LEARNING – JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!!!
Wednesday, March 20, 10:00 a.m. – Noon – CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED
ONE DAY ONLY – Room E-122
Hurricane Boat Preparation – Thomas Gramza
June 1 marks the official start of the hurricane season for boaters. Emergency management experts urge citizens living in a coastal area to be prepared well before the hurricane season begins, and know what to do in the event a catastrophic storm makes landfall.
As boat owners, our responsibilities are two-fold – prepare our homes and our boats to weather a storm.
At best, you have 36 hours to prepare both for a hurricane, less if a warning is issued and you are required to evacuate. Get a hurricane plan in place early to make preparing your boat as efficient and quick as possible when a hurricane watch is issued.
Friday, March 22, 10:00 a.m. – Noon CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED
ONE DAY ONLY – Room E-122
Suddenly In Command – Thomas Gramza
The captain becomes incapacitated or falls overboard; you purchase a new boat and step aboard for the first time. You are Suddenly In Command.
This 2-hour boating safety primer is designed for those not generally at the helm, and will help you to “be prepared” with the basics in case of an emergency.
You will learn about your vessel, including nomenclature and operating principles including starting the engine. Also included are descriptions of what causes boating mishaps and how to minimize them, basic boat handling and what equipment should be on board.
Misfortune occurs in seconds, and you have the rest of your life to be grateful that you knew what to do because you were prepared.
LLI WINTER & MARCH CLASS SCHEDULE – 2013
Lifelong Learning Institute classes are non-credit and based on a liberal arts curriculum. Courses are created and selected by our curriculum committee based on member requests, peer teacher proposals and in accordance with our mission statement. We strive for variety and welcome valid proposals. LLI offers two schedules each year, fall and winter, with a mini-series in March. We are proud to offer classes once again at the Edison Punta Gorda Campus, and are excited to continue to expand into Englewood and Arcadia.
Click 2013 Registration Form (Revised)
to print the registration form for the Winter 2013 schedule.
(In order to download this form, Adobe Reader must be installed on your computer.
Visit the Adobe.com website to get a copy of Adobe Reader.)
Edison Charlotte Campus, Punta Gorda
Monday, January 28, 10:00 a.m. – Noon
ONE DAY ONLY – Room E-122
China: History, Culture, & Today’s Global Economy – Robert McMillan
Take a tour through China with startling photographs of the history and culture of China, much of which is still present today. Our lecturer, Robert McMillan, participated in the “opening” of China for Avon Products. From that vantage point, he lays out the challenges of China. He will cover the economic conditions inside China today and what he projects for China’s future.
McMillan was named by President George H. W. Bush to the Board of the Panama Canal Commission in 1989. In 1993,McMillan was elected chairman of the Commission’s Board of Directors. He also served as an Assistant to Richard M. Nixon, and as Counsel to U.S. Senator Kenneth B. Keating where he was directly involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis. His career includes assignments as a Corporate officer of Avon Products, Inc., including the Asia Pacific Profit Center. McMillan co-hosted Face-Off, a PBS television show seen throughout the metropolitan New York and Albany areas and has provided political commentary on Cable Television over MSNBC, CNN, and Fox.
Monday, January 28, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
ONE DAY ONLY – Room E-122
Financial Decisions for Women – Ben Graham
This is not your typical financial presentation. This is a serious subject, but that does not mean it has to be dull. It’s designed for you to have fun while the learning sneaks up on you. Don’t miss it. Women are more likely to face financial challenges due to loss of a spouse, long-term job loss and divorce. Add in the earnings gap with lower social security benefits and we find some unique challenges. This interactive and energetic tour of financial concepts for women is designed to be informative and fun. You will explore the world of financial decisions from the emotional, intellectual, and even the musical point of view.
Ben Graham is an Independent Financial Advisor with Nico Miles Wealth Management, and a returning instructor for LLI. Because friends, colleagues and other professionals often refer women to him, he has developed a specialty in helping female investors. Ask him for his paper, “The Widows’ Financial Mantra”.
