By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

American Idol and Dancing with the Stars – Shelby County style – are coming to town!

Randy Jackson (Mayor Theo Perkins), Jennifer Lopez (Jennifer Nesbitt) and Elton John (Jeff Wood) will be judging the county’s finest talent with Ryan Seacrest (Dr. Stancil Handley) handling duties as emcee.

The hilarious event is the kickoff of the South Shelby County Chamber SEC Tailgate Party and Silent Auction to be held at the Magnolia Meadows Clubhouse in Columbiana on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 5:30 p.m. This fun night is sponsored by the Coosa Valley Medical Center and the Community Education Center and is free to the public. Come dressed in your best SEC attire!

The auction and party committee are Linda Cook, chair (Busy Hands); Nesbitt (Coosa Valley Medical Center); Kevin Morris, Laurie Edwards and Donna Gannon (M&F Bank); Freda York (Realty South); Faye McQuire and Linda Pearce (Frontier Bank); Sarah Jo Richards (Down South Realty); Andrew Brown (Brown Lumber); Handley (Optometrist); Mary Strehle (Victory GMC); Jeanne Smith (Smith Chiropractic); Peggy Wood; and Stacy Walkup (SSCC).

The silent auction Thursday night will have many goodies to bid on, and every dollar you spend will go to a scholarship for a Shelby County student. Among the many silent auction donors are: Alota Scents; Anytime Fitness; Arc of SC; Back at Granny’s; Barn Brat; Bernie’s on Main; Bo Jangles; Bonnie Atchison; Buzz-N-Cuts; Candlewood Suites; Cracker Barrel; Deborah’s Barber and Style; Donald Real Estate; Peggy Wood; Shelby County Museum and Archives; The Chunky Money and much more.

On Friday, Sept. 16, the SSCC Jeff Falkner Memorial Golf Tournament will begin at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at the Magnolia Meadows Golf Course.

Shelby County Baptist Medical Center is the title sponsor and Bryant Bank is the gold sponsor for the golf tournament. Texas Roadhouse will furnish the golfers’ lunch and the Shelby County Reporter will provide the beverages. The golf tournament committee is Evan Major, chair (Ret. Board of Education Superintendant); Tim Wilson (Magnolia Meadows), Linda Wren (AT&T) and Matthew Allen (Shelby County Reporter).

This annual event is the primary fundraiser for the South Chamber’s Scholarship Fund which provides scholarships each year to deserving students at Chelsea High School, Coosa Valley Academy, Cornerstone Christian School, Shelby County School of Technology, Shelby County High School and Vincent High School. All proceeds from the auction and golf tournament go to scholarships!

For more information, contact Walkup at 669-9075.

Phoebe Donald Robinson can be reached by email at phoeberobinson@bellsouth.net.