Looking for a fun night?

Do you like to dance?The West End Volunteer Fire Company, Rt. 715, Brodheadsville, will hold its first dance social on Monday, July 18, from 7-9:30 p.m.Thanks to the Pocono Area Dance Association (PADA), it is organizing public dance socials to raise money for charities that have been hit hard by the economy. PADA's first dance social will give half of the proceeds to VNA/Hospice House in East Stroudsburg and half to the West End Fire Company.According to PADA's president, Kurt Kraeutler, one of PADA's missions is to use dance to improve the lives of Pocono residents."Our directors are very enthusiastic about raising money for organizations that help local people," says Kraeutler. "That's why we are selecting local charities to be the beneficiaries of our effort."PADA is a nonprofit entity formed to promote all forms of dance in the Poconos, including swing, ballroom, salsa, and more. PADA's directors work with various organizations, such as the West End Parks Commission, HJP Parks Committee, and the Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Department, along with local dance studios to offer low-cost dance courses to residents of the area."Dancing is a great form of exercise and you have fun while doing it," he says.Kraeutler said that all are welcome at PADA's dance events, even if they don't know how to dance."We have a professional instructor present to give a lesson for beginners. And the more experienced dancers are very helpful to newbies. Besides, the idea is to raise money for some very worthy organizations, while having some fun," says Kraeutler.The VNA/Hospice of Monroe County was formed 50 years ago. It is a not-for-profit agency that is supported by the community, and provides hospice service in people's homes and at Hospice House.Hospice House offers private rooms with overnight accommodations for a family member within the room. It provides an ambience of peace and tranquility with care provided by highly trained professionals. Over 1,000 Monroe County residents were provided with service at Hospice House in its first five years."The idea for this event is wonderful. People can come out and have a wonderful time and we can talk about hospice. We're greatly appreciative for PADA's support. We couldn't do what we do without folks like Kurt and PADA," says Teri Gaglione, ACSW, LSW, hospice support service supervisor of VNA/Hospice.For more information on PADA's dance events, or how to help, call (570) 580-0563 or visit

www.padance.org.