Monday, February 4, 10:00 a.m. – Noon
ONE DAY ONLY – Room E-122
India and its Magic – Sushila Cherian
This course is a personal overview of India’s rich heritage, culture, diversity, customs, and traditions. Hear answers to frequently asked questions about the caste system, arranged marriages, the place of women in public and private life, education, and even the dot on the forehead. Displayed will be some of the instructor’s personal collection of saris and national costumes, and some of her bridal jewelry and other artifacts.
Cherian’s parents were natives of Madras (now called Chennai), India. Cherian was born and grew up in Singapore and attended the University of Singapore, returning to her parents’ homeland for her wedding. She has a Business Administration degree from Belmont College in Ohio, with a double major in Accounting and Computer Programming. Cherian has been a resident of Punta Gorda for 29 years.
Monday, February 11, 10:00 a.m. – Noon
ONE DAY ONLY
A Walking Tour of Punta Gorda’s Historic Murals – Ron Norsell
Have you wondered about the murals of Punta Gorda, why they are here, what they represent? Put on some comfortable walking shoes and join us for an interesting 2-hour tour to learn the answers. When we’re done you’ll know much more about Punta Gorda and its rich heritage and perhaps even be inspired to learn more.
Your mural tour guide, Ron Norsell, is a lifelong history buff. Following his retirement from an international business career that fed and cultivated his interests in history, he moved to Punta Gorda where he was quickly taken by the murals around town. His growing curiosity inspired a thirst to learn much more about this art, and just by coincidence a friend asked him to consider joining the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society. Norsell writes, “What an opportunity! I jumped at the chance, and the rest is history.” Today, he feels privileged to serve as the society’s president and carry on the legacy of its founder Dr. Robert Andrews.
Tuesdays, February 5 – February 26, 10:00 a.m. – Noon
4 Weeks – Room E-122
Poetry of Witness – Dorothy Brooks
Poetry of witness is poetry that reflects on the large social issues of its time: war, racial injustice, social injustice, poverty, immigration. It looks at the human condition and bears witness. This is a class for poets and non-poets alike. We will explore the art of poetry, as well as the idea of witness, reflect on contemporary poems, and do some writing of our own.
Brooks writes poetry and short fiction. Her work has most recently appeared in Alabama Literary Review, Poet Lore, Hampden-Sydney Poetry Review, Poem, Louisiana Literature, and Iron Horse Literary Review. Her second poetry chapbook, Interstices, was published in 2009 by Finishing Line Press. Brooks has a Masters degree in Education from Tulane University, and taught fiction writing in the continuing education division of Kennesaw State University in Atlanta.
Tuesdays, January 22 – February 12, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
4 Weeks – Room E-122
The Quirkiness of Southern Literature – Tammie Diehl
“The Quirkiness of Southern Literature” takes us to a world populated by petty con men, eccentric old maids, and other downright oddballs involved in outrageous plots. The quirkiness makes us laugh out loud and yet causes us to think about the foibles of human nature. Two books are required: The Ballad of the Sad Café by Carson McCullers and A Good Man is Hard to Find and other stories by Flannery O’Connor (a collection published by Harcourt Brace).
Tammie Diehl has degrees from Auburn, Missouri, and the University of Georgia. She spent thirty years teaching high school and college literature and writing. Diehl served on the state writing standards board, county curricula drafting, and she wrote the curriculum for Southern American and English literature. She has written two books in her “chick lit” series.
Tuesdays, January 22 – February 12, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
4 Weeks – Room E-122
Why You Like the Art You Like, A Personal Journey into Famous Works of Art – Roxanne Hanney
When it comes to art, you probably know what you like and don’t like, but do you know why? Discover why and join us for this exploration of artistic styles and subjects, including the easy-to-like French Impressionists, the Pre-Raphaelites who dominated English art in the second half of the 19th Century, the at-first-glance less appealing expressionists, disturbing images such as Norwegian Symbolist painter Edvard Munch (“The Scream”), and the unexpected juxtapositions of the surrealists. As with poetry, art appreciation is primarily subjective and visceral, yet is similarly dependent on understanding what you see or read, or read into it. This four-week
course taught by Roxanne Hanney will be a journey of sharing and discovery that will change the way you, and we all, look at the painted image.
