Contestants will compete for grand prize during the 2010 Seniors Expo

Who will be our next hometown celebrity? It could very well be one of the talented people competing in the first annual 50+ Strut Your Stuff Talent Contest. Ten gifted contestants have won a coveted spot in the final competition to be held on stage at the 10th annual Seniors Expo. Each hopes to walk away with the first prize trip for two to Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino.

“The caliber of talent during the preliminary auditions was absolutely phenomenal!” comments Robin Kocina, president of Mid-America Events & Expos (www.101expos.com). “We encourage everyone in the community to come cheer for their favorite contestants during the finals. I guarantee that you won’t want to miss this remarkable show!”

All 10 contestants have reached their 50th birthday and are amateur performers. The first place winner will receive a grand prize trip for two to Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nevada including three to four nights stay at the resort, air travel on Sun Country Airlines, grand transportation and luggage assistance.

In addition, all contest finalists will experience the excitement of participating in a live, in-studio interview on KLBB radio. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for these talented contestants!

The final 50+ Strut Your Stuff Talent Contest will take place Wednesday, October 6th on the Little Crow Room stage within the Seniors Expo at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. Contestants will be evaluated on talent, creativity, enthusiasm and appearance. Special guest celebrity judges will be award-winning TV producer and personality Barry ZeVan, Red Wing Mayor John Howe, and Century College Director of Marketing Mark Vukelich. In addition, the final contest will feature the popular Sinatra song stylings of silver-haired emcee Bill Rasmussen, a venerable crowd favorite.

Contestants hoping to walk away with first prize will include:

• Mary Lou Phipps, Bloomington

• Melodee Bahr, Rochester

• Shirley Lockwood Larson, Bloomington

• Elizabeth Modec, Anoka

• Ellen Janski, Sauk Rapids

• Liz Johnson, Minneapolis

• Marie Grundberg, Stanchfield

• Cynthia Shield, North Oaks

• John Ward, Columbia Heights

• Donna Donlin, St. Paul

Benefiting underserved women and their families touched by breast cancer.

Mid-America Events & Expos, producers of the Seniors Expo, is donating 50 percent of all ticket sales from its 2010 expos to Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, which will also be given a booth at each show.

Visit www.101expos.com to Shop at the Show before you go. Admission is $3 with the half price coupon available at www.101expos.com, and free to kids 17 and under when accompanied by an adult. More information is on the expo hotline: 612-798-7256.

This year’s Seniors Expo is made possible in part by Humana, Century College Good Age, Best of Times, 5 Eyewitness News, Channel 45, KLBB, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, The COPD Foundation and CoroWise™ Brand Naturally Sourced Cholesterol Reducer.

Media Note: For additional information, or to schedule an interview, contact Media Relations, Inc. at 612-798-7220.

50+ Strut Your Stuff Judge Biographies

John Howe, Mayor, Red Wing

Mayor John Howe and his wife Lisa have three children. John is a Reverse Mortgage Consultant with Wells Fargo Bank. In the past, John has owned the local Sears store, was Chairman of the Sears Dealer Store Council in 2000 to 2005, was a Minnesota Department of Correction Caseworker in Red Wing and a Corrections Counselor in Saint Cloud and was a Sears District Loss Prevention Manager. John holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Saint Cloud State University and is practicum to finish his M.S. in Criminal Justice from Saint Cloud University. John is very active in the community and belongs to the following organizations: Red Wing Conservation Club, Red Wing Collectors Society, Izaak Walton League, YMCA, Police Officer Standards and Training, Minnesota State Fire Certification, Firefighter I & II (94-96), Federal Firefighter, S-130/S-190 Firefighter, Squad Boss and Crisis Intervention Institute-Hostage Negotiations.

Barry ZeVan

An award-winning television producer and talent, Barry ZeVan has been engaged in broadcasting, politics and the entertainment industry for almost 65 of his 71 years. He was formerly known as Barry Zevan the Weatherman on Channel 7 in Washington, D.C. in the 1970s, and later on Channel 11 in Minneapolis during the 1980s. Currently a consultant, he's worked for everyone from Howard Hughes to the Shah of Iran.

Mark Vukelich

Mark Vukelich possess over 25 years of experience in marketing, branding, advertising, public relations, media relations and government relations. Mark is going on his fifth year as director of marketing for Century College. In his spare time, Mark enjoys prison ministry and motorcycle riding. Mark is also a kidney transplant survivor and speaks to individuals and groups about the transplant experience.