One Book, One Community 2012 sponsored by Campbell County Public Library System (CCPLS) is coming to a close. The Wine Festival & Character Auction, co-hosted by The Library Foundation and Pearls of the Prairie, is the final event and is Friday, October 26 at 6 p.m. at the Clarion Inn. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased at the libraries in Gillette and Wright or by contacting City Hall.
The county-wide book club began in August when CCPLS began to pass out read-it-forward copies of “The Dark Horse” by Wyoming author Craig Johnson. Since then, 300 books have been distributed across Campbell County, 150 people attended the One Book kickoff featuring Craig Johnson, and hosts of county residents have attended formal and informal discussions of “The Dark Horse.”
“It’s been fun to see the excitement generated by Craig Johnson and his stories,” said CCPLS Director Patty Myers. “Craig has become a Wyoming celebrity with the publishing of his eighth Longmire mystery and the advent of the A&E television series “Longmire.” The most refreshing thing about Craig becoming such a celebrity is that he continues to be just a great guy. He still charges Wyoming libraries a mere six-pack of Rainier beer to come and speak. How cool is that?”
The final One Book event especially shows the generosity of this Wyoming author. The Wine Festival will feature its usual array of wines to sample and silent auction items to bid on but a live auction will be added to the mix that will end with a Character Auction hosted by Craig Johnson. Johnson will auction off a name in a future Longmire mystery with the proceeds benefitting The Library Foundation Endowment Challenge Fund. Highest bid chooses a character name. The bonus is that the amount the character name is auctioned for will be doubled as part of the Wyoming Libraries Endowment Challenge through the state legislature!
“If you win, will you live or die? Will you be a hero or a thug? Craig tells us that when he’s been a part of character auctions in the past, the winner usually chooses to be a thug. He guesses it’s the one opportunity to be a bad guy and not get in trouble for it!” says Myers.
Proceeds for the Wine Festival will also benefit local artists, art programs and scholarships through the local non-profit organization Pearls of the Prairie. Pearls was formed with a vision in mind: recognize local artists and patrons of the arts for their work in the Powder River Basin. Pearls of the Prairie annually nominates individuals and groups for the prestigious Governor’s Arts Award and presents nominees with a local award.
Support your libraries and local artists by attending The Wine Festival & Character Auction. For more information and to purchase tickets contact your libraries in Gillette (682-3223) or Wright (464-0500) or City Hall (686-5203).