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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The current pandemic may have altered the plans for the third annual NEPA Sings fundraiser, but the excitement and the talent of 10-finalists was very much present at the Westmoreland Club, site of the finals Thursday evening.
				The NEPA Sings finals, sponsored by CASA of Luzerne County, got off to a great start earlier this year when auditions were held in February when over 50 contestants were vying for the title. As the field was narrowed down to the final 10, each contestant sang at a socially distanced event at The Think Tank in Wilkes-Barre on July 23.
				The 10 performances were taped and played online on a YouTube channel for the first time Thursday evening. All contestants sang their chosen song before the winner was announced at the end of the broadcast.
				Ben Yates of Wyoming &mdash; by way of London, England &mdash; took home first prize of an eight-day/seven-night vacation for six to either Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head, South Carolina sponsored by Sundance Vacations.
				Yates performed an Ed Sheeran song, &ldquo;Castle on the Hill.&rdquo;
				Second place winner for the second year in a row was Marina Rinkunas, 17, from Clarks Summit. Rinkunas chose the song Breathe from the musical &ldquo;In the Heights.&rdquo; She takes home a trip to a future Broadway show.
				CASA seeks to provide a qualified and compassionate volunteer advocate to every abused and neglected child in Luzerne County to ensure their right to a safe, nurturing, and permanent home is met.
				Moving forward with the event did not hamper the fundraising efforts of reaching CASA&rsquo;s goal from the event.
				Prior to the start of the evening, John Aciukewicz, CASA executive director, admitted to being &ldquo;a little nervous&rdquo; with the adjusted fundraising format but was happy to get the finals launched &mdash; reaching a different group of people and a wider audience in raising awareness of what programs CASA has to offer.
				&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve reached our goal and exceeded our goal, $20,000,&rdquo; Aciukewicz said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re very, very pleased with the support we&rsquo;ve had not only from our existing sponsors but also from the new sponsors that joined us.&rdquo;
				Rounding out the top 10 were Abbigail Schultz, 17 of Swoyersville; Audrey Wood, 24 of White Haven; Britney Cheskiewicz, 18 of Wyoming; Gabriella Randazzo, 16 of Dallas; Hannah Danielowski, 16 of Archbald; Hannah Draus, 17 of White Haven; Ijahnae Giddings, 16 of Philadelphia; and John Toussaint, 18 of Dallas.
				In a separate presentation, Aciukewicz acknowledged and presented the 2020 Service Achievement Award to Chris and Ramah Hackett.
				NEPA Sings finals was hosted by Dave Kuharchik and judged by Froggy 101&rsquo;s Doc Medek, and performers Michelle Reilly, Lauren Timek and Lorenzo Medico.

NEPA Sings crowns a king