The show must go on; tune in tonight for Ballroom Battle!

Talk about making lemonade out of lemons. A South Florida charity responds to COVID-19 and all of the challenges that came with it in the most exciting of ways

Early in the year, eight people said yes.

Eight members of the Boca Raton community all said yes to Tim Snow, President of the George Snow Scholarship Fund, when he asked if they would team up with a Fred Astaire dance professional to compete on the dance floor and in fundraising.

It’s quite a task. And a challenge. And an act of bravery. In a normal year.

So imagine this year.

‘Cause in came COVID-19.

And out went anything normal any of us do.

Ballroom Battle is traditionally held in front of nearly 1,000 people at the legendary Boca Raton Resort & Club. This year, however, it has developed into what will be an on-air and online event on WPTV and wptv.com Saturday, September 26 at 7pm. Viewers can watch the event from the comfort of their own homes and make pledges throughout the hour-long program.

For the dancers – Steve Bernstein, Robin Bresky, Dr. Gwenesia Collins, Bill Donnell, Tara Lucier, Ross O’Connor, Kirsten Stanley and Kyle Stewart -- that meant a lot of summer dance rehearsals (in masks!), a lot of fundraising and a lot more eyes on them come showtime.

And they did it for the scholars.

Many of the George Snow scholars wouldn’t have the means to go to college if not for the scholarships and year-round support they receive from the Fund. Like Elouse Bureau, a senior at Florida Atlantic University, who is on the fast track to become an optometrist.

“George Snow has honestly changed my life and my family life because I wouldn’t be in college, I wouldn’t have the financial support without George Snow,” says Bureau.

Bureau, the youngest of six siblings, grew up in Haiti. She moved to South Florida with her father when she was 10 years old.

In high school, she remembers running to her computer to apply for the George Snow Scholarship Fund immediately after learning about it at school.

“The George Snow Scholarship Fund has tremendously helped me not only financially, it helps me in my decision making in college, and my thought processes in college. It’s just a family,” says Bureau.

A family the world is warmly welcome to meet in front of your TV or computer screen tonight in dancing shoes... or slippers.

Ballroom Battle will air on WPTV (NBC) NewsChannel 5 on Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 7pm for those in Palm Beach County and along the Treasure Coast! For those outside NewsChannel 5’s viewing area or those without cable television, you can watch the show on WPTV’s website or on the WPTV app on Roku or Fire Stick.

View the Ballroom Battle online auction and register to bid here.

Be sure to check back to the Paige Kornblue blog next week for an event recap, a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the 2020 Ballroom Battle and ALL that goes into emcee prep: the gorgeous Nina Raynor gown, hair by Everything Hair , makeup by Tim Quinn and much more!