Hospice foundation gears up to boogie down

ISHPEMING — It’s time for a few of Marquette County’s community leaders to dust off their dancing shoes and get ready to boogie.

Dancing With the Stars Marquette County Style is back for a third year.

U.P. Home, Health and Hospice has chosen this year’s dancing stars, but you’ve got to wait about a week to find out who will be vying for the mirror ball trophy.

In addition to the new cast, last year’s mirror ball trophy winners and the fan favorites will return for encore performances.

“The response, when we came to them, was similar to all dance couples,” said Jeff Nyquist, CEO of U.P. Home Health and Hospice. “First, fear; then, being extremely excited and taking on the challenge once again. It’s the same process that comes with the families that come into hospice, actually. A lot of fear and uncertainty at first, but then a feeling of, ‘We can do this. We’ve got a team of experts around us. We can accomplish big things together.'”

As the event has grown over the past couple of years the hospice foundation has begun to introduce new elements to each competition and this year will feature an exciting twist for the couples.

It’s the organization’s biggest fundraiser and all proceeds go back to families and individuals in hospice care.

“This is all because hospice, and what hospice does,” Nyquist said. “Hospice is about giving you that team of experts to be empowered to live life the way you want to live it, and that’s what the whole event is about, is empowering, with donations, to let people live on their terms.”

Due to the incredible demand for tickets the past two years, U.P.H.H.H. is doing its best to make sure as many people as possible can attend.

The dancers will be revealed on the hospice foundation’s website next Tuesday.

Tickets, which are expected to sell out in a day our two, go on sale March 9th and can only be purchased by calling (906) 225–4545.