The Chattery in Chattanooga is offering online classes during COVID-19 pandemic

The Chattery, a nonprofit that was set up to offer in-person educational classes for about 25 people at a time, has switched its model to presenting the classes online. Kaleena Goldsworthy of The Bitter Bottle provided the test kitchen, if you will on Monday, and felt like her presentation on At-Home Cocktails was successful enough to consider offering the virtual option even when the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

"It went so well," she said on Wednesday.

"It went surprisingly well. We had about 33 people with someone from Scotland, and we had people from Oklahoma, Colorado, Philadelphia and Texas. We limit the in-person classes to 25 people, so it was nice to be able to offer it to more people."

She said while some of the out-town viewers were friends and family, many were not. Some were also new to the Chattery's classes, which have focused on everything from book binding to organizing a wardrobe. The current online schedule also includes Mastering Personal Financing and Chattanooga Watercolor Sketching.

Classes cost anywhere from $5 to $40 and Goldsworthy said she believes the people who watched her Tuesday class were happy to have something to occupy their time.

"You can only watch so much TV," she said.

Several businesses, including those offering exercise classes, are going to an online option as people are encouraged to stay home to fight the coronavirus. Goldsworthy's was the first online Chattery class and she said getting questions and feedback from people online via messaging was unusual, but doable.

"We learned a lot."

Chattery marketing director Shawanda Mason said a staff member will be at each online class to help with setup and checking the comments, but that the classes are a good option in the current environment.

"We had to pivot and this was a good way, and it gives us a new marketing opportunity outside of Chattanooga and North Georgia."

Board chair Kristen Robinson said the board was able to quickly adapt its mission and go in a slightly new direction.

"I'm thrilled to see how quickly The Chattery has been able to regroup and begin offering unique online classes," says Kristen Robinson, chair of The Chattery's board of directors. "While this is new territory for us, the board is excited to see The Chattery continue to fulfill our mission in this uncertain time."

New classes featuring a variety of new teachers are also planned in the future.

Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@tiemsfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.