As politicians, fundraisers and Charleston’s favorite movie star gathered on the campus of the University of Charleston Friday evening, UC students peered out of windows to get a glimpse of Jennifer Garner and her husband, Ben Affleck, walking down the red carpet.

Money raised from the Starry Starry Night fundraiser is primarily going to pay for a replacement to the 47-year-old Eddie King Gym on UC’s campus. Per-plate tickets to the event started at $250.

Garner walked the red carpet with friends at about 8 p.m. and shared memories that ranged from swimming at the University of Charleston pool to her delight at coming home to the green hills of West Virginia.

Garner, a supporter of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., also talked briefly about the November presidential election and Obama’s chances in her home state.

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Growing up in the West Virginia mountain town of Charleston, Jennifer Garner didn’t dream of being a screen star – she wanted to be a librarian.

“This is about as far from Hollywood as any place on Earth. I wanted to be a children’s book author and a librarian,” Garner, 36, tells PEOPLE while back in Charleston, where her weekend was to include reading Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson at a gathering to help eventually expand the public library.

“My mom took my sisters and me to the library once a week when we were kids,” she recalls, “and it’s such a huge community center, especially in a town that has very few resources – to have a place with 100 computers and Internet access to everyone for free, that’s really important in a town like this.”

Back on Familiar Turf
It’s been a real homecoming for the actress who, with husband Ben Affleck, flew into Charleston Friday afternoon and hosted a black-tie gala, Starry Starry Night, at the University of Charleston.

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The University of Charleston is ready to roll out the red carpet.

An 80-by-220 foot tent’s already up and volunteers are scrambling over the last-minute details.

Charleston sweetheart Jennifer Garner and her fellow movie star husband Ben Affleck are on their way to “Starry Starry Night,” a University of Charleston fundraiser set for Friday along the Kanawha River.

If you want to rub elbows with Tinseltown’s elite couple, a limited number of tickets remain at $250 a pop or $5,000 for a reserved table of eight.

Garner and Affleck were invited to host the event to raise money for a new, multimillion-dollar athletic complex at the university. The gala will also honor the lives of distinguished alumni Louise and Mario Palumbo.

Crews have been working feverishly all week preparing for the Garner’s arrival and an estimated crowd of 800 people.

A tent went up Tuesday on campus across from the Capitol. In the next few days, workers will install lights and carpeting inside the tent. Table, chairs and decorations will be set up.

“It’s probably the biggest tent you’ve seen in Charleston,” said Jennie Ferretti, university spokeswoman. “It’s almost as big as our football field.”

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Jennifer on Hollywood Green with Maria Menounos discussing going green and growing her own organic food. Photos and a clip below:

Jennifer attended the the 4th Annual Pink Party on Saturday in Santa Monica, Calif. The event benefited the Women’s Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The Institute works to fund collaborative research between physicians and scientists to “bring the most innovative laboratory discoveries directly to women with breast and/or gynecologic cancers.”