Ever notice how immediately after Halloween stores start putting out all of their Christmas decorations?

We go directly from skeletons and tombstones to Christmas trees and angels. (Poor Thanksgiving turkeys don’t even get a month of decorations to themselves.)

Anyway, this column is sort of the same concept. We’re not even done with Halloween, and I’m about to skip directly to Christmas — more specifically, the Magical Night of Giving at the Mall at Johnson City.

The Magical Night of Giving is basically shopping for a good cause. Local organizations sell tickets for $5 and shoppers get good deals, plus they’re entered to win big prizes. This year’s event is scheduled for 7 to 10 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15 and will feature tons of savings at participating stores. There’s also entertainment and family-oriented activities.

My bff and I have been to the Magical Night of Giving for the last three years (and I intend to go this year as well). I always find some great deals, so it’s generally when I do the majority of my Christmas shopping.

If you would like to check it out this year, tickets can be purchased in advance from local organizations. Or, you can also grab some at the mall’s guest service center, with proceeds benefiting the United Way of Washington County. You can also buy tickets the night of the event, but lines can get pretty long, so I recommend tracking down someone who is selling the tickets in advance.

For more info on the Magical Night of Giving, visit the FAQ section on the mall’s Web site, mallatjohnsoncity.com/go/mnogFAQ.cfm.

Know of any other cool holiday events coming up? Let me know at xanga.com/thegotogal or thegotogal@hotmail.com.

Coincidentally, Café Lola’s November wine tasting is also that same night, Nov. 15. Reservations are being taken from 5 to 9 p.m. Call 423-928-5652 for reservations or more details.

Hello faithful readers. Today, I come to you to say that my brain is completely fried.

As you read this, I’m about to take my fourth of five tests in a row (well, in a row on test blocks, so not every single day back-to-back). While I love pharmacy school and am super thankful to be there, my brain really needs a break.

So, this week, I thought I’d give you a few upcoming events to check out just in case your brains are also in need of a little R&R.
Café Lola’s October Wine Tasting — This month Lola is doing something a little different. Now, tastings will only be on one day of the month instead of two, since they are now open for dinner on Monday nights. This month’s theme is “Flavors of Fall Dinner,” and since they’ve had this theme for the last two years, I can tell you that the meal is always fabulous. The tasting will take place on Sunday, Oct. 18. Reservations are being accepted from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The dinner is a five-course meal with wine pairings for $45 per person. Call 423-928-LOLA for reservations.

Chillin’ and Grillin’ — I’ve never been to this event, but it sounds super cool. (If you all have been, e-mail me with your opinions.) According to info from the Greene County Partnership, this sixth annual event features “crafts, food, entertainment, a Karaoke competition and features a Chili Cook Off competition and a Bar-B-Q and Wings Cook Off on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.” There’s also a kid zone and a corn hole tournament. Visit greenecountypartnership.com/chillin.aspx for more info.

“Frankenstein” — It has been way too long since I’ve seen a show at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon; and this seems like a perfect show for fall/Halloween. “Frankenstein” opened Sept. 25 and runs through the beginning of November. There are tons of chances to catch the show, so visit bartertheatre.com for all the info.
Got any more ideas for “brain breaks”? Visit xanga.com/thegotogal or thegotogal@hotmail.com and let me know.

Don’t forget that the Tri-Cities Race for the Cure is coming up in a few weeks. If you’d like to volunteer or want to register for the race, visit komentricities.org.

Go-to Gal gearing up to walk for diabetes
By Christan M. Thomas


I’m about to use this week’s column to shamelessly plug an event that I’m involved with. But, since it’s for charity, I hope you all will forgive me.

Next Saturday, Oct. 3, some of my classmates (mostly my Phi Delta Chi fraternity brothers…Yay, PDC!) and faculty from the ETSU College of Pharmacy will be walking in the American Diabetes Association’s Step Out Walk at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Basically, how it works is that our team members walk and solicit donations for the American Diabetes Association. According to the event Web site, the walks (held all across the country) raise about $20 million annually for diabetes research. Approximately 75 percent of the annual expenses go toward research and public awareness campaigns/events.

So, why am I telling you all this? Well, you can help!

First off, if you’re interested in more information, visit stepout.diabetes.org. There’s tons of great info on the site. The ADA is a non-profit supporting all of those Americans with diabetes (type 1 and 2). Its mission is to “prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.” Since an estimated 23.6 million children and adults have diabetes and the disease can lead to some serious complications (increased risk of heart disease and stroke; kidney failure; nervous system disease; and non-traumatic lower-limb amputations), it’s an important disease to know about.

Second, if you’re interested in walking as an individual or team (our team is ETSU Pharmacy and Friends), you can register on the Web site, as well. Be sure to pick the Bristol walk if you want to participate next weekend.

Finally, if you don’t want to walk, but you’d like to donate you can do that online as well. As a team, our goal is to raise $1,000. As of Tuesday morning (when I turn in my column) we had raised $917, but there’s always room for more!! (As a side note, my personal goal was $300 and I had a big $0, so I need some help!) You can actually go directly to my personal page main.diabetes.org/goto/christant and donate directly. Or, you can go to the main page and search for our team.

Thanks in advance for all of your help! And if you’ve got another charitable event you’d like me to plug, let me know at xanga.com/thegotogal or thegotogal@hotmail.com.

This Friday, Sept. 25, in fact, Kingsport Tomorrow will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a benefit performance by the Kingsport Theatre Guild. Tickets are $20 per person for “All in the Timing.” The show starts at 6:20 p.m. at the Kingsport Renaissance Center and a reception after the performance is included in the ticket price. Call 423-246-2017 for more info.