9/12/09 UPDATE: THANKS TO YOU, MY FRIENDS AND FANS, I'VE RAISED OVER $100 between online and in-person cash donations! But don't stop here! We still have to hit our Atlanta Shimmyathon 2009 goal of $20,000! PLEASE CLICK BELOW TO DONATE! Many thanks to everyone who donated so far: Bobby, Debra C., Elaine M., Karen S., Judy M., Rosemary (Mom), Yvonne, Mary R., and Benny!

Hello friends and fans! I am thrilled to participate in Shimmyathon 2009 to help raise funds and awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF)!

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease affecting approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. A defective gene causes the body to produce an abnormally thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections. According to the CF Foundation's National Patient Registry, the median age of survival for a person with CF is only 36 years... and due in large part to the CFF's efforts, this is a huge improvement over previous survival rates. I have personally seen the effects of this terrible disease on one of my former students. This is one of the reasons why I feel compelled to do as much as I can to support the mission of the CFF. Since our original founding under our previous troupe leaders, my dance troupe had always been a part of Shimmyathon Atlanta. Some of us have been dancing together for many years and even though we're not dancing in the same troupe now, we plan to continue together upholding this tradition of leadership and social responsibility in the dance world. (Yes, that's me and half of my previous dance troupe in one of the front page photos for shimmyathon.com this year)

Last year, over 40 dancers came together at Shimmyathon Atlanta and raised about 20,000 dollars. This year we are working to surpass that amount! Thanks to generous community donations and support for this project, 100% of your sponsorship donation will go directly to the CFF to work for a cure and to help treat those who are suffering from this terrible disease. The CFF is a non-profit organization and over 90 cents of every dollar goes directly to help treat and find a cure for CF.

To make a donation online, just click the link below marked "Click Here"! To learn more about this disease, the event or to participate with me or buy tickets to the show, please check out the web site: www.shimmyathon.com Or call or email me directly to sponsor me or buy show tickets.

Thanks again for sponsoring me in the Shimmyathon Atlanta!

<3 Bela Z.