Lexington Dancer To Co-Host Fundraiser For Puerto Rico Relief

LEXINGTON, MA — Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico two years ago and Lexington residents haven't forgotten. Lexington resident Trisha Pérez Kennealy is co-hosting a dance party and exhibition on Oct. 11 with SuperShag Dance Studio in Waltham to raise money for areas still recovering from the storms aftermath.

Kennealy grew up in Puerto Rico before settling in Lexington and owns the Inn at Hastings Park. She hopes the event will remind people that significant help is still needed outside of the San Juan area.

“Two years have passed and many houses in these hard-hit areas are still in need of repair,” said Trisha Pérez Kennealy. “Some homes still have blue tarps as roofs, others still have damaged windows and doors, while others are in need of mold remediation and paint. Many families still need household furniture and appliances to replace everything they lost during the hurricane. Fishermen in Aguadilla and Punta Santiago lost many of their traps and boats during the hurricane and are in desperate need of the fishing equipment necessary to sustain their livelihoods again.”

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the non-profit relief organization, Lexington Unites for Puerto Rico, which was established in response to the devastation of Hurricane Maria, a deadly Category 5 hurricane which decimated Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in September 2017. Lexington Unites for Puerto Rico continues to be at the forefront of providing direct assistance in the hard-hit areas of Aguadilla, Cabo Rojo and Punta Santiago. SuperShag’s world champions are eager to showcase their talents to help the people of Puerto Rico. The party will begin at 8:15 p.m. and feature dancing and demonstrations by the champions.

In November, SuperShag’s Pro/Am dancers will compete in Puerto Rico at the Caribbean Dancesport Classic, a five-day dance competition that attracts competitors from around the world. The owner of Supershag Dance Studios, Chris Johnston, and his team are excited about heading back to the San Juan event but are still concerned about the lingering effects of Hurricane Maria especially in those areas beyond San Juan. They have traveled around the island and seen first-hand the devastation but, more importantly, the resilience of those communities outside of the metropolitan area. It is this spirit of the Puerto Rican people in the face of adversity that has inspired SuperShag’s dancers to lend their support to hurricane relief efforts that have a direct impact on the communities that need it most.