Roxanne Hanney Ph.D. has had a thirty year career in education in Wisconsin. She writes, “I always describe myself as a teacher, although my career path led to several related incarnations: high school French teacher, part-time lecturer at the college level, middle school principal, supervisor of student teachers. However, the 12 years I spent teaching French remain the most memorable to me. I am now eager to refashion myself as a teacher of adult students.”
Wednesdays, January 23 – February 6, 10:00 a.m. – noon
3 Weeks – Room E-122
Wearable Wire-Wrapped Jewelry – Estellita Rainwater-August
In this three-session course, you will learn the theory of wire wrapping, learn about the materials you will use, and produce a piece of wearable jewelry/art. Have fun with others while creating with gem stones, shells and objects in odd shapes and sizes. Materials will be provided for a materials fee of $25. If you have an object of your own (bigger than a dime) that you wish to wrap, that may be possible. This class will be limited to ten (10) people – registrations will be accepted in the order of the date they are received in the LLI office.
Estellita Rainwater-August is the creator and designer of Ms. Lady Creations, a multi-faceted home-based, hand-made jewelry making business. A visual of some of her collection is available at www.msladycreations.com
Wednesdays, January 23 – February 27, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
6 Weeks – Room E-122
The U.S. Economy: Faltering Recovery or Secular Slump – Gene Laber
While the U.S. economy has been emerging from the Great Recession since the summer of 2009, recovery has been very slow and unemployment has remained stubbornly high, despite extraordinary monetary and fiscal policies. With large budget deficits and rapid growth of debt looming in the background, debate continues over how government policies should be conducted to stimulate growth. This course will examine these policy choices and debates, focusing on monetary and fiscal policies, inflation, and unemployment. Economic problems and policies in the euro zone will be compared with the U.S. experience.
Gene Laber is professor emeritus at the University of Vermont. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland and was on the faculty of the University of Vermont, where he taught courses in economics and finance for 28 years. He has consulted with numerous corporations, testified as an expert witness in regulatory proceedings and court cases in various states, and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank.
Wednesdays, January 23 – February 6, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
3 Weeks – Room E-122
Wellness Alternatives – Coordinated by Sunny Scoppa with Ilse Mindling, Fred Swing, and Richard Curtis
Each session of this 3-session series will focus on an alternative pathway to wellness.
January 23: Yoga Benefits for Body, Mind and Spirit with Ilse Mindling: After an explanation of the benefits, demonstrations of classical Hatha Yoga poses will be shown. Poses for those who are sedentary as well as the physically active will be shown. Safe and easy modifications are included. Students will be introduced to several Yoga breathing techniques, as well as gentle yoga stretches done in a chair, standing or in a reclined position. The session will conclude with a short relaxation/meditation.
Ilse Mindling is an independent Yoga Alliance registered and certified instructor. Ilse has offered Yoga classes at a wide number of sites in the area including Bayfront YMCA. She is currently instructing classes at North Port Taekwondo and the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association.
January 30: Medical Acupuncture with Fred Swing: What is medical acupuncture, and how is it used? Does it hurt? “No needle” acupuncture will be demonstrated. Alternative solutions for migraine headache, the 50-cent treatment for degenerative knee pain, shoulder pain, hot flashes, and asthma wheezing, are included. Nurses will be shown how to stop nausea and vomiting quickly with no needles. Solutions for motion sickness-sea sickness, car sickness, and air sickness will be reviewed. Questions will be encouraged from the participants.
Fred P. Swing MD has been teaching medical acupuncture since 1996. His audiences have included many service clubs, medical doctors, osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, registered nurses and other health professionals. He has taught nationally for the American Back Society and The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. Swing currently maintains a Medical Acupuncture practice in Port Charlotte, Florida.
February 6: The Balancing Game or Why I need Tai Chi and Qi Gong with Richard Curtis: Tai Chi is the fastest growing exercise and stretching program for seniors in America. Qi Gong is expected to grow to grow exponentially as well. Oral and practical demonstrations of the philosophy and workings for both Tai Chi and Qi Gong are included in this class.
