Join your Library’s biggest book club! Tickets to the 2020 event on sale now.
Charlotte, NC – July 15, 2020 – The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation announces a new, digital format for its seventh annual Verse & Vino fundraiser scheduled for November 5, 2020. The annual fundraising dinner is a joyous celebration of libraries featuring five New York Times best-selling authors and a community of readers, writers and Library supporters. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the planning committee will transform Verse & Vino 2020 into a highly produced 90-minute online event, broadcast over a secure website. Guests can enjoy the program from the comfort and safety of their homes or location of their choice, where they can host small gatherings with clients, book clubs, friends and family – complete with hand-delivered date night dinners, party packages and autographed book bundles. Tickets and packages are available now at foundation.cmlibrary.org/verseandvino or by calling 704-416-0800.
“We’re excited and hope the community will be too. We’ve retained the elements that make Verse & Vino what it is – the authors, the festive atmosphere, the community – but we’ve added interactivity and bonus features only possible in a digital format,” says Jenni Gaisbauer Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation executive director. “We’re working with radio personality and emcee Sheri Lynch, Todd Murphy Events, and a team of national experts in streaming media to completely reimagine the event. This is an opportunity to show our innovation and make this year’s Verse & Vino a memorable celebration of libraries and literacy.” Last year’s event, which marked the start of the Library Foundation’s ongoing CommonSpark campaign, boasted a record 1350 attendees at the Charlotte Convention Center, and netted close to $350,000 for the Library.
Longtime sponsor PNC Bank is fully supportive of the new platform. “As the presenting sponsor of Verse & Vino since its inception, PNC Bank is proud to support this rich literary tradition and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation. As Verse & Vino takes on a new virtual format for 2020, we look forward to sharing in this celebration of reading and writing – pastimes that have provided enrichment for so many of us in recent months – with renewed appreciation for authors, books, libraries and our community,” says Weston Andress, PNC Bank Western Carolinas regional president.
In addition to presenting sponsor PNC Bank, Verse & Vino is made possible with the generous support of first edition sponsors Bank of America and Southminster, wine sponsor McShane Partners, party box sponsor Lowe’s Companies, Inc and many other corporations, foundations and individuals.
More information about Verse & Vino is available at foundation.cmlibrary.org.
About Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation exists to help the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library improve lives and build a stronger community. Created as a non-profit 501(c)(3) in September 2012 in partnership with Foundation For The Carolinas and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, the Foundation supports Library services, expands the Library’s collection of print and digital materials, enhances programming for all ages, invests in innovative initiatives and strives to grow its endowment for future generations. For more, visit foundation.cmlibrary.org.
About The CommonSpark
The CommonSpark is a public-private partnership to infuse $135 million into improving lives and building a stronger community. The campaign addresses an integrated set of needs: construction of a new Main Library; renovation of a Support Services Center; technology, innovation and programming throughout Charlotte Mecklenburg Library; an endowment for the future and annual Library operating support. For more, visit foundation.cmlibrary.org/commonspark
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Media Contact: Melanie Baron
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation
(704) 416-0804
Email: mbaron@cmlibrary.org
