Jennifer Mearns quips that she's going to win the Children's Law Center's Dancing with the Stars competition because she's going to embarrass herself the most.

"We selected (a dance) that's a little out there," Mearns says in a YouTube video promoting the May 30 event. "I'm going to embarrass myself for the good of the kids."

Mearns, who has her own executive recruiting business, is the wife of Northern Kentucky University President Geoff Mearns. She's one of eight Tristate residents who aren't afraid to show off their dancing skills, or, in some cases, the lack of them, for a good cause.

Through the "Dancing With The CLC Stars" competition, sponsorships, and online votes, the local celebrities hope to create a new signature event for a spring fund raiser, said John Vissman, the Children's Law Center's development director. The Covington-based organization also has an office in Lexington, Ky., and has attorneys in two Ohio cities: Columbus and Cleveland. The United Way agency partner provides legal representation to children who can't afford it and helps raise awareness of children's rights issues.

Besides Mearns, other dancing contestants include Kim Tandy, an attorney and executive director of the Children's Law Center; Helen Carroll, manager of community relations for Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North American headquarters; Charlie Pangburn III, senior vice president and general counsel for UC Health; Lynda Jackson, superintendent of Covington Independent Public Schools; Mike Wong, founder and owner of Oriental Wok restaurants; attorney Marcus E. Coleman and Anthony E. "Tony" Chavez, professor at NKU's Salmon P. Chase College of Law.

Like Mearns, Jackson isn't afraid to try something new.

"Josh Crabtree (the managing attorney for the Children's Law Center) asked me if I would do this, and it intrigued me," Jackson said in a YouTube video. "I thought it would be fun."

The Children's Law Center got the idea for the dancing fund raiser from Crabtree, who'd taken lessons at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Blue Ash. Besides providing professional partners for the celebrity dancers, the studio is providing 12 free dance lessons to each contestant and will offer additional lessons at a discounted rate, if the celebrities feel the need for more instruction.

Tandy, who's currently leading in the "Dancing With the CLC Stars" online votes, is quick to acknowledge that she's not a professional, but she says "somebody had to do it...so I stepped up."

"I think we all have a little bit of that Dancing With the Stars fantasy," Tandy said. Along with raising money for a worthwhile cause, she says she hopes to increase awareness of the Children's Law Center and its mission.

"I think we have a good mix of dancers," Tandy said. "We wanted that so that we could bring in a diverse audience. We wanted to bring in more people who don't know much about the Children's Law Center. Part of the purpose of this event is spreading the message about what we do."

Those who can't make the May 30 competition can still help by purchasing sponsorships or by "voting early and often" online for their favorite celebrity dancer.

"We'll also be passing around the hat after each dance," Tandy said. "So if you really like someone's dance, you can reward them accordingly."

Desiree Mainous, who owns the Blue Ash Arthur Murray Dance Studio with her husband, Jeremy, says their studio "is grateful to be a part of this," and has already taken part in similar events for several other Tristate nonprofits. As with the others, contestants in "Dancing With the CLC Stars" can choose their own dance, song and costume. Dance styles will range from Latin to swing to ballroom.

As a country music fan, Jackson says she's enjoyed learning the Texas two-step and picking up line dancing techniques.

Like her fellow contestants, she says it's not about winning but achieving her personal best.

"I've never had a professional dance lesson in my life," Jackson says in her YouTube video. "The last time I danced was at the prom in 1978."

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Information from: The Kentucky Enquirer, http://www.nky.com