Hello MDT Community,

Bravo to TEAM MDT for raising an incredible amount of $111,637 this past March at our “Raise the Barre” annual danceathon and fundraiser event. It was a spectacular day, a sun-kissed, fun-filled kind of day. The extraordinary group of people that plan and execute this fundraiser deserve a huge thank you. Deana Dearborn, Sherri Yoshizu, Monica Salvador, Crissy Sauter, Erica Allen, Leslee Loeber and Lexi Pittman worked tirelessly to make this day special for our MDT kiddos and their families. We had 3 terrific dance classes going all morning long that were packed with energy and many smiles. From West African Drumming dance class, to Body Percussion, to Contemporary, dancers of all ages were tearing it up on the dance floor, exploring new styles and moving in fun and new ways! Thank you to Naby Bangoura, Antwan Davis, and Julia Adams for bringing such joy to all! The Silent Auction offered so many wonderful items and fun adventures to sign up for. So much work had gone into collecting all the donations of goods and services and setting it up for our community to enjoy. Thank you to our wonderful silent auction team!

Lunch was delicious as always and watching the circles of dance friends share time together in the sunshine was quite sweet. The community that they build here at MDT goes far beyond the ballet class and we feel privileged to be a part of their journey in our community of families. The day finished out with one of our favorite moments where the nominees and winners of the “Raise the Barre Scholarship” awards are announced. I had the special privilege of reading to each nominee the words that had been written about them by their peers of why they represented the spirit of MDT. There were many happy tears in the crowd as these young people affirmed special qualities that they observe in their friends. They write about what inspires them about their teammates and the impact that they have made on their lives. It is a precious event. The whole day is a day full of generosity, open hearts and big smiles. If you missed this year, please be sure to put it on your calendar for next year, March 10, 2024. Thank you, thank you to all who gave, all who came out, and all who worked the event. Our village is amazing.

One of our MDT parents, Lawrence Luk of Luk Creative, was kind enough to capture the day’s events on film. To view these lovely photos, you can click here to view them:
https://store.lukcreative.com/guestlogin/mdtraisethebarr2023/?return=%2Fmdtraisethebarr2023%2F
If prompted, enter 1967 as the download pin.

Lastly, if you or your friends/family would still like to donate, please click the link here to donate to the participant of your choice or to the general MDT main fundraiser page:
https://app.99pledges.com/fund/mdts14than
We are appreciative of every dollar raised to reach our fundraising goal!


With a grateful heart,

Lynn Cox