Tioga United Way

09/11/2026

Tickets for the 9th Annual Tioga United Way "Dancing United With The Starz" are officially available to the general public. This high-demand, premier fundraising event brings local star dancers to the ballroom to compete, raise funds, and dance the night away in support of the critical partner agencies funded by the Tioga United Way throughout the county.
Ticket Details & Logistics
• Price: Tickets are $100 per person.
• Seating Arrangement: Full tables of 10 seats are available for booking.
• Purchasing Platform: Secure online sales are open via this Tioga United Way Portal link.
• https://2026dancingunited.planningpod.com/?_gl=1*1715sqt*_gcl_au*ODU2Mzc0NDc2LjE3ODM3MDAwOTk

• Please fill out the form; depending on the payment method, select check if you are sending a check. The Venmo link is at the bottom of the page. PayPal is also available. Credit Cards cannot be accepted at this moment, but we are working on it.

• HOTEL EARLY BIRD SPECIAL IS GOOD UNTIL SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2026 $109.99
Once you secure your tickets or table, you will get a QR code as your ticket; then it will give you a HOTEL CODE to reserve your early bird special. CALL THE HOTEL DESK to reserve your spot. YOU HAVE TO PAY THE HOTEL for your room directly

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE Call/Text Bob at 607-687-4028 or email [email protected] with any questions

Alternative Payment Methods For Tickets To The Show Only
You can finalize your reservation by sending payment directly via the official avenues:
• Venmo:
• PayPal:
• Check/Mail: Sent to Tioga United Way, 146 Central Ave, Suite 3, Owego, NY 13827. Be sure to include a direct message with your full name so your reservation can be cataloged.

Save the date and spread the word about this amazing event: https://729658682.planningpod.com United with the Stars

09/07/2026

We just found out the community lost an amazing member. Matthew Lewis you will be missed by all the lives you have touched. Your dedication to talking to people and helping to get out all the community events in Tioga County and LIVE interviews were special. We at the Tioga United Way send our condolences to your family. You will always be remembered as a Pillar in the community. Rest In Peace my friend. You will be missed. WEBO - Your Hometown Station

09/02/2026

🌟Welcome Kalei VanRiper to Tioga United Way’s Dancing United with the Starz, dancing with Brighton Boekhoudt🌟

From baking beautiful pastries to baking up some serious dance moves, Kalei VanRiper is ready to take on the challenge—and she’s bringing plenty of heart, energy, and community spirit with her!

Kalei graduated from Paul Smith’s College with a degree in Baking, Pastry & Service Management and currently serves as the Manager of the Bakery Department at Price Chopper in Owego. While she may be an expert at creating delicious treats, this time she’s hoping her biggest accomplishment won’t be a perfectly decorated cake, but a perfectly executed dance routine! 💃

Kalei and her husband, Mike, live in Candor with their 5-year-old daughter. When she’s not working or spending time with family, she enjoys golfing, bowling, and performing with the Kirby Band. Clearly, sitting still isn’t really her thing!

Giving back to her community has been a passion of Kalei’s from a young age. As a Girl Scout, she organized a school supply and food drive for her hometown of Newark Valley, learning early that one person with a big heart can make a big difference.

Kalei is also no stranger to the spotlight! She danced for many years at a local studio in Vestal, participating in individual performances and the competition team. In college, she organized a cheerleading team that performed at several events.

Her journey into the spotlight began with the scholarship-based American Miss Pageant in Rochester, where she learned valuable lessons in confidence, public speaking, perseverance, and stage presence—skills that have continued to serve her throughout her life.

Now, she’s ready to put those skills—and her dance moves—to the ultimate test!

🎶 The music is ready.
💃 The dance floor is waiting.
❤️ And the cause is worth every step.

Kalei is dancing to challenge herself, have some fun, and most importantly, raise funds for Tioga United Way and the families and individuals who depend on the important resources our community provides.

Welcome to the dance floor, Kalei! Let’s dance for a cause! 🌟

09/02/2026

🪩 TICKETS ON SALE NOW TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC! 🕺💃
We are thrilled to announce that tickets for Tioga United Way’s premier formal gala and biggest fundraiser of the year, Dancing United With The Starz, are officially available!

