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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before class begins.
Diego Rivera, the greatest of the Mexican muralists, called the fresco cycle he painted in the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) his “finest work.” We will look in depth at the Detroit Industry murals, and also at other works by Diego Rivera, as we explore his style, his life, and his ideas, using detailed illustrations. Wendy Evans was raised among the museums of London, England, and holds an advanced degree from Oxford University. She has taught art history at Wayne State University and other institutions in Michigan and is a long-time docent volunteer at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Wendy is known fondly for her British accent and crazy socks, and for the passion for art she loves to share with others in her richly illustrated presentations.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Wendy Evans
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Dates: 11/6/2024 - 11/6/2024
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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HYBRID: In the classroom and online. A Zoom link will be sent to all one day before class.
In this class we will learn about the tragedy of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in a Lake Superior storm on November 10, 1975. This event dominated national headlines for days. Presenter Ray Stocking will share a historical review of the Edmund Fitzgerald, with photos, video, and music accompanying the presentation. We will examine the specific details of the Fitzgerald’s final journey, a journey that ultimately took the lives of all 29 crew members. We will also discuss a summary of the investigation that followed this tragic event, and the multiple theories about what caused the ship to sink so suddenly, without any distress calls. Ray Stocking is a life-long admirer of the Great Lakes shipping industry. He grew up along the shores of Lake St. Clair and spent his childhood years watching and learning about the “big freighters” as they passed by. Ray is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University where he received his B.B.A and M.B.A. degrees in business management.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Ray Stocking
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Dates: 11/7/2024 - 11/7/2024
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Th
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Building: Hybrid: In-Person and Online
Room: Vineyard Cafe and Zoom
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- This class has reached the enrollment limit. Please click the "Add to Waitlist" button below.
IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Enrollment for this class is limited to 12 attendees. A waitlist will be available.
Fee: Member $10 Nonmember $15
Plus an additional $5 for materials
Iris folding is a paper craft that involves folding strips of colorful patterned paper to form a design. This idea originated in 20th century Holland where early craft people made their designs using patterned paper cut from the inside of envelopes. The center of the design forms an Iris – a shape similar to the Iris diaphragm of a camera lens. This technique involves layering paper strips across a cutout shape and following a printed template. You will make one complete holiday card and learn techniques to make many more. A few patterns will be supplied, and a resource list will be provided. This project is fun, relaxing, creative, inexpensive, and EASY. Betty Abraham is a retired Middle School teacher with a love for crafting. Her interests began at a young age in the Army Post Craft Huts all over the world. Her latest new hobby is Iris Folding and she would love to share her enthusiasm with you.
SPECIAL NOTE: Class registrants should bring a pair of scissors, a pencil, and Scotch tape.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor: Betty Abraham
Capacity Remaining: 0
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Dates: 11/7/2024 - 11/7/2024
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Th
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before each class session begins.
In this class Philip Hughes will lead us through the science that lets astronomers explore a Universe so vast that light from the most distant objects seen today began its journey before the Sun and Earth had formed. We will start by introducing Kepler's Laws, which enable us to map the Solar System, and to "weigh" the objects within it. The same approach allows us to "weigh" stars. Philip will then show how the light from stars holds the secret of their composition and structure, providing new tools for calculating the distance to remote galaxies: the so-called "distance ladder." The final item in our toolbox is the Doppler effect, enabling us to measure the speed with which objects approach, or recede from, Earth. Pulling all this together enables us to build a picture of the Universe – from the Big Bang to the formation of planets, stars and galaxies – and to predict its ultimate fate! Philip Hughes teaches in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on the high-energy particles and magnetic fields in the jets of plasma associated with supermassive black holes in galaxies.
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Fee: $45.00
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Instructor(s): Philip Hughes
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Dates: 11/8/2024 - 11/22/2024
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 3
Days: F
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before class begins.
Located in the northeast of England, the city of Lincoln once rivalled London as one of the most important cities in the country. It has been a Roman colonia, a Viking trade centre, and a powerful hub of engineering. Take a walk along its cobbled streets and you will find history embedded in every corner. This virtual tour will take us on a journey of discovery through the city’s most significant moments from the past two thousand years and will showcase the best of Lincoln’s historic buildings such as the castle, cathedral, and Bishop’s palace. Pat Butler was the Elderwise Administrator until retiring back to Warwick, England. She is now a Tour Guide for the National Trust’s Back-to-Back History Museum in Birmingham, U.K. Pat also presents classes on social history to the U.K.’s University of the Third Age.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Pat Butler
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Dates: 11/13/2024 - 11/13/2024
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Bud Thomas’s latest presentation will focus on the background and visuals of the fascinating experiences he has had associated with high-altitude mountain climbing in the Himalayas. He will discuss what is required to prepare physically in order to successfully summit high-altitude peaks, as well as the number of Nepalese porters required and their individual duties. We will also learn many interesting facts about Nepalese culture. Bud Thomas is a retired Aerospace Engineer with 50+ years of experience, including rocket engine design for the Saturn-V Apollo rocket, the Space Shuttle’s main engine, and jet engine design for commercial and military aircraft. He has taught Jet Engine Design at the graduate school level for 49 years and is now a mentor to Aerospace Engineering students at the University of Michigan. Bud also has climbing experience in the United States, Africa, Japan, France and Antarctica, and has had multiple dog sledding experiences in the Arctic.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Bud Thomas
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Dates: 11/13/2024 - 11/13/2024
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before class begins.
