Photos courtesy Seeds of Learning
By Danyelle Leentjes | Seeds of Learning
The six stars of Dancing with the Pagosa Stars are preparing for the sixth annual dance competition to support Seeds of Learning.
These stars have been matched with a dance coach who will lead them through the process to win the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy.
Let’s get to know the women of the 2023 Dancing with the Pagosa Stars.
Sherry Phillips
After a diagnosis of cancer, with a poor prognosis, Sherry Phillips moved to the Florida Keys, where she pursued her passion of scuba diving while living the island life for more than 40 years and never looking back. She was a licensed massage therapist and helped her husband, Les Faust, run a crane service for many years, until the last hurricane persuaded them to become full-time Pagosa residents.
Sherry is very involved in the arts in Pagosa Springs and is a co-founder of the Pagosa Springs Arts Council, sits on the town’s public art committee, is the current secretary of the Archuleta Committee of the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado and is the co-owner of the local theater. She also makes time for hiking with her husband and her goofy Lab, Tula.
Never having children of her own, she believes that children need to have a spirit of confidence. Seeds of Learning cultures this and gives them the best opportunities to shine and fulfill their best lives.
Becky Deitemeyer
Becky and her husband Eric moved to Pagosa in 2000 from Winter Park, Colo., and Moab, Utah, where they both worked seasonally in the ski industry and as river guides. Wanting to settle down a little and grow some roots in town, Becky started a very popular restaurant in 2005 in Pagosa Springs that is still in existence today and successfully ran it until the fall of 2022.
As a working mother of two (Milo, now 15, and Veda, 12), she realized the importance of an early education. Both of her children attended Seeds of Learning throughout their early years before moving on to public schools. Seeds offered a high-quality learning experience with amazing and caring teachers. She feels grateful to be able to help give back by raising funds to keep Seeds available for all the children in the community.
Jessica Low
As a native of Pagosa Springs, I have traveled to many places throughout the world but have never found any place that feels more like home than Southwest Colorado. My mother, Shelley Low, and I opened our first realty office in Durango in 2016. We were excited to expand our footprint back into Pagosa Springs in the summer of 2020. Our physical presence gave us a better opportunity to give back to our clients and community.
Seeds of Learning is near and dear to my heart, as I’ve had family and friends that attended in the early days. My family has always been a big supporter of Seeds of Learning, and I am so excited to be a part of Dancing with the Pagosa Stars, allowing me and my office to give back to this amazing program. Our international home office is also willing to match a portion of the funds we raise.
Tickets and voting
Want to see the stars perform in person? Purchase a ticket online at 9 a.m. on July 13 from dwtps.org. All tickets include votes for your favorite star, a buffet dinner served by our fine dining restaurant, a sensational show which is sure to entertain, and open dancing is back this year with the Tim Sullivan Band playing during voting.
But why wait until the event to vote when you can do it today? Visit vote.dwtps.org to vote for your favorite stars. Each $1 vote moves a star closer to winning the fabulous trophy and bragging rights for the next year. You can vote for as many stars as you would like as many times as you want. But, more importantly, all the proceeds go to sustaining Seeds of Learning’s tuition mission to provide affordable, high-quality early childhood education in Pagosa Springs.
Seeds of Learning is a non-profit standalone preschool serving approximately 58 preschoolers year-round, ages 2.5 to 5 years old. The critical proceeds from this event are what make it possible for most of the children at Seeds to attend.
