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An event with heart

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Start your wagers: NASCAR data deal could lead to more bets

<p>From the storied aisles at the Osterhout Free Library to the energized atmosphere of the F.M. Kirby Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre, this week was all sorts of busy.</p><p>I was thrilled to be invited to the Osterhout on Tuesday evening for the pre-gala Sips Among the Stacks event inside the library. It&#8217;s held in advance of the annual gala, which this year is called the Santorini Soiree and will be held Friday, Sept. 13 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>Entertainment, food and drinks will invoke the mood and tastes of the Greek island of Santorini &#8211; a spot I traveled to last summer with several close friends. I loved the beautiful seascape and pastel-colored buildings, so I imagine the gala will be just as picturesque.</p><p>Actually, I have no doubt it will be because it&#8217;s being chaired by the always classy and stylish Molly Hoegen of Kingston. She and her committee of more than 20 have been working diligently to achieve its goal of raising $85,000 for the library &#8211; a true treasure in downtown Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>Kudos to my colleague Jill Andes-Dudick for being part of this committee and such a special cause.</p><p>To attend or support the gala, contact Christopher Kelly at 570-823-0156 x218 or ckelly@luzernelibraries.org.</p><p>Proceeds support the library&#8217;s mission of providing free books, DVDs, CDs and educational programs to residents of Wilkes-Barre and nearby communities.</p><p>Our Times Leader crew also made it to Kirby Fest last Saturday &#8211; a wonderful gathering of food vendors, wineries, breweries, artists and musicians who gathered at the F.M. Kirby Center for a night of support.</p><p>The third annual evening flew by, and I got to check out some of the latest art pieces my buddies Alan McLaughlin (Instagram: @shape_herder) and Jordan Semar (Instagram: @jordansemar) have been working on. Some of their work can be viewed at once at @jamsartstudio. I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ll be as impressed with their cool street art and celebrity acrylic drawings as I am.</p><p>Another charitable event that I just found out about is the Junior League of Wilkes-Barre&#8217;s upcoming Cornhole Tournament at III Guys in Edwardsville on May 19. My pals Colleen Logan, Jessica Skoloda Froham and others are organizing.</p><p>You can register a team for $40 or come just as an observer for $15.</p><p>The best part is you can choose to participate socially (not competitively) by selecting &#8220;social&#8221; when registering. But, by all means, if you&#8217;re the competing type, select that option.</p><p>There will be music on tap, too, from the likes of Aaron Fink, Adam McKinley and Tom Waskevich and his group, Butter N&#8217; Onions. To register, go online to www.nepacornhole.com and search &#8220;Junior League&#8221; under events.</p><p>In case you don&#8217;t know, the Junior League of Wilkes-Barre is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, the potential of women and building better communities.</p><p>I&#8217;m fortunate to know several of the women involved and see their love and passion for Northeastern Pennsylvania.</p><p>Speaking of women, make sure to check out our Distinctive Palate section in the paper today. It&#8217;s filled with great dining options for Mother&#8217;s Day, including many favorites of mine personally.</p><p>If you need a gift for Mom, I hear there&#8217;s a huge estate jewelry event happening Wednesday at Simon &amp; Co. Jewelers in Kingston.</p><p>I&#8217;ve known owner Emile Zafrany for some time now thanks to local networking groups and I&#8217;ve seen his work on display at many charitable events and in his store, so consider stopping by and taking a look.</p><p>And make sure to treat Mom to something special next weekend.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Mike McGinley</p><p>Around Town</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Mike McGinley is the Times Leader Media Group&#8217;s major accounts executive. Reach him at mmcginley@www.timesleader.com or 570-704-3945.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Around Town: A busy week and busy days ahead