The Junior League of Williamsport's annual auction is just around the corner and attendees are sure to be pleased with the event's facelift.
"Gents and Gems," which, as evident by its name, will for the first time include men and is set for Nov. 13 at DiSalvo's, 341 E. Fourth St. A silent auction and cocktail hour will begin at 5:30 p.m., with a buffet-style dinner and dessert to follow. The live auction will start at 7:30.
"By moving the venue, we were able to invite more people," according to Valerie Trego, vice president of finance with Junior League. "So, it's larger and we were able to invite men, making it more of a social event."
According to Trego, the group hopes to raise between $12,500 to $13,000, topping last year's total of $8,500.
Hudock-Moyer Wealth Management has sponsored the auction this year, which allows for more money to go back to projects, such as the Junior League's Kid's First Friday and Cinderella's Closet, according to league president Amanda Carroll.
Money from the event also goes toward other projects like the Red Cross Bloodmobile, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank's Soup and a Bowl, Girls on the Run and United Way's Day of Caring.
"The annual auction is our major fundraiser of the year," Trego said. "It gives us the opportunity to sustain our projects throughout the year."
A Family Fun Night - "How are you peeling?" - for families with preschoolers, will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Kathryn Siegel Welch Children's Wing of the James V. Brown Library. Various activity stations will be set up to help preschoolers learn about good foods.
"It's an extra opportunity to volunteer with the community in place of a regularly scheduled business meeting," Carroll said.
The new event also helps encourage and support literacy and healthy eating habits, Trego said.
Cinderella's Closet, which this year had a turnout of about 139 young women, will be held for prom-age girls for the third year. The event ensures that each girl receives a dress, shoes and accessories for a small donation, while also providing self-esteem-boosting activities.
The second-half of the organization's mission is to promote education and voluntarism. Women may attend seminars with the Association of Junior League International. The local organization invites various speakers once a month, including groups like the Toastmasters and other guests who share insight on public speaking, budgeting and supporting a family while working.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Junior League's many contributions is its more than $3,000 worth of grants provided to various organizations last year.
"People come to us and it's our job to analyze the need in the community," Trego said. "This is the community that I grew up in and it gave me so much of my upbringing and this is my way of giving back to something that gave so much to me."
Carroll said it's important that her children see her not just as a mother concerned within her family, but also that she's concerned with the greater community.
Items for this year's silent auction include an hors d'oeuvres party for 40, an authentic Mexican dinner for 10, a long weekend in Eagles Mere and a jersey signed by Pittsburgh Steelers' Hines Ward. A raffle item, a 14-karat yellow gold amethyst pendant, was donated by Blair Brothers Goldsmith. Tickets will be available at the auction for $5 each. The winner does not need to be present to win.
"Blair Brothers has donated for several years," Trego said. "We're very thankful for their local support to Junior League."
Although all active Junior League members help out with the auction, committee members include Kate Miller, Cari Staron, Monica Larson, Kelly Alexander and Theresa Schultz and the sustaining adviser is Joyce Hershberger.
Attire for the evening is semi-formal and tickets are $40 per person or $75 per couple.
For more information, call Kate Miller at 320-2872.