Join your neighbors, friends, and community leaders for an unforgettable, elegant evening of dinner, dazzling ballroom entertainment, and community spirit—all while supporting the incredible local partner agencies that provide vital resources throughout Tioga County.
• Date: Saturday, November 7th, 2026
• Location: Tioga Downs Casino Resort Ballroom (Nichols, NY)
• Ticket Price: $100 per person (Includes admission to the live competitive showcase and a buffet dinner)
Every single ticket counts. Come cheer on our local star dancers and their amazing professional local instructors as they compete for the People's Choice Mirrorball trophy, knowing your contribution provides hope, shelter, safety, and opportunity where it is needed most right here in Tioga County.
🎟️ To secure your seats today, please see the ticket order link pinned in the comments below!

08/29/2026

Who’s Ready?!?! Tune in on Monday for the news!

08/23/2026

Hello All United Way supporters, we are looking for Peacock Feathers for an event this fall and hoping we can get some locally?
Do we have any peacock owners that would be willing to donate some feathers?

08/21/2026

Looking for something fun to do? Get your float on all while helping out a good cause. This is part of the Dancing United With The Starz fundraising.

08/12/2026

Welcome, Irene Radigan, as one of Tioga United Way's Dancing United with the Starz, alongside professional Anthony Almond. Irene is a wife, mother of five, entrepreneur, and co-owner of Radigan Media. Between running a business, raising five kids, and trying to remember where she left her coffee, life is always moving—and she wouldn’t have it any other way!

Irene is passionate about helping local businesses and nonprofits grow while making a positive impact throughout the communities we serve. Through marketing, media, and community involvement, she loves bringing people together, spotlighting great causes, and creating opportunities for others to succeed.

So, when the opportunity came along to support the Tioga United Way through Dancing United with the Starz, she thought, “Why not?” After all, what better way to step outside my comfort zone than by putting on some sparkly shoes, attempting to remember choreography, and dancing in front of way too many people?!

She may know marketing and media, but dancing is a whole different kind of performance—and there’s a very real possibility that her feet will have their own agenda! But if getting out on that dance floor can help raise money, bring awareness to the incredible work of Tioga United Way, and make a difference in our community, then Irene is all in.

Irene may be excited, nervous, and probably going to question this decision at least a few times during rehearsals—but most of all, she can’t wait to have fun, challenge herself, and dance for a cause that means so much to our community. Let’s dance, Tioga County!

08/06/2026

Welcome Sarah Wieckhorst as one of Tioga United Way's Dancing United with the Satrz, alongside professional dancer Merlin. Sarah, a legal assistant by day, future lawyer by night, is now apparently a contestant who thought adding dance rehearsals to an already packed schedule sounded like a perfectly reasonable life choice. While most people spend their free time relaxing, Sarah decided law school wasn’t challenging enough, so she added sequins and choreography to the mix.

When she’s not buried in legal briefs (or briefing legal books), Sarah loves spending time with her friends, family, and her dog, who remains completely unimpressed by her dance moves. She also enjoys curling up with a good book and hitting the golf course, where she’s learned that “fore!” is sometimes less of a warning and more of a prediction.

Sarah is hoping her legal background comes in handy on the dance floor. If the judges don’t love her routine, she’s fully prepared to file an appeal… or at least object on the grounds that dancing is harder than it looks! She’s also hoping her two left feet can negotiate a settlement before showtime.

By stepping onto the stage for Dancing United with the Starz, Sarah is trading courtroom confidence for dance-floor courage—all to support the incredible work of the Tioga United Way. She can’t promise perfect pirouettes or flawless footwork, but she can promise plenty of laughs, a whole lot of heart, and enough dance puns to make everyone want to “adjourn” to the after-party.

So if you see Sarah dancing, cheer loudly! She’s working hard to prove that justice isn’t the only thing that can be served… sometimes it’s a show-stopping performance with a little “motion” on the dance floor. Case closed!