Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena
Skating With Celebrities Part Of Ice Show div class=auth>By SCOTT KINDBERG

3/18/2007 - Excellence on Ice will return to the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena this spring, featuring a new time and a new concept.

Billed as ''America's Most Spectacular Community Ice Show,'' the annual event, which will be held twice on Saturday, May 5, will not only feature about 100 students of the Jamestown Skating Academy, but also three segments called, ''Skating with Jamestown's Celebrities.''

The ''celebrities'' are Kevin Carroll, Time Warner Cable 8 sports director; Tom McFall, Chautauqua County Youth Hockey Association coach and hockey school director; and Ian Morgan, a Jamestown High School student and Raiders Varsity hockey team member. They will be performing a skating routine along with a Skating Academy medal winning partner ala ''Dancing with the Stars.''

Carroll will be paired with Lindsay Erickson of Jamestown; McFall with instructor Meghan Howe of Conneaut, Ohio; and Morgan with Grand Island's Taylor Firth, a United States National competitor. Although there will be no judges, the ''winner'' of the ''pairs competition'' will be determined by audience vote. The ''couple" with the most votes — the audience will receive a ballot upon entering the arena — at the end of the two shows will be the winner.

''Skating with Celebrities was a huge hit on television last season,'' said Kirk Wyse, who is the co-director of the JSA with Lenel van den Berg. ''Programs like these have captured the attention of America and we want to capture the attention of the Jamestown community by presenting our own local version on ice.''

The votes will be counted carefully by Jamestown certified public accountant John Lloyd and the winner will be announced in the Sunday edition of The Post-Journal. Only the winners' vote total will be announced. The other couples will ''tie'' for second place. The winning celebrity will receive a check for $1,000 made out to the celebrity's pre-determined favorite charity.

''This is a contest for charity,'' Wyse said. ''Because our local celebrities have agreed to participate in the show, it's going to help bring in a new audience. Excellence on Ice would like to give back to the charity of their choice in recognition of their efforts.''

Excellence On Ice, now in its 10th year, is sponsored by Windstream Communication, WKSN, The Post-Journal, and The Warren Times Observer. Tickets are available beginning April 30. For more information, call 664-6609.

''This is our chance to use the skills we learned when we were with the Ice Capades and Holiday on Ice that are not used in competitive skating,'' Wyse said. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com