you're diabetic, you not only see the doctor, but also a nurse case manager to show you how to take the medication, a social worker to help you with any issues you're dealing with, a nutritionist...," she said. "A lot more care goes into treatment in a community health center."

      Tuxes for the competition will be donated by Robert's House of Formals and the ladies gowns will be provided by the Little Theatre of Fall River.

      Rob Roy Academy will style the dance instructors' hair, while the hairdos for the female contestants are being donated by their own hairstylists.

      So far, the dance competition has surpassed all expectations. Tickets, which were $75 each, have already sold out.

      "It's been an outpouring of community support," said Harrison. "We didn't expect this response. Next time we have to make sure we hold it at a more spacious location."

source:  OJornal.com

Copyright 2008 New England Ethnic News, EthnicNEWz.org.  All rights reserved.  This material may not be published, rewritten, broadcast or distributed without the permission of the source.  Contact NEWz for more information at  EthnicNews {at} yahoo {dot} com.

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"Dança Comigo" a favor do Healthfirst

by Lurdes  C. da Silva

FALL RIVER - Dez indivíduos locais estão a ter lições de Swing e Fox Trot para participar no concurso de dança de salão "Stepping Out" para beneficiar o Healthfirst Family Care Center da County Street.
      Os concorrentes são dançarinos amadores e representam vários sectores da comunidade, desde uma conselheira municipal a um proprietário de um concessionário de automóveis.
      A Conselheira Municipal Cathy Ann Viveiros admite que a tarefa está a ser mais difícil do que antecipava.
      "(As danças) Destinam-se claramente a pares e requerem que estejamos sincronizados," explicou Viveiros. "Como sou mulher, é importante aprender a ser conduzida. Mas quando se passa uma vida a desempenhar papéis de liderança, é um bocadinho difícil ser seguidora."
      Mesmo assim, a conselheira referiu que a experiência está a ser "muito divertida" e espera conseguir "ter uma estreia respeitável" na competição, que terá lugar no Hawthorne Country Club em Dartmouth, no próximo dia 7 de Novembro.
      "Não se trata de ganhar," salientou. Mas sim de "dar um pézinho" a um excelente recurso comunitário.
      "Providenciam serviços formidáveis," realçou.
      Healthfirst é um centro de saúde comunitário sem fins lucrativos que providencia um vasto leque de serviços para satisfazer as necessidades da população da Grande Fall River.
      Viveiros e os outros nove concorrentes foram aparelhados com dançarinos profissionais da Arthur Murray Dance Studio de Swansea, onde estão a frequentar as aulas de dança.
      "Estou a divertir-me imenso," salientou Fernando Garcia, proprietário da Fall River Ford, ao devolver a chamada telefónica de O Jornal identificando-se humoristicamente como sendo "Fred Astaire."
      "É uma experiência única, mas requer mais trabalho do que eu imaginava," confessou Garcia. "No entanto, está a correr bem. É uma causa justa e estou sempre pronto a ajudar"
      Anthony F. Cordeiro, agente de seguros e promotor imobiliário, salientou que está a "enfrentar o desafio" apesar deste "ser muito mais difícil" do que aguardava.
      "A parte mais difícil é lembrar-me da coreografia sem ter de contar os passos," explicou. "Mas orgulho-me de fazer parte disto. Trata-se de uma causa justa e quando me perguntaram [para participar] nem sequer pensei duas vezes."
      Jason Rua da Rua-Dumont-Audet Insurance admite que a experiência acabou por ser mais exigente em termos físicos do que pensava.
      "Requer bastante exercício, mas estou a melhorar," adiantou. "Tem sido muito gratificante e divertido."
      Contudo, o maior desafio, no seu caso, tem sido o tempo que é preciso dedicar às lições.
      "Mas depois de um longo dia de trabalho... serve de escape," realçou.
      Os outros concorrentes são: Gene P. Alves, vice-presidente do Zoning Board of Appeals Municipal; a arquitecta Jo Ann Bentley; Grace Gerling, directora executiva da Community Development Recreation; o advogado Robert Marchand; Gerry Silvia, membro do Rotary Club; e Jennifer Preston Sousa, proprietária de B&L Limousine.
      "Queríamos que os diversos aspectos da comunidade estivessem representados," informou Paula Harrison, porta-voz do Healthfirst. "São pessoas que têm feito coisas lindas pela comunidade."
      Segundo Harrison, o centro necessita de angariar uma quantia substancial de fundos.
      "Precisamos urgentemente de um novo edifício," sublinhou. "Há anos que precisamos de mais espaço."
      Até ao momento, o concurso tem superado todas as expectativas. Os bilhetes, que custam $75, já esgotaram.
      "Temos recebido muito apoio da comunidade," informou Harrison. "Não esperávamos esta reacção. Para a próxima vez, temos que realizar o concurso num local mais espaçoso."