Godfrey's Dance Fundraiser to Support Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
William M. BeDell ARC’s 45th annual dance fundraiser combines community support with a night out at the McNicholas Club. Read more about the Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, event and the people its proceeds will help serve.
ARC’s 45th Annual Dance Fundraiser Supports Transportation for People with Disabilities
GODFREY/WOOD RIVER - William M. BeDell Achievement Resource Center (ARC) will host their 45th annual dance fundraiser this weekend.
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From 6–10 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, community members can come by the McNicholas Club at 1713 Stamper Lane in Godfrey for the dance. Tickets cost $25 per person and there will be plenty of raffles, free beer and soda, a cash bar, and a catered meal by Heaterz Chicken. Attendees are invited to bring a dish to share and enjoy a night of dancing for a good cause.
“We get a lot of community support. It’s one of the beautiful things about our agency,” said Executive Director Chad Rollins. “We’re very appreciative, and it’s a wonderful thing. But any more community support is very helpful.”
Located in Wood River, William M. BeDell ARC serves children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families. They have a school, a community day service, and a residential program. Rollins said they serve approximately 500 people every month.
The organization was started in the 1950s by local parents who wanted better programs for their children. Today, William M. BeDell ARC is one of the leading nonprofits in the area serving people with intellectual disabilities.
“Most not-for-profits start in that area, when you’re talking about intellectually disabled individuals — they developed, at that time, as a whole bunch of parents getting together to support their children and their needs and their services,” Rollins explained. “It’s really about what that individual needs. It’s working with that individual and their family.”
The dance fundraiser will raise money for the organization. Specifically, they are hoping to raise enough money to purchase a new 15-passenger van, which the nonprofit uses to transport its clients.
Rollins noted that these vans cost about $60,000, or $85,000 with a wheelchair lift, and require a lot of maintenance. The organization tries to put two new vans on the road every year.
All of the work done by William M. BeDell ARC is helped by donations, and Rollins believes the dance fundraiser on Nov. 7 will be an especially fun chance to donate. He promises it’s “just a fun community event” for people from across the region to enjoy.
Click here to purchase your tickets, or visit the official William M. BeDell ARC website for more information about their work. Rollins added that it’s been an exciting journey so far, and he can’t wait to continue serving individuals and families for years to come.
“We’ve watched people grow from 3 years of age to 60. They’ve been in our service the whole time. It’s a really wild experience, that journey and watching that person. We can walk with them throughout their whole lifespan,” he said. ““It is about family. It’s a heck of a relationship. It’s wonderful. It’s a beautiful experience.”
This featured article is sponsored by William M. BeDell ARC. To get your business or organization featured on www.RiverBender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
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