This year’s Dancing with our Stars Marquette County Style participants are pictured. The annual fundraiser, presented by U.P. Home Health & Hospice, will benefit the U.P. Hospice Foundation and its programs with 100% of proceeds supporting hospice patients and their families. (Photo courtesy of U.P. Home Health & Hospice)

MARQUETTE — The stars, the drama, the glamour, and the glitter are back as U.P. Home Health & Hospice presents the eighth annual Dancing with our Stars Marquette County Style to benefit the U.P. Hospice Foundation, according to a press release.

The fundraiser will benefit the U.P. Hospice Foundation and its programs with 100% of proceeds supporting hospice patients and their families.

“Dancing with our Stars Marquette County Style” will feature two nights of performances again this year. Opening night will be May 20 at Forest Roberts Theatre on the campus of Northern Michigan University. Doors to the theatre will open at 6:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 7 p.m.

Those attending will watch as the judges give their initial thoughts and critiques of the performances. Then attendees play judge themselves, as they’ll get to cast a vote for their favorite couple after the show. This applies to opening night only, according to the release.

Stay tuned to find out who the winners are on May 21 when the dancers compete once more. Votes from the previous night, as well as online votes and judges’ scores, will be added together to find out the winners.

Doors open for the red-carpet event at the Hedgcock Building at 5 p.m. with the show beginning at 7 p.m. at Forest Roberts Theatre. Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be provided.

The audience will enjoy the exact same show both nights with the exception of the red-carpet event the second night, as well as the awarding of the trophies, the release states

The U.P. Hospice Foundation supports the “Make-A-Memory” program along with providing supplies, services, equipment, and respite for hospice families that may be unavailable to them otherwise.

Some examples of what the U.P. Hospice Foundation has been able to do for hospice patients and their families include facilitating one person’s dream to see the President of the United States in person and another’s commitment to be the matron of honor at her great-granddaughter’s wedding, through the use of an iPad that transported her virtually to the California beach ceremony.

The U.P. Hospice Foundation has also been able to provide technology such as hearing aids, tablet computers for better communication with family and friends, and has helped create family reunions, fishing trips, and building a wheelchair ramp, just to name a few, organizers said.

For the “Dancing with our Stars Marquette County Style” event, Marquette County dance professionals have come together to help the local stars compete for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy.

Local stars will soon be practicing for the big event with online video updates of their progress. There will be a Fan Favorite Award, given the evening of the second night of performances to the star couple who collects the most online votes now through May 21 at www.uphomehealth.org/DWOS, as well as votes cast at both shows.

Tickets for both performances will go on sale on March 9. Call 906-225-4545 for ticket pricing and to reserve and pay for your tickets. A maximum of four tickets are allowed per caller. Tickets will be mailed to you.

Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor for this event should contact Kori Tossava at 225-4545 or korit@uphomehealth.org for the sponsorship levels.

For more information on the U.P. Hospice Foundation, call 906-225-4545.

According to the release: “Since 1973, U.P. Home Health & Hospice has been serving individuals in their home after a surgery, illness, or life-limiting diagnosis. Our focus is on exceptional quality care and we maintain a philosophical approach to care that focuses on empowering people to live life to the fullest. This philosophy is the drive for us to provide home health, hospice, and private duty. These three service lines allow clients to stay in their homes and focus on living well with seamless transitions between services if the need arises.”