2019 Gala of Stars

  • Local Stars Raised the Roof

  • Photo credit: Sean Patrick Fowler

    The previous four years had taught Raise the Roof, the Shoreline Habitat connection, that the best way to raise a roof is to invite local stars and the Shoreline community to tear up the dance floor. November 15 was the fifth year for Raise the Roof’s signature event, Gala of Stars: Dancing for the Cause. Raise the Roof defines stars as community leaders passionate about making the world a better place, and this year’s stars shone brightly. They accepted the invitation to step onto the dance floor to help provide families with the opportunity to build and own safe, affordable homes, and oh, what a night! A standing ovation, please, for our 2019 dancing community leaders! And roof-raising applause for the community that opened their hearts and responded with proceeds of $78,000+ to help families build homes!

    This group of stars led the way:

  • The stars learned choreographed ballroom routines during ten private lessons provided by Arthur Murray Guilford, Raise the Roof’s Event Partner. The dancing stars performed on November 15 at the Gala of Stars: Dancing for the Cause at The WoodWinds of Branford, 6:30–11:00 p.m. The stars competed for “votes” (dollars = votes) and their dancing raised funds to help Habitat partner families build homes. Erin McAvoy and Chip Walz are Raise the Roof’s 2019 Shoreline Stars! They gathered $10,630 in “votes”/dollars to help families build. Congratulations! Applause! And much gratitude! Amy and Matt Earls are runners-up for the title of 2019 Shoreline Stars, with $9,253 “votes”/dollars gathered! Thank you for inviting others into Raise the Roof’s Habitat mission.

    A group of celebrity judges presented awards for the best dance performances. Cheers and congratulations to Colleen and Sean Alexander for winning first-place trophies for best dance performance. Chloe Thompson and Ethan Richmond flipped and twirled their way into our hearts and those of the judges to capture second place for best dance performance.

    Renee DiNino of iHeart Radio and WFSB Channel 3 Eyewitness News added to the fun as the 2019 Gala Emcee. Timothy Geelan, President and CEO, Guilford Savings Bank, was this year’s honorary event chair.

    Raise the Roof partners with and works within the umbrella of Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven.

  • Fabulous event photos by Sean Patrick Fowler here.