First Posted: 3/2/2014

The Friends of the Back Mountain Memorial Library will host their 26th annual Luncheon with a Special Author at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 24 at the Appletree Terrace, Newberry Estate, Dallas. Guest speaker will be author Judie Fertig Panneton who grew up in Wyoming Valley.

Fertig Panneton was born in Kingston and is a child of immigrants who were Holocaust survivors. She is the author of two books, the latest – “Proud Americans: Growing Up As Children of Immigrants.” Her other book, also a collections of stories, is entitled “The Breast Cancer Book of Strength and Courage.”

Fertig Panneton is an award-winning journalist with experience as a print, TV and radio reporter. She also teaches classes about The Changing Face of America, public speaking, media interaction, writing for publication and for creative expression. She lives in Sacramento, Calif., with her husband John, and has two daughters and two grandsons.

The event will begin with a time for hospitality at 11 a.m. This year’s menu will be a buffet luncheon, including an appetizer table, an entrée table with a wide variety of meats and vegetables, quiche, assorted salads, breads and muffins, and will be topped off with a dessert bar featuring cheese crepes with strawberry topping and assorted mini pastries.

Cost is $27 with proceeds to benefit the library. Tables of eight are encouraged and may be reserved. Checks should be made payable to the Back Mountain Memorial Library and received at the library at 96 Huntsville Road, Dallas, PA 18612 by April 18. Invitations will be mailed to previous attendees. Additional reservation forms will be available at the library in mid-March.