Brevard Sheriff’s Office Presents Proceeds from ‘Dancing For the Space Coast’ to Three Area Charities

SPACE COAST DAILY TV SPECIAL PRESENTATION

The annual “Dancing For The Space Coast” event is sponsored by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, L3 Harris Corporation, Space Coast Daily, and the Florida Institute of Technology, in partnership to help local charities in Brevard County. This year’s recipients of the proceeds from “Dancing For The Space Coast” that was held on Saturday, June 4, were The Children’s Hunger Project, Astronaut Memorial Foundation, and the Sheriff’s Pet Posse. As a result of incredible and generous community support, our great sponsors, and the hard work of our dancers, each organization was recently presented a check in the amount of $54,335.62.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The annual “Dancing For The Space Coast” event is sponsored by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, L3 Harris Corporation, Space Coast Daily, and the Florida Institute of Technology, in partnership to help local charities in Brevard County!

As everyone is aware, “Dancing For The Space Coast” pairs Ballroom Dancers with local “Celebrities” who raise donations while learning a Ballroom Dance that is performed during the annual event. Each dancer’s total score is based upon the amount of donations raised along with their dance routine.

As part of the event, each year, our agency selects three new Brevard County Charitable Organizations to benefit from the event with the charities being selected from three different categories that include one that helps Children, one that helps Prevent Crime, and one that supports the Fine Arts charities in our community.

The selected charities each receive 90% of the profits, with the remaining 10% going to the Brevard County Public Safety Charity to help support Public Safety members during a critical time of need.

This year’s recipients of the proceeds from “Dancing For The Space Coast” that was held on Saturday, June 4, were The Children’s Hunger Project, Astronaut Memorial Foundation, and the Sheriff’s Pet Posse.

As a result of incredible and generous community support, our great sponsors, and the hard work of our dancers, each organization was recently presented a check in the amount of $54,335.62.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office is extremely excited to host this annual event that benefits Brevard County Not-For-Profit Organizations that do such wonderful things for our community. This year’s event was attended by over 750 people, with the “Stars” of the night being our dancers, who volunteered their time along with their instructors.

With next years event just around the corner we are excited to announce that next year’s charitable organizations who will be the recipients of the 2024 “Dancing For The Space Coast” are Space Coast Discovery, Aging Matters, and Space Coast Basket Brigade and Best Buddies splitting the final category and proceeds.

Please join me in thanking everyone who volunteered their time and services to make this year’s event so successful.

I would also like to personally thank all of our presenting sponsors, L3 Harris Corporation, Space Coast Daily, Florida Institute of Technology, Grimaldi Chocolate, Eau Gallie Florist, Sophisticated Gents and so many many more for their generosity.

As I always say, “It Takes A Community To Protect A Community!”

– Sheriff Wayne Ivey

WATCH REPLAY: Brevard County Tom Neidert Wins 2023 ‘Dancing For the Space Coast’ With Fire-Fighting-Themed Dance

WATCH THE FULL PROGRAM: The 2023 Dancing for the Space Coast raised more than $375,000 for local charities, the Astronaut Memorial Foundation, The Children’s Hunger Project and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Pet Possee. For those who couldn’t get a ticket or attend the event, Space Coast Daily live-streamed all the exciting action live On-Demand via the Space Coast Daily TV App. The Space Coast Daily TV app is available for download in the Apple TV App Store, Amazon Fire TV Store and Roku TV Channel Store.

Dancing For the Space Coast was presented by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and sponsored by Space Coast Daily, L3Harris and Florida Tech.

Brevard County’s signature fundraising annual event, “Dancing For the Space Coast,” was presented June 4 at Florida Tech’s Clemente Center to an enthusiastic who’s-who sold-out crowd of more than 800 people.

For those who couldn’t get a ticket or attend the event, Space Coast Daily live-streamed all the exciting action live On-Demand via the Space Coast Daily TV App.

The Space Coast Daily TV app is available for download in the Apple TV App Store, Amazon Fire TV Store and Roku TV Channel Store.

Over the last 10 years, “Dancing for the Space Coast” has become the largest charity event in Brevard County, and the 2023 edition raised more than $375,000, which will benefit the Astronaut Memorial Foundation, The Children’s Hunger Project and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Pet Possee.

Tom Neidert Wins With Fire-Fighting-Themed Dance Routine

The Grand Champion of this year’s event was Brevard County Fire Rescue District Chief of Special Operations Tom Neidert and his instructor Heidi Arnold from Dancin’ Dance Studio in Indialantic. Thomas danced for the Pet Posse, which is part of the Brevard Sheriff’s Office Charity, and wowed the crowd with his fire-fighting-themed dance routine.

NASA Astronaut and Professor Emeritus at Florida Institute of Technology Winston Scott and instructor Shereen Riad of Melbourne Ballroom placed second. The team of Jessica Cartagena Assam, a philanthropist and community supporter, and her instructor Dr. Jan Dong placed third.

This highly entertaining event also showcased the outstanding efforts of dancers, restaurant entrepreneur Quinisha “Q” Bredwood, Melbourne City Council member Rachael Bassett, community leader Jordin Chandler, medical humanitarian Robin Potter, and Brevard Public Schools Board member Megan Wright.

Leading up to the event, the local celebrities dancing in the event helped raise money months prior to the event while preparing for their complex dance routine in front of a massive crowd.

The charity event was hosted by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and emceed by Sheriff Wayne Ivey, who, as always, facilitate a live auction and live dance performances by dance professionals and local celebrities who competed to raise money for Brevard County non-profit organizations.

“The true stars of the event are the dancers who work diligently to raise money for these worthy causes,” said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

2023 DANCING FOR THE SPACE COAST INSTRUCTORS included Lance Sexton, Elena Sexton, Dr. Jang Don, Shereen Riad, Geoff Sandland, Dakotah Anderson, Primo Garcia, and Heide Arnold.

Bragging Rights on the Line

Each celebrity dancer was matched up with a professional dancer as they competed in a ballroom dance – and for bragging rights as the best dancer in Brevard.

On the evening of the competition, each dance pair competed in a choreographed ballroom dance that will be scored by a panel of judges. During the show, couples earned scores based on several technical skill factors, but the judges’ scores alone don’t decide the dancer’s final score.

Leading up to the actual performance, the dancers already scored 60 percent of their points through their fundraising endeavors to benefit needy charities.

Dancing For the Space Coast is presented by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and sponsored by L3Harris and Space Coast Daily and Florida Tech.