• Editor's note: The official, online voting for Dancing with the Geneva Stars begins Jan. 3. Be sure to vote often, because your votes raise funds and help determine the winning dance team! In the meantime, you can get familiar with the couples by reading this series of profiles and warm up by voting in our unofficial Geneva Patch poll.

Art and Connie Wagner met in high school and started dating while in college and in nursing school. They got married in September of 1967 and on the actual night of their wedding, left to go to graduate school together at Penn State University. They have been married for 44 years and have been in Geneva since 1978.

They have lived in three different houses and have four children: Jeff, Mike, Joe and Tom.

• Jeff, 43, lives in Naperville and works as a sales executive for Symerize Corporation.
• Mike, 42, lives in Arvada, CO, and is a self-employed property manager and EMT in Arvada and Boulder.
• Joe, 38, lives in Plainfield and is an operations manager at Toyal Industries.
• Tom, 35, is a commercial and residential building inspector.

Art is an operations manager for Brandt Industries who loves mountain climbing,
hunting, fishing, golfing, camping with his grandchildren and dancing at night clubs.

Connie is a school nurse for District 304 who also likes to golf, loves gardening, walking, exercising (Zumba and Piloxing), Book Club, Bunco, dancing and grandchildren. Connie was active with her sons while they were in grade school and high school and was active with high school activities for 13 years. She has volunteered for various festivals and has been active in Sports Boosters and
chaired the Sports Boosters auction.

Art currently is involved with Knights of Columbus, and in the past was a part of Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Sports Boosters and the chain gang for football
games.

Art and Connie’s favorite thing to do in Geneva is to walk the streets and eat at the various restaurants. They appreciate the strong sense of community, the beauty of the downtown area, the friendliness of the people and all of the many community activities.

They came to Geneva as a result of a job opportunity and decided to make it their hometown because they fell in love with the town and the people.

Though the Wagners have never taken dance lessons, they do very much enjoy dancing. They like to listen to old-time rock 'n' roll, country, western and slow dance music. They have attended all of the previous Dancing with the Geneva Stars events, believe this is a fundraiser for a “very worthy” cause, and are excited to be participating this year.

This profile is courtesy of the Dancing With the Geneva Stars committee. The benefit helps the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission and the Geneva Academic Foundation. The 2012 competition will be held Feb. 4 at Eagle Brook Country Club.