Richard Curtis has been a REIKI Master and practitioner since 1993, specializing in providing aid and comfort to AIDS patients. Curtis was introduced to Tai Chi and Qi Gong in 1985 and became a student of Sifu Vanessa Wu, an internationally recognized Tai Chi and Qui Gong teacher. Curtis has been certified to teach Tai Chi and Qi Gong I and II, as well as meditation programs.
Thursdays, January 24 – February 14, 10:00 a.m. – noon
4 Weeks – Room E-122
Pen and Ink Drawing – Carol McMillan-Aagaard
Have fun with step by step lessons learning pen and ink styles used by illustrators and artists. All skill levels are welcome. All materials will be supplied.
Carol McMillan Aagaard studied at Taylor University in Indiana and Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, where she earned her BFA degree. She also studied at Wilsey Institute of Design and earned a New York certification. She has taught Art and Design at the high school and college levels and currently teaches Art and Design with Creative Classes Artist Coop in Venice, Florida.
Thursdays, January 24 – February 14, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
4 Weeks – Room E-122
Scandinavian Crime Writers vs. American Crime Writers: A Critical Analysis – Dr. Stan Aagaard
This course will look at Scandinavian Crime Writer Award winners, such an Hanning Mankell, the “godfather of Swedish mysteries” and author of the Curt Wallander series; Steig Larson, author of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, and thirty or forty other authors. The American authors discussed will include David Baldacci, author of “The Camel Club Mysteries”; Nelson DeMille, who wrote The Gold Coast series, The Charm School, Up Country, and others; and Randy Wayne White, author of the Doc Ford series, set in the key islands along Western Florida. Comparisons will be made between the writers across the two cultures.
Dr. Stan Aagaard did his undergraduate studies in Science and Mathematics at Bloomsburg University. He earned his Master’s degree in Chemistry from Trenton State College, and a PhD. in Science Education at NYU. He was a full professor of Chemistry at The College of New Jersey at Trenton and taught there for 38 years, retiring in 1991. Aagaard is of Scandinavian ancestry and developed a strong interest in Scandinavian and American crime writers, reading their works extensively.
Fridays, January 25 – February 1, 10:00 a.m. – noon
2 Weeks – Room E-122
Hidden History: The Southern Underground Railroad – Martha Bireda
One aspect of Florida and United States history that has remained “hidden” is the “Southern Underground Railroad”. Florida was a key destination of enslaved Africans seeking freedom from the 17th through 19th centuries. In this class, we will explore the role of Florida as a refuge and the ways in which slavery specifically influenced the Second Seminole War. The first class session will be on the Edison campus, and the second session will be a visit to view the exhibit at Blanchard House Museum.
Dr. Martha Bireda, Ph.D., is Director of the Blanchard House of African American History and Culture of Charlotte County. Bireda is a native Floridian and the descendant of African American Pioneers in Punta Gorda. Bireda is an author of six books including one for youth which describes the values of African American pioneers in the area.
Fridays, February 22 – March 1, 10:00 a.m. – noon
2 Weeks – Room E-122
At First Contact: The Spanish and Indigenous Florida – Jacqueline Brown
In 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon claimed La Florida for the Spanish monarchy. This watershed moment in Florida’s history forever altered the relationship of the state’s indigenous peoples with their land, their culture and their way of life. Join us as we examine Florida’s evolving history from the perspectives of the Spanish and the area’s indigenous people.
Historical Program Coordinator Jackie Brown joined the Charlotte County Historical Center team in 2008, bringing with her both academic and practical experience. She researches, organizes and produces the educational programs and events of the Charlotte County Historical Center on Bayshore Road in Charlotte Harbor. A longtime resident, she earned her B. A. in History from Florida Gulf Coast University. She is a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the Organization of American Historians, the Florida Historical Society and the Charlotte County Historical Society. She has also co-authored a scholarly work on Afro-Cuban segregation in late 19th century Tampa and continues her research in local and state history.
