Popular HGTV personalities to co-emcee

Media Contact: Lucie Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications; lucie@eafocus.com; 248.925.6726; Sara Dobbyn, Turning Point; sdobbyn@turningpointmacomb.org; 586.463.4430 x240

Mount Clemens, Mich. – March 21, 2023 –  Turning Point, an agency whose mission is to empower domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking survivors through comprehensive services and resources, will host its seventh annual fundraiser, Stepping Out with the Stars, in partnership with the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Sterling Heights. The event will be held Friday, April 14, 2023, at the Palazzo Grande Banquet & Event Center, 54660 Van Dyke, Shelby Township.

This year’s fundraiser welcomes some exciting changes. For the first time, Shea Whitfield of HGTV’s hit show “Bargain Block” and her husband Terry Whitfield, a budding HGTV co-star and partnership manager of Policy & Systems at The Skillman Foundation, will serve as the event emcees. As always, community partners will be dancing at the event. This year’s dancers are: Doug “Odie” Slocum, Erika Riggs, Joshua Puranen, Madeline Bialecki, and Maggie Shively. To support the dancers, donate to vote online at https://turningpointmacomb.org/product-category/sowts-dancers/. Each $5 donated is one vote to support the dancer winning the People’s Choice Award.

This year’s Stepping Out with the Stars presenting sponsor is The Huttenlocher Group, an insurance provider based in Waterford Township and owned by long-time Turning Point supporter, and former event dancer, Jim Huttenlocher.

“We are so honored to be able to support Stepping Out with the Stars and Turning Point again this year,” Huttenlocher said. “We continue to support this worthwhile organization because it helps people when they most need it. Turning Point offers support to those who are suffering. They help people rebuild their lives after trauma and they give people the courage to find peace. Turning Point changes lives and we are very happy to help this organization in any way we can.”

Turning Point President and CEO Sharman Davenport, Ph.D., is grateful for the community’s continued support of the popular event.

“We look forward to Stepping Out with the Stars this year. It’s a wonderful evening to celebrate our survivors and engage with community members who support our mission,” Davenport commented. “It’s a unique event that is fun and lively and also furthers the awareness of Turning Point’s programming reach, especially our newly expanded mission to also serve human trafficking survivors.”

Additional sponsors include GRIT Technologies and Huntington Bank. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event starts at 6 p.m. Advance ticket purchase is required, with tickets on sale through April 9, 2023. Ticket includes dinner, open premium bar, dancing, raffles, and a silent auction. Cost is $125 per person; table of 10 is $1,250. For tickets and sponsorship information, visit https://turningpointmacomb.org/event/sowts/.

About Turning Point 
Turning Point provides comprehensive, free, and confidential programs for domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking survivors, their loved ones, and the community. Services include a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, housing, trauma advocacy/counseling, personal protection order assistance, legal advocacy, forensic nurse exams, first response advocacy, prevention, and community education. Second Hand Rose, another Turning Point service, provides survivors with gently used items while providing an opportunity for the community to donate and shop. Serving Metro Detroit for more than 43 years, Turning Point has helped over 125,000 survivors. Visit www.turningpointmacomb.org for more information.

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