Boiler Bay Beacon
NEWPORT, Ore. — A lineup of local couples with two left feet and big hearts will take the stage next month to shake loose funds for families on the ropes.
Dancing with the Coastal Stars, the high-energy fundraiser for Samaritan House Family Shelter, returns Nov. 1 after a pandemic-forced hiatus. The event, last held in 2019, packs the Newport Performing Arts Center with choreographed routines, stiff competition and a crowd eager to vote with their cheers and their checkbooks.
This marks the fourth go-round for the event, which teams up novices with pro dancers for a night of spins, dips and awkward laughs. Couples vie for the judges’ pick, the audience-favorite People’s Choice and the top fundraising trophy. All the while, they’re hustling donations for Samaritan House, the nonprofit that’s been a lifeline for Lincoln County families since 1988.
The 2025 roster brings fresh faces to the floor:
- Andrea Formo and Andrew Melzer
- Ashley and Cameron Garner
- Kristi and Bill Cline
- Martha Varo Cornejo and Enrique Valdivia Leon
- Nina Vetter and Justin Stokes
- Seanna and Zack Dahl
Short bios on each pair are up at samfamshelter.org/2025-dancing-with-the-coastal-stars.
Showtime is 7 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Center, 777 W. Olive St. Tickets run $64.50 apiece, including a reserved seat and one People’s Choice ballot. Snag them at the box office or online through coastarts.org/events/dance-concert-dancing-with-the-coastal-stars-fundraiser-newport.
Expect more than just footwork: A paddle battle will let folks bid big on gifts, and organizers plan to spotlight the crunch hitting local families — skyrocketing rents, job cuts and vanishing safety nets that have Samaritan House’s phones ringing off the hook.
“Due to rising living costs, job losses and shrinking public resources, more families in Lincoln County are at risk of homelessness than ever before,” the group said in a release. Demand for transitional housing, support services and childcare has spiked, even as funding for kid care dries up — a gut punch for parents juggling crises and 9-to-5s.
The cash from this shindig? It props up those very programs, from trauma-smart daycare to classes on budgeting and housing hacks.
“In the 14 years I’ve been with Samaritan House, I’ve had the privilege of watching countless families get back on their feet and be self-sufficient,” said Deputy Director Charles Jesse. “Through our program and the great staff, families have learned about finances, community housing and other skills that can benefit for a lifetime.”
Sponsors stepping up this year include Yaquina Law, Pacific Seafood, Celestial Seafood, Reconnections Counseling, Advantage Real Estate, Abel Insurance, Lincoln Juvenile Defenders, The Stark Family, Thompson’s Sanitary Service, Oregon Coast Bank and Dr. Chadwick Family Dentistry.
Samaritan House, founded during the late ’80s recession, dishes out more than shelter: Think family counseling, early education and a path out of the red. Every dollar from the dance-off funnels straight into that work.
Grab a ticket, raise a paddle, root for the underdogs. It’s not just a show, it’s Lincoln County lending a hand, one twirl at a time.
For details, hit up [email protected] or samfamshelter.org.
