The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow

The Beacon
The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow

The Beacon
The news of today reported by the journalists of tomorrow

The Beacon

NEPA-Que celebrates organized labor with Kirby Park event

Leah Smith, Editor-in-Chief
September 2, 2025

The 4th annual NEPA-Que, a free community event celebrating organized labor and unions in Pennsylvania, took place on Sunday at Kirby Park. This year, the skies were clear; the grills were fired up; and folks seemed to be enjoying the celebration. 

NEPA-Que was designed by In This Together NEPA. Throughout the day, many patrons spent time cheering and chanting for unions. Festivities included a chili cook-off, a pie contest and playground games. 

The 4th annual NEPA-Que was packed full of tents, volunteers and patrons, all ready to celebrate the state’s organized labor and unions.

In addition, several tables were set up to inform patrons about the upcoming election on Nov. 4. Volunteers explained the importance of voting in the upcoming election, especially the judicial retention election that decides if a judge should remain in office for another term without facing an opponent. 

Pennsylvania is one of eight states that utilize partisan elections to select a justice. Currently, Democrats have a 5-2 majority in the Court. 

While there were volunteers for NEPA, there were also Wilkes honors student volunteers, like Varunika Satheesh, a first-year biology major, and Cassie McGinley, a sophomore pre-pharmacy major. Satheesh and McGinley were manning a table that had information about the election. It also featured a “spin the wheel” incentive for patrons who approached the table and signed up to vote. 

Satheesh stated that this was her first time out volunteering with the community. 

“I love it. Wilkes-Barre is such a homey place,” Satheesh said. 

McGinleysaid that NEPA-Que was a great opportunity to unite the community. 

“Power to the people, y’know? It’s nice to make everyone gather as a community for a little while,” McGinley stated. In This Together NEPA is always looking for people to volunteer and donate, stay updated by going on their website: In This Together NEPA | Community

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About the Contributor
Leah Smith
Leah Smith, Editor in Chief
Leah Smith is an English major at Wilkes University. Smith also minors in Communications Studies and Creative Writing. For 2025-2026, Smith is the Editor-in-Chief of the Beacon. She began her work with the Beacon as an opinion staff writer in the Fall of 2023 with her creative writing column, “The Return of the Red Raven” which served as a weekly series akin to a comic book or radio serial. Since then, Smith has written across all different sections. Smith is determined to write whatever she can and to make the Beacon as extensive, creative and thought-provoking as much as possible. Smith’s dream job after college is to write either as an author or journalist. Her goal is to either become a comic book writer or a writer for Fangoria, a horror genre-focused magazine.