Dr. Linda Auker, left, with twins Logan and Zane Gonzalez, of Bloomsburg, discussing their interest in sharks after the Dietrich’s free Science on Screen program “Confronting Jaws: Why We Should Love Sharks, Not Fear Them.”
Submitted photo
“It felt so good to welcome so many people to two events in one weekend,” beamed Erica. For the first time since the pandemic, the Dietrich hosted not only one, but two special programs last weekend, and you turned out for them.
The Science on Screen free movie event, the showing of the classic movie “Jaws,” brought us fans from as far away as Bloomsburg. Everyone has a mental image of the attempt to capture the killer beast, leaving the viewer with a fear of sharks.
After the film, fear was put into perspective and somewhat allayed by the presentation of Dr. Linda Auker, marine biologist at Misericordia University. She set the record straight when she told us that between 1960 and 2015 there were only 1215 shark attacks in the United States and only 2% were fatal. Dr. Auker urged us to educate ourselves about sharks and stop spreading the fear. She urges us not to eat sharks. They are not any better food for us as we are not good food for them. Above all, do not pollute. Join those who are trying to clean up our waterways. Changing habitats due to climate change are not good for people or sharks. We all need to look at sharks with new eyes.
Our second event of the weekend was another collaboration with WVIA — featuring American Portrait, a PBS episode featuring five people in our community who tell their stories.
“Our country is home to millions of people. Each one of us is unique, and we are all part of the American story,” related Chris Norton of WVIA. He told us we are all invited to go to www.pbs.org/americanportrait to tell our stories. We were so enriched by hearing the stories of Judge Tom Munley and farmer Dana Empet, featured in the American Portrait episode and in the discussion after the showing. Judge Munley will never forget the solidarity of the soldiers under his command. When his troop was under attack, the African American soldier next to him told him, “There is not a bullet made that is going to kill us.” This was his lesson that we are all in this life to take care of one another, a lesson he now teaches, especially with his efforts to improve the lives of our military veterans.
Dana Empet, a woman dairy farmer in Kingsley, told her story onscreen and in discussion, telling us that 50% of farm managers are women. I was amazed by her statement, “Farmers are the only 2% of our population and they feed all the rest of us.” She also said that her four children may go into other fields, but the work ethic they learn on a farm will stand them in good stead no matter what field they choose.
We are now in the middle of our Spring Film Festival, 19 films in 21 days, ending Thursday, May 13. We have so many loyal patrons who come to our festivals to see these special foreign and independent movies, movies that often inspire you to find someone to talk to about them. I notice so often that as people walk out after one of these movies, many will talk to strangers or someone they recognize, just to get another opinion about the theme, the ending, the acting, the setting.
To join a discussion, you are invited to come to a Post Spring Film Festival discussion led by our Film Booker, Ronnie Harvey. Socially distanced and mask wearing, around the tables in our Children’s Room, Ronnie will help you find new meanings and appreciation of these special films. Yes, the day after the film festival ends, on Friday, May 14 at 1 p.m., come and join the enlightened discussion.
Broadway is returning! On screen at the Dietrich, anyway! We remember so well when we sponsored a bus trip to Lincoln Center in NYC to see “The King and I,” and we will never forget sitting so close to stage that it felt like the ship would bump right into us in our front row seats. This same production of “The King and I” is coming to the Dietrich screen on Sundays, May 16 and 23, at 2 and 7 p.m. You can get your tickets now online or by call 570-836-1022, ext 3.
As April showers bring on May flowers, as a new normal begins to feel pretty good, we hope we will see you at the Dietrich for summer camps, classes for kids and adults, blockbuster movies and foreign and independent movies, Broadway shows on our screen. Just seeing you come through our doors lifts our spirits and we hope will lift yours.
