Four Ladies Plus a Dude (plus a special guest) were chosen as the 2023 Lip Sync Battle Champions at the event held February 11 benefiting the Putnam County Youth Development Commission.
The group not only practiced frequently to perfect their choreography to the song “Beauty School Dropout” from the musical “Grease,” but they also pounded the pavement to secure donations and sponsorships on behalf of PCYDC. This team, made up of local small business owners Kim Duell, Alison Beauchamp, Matt and Dee Bumgardner and Alicia and Aaron Gregg, not only were voted the top performers of the night, but they were also the one that raised the most money for the organization with a total of $11,200.
All of the teams had fun with this year’s theme: Movie Soundtracks.
The South Putnam Lady Eagles, made up of Cara Cash, Hannah Scott, Lindsay Roberts, Ellen Cash and Kate Hudson performed an energetic rendition of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” from the movie of the same name, ending their performance by tying up South Putnam’s Eagle mascot.
The North Putnam Teachers (Bonnie Osborn, Matt Couch, Drake Davis, Bronwyn Spencer and Rachel Pierce) rocked out to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” as performed by Wayne and Garth in the movie “Wayne’s World.”
The McDonald’s team of Trevor Troyer, Morgan Troyer, Rachel Clingerman, TevorKnoebel and Katie Sims gave a spirited performance of Harry Belafonte’s version of “The Banana Boat Song” and reenacted the ghostly possession portrayed in the movie “Beetlejuice.”
The staff of Greencastle Middle School, including Jessica Lawless, Becky McPherson, Jessica Lenihan, Whitney Reeder and Ben Wells finished the show with the song “Teacher’s Pet” from the movie “School of Rock.”
Emcee Andrew Ranck spoke with each team after their performances about why they felt it was important to support the Putnam County Youth Development Commission and its programs, which include CASA and Teen Court. Each team representative spoke about their commitment to children in the community. Three out of the five teams were made up of educators who see every day the issues facing children in our county, and everyone agreed that these children are the future and need our support.
This event is the main fundraiser for PCYDC, and this year’s total raised came in at approximately $45,000 according to Executive Director Amber Halloran.
In addition to the five amazing performances, this was also an evening for recognizing and showing appreciation for several long-term supporters of PCYDC and its programs. Sue Murray and Sherry Cash were honored for their years of service to the PCYDC Board of Directors, and Lucy Wieland was recognized for being the longest serving CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) in Putnam County. Each of these special women were presented with flowers and a gift.
The Putnam County Youth Development Commission’s mission is to improve the safety, well-being, decision-making, and resilience of Putnam County Youth. Established in 1996 as a 501c3 non-profit, PCYDC works closely with local schools and other community organizations to ensure a county where all youth are protected, accepted, respected, nurtured, and celebrated.
If you are interested in learning more about PCYDC’s programs, becoming a volunteer, or making a donation, please contact Executive Director Amber Halloran at 765-653-9342 or email director@pcydc.org.