Fridays, January 25 – March 1, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
6 Weeks – Room E-122
Great Decisions: The Foreign Policy Association’s Annual Presentation – Hasan Hammami with James Ford Cooper
LLI is proud to offer the 2013 Foreign Policy Association course. This is a preview of the topic areas that will be covered in the Great Decisions 2013 briefing book:
Future of the Euro by Erik Jones, Egypt by Bruce Rutherford, Formulation and Implementation of U.S. Foreign Policy by Ford Cooper, NATO by Mark Webber, Myanmar and Southeast Asia by Barbara Crossette, Iran by John Limbert, China by David Shinn, and Threat Assessment by Gregory Treverton.
(The final titles and order of the topics may change prior to publication. The booklet will be available in January 2013).
James Ford Cooper is a Retired Veteran of the U.S. State Department with thirty-five years of Service in the U.S. and Overseas, including Senior Levels in Latin America and Scandanavia. He is a past instructor of U.S. Foreign Policy at LLI.
South Florida State College
2251 NE Turner Ave
Arcadia FL 34266
Tuesdays, January 22 – February 12, 10:00 – noon
4 Weeks – Room 110, South Florida State College
Walking Into the Past: An Introduction to the History of Arcadia - Carol Mahler
Incorporated as a town in 1886 and chosen as county seat of DeSoto County in 1888, Arcadia grew into a center of commerce and government. In 1921 DeSoto County was divided into five counties: Charlotte, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee and Highlands, and Arcadia continued as DeSoto’s county seat. Learn why Arcadia was once known as “Aviation City,”is home of the World’s Only Rattlesnake Cannery, and is the birthplace of the rotary mower. Two class sessions will be guided walking tours of the Arcadia Historic District.
Carol Mahler holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature/Latin Poetry from New College of Florida and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. She is the author of three books: How Do I Follow? Poems, published by Peace River Press in 2012; Guy LaBree: Barefoot Artist of the Florida Seminoles, published by the University of Florida Press in 2010, and Adventures in the Charlotte Harbor Watershed, a children’s book first published in 2008 by the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program. Her award-winning poems and articles have been published in magazines and newspapers; in addition, she writes and edits articles, newsletters, books, and other publications for the DeSoto County Historical Society. Mahler is the founding director of the Peace River Center for Writers at Edison State College Charlotte Campus in Punta Gorda. She also served on the founding committee and was an instructor for South Florida Community College’s Elderhostel and Lifetime Learners Institute (Learning in Retirement) programs.
Tuesdays, January 22 – February 12, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
4 Weeks – Room 110, South Florida State College
Beginning Bridge – Muriel Hall
In this course, beginners will learn basic bidding and playing the bridge hand.
Your instructor, Muriel Hall, has a B.A from University of North Carolina. She has played Bridge for many years and has taught Bridge at the Riviera Country Club and held Bridge seminars at Sea Islands.
Wednesdays, January 23 – February 27, 10:00 – noon
6 Weeks – Room 217, South Florida State College
Basic Conversational Spanish – Hugh Ramos
During this six week course you will learn enough vocabulary to have simple conversations in Spanish.
Hugh Ramos has spoken Spanish from birth. He served in the USAF as a translator during the Cuban missile crises. After military service Ramos earned an undergraduate degree at Florida State University. He spent a year as a post graduate student at Harvard University. Ramos has taught Spanish, English as a Second Language, Psychology and Sociology at various colleges and for Nova University.
Englewood-Cape Haze Chamber of Commerce – Englewood
Wednesdays, January 23, 30, February 13, 20, 10:00 – noon
4 Weeks – Chamber Office
Englewood Local History – Jean Airey
This course looks at the history of Englewood from its pre-history occupation by Native Americans, through the eyes of the Andersons, one of the pioneer families, to the small town joys of growing up in Englewood in the 1950s, with a closing look at how things were and
how they are today.
Jean Airey has a B.A. from Randolph-Macon Women’s College. Airey is vice-president of Lemon Bay Historical Society, editor of INKLINGS a Suncoast Writers Guild publication, and Treasurer of Englewood Pioneer Days Events.
Click Film & March Mini Series to view additional offerings.
Click 2013 Registration Form (Revised)
to print the registration form for the Winter 2013 schedule.
(In order to download this form, Adobe Reader must be installed on your computer.
Visit the Adobe.com website to get a copy of Adobe Reader.)
