BY NANCY PARLO
The Gathering Place announced its ninth season of fall Community Classroom offerings with a wide variety of choices to nurture your soul, up your dinner game, create art or explore something new. And for the first time, participants can register online at the gatheringplacecs.org.
According to program organizers, there is also increasing interest in ongoing programs offered on a regularly scheduled basis.
In September, regularly scheduled offerings include Mahjong every Tuesday at 1 p.m., Book Group every third Tuesday with current and past readings available on the website at gatheringplacecs.org, Craft and Chat – a casual setting where artists with and without special needs come together to create and relate – the second, third and fourth Friday of the month, the Songwriters’ Roundtable – a gathering for local songwriters of all experience and age levels that provides a venue to share and hone the craft among peers – the third Sunday of the month, and catch up with an old project or try something new at Open Studio with Verve Vertu, a community-based open art studio which focuses on tapping into the creative energies of people with diverse abilities on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon with a $5 donation.
Memory Café is a welcoming time for those with memory loss and their care companions to share a cup of coffee and socialize with others through art, music, games or gentle yoga on the second and fourth Friday at 10 a.m., the Gathering Place Writers meet on the first and third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. A Watercolor Group meets Thursdays, beginning September 19, from 4-6 p.m. Check the monthly calendar on the website as these schedules may change with holidays during the year. On-line program descriptions also offer more details.
Fall semester classes kick off with some dance moves during the ballroom dancing series. The five-session series starts Monday, Sept. 9 offers Advanced Rumba from 6-7 p.m. and Beginner/Intermediate Argentine Tango from 7-8 p.m. More details and costs are listed on the website.
If you are considering retirement, a great overview is provided through New to Medicare on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 5:30-8 p.m. Cost is $10. Representatives of the Voluntary Action Center will offer valuable tips to guide you through the process. You must register by calling 570-347-5616 and ask for Apprise.
The cooking series starts off with Southern Indian Cooking, on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 4 p.m. Cost is $35. Join Lakshmi Mizin as she prepares “Amruta” (devine) Southern Indian meal using spices to create an authentic meal.
Weaving on a Cardboard Loom: Create a small purse or art piece on a cardboard loom during this three-session class Wednesdays, beginning Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. Cost is $30 plus $10 supply fee.
EMMA BLACK / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Gathering Place is at 304 S. State St. in Clarks Summit.
The next cooking class will be offered at Thirteen Olives with Chef Gene Litz as he prepares seasonal offerings utilizing premium olive oils and vinegars to enhance and complement, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 6 p.m., $25.
Create personal art to wear or frame with Assemblage Collage five Thursdays, beginning Sept. 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Gwen Harleman will cover techniques of Batik, Blockprinting Surface design. Cost: $25 and $20 supply fee.
Get into the swing of things and learn the new craze of Pickleball with a class on Monday, Sept. 30 at Birchwood Tennis and Fitness Club from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost: $40. Tim Farley, the local ambassador to the USA Pickleball Association, will provide an overview and get everyone on the court for some great fun. Wear sneakers or court shoes.
Check the website for updated information for these September classes as well as those offered through the end of the year. Many returning instructors and programs are quite popular and the limited space fills quickly. Registration deadlines are often a week ahead of the class in time for preparation. The website now offers the opportunity for online registration and payment with a credit card through PayPal. Visit the website and go to Community Classroom.
Classes are listed under major categories: practical knowledge, music and movement, afternoon lecture and learning, food and beverage, your creative self, out and about, a closer look and the art of communication. These categories contain separate information and registration for each class.
Printed fall semester programs will also be available after Labor Day at the Gathering Place and Abington Library. These contain printed registration forms that can be mailed with a registration payment check.
