Wow! WOW! WOW!

I attended the Skate for Hope breast cancer benefit show last night in Columbus because a number of our local skaters participated. This year it was held in the gigantic and posh Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus, OH.

My, oh, my, this show has come a long way from the days of the practice rink with the cold, hard aluminum benches.

Many of you adults will recognize the name Jenny Needham-Wall. She's been a continuing participant in the shows. Other headlines included Emily Hughes, Rachael Flatt, Parker Pennington, Keauna McLaughlin & Rockne Brubaker, and Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin.

The show organizer is Carolyn Bongirno, a breast cancer survivor herself. She managed to get sponsorship from some prominent local businesses to help with the proceeds given toward cancer research.

If anyone is in the Columbus area next year, don't miss this show. It's got a mix of celebrities skating alongside pre-pre learners. Adult skaters are very well represented.

Below are a couple snaps showing a little of the action (Emily Hughes and Jenny Needham-Wall with her daughter in the background). If you're curious, I've got more pictures from the show online at:

http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/WSchne...ateforHope2008

I photographed some friends more intensely than some other acts, so the "coverage" will look a little biased. Please excuse the commercial look of the Shutterfly site too. It provides storage for my photos that I wouldn't have room for on my university server space.

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Bill Schneider

I realized that the two photos above show just the headliners, so here are two more showing some of the local talent including one of the fantastic adult skaters who participated.







...and kids, of course! What would a show be without them?

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Bill Schneider

Thank you so much for posting the pictures, Bill!

Weren't Les Ascher and Ellen Zurfluh (the famous adult pair team) also in this show?

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

Yes, they were.

I didn't get around to editing their pictures into the mix on Shutterfly. I ran out of time.

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Bill Schneider

Dang, I should have made the trip! Just wasn't sure I was up to the 3.5-hr trek out there. . . next year!!!! Thanks for sharing the pictures, Bill.

Emily Hughes DOES have a nice split jump, doesn't she? Wish more skaters would include them in their programs; love Joannie Rochette's.

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"Go wash an elephant if you wanna do something big." -Baby Gramps

There were more split jumps in this show than I've ever seen before!

They must be the new hot thing.

Here's a couple more...

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Bill Schneider

Thanks so much for showing THIS split jump. I've skated with this "girl" for years... and she's worked so hard to get to where she is. She started grad school at Ohio State this year and had nearly everyone at our rink sign up to sponsor her so she could skate in this show. Hurray Emily A.!!!

Thanks so much for the great review on the show!! I was among the adult skaters in the show. This was my second year. There were four of us. The number was centered around Shannon Keeler. She was in pink the other three of us in burgandy. I especially like pic. #17! Shannon is from Houston, Shere from Columbus and Amber and I from Michigan. Talk about a long distance relationship!!! But we made it work and it all came together. It was Carolyn's idea. Carolyn Bongirno is an amazing person and dear friend. How she does all of this is beyond me. Please, please, please.....it is worth the trip to come! Where else can you get great seats to a great show with headliners for only $15? I"m still on the high from it!! Carolyn will be thrilled to know that there are great reviews on the web!!! Thanks again!!!

How can a show that good NOT get great reviews!?

I've been asked to participate by my skating buddy who has been in the show for 3-4 years in a row. (If you have looked at the photos online, you can figure out who she is). I've always chickened out though.

I humbly take off my hat to all the participants, and especially to Carolyn for taking this from scratch just 5 years ago to what it's become.

Great cause, great people, great show!

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Bill Schneider

Hey, w.w.west...

Here's pic #17 since you were in it...



Once again, good job! It was a memorable show.

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Bill Schneider

Thanks for posting the photos. That's me in the photo of the layback with Shannon watching. Carolyn has done such a fantastic job with this -- it's the fifth anniversary show, and she's the one that came up with the idea for our program. Needless to say, it was very emotional for all of us. After it was done, we all wanted to skate it again!

You're welcome! As the young would say, you have an "awesome" layback spin!

And welcome to the Skating Forums discussion board. I see that this is your first post.

Keep coming back! - there's plenty of good folks here on the board.

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Bill Schneider

WOW!!! That IS a nice lineup there!!! And I like the group adult number pictures!

SHEREEEEE!!!!!

Glad to see that you're back skating again after last year and what a LAYBACK!!! Are you coming to Skate San Francisco to do the acccountant thing again? I'll try to do running, but ultimately they will stick me in hospitality again, so I'll volunteer for the computer registrar thing again so I can relax when I'm at Skate SF! Look forward to seeing 'ya, if so! (I have TWO events to do this year and debuting a new artistic this year!!!)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

To Bill:

Couldn't help but respond to your wonderful compliment -- and wondered how to join; it was easy. I'll be back!

Jazzie:

I'm only doing this show -- no more competitions or other nail - biters! Yes, I will be in San Francisco -- working accounting for a couple of day, spending the rest doing tourist-stuff. I've never had enough time in the past couple of years to do so, and a friend may come with me. She hasn't been to SFO in forever, and I'm trying to convince her to make the trip.

Hey Shere!!!!! Welcome, welcome. How are you doing - I'm delighted to see you're still skating (as am I, although not solo any more, or very little).

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Thank you...I just love that picture!