On a Sunday afternoon in November the Virginia Wesleyan College campus came alive with the grace and allure of old Hollywood. Six Boobers! stepped onto the stage and transformed instantly into dancing starlets, swooping and gliding into history. The standing-room-only crowd cheered and shouted, eager for more. And in a showroom across town one shiny red car glinted in the rays of the autumn sun streaming through the windows, waiting for the raffle winner’s name to be called and her future to be decided.
The Volunteers Prepare
Before they danced, the starlets practiced. For eight weeks they worked with professional dancers to learn the steps of their new routines. But before one lucky winner’s name could be called, Beyond Boobs! had to sell tickets. Volunteers, Boobers!, and BB! staff arrived at the WTKR studios in Norfolk well before the sun came up on October 21st. 
Decked out in pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they took their places at the phones to sell raffle tickets for the 2015 red V6 Mustang coupe.
Barbara Ciara, a broadcast journalist at WTKR and long-time Beyond Boobs! supporter, interviewed volunteers and shot promos to air during the live newscasts throughout the day. Only a limited number of tickets were printed, so the odds of winning the new Mustang were one in 799.
The Starlets Perform
The winner of the Mustang would be chosen immediately after the Starlets of Dance exhibition, in which six breast cancer survivors moved beyond their comfort zones to do what many have never done before – perform a dance number in front of an excited, cheering crowd.
One by one, the starlets emerged with their dance partners. Family, friends, and supporters cheered as the couples spun across the dance floor. The event also included professional performances from local dancers and youth dance studios, as well as a silent auction. After the last winner from the auction had been announced, the audience held its breath, listening for the name of the new owner of a 2015 Mustang V6 Coupe.
The Winner Rejoices
A rainy Monday couldn’t dampen James and Bonnie Meredith’s enthusiasm as they walked through the front doors at Beach Ford. They may have even been dancing a little themselves when Tom Barton, President of Beach Ford, handed James the keys to his brand new car.
Tom, a Beyond Boobs! sponsor since 2011, looks forward to handing over the keys to the winner each year. “Beyond Boobs! provides valuable advice and support for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer,” he said. “They are a unique group and this is a really cool way for us to help others who are reaching out during such a scary time in their lives. The money raised from the Mustang raffle will continue to help fund their vital mission.”
