Special Programs Fall 2009
NOTE: Watch the monthly 5CLIR Reporter/Newsleaflet issues for specific dates, times & locations for the following and additional Special Programs throughout the year. Contact the facilitators of the individual Special Programs for further information.
To sign up for any number of Special Programs, sign up here
*NEW*Community Book Read – summer preparation, fall discussion. This is a new 5CLIR program, an adaptation of the popular community, “everyone read the same book” program for towns, or libraries or college classes. After reading many possibilities, the committee, led by Wil Hastings, and including Lise Armstrong, Mary Franks, Bev von Kries, Joan Wofford and Joan Hastings, has selected People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks (in paperback), a novel of intrigue based on the travels of the illustrated Hebrew manuscript known as the Sarajevo Haggadah, which is believed to have left Spain in 1492 with the forced exodus of the Jews (a “Haggadah” is a codex telling of the Jews” exodus from Egypt.). This book, hidden from the Nazis during WWII, is believed to have been created during the 15th century and to have left Spain in 1492 with that forced exodus of the Jews.
Everyone is urged to borrow or buy a copy, read it during the summer and then join in a small group discussion of it during the fall. The first opportunity will be after the LIR Picnic on September 9th in Northampton when those of us who choose to will break into small discussion groups after lunch.. Other dates will be scheduled for later in the fall on the Amherst side of the river. For more information contact: Wil Hastings – 584-4957 or wil.hastings@gmail.com.
Friday Morning Lectures & Encore Presentations – Larry Ambs, facilitator – Held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at locations to be announced in the fall. Based on the popularity of these Lecture Series, the Special Programs Committee is again sponsoring a series of lectures and encore presentations for the 2009 Fall Semester on Friday mornings. The encore presentations are based on past seminar presentations that 5CLIR members have suggested would be of interest to the general membership. For more information or to make suggestions, contact Larry at 256-8324 or ambs@ecs.umass.edu .
Stay tuned – Encore Presentations and Special Lectures planned for the Fall include Cricket and Baseball, Elements and the Periodic Table, Adam Smith and the Wealth of Nations, Spinoza, Slavery in the Pioneer Valley, Right Wing Extremism in Germany and Women in Film..
Arts Interest Group – Suzannah Fabing and Betsy Siersma, facilitators – This group meets on the fourth Thursday of each month from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the large conference room at Highland Valley Elder Services, 320 Riverside Drive, Florence. We present programs about all of the arts - painting, sculpture, architecture, dance, theater, etc., and welcome 5CLIR members who might wish to share their knowledge and/or skills in one or more of the arts. Contact Suzannah at 413-256-6812 or sfabing@smith.edu to make suggestions about program possibilities. Programs will be offered in September, October, February, March, and April. Details to be announced.
Viewpoints – Hy Edelstein, facilitator – This group meets the first Thursday of each month, from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. in the large conference room at Highland Valley Elder Services, 320 Riverside Drive, Florence. “Viewpoints” is an open, informal, spontaneous discussion group, a fresh departure from the formal presentations and discussions in our seminars. However, it does adhere to our peer learning mission. While preparation is not required, at each session several topics proposed by participants are discussed - topics which may be drawn from a whole spectrum of events and trends in society/culture, concerns over developments in public/private life, issues in the humanities/technologies. Discussions over such matters, drawing on the spontaneity, spirit, thoughtfulness, and good humor of its seasoned participants, are indeed enriching learning experiences. For further information, contact Hy at 413-584-3060 or hedelste@crocker.com .
Book Interest Group – Sheila Klem, facilitator – This group meets the last Friday afternoon of each month from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. from September through May. Responsibility for leading the discussion of each book is rotated amongst the membership of the book group, with meetings held in members’ homes. They read a variety of contemporary fiction and non-fiction, as well as literary classics. Register on the sign-up sheet if you are interested in joining a new group. Contact Sheila Klem (548-7945; sfklem@comcast.net) with your questions.
*NEW*Vegetarian Cooking Group – Lise Armstrong, facilitator –
You are invited to join an informal group of “now-and-then” vegetarians who will get together for a meal once a month
to talk about vegetarian cooking and put theory into practice. Working in pairs, we will bring previously cooked dishes from home
or prepare them on the spot for immediate consumption.
We will meet at the home of John and Lise Armstrong, 55 Amity Place, Amherst.
This program is open to LIR members only.
No previous experience required!! Eating, however, is not optional.
This is a series of four sessions in the Fall semester; single session registration is not offered.
Payment of $20 per series will be requested prior to the start of the sessions. Chefs will be reimbursed for their expenses.
Group size will be 6-8 people, including the hosts.
The two series are Tuesday evenings, 4:30–7:00 p.m., Sept. 29, Oct. 13, Nov. 10, Dec. 8
and Fridays, 10:30 a.m.– 1:00 p.m., Sept. 25, Oct. 23, Nov. 20, Dec. 18
Choose one of these series and sign up on the Special Programs registration sheet.
We will use the lottery system if this program is oversubscribed.
Call Lise for more information 549-9171 or esarmstrong@comcast.net.
Warning: If you have food allergies, it will be your responsibility to inquire about recipe ingredients and avoid eating anything which might give you problems.
Ethnic Eating Interest Group – Joice Gare, facilitator – This group meets about once a month at a local restaurant which features food from another country. Each meeting is coordinated by a different group member who chooses the restaurant, selects the menu and arranges with staff for someone to talk to us about the food, culture and country their establishment represents. If you have questions, contact Joice at 584-6016 or joiceg@crocker.com.
