Five College Learning in Retirement
Special Programs for Spring 2010
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.
Friday Morning Lectures & Encore Presentations – 10 a.m. to 12 noon,
Hadley Senior Community Center, 46 Middle St (Rte 47). The Special Programs Committee is sponsoring a series of Friday morning lectures this Spring semester. These are based on the some of the most outstanding seminar presentations which members have suggested would be of general interest. A preliminary list of topics includes Architecture in Berlin, Food Politics, Orchid flowers, Opera, and recent discoveries in Evolution. Contact Christopher Hurn (hurncj@yahoo.com) for more information.
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 various locations around the Valley (our home base is the Highland Valley Senior Center in Florence, but we haven’t used it yet). It presents programs about all of the arts – painting, sculpture, architecture, dance, theater, etc., and welcomes 5CLIR members who might wish to share their contacts, knowledge and/or skills in one or more of the arts. Notify Suzannah Fabing (413-256-6812; sfabing@smith.edu) or Betsy Siersma (413-584-7053; siersma@acad.umass.edu) to be put on the list to receive program announcements by email, or to make suggestions about program possibilities. Programs will be offered in February, March, and April.
February 25th – 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Amherst College's Frost Library to look at the Artist's Books Collection with Michael Kasper, Reference and Development Coordinator, who developed the Collection.
March 25th – 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.. The studio of Southampton furniture-maker Kristina Madsen, who uses carving techniques she learned in Tasmania and Fiji in her exquisite work.
April – Stay tuned for information about April. Details of each upcoming visit will appear in the LIR Newsletter and will be emailed to those who have signed up to receive program announcements.
Viewpoints
Hy Edelstein, Facilitator – This group meets the first Thursday of each month, from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. in the small conference room at Highland Valley Elder Services in 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 584-3060 or hedelste@crocker.com .
5CLIR Book Interest Group
Gloria Ferber, Facilitator – This group meets mostly 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. The group is now open to new members. We read a variety of contemporary fiction and non-fiction, as well as literary classics. Contact: Gloria at 341-3545 or gloria.ferber@comcast.net .
Ethnic Eating Interest Group
Joice Gare, Facilitator – This group meets once a month at a local restaurant featuring food from another country or special region of this country. (Occasionally, it's just a new and intriguing restaurant.) Each dinner is coordinated by a different member of the group who chooses the restaurant, selects the menu and sometimes 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.
French Conversation
Judith Pool, Facilitator – This group meets every Friday afternoon, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 207, Amherst College Campus Center. (January meetings are at Florence Savings Bank, Hadley Mall; Feb 19th at Highland Valley Elder Services, Florence.) This is a group of 5CLIR members who enjoy speaking and learning French. They meet pretty much year round; watch the 5CLIR Reporter/Newsleaflet for Fridays when they will not meet. Please contact Judith at jpool41@msn.com or 586-2190 for more information or to check dates.
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, Highland Valley Elder Services, 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 the 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 the “machine-readable” format appropriate for the computer and the excellent 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. You can reach John at 584-9255, jgausta1@swathmore.edu or Marybeth at 253-9562, bmarybeth@comcast.net .
Wisdom Seekers’ Knitting CircleSusan Gerstle, Facilitator – This group meets on the third 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 last year’s 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 341-3519 or HYPERLINK "mailto:susanrose99@hotmail.com" 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!
Emily Dickinson Study Group
Lise Armstrong, facilitator – This is an introduction to the poetry of Emily Dickinson, designed especially for those unfamiliar with her work. Attendance is limited to six people per session. All materials needed will be supplied by the facilitator for each session. Location: 56 Amity Place, Amherst (ground floor). Thursdays, February 18th & 25th; March 11th & 25th; and April 8th, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Sign up for one or more sessions. Your attendance will be confirmed by the leader on a space available basis. For more details, call 549-9171 or email esarmstrong@comcast.net
Conversational Italian
Dean Poli and Zina Tillona, Facilitators – Meets every Friday, 9:30–11:30, at the Newman Catholic Center, 472 N. Pleasant St, Amherst. Do you enjoy speaking Italian but don’t get enough opportunity to do so? Then join Zina and Dean as they watch and talk about episodes of made-for-Italian TV mini-serials such as: 1. Un prete tra noi; 2. Quando non c’era ancora i Beattles; 3. Lui e Lei; 4. Little Roma
You do not have to be fluent in Italian to enjoy these movies and the discussions that take place concerning them. In addition, the films are stopped every 5–10 minutes in order to be certain everyone understands what is happening and no one is left behind – contact Dean at poli@ecs.umass.edu.