web1_buggy.jpg

Amish Cook: Thanksgiving blessings, Amish pecan pie, and homemade chili

web1_TTL113015lyons.toys_.jpg

Forty Fort Lyons make a donation to Marines

<p>DUPONT &#8212; It was Tuesday evening, the music was playing and, for Joanie Straub of Scranton, her weekly night out with the Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club was like being a teenager again. Only better.</p><p>&#8220;Remember how in high school we went to dances and some people would have to stand there like a wallflower? You don&#8217;t have to do that here,&#8221; she said with a satisfied smile.</p><p>Indeed, with line dancers shuffling and pivoting in the center of the Dupont Hose Co. floor and couples forming a circle around them, it seemed the only people who weren&#8217;t in motion were those who wanted to take a break for pizza and a chat.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a lot of nice people, a great bunch of people, and if you don&#8217;t have a partner, it&#8217;s OK,&#8221; Jean Prestas, of Ashley, said, expressing a sentiment many dancers echoed.</p><p>The Anthracite Western Dance Club got its start 33 years ago, Jeff Fritzen said. &#8220;We hit it when Western dancing was the thing.&#8221;</p><p>Naturally, there&#8217;s been some attrition over the years, and the organizers want to spread the word that new dancers are welcome to join.</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;ll have to learn your right from your left,&#8221; Sharon Hardik, of Forty Fort, teased a visitor before assuring her it wasn&#8217;t difficult to learn the dances &#8212; not with instructor Barbara Monroe on hand.</p><p>&#8220;Your weight is on the right foot,&#8221; Monroe said, explaining as she demonstrated. &#8220;Shuffle, left. Left, right, cross. Left, turn, right &#8230; anybody who wants a challenge can put a turn in here.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Come and take a lesson,&#8221; the instructor invited two people who had just walked in.</p><p>It&#8217;s OK if you just want to come and listen to the music, Fritzen said. &#8220;It&#8217;s country, and cross-over hits, none of that twangy stuff,&#8221; he said.</p><p>If you want to dance, he recommends shoes with smooth leather soles for easy gliding.</p><p>The weekly dances are a good chance for exercise, Phyllis Bonomo, of Yatesville, said.</p><p>And they&#8217;re an opportunity for fellowship, Michael Filipkowski, of Moosic, added. &#8220;I love being with people.&#8221;</p><p>For Jeannie Sickler, of Luzerne, the dances have been a great way to meet people. &#8220;We moved here from New Jersey when my kids were in high school and I didn&#8217;t know anyone,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It was about our ninth move and I had learned you can&#8217;t stay in your house and wait for people to come to you.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a fun night out, seeing your friends,&#8221; Straub said. &#8220;And it&#8217;s so great that you don&#8217;t have to have a partner.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western6_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Eager dancers follow DJ and dance instructor Barbara Monroe as she teaches the steps of a line dance. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western6_faa1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Eager dancers follow DJ and dance instructor Barbara Monroe as she teaches the steps of a line dance. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western7_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">You don&#8217;t have to wear Western boots to the Anthracite Rose dances, but it does add a nice touch. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western7_faa1.jpg</photo1><caption1>You don&#8217;t have to wear Western boots to the Anthracite Rose dances, but it does add a nice touch. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western8_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Rose and Jeff Fritzen, of Shavertown, circle the floor at the Dupont Fire Hall on Main Street, Dupont, where the Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club holds weekly dances. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western8_faa1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Rose and Jeff Fritzen, of Shavertown, circle the floor at the Dupont Fire Hall on Main Street, Dupont, where the Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club holds weekly dances. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western1_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Diane and Roy Ramsey enjoy the Western style dancing at the Dupont Fire Hall on a Tuesday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western1_faa1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Diane and Roy Ramsey enjoy the Western style dancing at the Dupont Fire Hall on a Tuesday evening. </caption3><photoCredit3>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western2_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wayne Schweighofer twirls his partner, Kim Morello, during a weekly Tuesday night dance sponsored by the Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club at the Dupont Fire Hall. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western2_faa1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Wayne Schweighofer twirls his partner, Kim Morello, during a weekly Tuesday night dance sponsored by the Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club at the Dupont Fire Hall. </caption4><photoCredit4>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western4_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Sharon Hardik has been going to the dances for years and assures newcomers it&#8217;s not hard to learn. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western4_faa1.jpg</photo5><caption5>Sharon Hardik has been going to the dances for years and assures newcomers it&#8217;s not hard to learn. </caption5><photoCredit5>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit5></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western5_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Joanie Straub and her friends Jeannie Sickler, Jean Prestas and Jean Williams take a break from dancing to chat and share pizza during the weekly dance sponsored by the Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo6>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western5_faa1.jpg</photo6><caption6>Joanie Straub and her friends Jeannie Sickler, Jean Prestas and Jean Williams take a break from dancing to chat and share pizza during the weekly dance sponsored by the Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club. </caption6><photoCredit6>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit6></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western3_faa1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jeff Lott and his wife Ellen dance at the Dupont Fire Hall on a recent Tuesday evening. It was their second time, they said, and they were pleased at how much they were able to learn in a short time. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo7>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_western3_faa1.jpg</photo7><caption7>Jeff Lott and his wife Ellen dance at the Dupont Fire Hall on a recent Tuesday evening. It was their second time, they said, and they were pleased at how much they were able to learn in a short time. </caption7><photoCredit7>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit7></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p><strong>By Mary Therese Biebel</strong></p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>IF YOU GO</strong></p><p><strong>What:</strong> Country Western Dancing, line and couple western dancing</p><p><strong>When:</strong> 7 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Dupont Fire Hall, 308 Main St., Dupont</p><p><strong>Admission:</strong> $6.</p><p><strong>Info:</strong> 570-675-3343</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT</p></shirttailMeta></div>

web1_western3_faa.jpg

web1_western6_faa.jpg

web1_western7_faa.jpg

web1_western8_faa.jpg

web1_western1_faa.jpg

web1_western2_faa.jpg

web1_western4_faa.jpg

web1_western5_faa.jpg

Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club meets for weekly Tuesday night dances at Dupont Hose Co.