HOLY COW — I have not received an invitation to a dance in a zillion years. I am sharing this information as you, too, are invited to the party, provided you are old enough — 65-plus — to join in the festivities. The charming invitation announced an “Evening of Dancing and Entertainment” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9 at the Jewish Community Center Staenberg Family Complex, 2 Millstone Campus Drive.  Music is to be provided by the Original Knights of Swing Band, a 15-piece band playing all our favorites from the ’30s through the ’50s. St. Louis NORC Manager Karen Berry-Elbert says there will be yummy hors d’oeuvres while guests take to the dance floor or simply listen to live band music and visit with friends. This elegant evening is a NORC project, sponsored by Barry Wehmiller Companies and Robert Chapman, chairman and CEO. The cost is only $5 per person and I recommend that, since space is limited, you make your reservation ASAP. Contact Laura Press Millner at 314-442-3255 or [email protected].    

KIDS ROCK CANCER is one of three organizations to benefit from Charity Triple Play, an upcoming art auction presented by Maryville University. Cardinals Care and Mending Faces will also benefit from event proceeds. 

Sports fans might like to know that Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny and his wife, Kristin, will serve as honorary co-chairs, along with Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn and his wife, Lauren. Charity Triple Play will take place on Sunday, Aug. 16, in the Promenade ballroom at downtown The Westin St. Louis, immediately following the Marlins-Cardinals game. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets to the event include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and may be purchased for $50 at kidsrockcancer.org/events.

For those unfamiliar, Kids Rock Cancer is an innovative music therapy program at Maryville that helps children successfully cope with the emotional challenges that occur when they, or a loved one, is diagnosed with cancer or other blood disorders. Cardinals Care is the philanthropic arm of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Mending Faces provides cleft lip and palate surgical care to impoverished children in the Philippines.

The event will showcases the artistic talents of Maryville students and faculty, and will feature a live auction of original St. Louis Cardinals-themed artwork. Offered will be portraits of Cardinals players Matt Adams, Matt Carpenter, Matt Holliday, Jon Jay, Lance Lynn, Yadier Molina, Jhonny Peralta, Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright and Kolten Wong, as well as manager Matheny and Busch Stadium (old and new). A portrait of the late Cardinals favorite, Oscar Taveras, will be presented to the Cardinals.

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY — 2015-16 CONCERT SEASON. Does this sound familiar to you? It did not to me and I had to read every word of the brochure to be able to share it with you. The extensive program starts with “Symphony in Your College” featuring members of the St. Louis Symphony on Sept. 13 with pianist Seth Carlin. The Wash U concert season includes 32 performances. Many of them are varied, free and open to the public so to peruse the mind-boggling selection of artists and for more information call 314-935-5566 or check online at music.wustl.edu/events.  

THE GESHER MUSIC FESTIVAL will take from Aug. 13 to 23, presenting the beautiful and powerful music of European composers known by the Nazis as “The Degenerates.” Among the composers are Mahler, Stravinsky, Schoenberg and Weil (that’s Kurt). Programs include “Grit and Glamour: A Night of European-Jewish Kabarett” at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16 at the Jewish Community Center’s Wool Studio Theatre. Vocalist and cantor Rebecca Fletcher will perform a program celebrating the brilliant world of European-Jewish cabaret between the wars, with wine during the show and a wine and cheese reception to follow (the cost is $30). To learn more, visit geshermusicfestival.org. I think that one of the most interesting aspects of the Gesher Festival is a free, docent led tour of “Degenerate Art” throughout the St. Louis Art Museum’s collections from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. Register online at or geshermusicfestival.org or call 314-442-3283. 

A HADASSAH PARLOR PARTY museum exhibit and dinner at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18 will explore “The State of Deception – The Power of Nazi Propaganda” exhibit at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. The exhibition was produced by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and it examines how the Nazis used propaganda to win broad voter support in Germany’s young democracy after World War I and justify war and mass murder. Meet in the museum lobby and tour the exhibit together. Dinner and discussion will follow at The Boathouse Restaurant in Forest Park. The museum tour is free and dinner is Dutch treat. For more information or to RSVP, call 314-991-0434 or email [email protected].  

IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED, I have been missing for the past few weeks after being victimized by a recalcitrant electric door, which tossed me several feet across a nursing home where I was visiting a friend. The total damage was a cracked pelvis — not serious, but very painful. So now I am back in the saddle (ouch) and eager to hear your stories to share with my readers.