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First Posted: 8/2/2013

Motorcyclists and musicians will play a part in raising funds for a scholarship set up to honor the memory of Dr. Jennifer Sidari.

The Dr. Jen’s Hope is Contagious Memorial Ride and Benefit will be held today at Cooper’s on the Waterfront in Pittston.

On Thursday Damenti’s Restaurant in Mountain Top will host a Party on the Patio.

The funds raised at the events will be put toward a scholarship in memory of Sidari, of West Pittston, who died unexpectedly in June at the age of 26, two weeks after graduating from The Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton.

Peter Sidari, her father, said the scholarship “hopefully will encourage some future promising doctor to stay in their local community.” Many new doctors leave to work in large cities in order to earn income to pay off the huge debts they incurred for their educations, he added.

His daughter received a full scholarship to TCMC, he said. “We want to make sure someone benefits from the same generosity that Jenny did,” Sidari said Friday.

Family and friends are in the process of raising enough money to set up an endowment to make annual awards in the range of $50,000, Sidari said.

Motorcyclists can register at 10 a.m. at Coopers at 304 Kennedy Blvd. The ride follows at 11 a.m. The route will take riders through West Pittston, past Wyoming Area High School where Sidari graduated, on to Scranton by the house where she was going to live, past TCMC into the downtown and back to Pittston, Sidari said.

The cost is $35 and includes a buffet, live entertainment, a T-shirt, basket raffles and activities for children. The buffet alone costs $25 and begins at noon. There is no charge for children under 12, Sidari said.

On Thursday the party at Damenti’s, 870 North Hunter Highway, runs from 5 to 9 p.m. The cost is $50 a person. Entertainment will be provided by Two of a Kind and Richie Molinaro & Mr. Lou. Sponsors for the event are: The Greater Hazleton Health Alliance, Citterio USA, Darrow Homes, Imbriaco Construction, L.T. Verrastro Distributors, Joseph and Tracy Kress, state Rep. Tarah Toohil and state Sen. John Yudichak.

Many people already have responded to invitations sent out for the party, said Chelsea Sidari, a cousin of Jennifer. “We’re expecting a very big crowd,” she said.

A portion of the sales at Damenti’s patio bar from Aug. 9-11 will be contributed to the scholarship fund.

For more information, contact Chelsea Sidari by email at [email protected].