AACC’s SODA club hosts talent show

Tony Petro, Club News Editor

An AACC psychology professor’s service dog stole the show during the talent show Wednesday hosted by the Students Out to Destroy Assumptions club.

Milo, Professor Denise Portis’s service dog, showcased his abilities for the audience. Portis dropped groceries and her cane and other objects, all of which Milo picked up and returned to his master with gentle ease.

Portis told the audience she suffers from an autoimmune disease that took away her hearing and left her with intense vertigo almost all the time. She also told us she is unable to grip and hold on to things, “Milo is here to help me with that.”

Portis and Milo stole the show, but other members of SODA brought cheers and laughter to the audience as well.

SODA President Daniel Jacobs and Vice President Mike Lewandowski shared funny stories and told jokes. Lewandowski also dressed up like Godzilla and rode a minuature bicycle in circles.

Other members sang and danced from singing Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” to Huntchbacks “God Help the Outcast”. Which singer Portia Norkaitis, says that it is an especially special song that she has always loved and felt connected to.

Claire Purvis, treasurer of SODA, even juggled. “If I drop the ball, you can cheer too,“ She said.

After Purvis’s juggling routine, Lewandowski said, “Claire would have juggled flaming objects and chainsaws, but they wouldn’t allow it.”Kelly Sweeny, faculty advisor for SODA and MC of the talent show introduced each act and read off the winners of the 50/50 raffle and the silent auction items.

SODA received donations for the raffle and auction from AACC’s Ceramics Club, Art Things Inc., Franklin’s Toys, AACC’s Center on Aging, The Claybakers, Subway and Mission BBQ.

To end the show, Sweeny gave a heartfelt goodbye to the members or SODA who are graduating from AACC.

“A lot of SODA club are leaving us soon and its breaking my heart because they’re all superheroes and I love them all.”

About 20 students attended the event and all seemed to enjoy and engage in the show.

“I just really wish there was a club like this when I attended AACC,” performer Laura Baer said after the show. “It’s good for people to know they are not alone.”