Hello —

As another summer approaches, I find myself reminiscing about seasons past when I played competitive softball. It was the center of not just my world, but my parent’s as well. We would spend an entire day at the park, my dad pacing back and forth behind the cage when I was up to bat, cheering me on. “You got this, Jenner.”

It’s America’s (and the Gaisbauer family’s) favorite pastime for a reason. I have such vivid memories of those summers: the sound of my cleats on the pavement between games, the smell of real ballpark franks, the heat leaving its imprint on my bright red nose and cheeks.

For my parents, their social circle was made up of other parents dedicated to their child’s athletic aspirations, a common thread weaving together a community that became a lot more than just softball.

So, why do I bring this up? Because we are featuring New York Times bestselling author and sportswriter extraordinaire Joe Posnanski at our upcoming Around the World in 21 Branches special event at SouthPark Regional Library on June 2 called The Book of You. He will be sharing a lot of (literal) inside baseball including stories from his latest book Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments.

Join us for Joe (in conversation with amazing local author and Library trustee Kimmery Martin) and stay for the summer cocktails and charcuterie, pickleball games, relaxation station courtesy of Mood House, and, of course, our sponsor Lowe’s will be on site and knows how to do summer right. Tickets are on sale now.

Now when my dad babysits my daughter, he’ll pick her up and say “look at those strong legs! She’s going to be a great softball player.” I am looking forward to making new moments with my daughter at the ballpark … and the Library.

Warmly,

Jenni Gaisbauer, CFRE
Executive Director

P.S. If you’re “keeping score” you may have noticed that there’s not an Around the World event at the Myers Park Library location. We’ve combined our two “Parks” together for one big, exciting event hosted at SouthPark Regional Library with activities and food catered to adults. Hope to see you there!