Locals seek support in WCTE competition

A pair of local residents will soon be tapping their toes in Cookeville to support public broadcasting and could use your help now.

Lucas Patterson, a lifelong farmer and owner of Cedarwood Pumpkin Patch, and his aunt Mira Woodlee, a retired Social Security employee, will be representing Warren County in the WCTE PBS fundraiser Let's Dance, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12 in Cookeville. The event will be televised on WCTE and can also be viewed at the WCTE website, WCTE Youtube channel and the WCTE Facebook Page.

Let's Dance is a live dance competition in the spirit of Dancing with the Stars which will see 12 teams from across 10 counties of the Upper Cumberland area compete for the title. While dazzling performances and vibrant costumes will be in the spotlight, the true mission of the night is to support WCTE PBS, the Upper Cumberland's trusted source of inspiring, educational and entertaining programming. Let's Dance is a prime example of WCTE's mission to celebrate the arts, culture, people and stories that make the Upper Cumberland unique.

The opportunity to spend some family time together while supporting local public broadcasting was all it took to convince Patterson and Woodlee to once again pull out their dancing shoes, and they are looking forward to the event.

"My aunt Mira and I are excited to be back on stage getting the opportunity to dance with each other for a good cause," Patterson said. "We competed in Warren County's Dancing with Our Stars dance contest in 2017 and we have been looking for ways to get together and dance again ever since. We have been practicing and choreographing since September, and we cannot wait for Middle Tennessee to see what we have been working on. For us, this is another wonderful opportunity to spend time together while supporting PBS. WCTE showcases what is great about the Upper Cumberland in a way no other station can. It's a platform that highlights the best of Tennessee and does so with genuine heart. We are also excited to have Ben Lomand sponsoring our team for this fundraiser to help support The Upper Cumberland’s PBS station."

In addition to the dance competition, there is also a philanthropy trophy which will go to the team which receives the most donations in its name. To make a donation to Warren County's team, click here. Voting for the Philanthropy award is active now and ends Wednesday Feb. 11 at 11:59 p.m.

"I hope the community sees how valuable WCTE and PBS are and that this sparks a new, or rekindled, interest in what WCTE has to offer," Woodlee said. "Streaming platforms have their place, but PBS gives you something important, something that truly stays with you."

Let's Dance will be held at the Putnam County Convention Center at 2121 Event Ctr. Dr. in Cookeville. Doors to the event will open at 5 p.m. Feb. 12 with a dinner at 6 p.m. followed by the competition at 7 p.m. Individual tickets are $60 and can be purchased here.