“Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow.”

This familiar quote from poet Alfred Tennyson reflects the feelings of so many of us at this time of year. At the Dietrich, however, we have more to ring in than ring out. We are proud to continue to ring in so many of the programs you love, but also ring in many new ones.

Here is what is in store for 2017 at the Wyoming County Cultural Center at the Dietrich Theater.

Let’s start with new events and classes scheduled for you. First, we invite you to Winter Fest Preview Day at 1 and 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2. This has been an event reserved for our staff and board of directors, but this year, because of your feedback, we are inviting anyone who would like to see the trailers for the 14 foreign and independent films featured in Winter Fest, Feb. 17 through March 2. Come see the trailers of all 14 and check off the films you will not want to miss. To further entice you, Preview Day is free and popcorn and soda will be discounted.

Something else new is that nutritionist and lifestyle counselor Donna LaBar will conduct a series of seminars in 2017, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. All will set you on the right track for 2017, starting with Simple, Natural Healing, Weight Loss Seminar. LaBar has taught so many how to use common sense when choosing what to eat and, at this seminar, she will give you samplings of nutritious foods and their recipes. Stay tuned for future Simple, Natural, Healing seminars with Donna LaBar.

Free Chair Yoga classes, funded by the Wyoming County Community Health Foundation, at 10 a.m. Mondays at the Dietrich is one of the great success stories of 2016. We ran out of chairs as the attendance climbed into the 30s. Thanks to the NEPA Health Care Foundation, in 2017 we have an additional free Chair Yoga class on Fridays, also at 10 a.m., in addition to the Monday classes supported by the Wyoming Community Health Foundation. If you have been considering Chair Yoga, this is your year to come to Dietrich for free classes, taught by Donna Fetzko, classes that so many have been found to be transformational.

Another new offering at the Dietrich you will hear more about is a two-month series Understanding Your Journey Through Grief, facilitated by Laura Hasenzahl, certified grief counselor, beginning Sunday, March 26. You will learn 10 touchstones for finding hope and healing, through reading and studying Understanding Your Grief by Alan B. Wilfelt.

New in 2017 will be exhibits by new artists introduced to us by the Kitson Arts Alliance, beginning with a celebration of Rock and Roll with paintings and a special reception Rock and Roll in Art and Music from 2 to 5 p.m.Jan. 29.

What you can count on continuing in 2017 are Wyoming County Reads, After School Players, Community Theater, four film festivals, the Dietrich Film Favorite Series once a month, National Theatre Live, Open Mic, Simply Yoga, Nia, Kundalini Yoga, free preschool art and music and nature classes, Warrior Writers, Writers Group and a full lineup of art and craft classes for children and adults — not to mention River Day, Shakespeare in the Park and other events that will continue.

In the next few weeks, we will tell you much more about all of these.

We invite you to “ring in the new” with our new opportunities, but also keep coming to the programs that fulfill our mission to be a non-profit movie theater that supports cultural and educational programming.

“Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.”

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More Than Movies

Margie Young

Reach the Abington Journal newsroom at 570-587-1148 or news@s24528.p831.sites.pressdns.com.