By GABRIELLE MARTIN, Staff Reporter.
“Making the Delta difference” is something that every student, faculty member and professor of Delta College has heard. The creator of that phrase, Terry Rock, retired from Delta after 40 years as the Director of Marketing and Public Information and other business faculty positions. However, Rock isn’t done making a difference in the community.
As the age of 65, Rock is the oldest competitor in this year’s season of “Swingshift and the Stars.” The event is a dance-off for charity, pairing a local “star” with an instructor. The duo is then paired with a local charity.
Here’s how it works: Each duo dances a different ballroom style dance. They are judged on their technique and overall look, among other things. Attendees cast their vote for their favorite pair or charity with a donation of at least $5. In addition to the charity getting that money, the couple with the highest score receives $1,000 for their charity and the couple who wins the audience vote receives a minimum of $500 to go toward their charity.
“The event is so unique because it brings so much fun into fundraising,” says Leslie Perry, a judge for this season. “As a judge, I feel that I have the best seat in the house.”
The charity that Rock and his instructor, Megan MacIntosh, are dancing for is Hidden Harvest. Hidden Harvest collects surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, and other health department-certified sources and delivers it to over 150 agencies working to feed the needy in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
Rock volunteers at a food pantry that Hidden Harvest helps support and is Vice Chairman at Hidden Harvest. “Hidden Harvest gave us over $111,000 worth of food products last year. Our food pantry couldn’t operate without Hidden Harvest,” says Rock.
“Rock volunteered to be Hidden Harvest’s star this year,” says Rob Clark, who also serves on the board for Hidden Harvest.
“He’s been so nervous for weeks leading up to this,” says Clark. “He’s been working like 8 hours per week on this for the past few weeks.” Clark was present at the event holding a “We Will Rock You” sign in support of Rock.
At the first event of the Swingshift season on Feb. 13, Rock and MacIntosh danced the swing dance. After taking the stage, Rock said he had been very nervous.
“I’m quivering. My body is an earthquake.”
“I’m just proud of him! He took on something that was bigger than him,” says MacIntosh.
While Rock and MacIntosh did not win the judges’ score or the most audience votes, they did come in third place out of the six couples dancing for the amount raised for their charity, $2,211.
“We’re feeding the needy and it’s very dear to my heart,” says Rock.