Tout en Français – Judith Pool, facilitator – This group meets every Friday afternoon, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the large conference room at Highland Valley Elder Services, 320 Riverside Drive, Florence. This is a group of non-beginners who enjoy speaking and improving their French. They meet pretty much year round; watch the 5CLIRReporter/Newsleaflet for Fridays when they will not meet. Please contact Judith at jpool41@msn.com or 413-586-2190 for more information or to check dates.
*NEW*Conversational Italian – Dean Poli and Zina Tillona, facilitators – This group meets every Friday morning, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 at the Newman Catholic Center, 472 North Pleasant Street, Amherst. Do you enjoy speaking Italian but don’t get enough opportunity to do so? Then join Zina Tillona and Dean Poli as they watch and talk about episodes of made-for-Italian-TV mini-serials such as:
1. Un prete tra noi is about a priest assigned to a poor parish and his involvement with the community.
2. Pazza Famiglia is a comedy about a divorced couple, their children and their new significant others.
3. Lui e Lei is about a lawyer (Lui) and a cop (Lei) with some romance thrown in.
4. Little Roma is about a barber who moves to Rome from some small village,
opens up a shop and falls for his married, wealthy, but lonely night school teacher.
Travel Interest Group – John Gaustad and Marybeth Bridegam, facilitators – This group meets the third Thursday of each month, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the large conference room at Highland Valley Elder Services at 320 Riverside Drive, Florence. Many of us are well-traveled, and all of us know of places we would love to go but will never have the time (and/or money) necessary. The Travel Interest Group will provide an opportunity for travelers to share their knowledge, experience and pleasure with those who so far have only dreamed of going. Marybeth will be your host and John will provide technical assistance, if necessary, to put your pictures in "machine-readable" format appropriate for the computer and the projection facilities at HVES. The atmosphere is quite informal, and there is no other obligation (well, unless you are one of the speakers!) than to come and listen to the speaker(s) of the day, when and if you feel interested in the subjects. For further information, contact John Gaustad by telephone at 584-9255 or jgausta1@swarthmore.edu) or Marybeth Bridegam on 253-9562 or bmarybeth@comcast.net.
Wisdom Seekers’ Circle – Susan Gerstle, facilitator – This group meets on the second Thursday of each month, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Susan’s home, 35 New South Street, Northampton. This monthly interest group is an outgrowth of a seminar, “The Wisdom Shuttle,” and resulted in an interesting sharing of the participants’ stories on their journey to become “wise.” This group provides an opportunity for discussion and the sharing and exploring of “what makes us wise”. These are informal meetings that expect to continue year-round. For further information, contact Susan at 413-341-3519 or susanrose99@hotmail.com . The group is full for at the moment, but you may ring the office to put your name on the waiting list. People do drop out!
*NEW*Handcrafters’ Circle – Barbara Carpino, facilitator –
This group meets on the second Thursday of each month in the fall of 2009, from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at Barbara’s home, 11 Mt. Pleasant Street, Amherst.
Members are encouraged to bring their knitting, crocheting, needlework etc and enjoy the company and advice of fellow handcrafters.
Congenial discussions usually enhance the time together. The group may continue in the winter if another location is found.
(Barbara lives on a very steep, icy road, not easily accessible in winter.)
For further information contact Barbara at 
413-549-2713. Please sign up through the LIR office or on the sign-up sheet.
*NEW*Live Performances – Katharine Hazen, facilitator – This group will attend live performances. Each performance will be coordinated by a member of the group, who will choose the performance and arrange for the seating and tickets. Participants will prepay for the tickets and carpool so that those who cannot drive at night will have a ride. In this area there are many live performances that are extremely reasonable, but there are, also, many semi-pro productions that require only a short drive. Watch the newsletter for more information. Mark the sign-up sheet if you want to be kept informed.
OPERA PREP --- OPERA PERFORMANCE – Peg Bedell, facilitator
We do not yet know if Commonwealth Opera will be presenting its annual fully-staged opera this year. The company’s financial position is precarious, and in the present economic climate its chances of effective improvement are not good. Obviously there will be no LIR program if there is no opera. If things change, the Newsletter will give full information.
*NEW*METROPOLITAN OPERA HD PERFORMANCES – Peg Bedell, facilitator
The Metropolitan Opera/HD program has been hugely successful, and the audiences typically include many wise 5CLIR members. The operas are presented with full sub-titles and additional informative backstage features. Still, our members may find it useful to hear a one-hour prepara-tory talk before each opera. The 2009–2010 schedule follows, with Peggy’s lecture dates.
Place of prep talks: Mt Tom Room, Easthampton Lathrop Time: 1:30–2:30 p.m.
OPERA PRE-OPERA
Saturday, October 10 Tosca Friday, October 9
Saturday, October 24 Aida Friday, October 23
Saturday, November 7 Turandot Friday, November 6
Saturday, December 19 Les Contes d’Hoffmann Friday, December 18
Saturday, January 9 Der Rosenkavalier Friday, January 8
Saturday, January 16 Carmen Friday, January 15
Saturday, February 6 Simon Boccanegra Friday, February 5
Saturday, March 27 Hamlet Friday, March 26
Saturday, May 1 Armida Friday, April 30
To sign up for any number of Special Programs, sign up here