Discuss with William Rowe, Ph.D., C. S. Lewis’s treatment of friendship in his essay, The Four Loves. He’ll focus on three controversial points in Lewis’ approach; his separation of friendship from “companionship,” his view of friendship between the sexes, and his insistence that friendship has a dark side. We’ll aim to have as much discussion in our session as possible. Any edition of The Four Loves will do.
This salon is a Zoom format.
Date: Sunday, June 6 at 7 PM Cost: $5
If you do not receive a confirmation for registration, please check your spam folder. You will receive your Zoom link the Saturday before the salon.
In traditional social contract theories, for example Locke and Jefferson, rights existed in a context, such as a God-created natural law. That context was both part of the meaning of the rights and gave them limitations. When rights became constitutional, they acquired a new and different context. They became human, social assertions, with historical and culturally based meanings, capable of being enlarged, multiplied, and molded by the temper of the times. While originally thought to be self-evident, rights are now the subject of cultural interpretation, thus the subject also of disagreement. This shift in context has reinforced the individualism inherent in rights and corroded the community’s ability to agree on a common good. This not only fractures the community (think race or guns) but undercuts discussions leading to global cooperation on urgent issues (from pandemics to climate change to genetic modification). How do we tame rights and identify a compelling common good?
This salon is a Zoom format.
Date: Sunday, May 16 at 7 PM Cost: $5
If you do not receive a confirmation for registration, please check your spam folder. You will receive your Zoom link the Saturday before the salon.
Marzia and Lee Caporale at one of her previous cooking classes.
Chef and teacher Marzia Caporale will do a hands-on class on the art of making biscotti. Marzia brings her Italian cooking skills to teach how a perfect biscotti can be created.
The class is limited to 10 people and will meet at The Gathering Place.
Get expert tips on preparing your soil and planting your flowers or vegetables so that your summer harvest will be beautiful and bounteous. Penn State Master Gardener Gary White will give tips on how to make the most of your time and garden.
This class will be a Zoom format. Your Zoom link will be sent the day before the class. If you do not receive a confirmation or zoom link, please check your email spam folder.
The Gathering Place invites the community to join the “Bears in the Summit” project as a Downtown Bear sponsor, artist, or volunteer.
Spring is right around the corner and black bears will begin walking through neighborhoods. To celebrate the Abington’s harmony with these furry critters, The Gathering Place has launched a community art project, “Bears in the Summit.” The project follows in the footsteps of the famous Cows on Parade in Chicago, the Miles of Mules in northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Black Bear Film Festival in Milford, Pennsylvania.
This July, during the height of blueberry season, artfully decorated bear statues will be displayed throughout downtown Clarks Summit. The Gathering Place will hold a dedication day with a meet-the-artist event, a bear-themed coloring book created by artists, a walking tour through downtown Clarks Summit to see the bears, a short walk on the Trolley Trail with a naturalist, and other family-oriented activities.
The Gathering Place is inviting the community to participate in several ways:
Sponsor a Downtown Bear: Businesses, nonprofits, agencies, schools, and individuals are invited to sponsor a bear. The cost is $300. Each bear is a three-dimensional foam form on a base that will be decorated with weather-resistant paint. The finished bear, approximately 45” long by 28” tall, will be placed outside at the sponsor’s location or at a spot of their choice.
Calling Artist to Decorate a Bear: Professional artists, amateur painters, and school students are welcome to submit their ideas design for a Downtown Bear.
The Gathering Place will provide a stipend to cover the cost of supplies and an artist fee. The finalists will be chosen by a committee of representatives from The Gathering Place and the community.
One-of-a-Kind Coloring Book: In a separate project, artists are invited to submit one or more original bear-themed drawings for the “Bears in the Summit” coloring book. Drawings can depict a natural-style bear, a cartoon bear, or a bear in popular culture, such as a teddy bear, Smokey the Bear or Baloo. Again, artists of all abilities are encouraged to participate. There is no stipend for this portion of the project.
Join the “Bears in the Summit” Committee: The Gathering Place welcomes community members to help out on the project committee. The committee will choose the artwork for the bear statues and coloring book, create fun, family-friendly and inclusive activities for the dedication day in July, and help to promote the project.
Support the Project: The “Bears in the Summit Day” program book will have information about the day’s activities, a map showing the location of each Downtown Bear, artist profiles, and more. Listings start as low as $10, and ad space begins at $50.
Those interested in joining the “Bears in the Summit” committee should contact The Gathering Place at GatheringPlaceCS@gmail.com or (570) 575-8352.
The “Bears in the Summit” project has been sponsored in part by a Lackawanna County Community Arts and Culture Grant, a program of Lackawanna County Commissioners Jerry Notarianni, Debi Domenick, Esq., and Chris Chermak, and by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area in partnership with the National Park Service.
By checking the box on our registration form, you voluntarily assume all risks of personal injury associated with participation and waive any and all claims or actions against the Community Classroom, The Gathering Place, its board members, instructors, and employees for any personal loss/injury sustained while participating in designated classes and/or trips.
You agree to allow the Community Classroom to take pictures of the classes you have registered for and allow them to use those photos.
Get expert tips on preparing your soil and planting your flowers or vegetables so that your summer harvest will be beautiful and bounteous. Penn State Master Gardener Gary White will give tips on how to make the most of your time and garden. 
neighborhoods. To celebrate the Abington’s harmony with these furry critters, The Gathering Place has launched a community art project, “Bears in the Summit.” The project follows in the footsteps of the famous Cows on Parade in Chicago, the Miles of Mules in northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Black Bear Film Festival in Milford, Pennsylvania.
