On Tuesday evenings, twice a month, Andy McGee and Amy Zavaskas teach public swing dance lessons at Gather Community Space in Wilkes-Barre.
“What Amy and I do isn’t necessarily what you’d see on Dancing with the Stars, but we teach people how to have fun at a wedding, or how to get up and dance when there’s live music," McGee said.
They rent space at Gather, located in First Presbyterian Church in downtown Wilkes-Barre, to teach ballroom dance lessons.
The volunteers who run the nonprofit are passionate about providing a welcoming space for everyone.
Anita Frank is secretary of the board of directors at Gather.
“Our mission is bringing people in the greater Wilkes-Barre area together, to network, to socialize, to have fun," she said. "We want to offer space to other nonprofits, and we can rent space to people who need a room, a classroom or the large fellowship hall for their own activities. So we're trying to be open to everyone.”
Currently, the center hosts free yoga, meditation, and other lessons. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes two nights a week cost $125, and childcare is no additional cost. Children receive supervision, snacks, and help with homework. The Food Dignity Movement provides fresh produce for ESL students on Mondays. And soon the space will offer more.
The basement is undergoing renovations to provide more classroom space and a dedicated area for children.
"It's really important to our mission to provide safe spaces and safe facilities," said Samantha Harris, vice president of the board at Gather. "And not just safe facilities, but up to date facilities."
Meghan Blewitt is part of the 2024 Leadership Northeast class. Her group, In This To-Gather, organized fundraisers to support the expansion project.
“We really wanted to work with a local nonprofit that supported that community and be able to do something for them that would have a lasting impact," Blewitt said. "So we opted to work with them to refurbish their basement to help grow the space for their classes, and so that they can serve more people in the community.”
“We’re gonna have someone coming to do a mural on the wall, a local artist,” said Angelia Petrillo, another member of the In This To-Gather group. “We're gonna have like a kid's corner, it’s going to be multifunctional.”
“There are folks who bring their kids with them and we don’t have a specific place for kids activities," Harris said. "We’re excited to have a dedicated space for kids activities where things can kind of get messy.”
