Specifically, Emily, a Sharpsburg resident, will be traveling to Spain, Italy and France, where she will be living with a French family.
"I've had two years of French, so I'm really looking forward to that part," Emily said.
In the meantime, she is learning Italian via CDs while she is driving her car. Side trips to Monaco and the Vatican also are tentatively planned.
Raising more than $5,000 needed for the trip is now high among Emily's priorities. To that end, she and her family are holding a spaghetti dinner and a Longaberger basket raffle from 5 to 7 p.m. April 22 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 209 W. Main St. in Sharpsburg, thanks to the Episcopal Church Women there.
Tickets cost $10 a person, and include dinner and dessert plus a door prize ticket for a filled Longaberger basket, Emily said. Eight additional filled baskets will be raffled during dinner.
In addition, there will be a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.
"You don't have to go to the dinner to participate in the raffles - tickets will be available around town," Emily said.
Basket sponsors include Auction Square Flea Market, Paula S. Reed and Associates, Sharpsburg Pharmacy, Nutter's Ice Cream, Dickinson and Wait, Cushwa-Stouffer Architects, the Effland family and The Gourmet Goat.
Only 100 dinner seats are available, so reservations are important, Emily said. Call 301-432-5463 to save a space.
Emily's dad, Ross Kilpatric, used to be a chef, so he is handling the cooking for the April 22 dinner.
"Even though he works at a greenhouse now, he still loves to cook and does all the cooking at home," Emily said.
Once Emily was accepted, she began meeting once a month with the other 40 students from the Tri-State area who will be going on the European tour from July 2 to 21.
"I was on a big plane once when I was little, but I don't remember it," Emily said.
The trip will be her first out of the country.
Convinced that this opportunity for world travel wouldn't come so soon, Emily smiled and said she doesn't mind being wrong at all in this case.
After high school, Emily plans to study anthropology in college.
Dinner, basket fundraiser
What: Spaghetti dinner and Longaberger basket raffle to raise money for Emily Kilpatric's European trip
When: Saturday, April 22, 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 209 W. Main St. in Sharpsburg
Cost: $10 per person for dinner and dessert, plus a door prize ticket for a filled Longaberger basket. Eight additional filled baskets will be raffled during dinner. There also will be a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.
Reservations: Call 301-432-5463.
