The Cornell Gunter Coasters turned the sixth annual fundraiser for the Tyrone-Snyder Township Public Library into one big party Saturday night at the Tyrone Area High School auditorium.
For well over an hour, The Coasters had everyone singing along, up out of their seats and dancing in the aisles as well as on stage as they delivered a truly dynamic performance for the Tyrone-Snyder Township Public Library.
The JiveBombers, Sarah Wilson, Vanessa Campagna and the stand up comic antics of Barry St. Ives joined The Coasters.
“This was just an outstanding program,” Morris Levine was heard saying afterward. These were the same sentiments from hundreds of people as they filed out of the high school auditorium. Many of the attendees stayed in the auditorium lobby afterwards to visit with all of the performers, receive autographs, get pictures and purchase signed copies of CDs.
“Just fantastic! Absolutely fantastic!” That’s what concert organizer and library concert chairman Chuck Banas said afterwards as to how he was feeling about this year’s show. “I always worry that people will not be as happy as they were the year before, but each year I have a score of people telling me that this year was even better than last year. I sometimes sit back and scratch my head because I am thinking all the while how we are going to come close to the success of the previous year.”
Those feelings were echoed by many in attendance, as the buzz in the auditorium and the parking area afterwards was nothing but rave reviews for this year’s concert.
“It is just so great for the library,” Banas continued. “These concerts are what help to keep the library going. Everyone that purchased tickets for the show should feel very good about supporting such a great educational and recreational cause as the Tyrone-Snyder Public Library.”
When asked about the milestone that the library was hoping to reach with this year’s concert, Banas was quick to respond.
“We did it. We reached the milestone and ran right on by that total. We had set a target of $100,000 back five years ago. That night at the board meeting I thought oh my, bake sales and book markers, this is going to be tough. Now to pass the $50,000 figure is so very gratifying.”
At the end of the concert on Saturday evening, co-hosts Walt Maddox and Chuck Banas announced to the crowd that with the totals in for this year’s concert, the library was now well over $53,000 in marching towards that $100,000 total. In addition, Banas indicated that there have been over five thousand people who have now attended the six concerts produced by the library.
When asked on Wednesday morning if he had any thoughts for next year’s concert, Banas grinned and would only say, “We already have the show. Now I need to contact the school and get the date.”
A big well done is in order for Chuck Banas and the Tyrone Snyder Township Public Library. Once again they have delivered a first class event to the community. Those in attendance won and so did the Tyrone-Snyder Township Public Library.
