Press Release –          

Belle Weather Salon: Laughter and Lunch with Celia Rivenbark

A Benefit for Bargain Box of Wilmington,

An Outreach Ministry of Church of the Servant, Episcopal

11:30am, Saturday, November 8, 2008

Lee Parish Hall, St. James Episcopal Church

25 South Third Street, Wilmington

Contact:  Kim Sincox, 251-5797 ext 3006; kimsincox@bellsouth.net

Belle Weather Salon: Laughter and Lunch with Celia Rivenbark, a benefit luncheon for Bargain Box of Wilmington, will be held at Lee Parish Hall, St. James Episcopal Church, 25 South Third Street, Wilmington, NC, on Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 11:30am.  Well-known Southern humorist and author Celia Rivenbark will entertain attendees. Ms. Rivenbark is an award-winning newspaper columnist and freelance journalist whose work has been compared to a cross between Erma Bombeck and Hunter S. Thompson. Celia's latest book, Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits (St. Martin’s Press, August 2008), will be available for sale and signing at the luncheon. Savvy fashionistas will enjoy an informal fashion show during lunch and a boutique featuring up-scale resale items from the Bargain Box. In lieu of tickets, guests will have the opportunity to contribute to Bargain Box at the end of the luncheon.  For invitations and information, please contact Kelly Barri at greenbarri@earthlink.net or 910-791-3034.

Celia Rivenbark has won national and state press awards and is the author of four humor collections: Bless Your Heart, Tramp (2000, reprinted in 2006), We're Just Like You, Only Prettier (2004), Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank (2006) and Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits, available August 19, 2008. She lives in Wilmington with her husband and daughter.  

Bargain Box of Wilmington is a unique resale shop located at 4213 Princess Place Drive, Wilmington. The charming boutique setting welcomes all shoppers, from those seeking high fashion at bargain prices and those in need of quality items at low cost. Working with over 64 charitable organizations, Bargain Box provides goods and services to those in need. Through the “Bargain Bucks” voucher program, clients of local community agencies can purchase items at no cost to them.  Annual distribution of proceeds from Bargain Box have provided grants to non-profit organizations of more than $23,000 and direct funding to Good Shepherd Ministries of $32,000.  Bargain Box is operated as a ministry of the Church of the Servant, Episcopal, with support from local Episcopal churches and the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina.  Bargain Box receives support from additional area churches and organizations as well.

Bargain Box store hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11am – 6pm and Saturday from 10am – 5pm.  Mondays are for donations only. More information may be found at www.bargainboxilm.org or by calling 910-362-0603,