Commemorating 80 years since the D-Day landings on its beaches during World War II, France’s Normandy coast will be a veritable tourist mecca in 2024. Join Gerlinda Melchiori for a “virtual” visit, without the crowds, to some of Normandy’s most famous historic sites: the Omaha beaches; Rouen, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake; Honfleur, the cradle of impressionism; and Monet’s home and garden in Giverny, near Paris. We will also journey to medieval Bayeux and its Viking tapestry; the Benedictine Abbey of Fecamp, famous for its herbal liquor; Le Mont Saint Michel Abbey (now a commune) on a rock island looking over to England, as well as the region’s beautiful seaside cliffs. Gerlinda Melchiori holds advanced degrees in history and business, and a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Michigan. She has served as an international consultant to universities around the world. Her special interests include the history and arts of regions and cultures worldwide.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Gerlinda Melchiori
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Dates: 11/14/2024 - 11/14/2024
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: Th
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Building: Online Course
Room: Online via Zoom
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
James Baldwin (1924-1987), novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, social critic, and expatriate, wrote and spoke about the America he experienced over four decades. To gain a sense of his lasting impact and many accomplishments, our first session focuses on the two “letters” that constitute The Fire Next Time (Vintage International paperback), published in 1963, one-hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and his most anthologized short story, "Sonny’s Blues,” originally published in Partisan Review in 1957. Our second session includes viewing filmmaker Raoul Peck’s 2016 Academy Award nominated documentary I Am Not Your Negro. Kevin Eyster is a professor emeritus at Madonna University where he teaches courses in literature.
"Sonny's Blues" is available online here: Sonny Blues Text . (click link)
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Fee: $30.00
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Instructor: Kevin Eyster
Capacity Remaining: 0
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Dates: 11/14/2024 - 11/21/2024
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 2
Days: Th
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Life histories of tarantulas present an interesting dichotomy. Sedentary females live in the same burrows for up to 25 years, whereas males reach sexual maturity in 7 to 8 years and spend the last few months of their lives actively searching for, and mating with, as many females as possible. Despite a very robust pet trade, surprisingly little is known about these animals in their natural environments. In this presentation Cara Shillington will introduce us to the fascinating world of spiders, with a focus on tarantulas. She will discuss what she and her students are learning at their current field site in southern Colorado. Join us with any spider questions you may have and prepare to enjoy an up-close encounter with live tarantulas. Cara Shillington is a professor of biology at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) whose area of expertise is behavioral and physiological ecology. She teaches invertebrate biology at EMU, and has led students on field trips to tropical and subtropical localities in Florida, the Bahamas, and Ecuador. Her research focuses on the arachnids, especially tarantulas, using these creatures as both model and muse.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Cara Shillington
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Dates: 11/20/2024 - 11/20/2024
Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Born into a famous Viennese family, Paul Wittgenstein was an aspiring concert pianist. After losing his right arm during WWI, Wittgenstein was determined to continue his career, and commissioned many concertos, chamber works, and solo pieces for left hand alone. Henry will discuss Wittgenstein's extraordinary career, play excerpts from compositions by Korngold, Prokofiev, Britten, and Bortkiewicz, and will conclude with a complete performance of the famous Concerto for the Left Hand by Maurice Ravel. Henry B. Aldridge is an Emeritus Professor of Electronic Media and Film Studies at Eastern Michigan University. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and M.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of North Carolina. Henry is also one of the organists at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor.
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Fee: $15.00
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Instructor(s): Henry B. Aldridge
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Dates: 11/20/2024 - 11/20/2024
Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
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Sessions: 1
Days: W
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Building: Vineyard Church
Room: Classroom at the Vineyard Church
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- ONLINE registration for this class is now closed.
If the start date of the first session has not happened yet,
please call or email the Elderwise office to get registered.
Thank you!
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before each class session begins.
Dates:
Session I: Thursday, October 31
Session II: Wednesday, November 6
Session III: Friday, November 8
Time:
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Taking Apart the News is three sessions this Fall Term and will focus on the U.S. Presidential Election, which could turn out to be the most important and controversial in recent history. One class will be held a few days before the November 5 election, and two in the days immediately following. Media’s role and the global reaction to America’s drama will be considered, whatever may have transpired. Elections around the world, along with continuing political and economic surprises, will have been features of 2024. In any event, after 20 years, these sessions may well be Al Chambers’ final TATN classes, at least focusing on the power and speed of major developments, growing tensions, and technology. Al Chambers is a veteran journalist and communicator who continues to focus on the power and speed of news, media, and technology in this rapidly changing world.
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- ONLINE registration for this class is now closed.
If the start date of the first session has not happened yet,
please call or email the Elderwise office to get registered.
Thank you!
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent the Friday before each class session begins.
Wandering Stars, Tommy Orange’s long-awaited follow-up to his 2018 Pulitzer-nominated debut novel There There, hit the booksellers this past February, and we will be reading and discussing it in this November class. Part historical novel and part sequel to his first book, Wandering Stars provides details of the 1800’s Cheyenne experience and its link to the contemporary characters who survived the violence at the conclusion of There There. You need not have read Orange’s first book to appreciate his second. A brief synopsis of There There will be provided on request. Cecilia Donohue retired in 2013 following a 25-year career of undergraduate instruction, graduate teaching, and academic administration. She now resides in east Tennessee with her husband Bill and their menagerie of horses, cat, and dog. Currently an associate editor of The Steinbeck Review, Cecilia has written extensively on America’s southern authors and poets, notably Robert Penn Warren and Anne Tyler.
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- ONLINE registration for this class is now closed.
If the start date of the first session has not happened yet,
please call or email the Elderwise office to get registered.
Thank you!
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ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent the Friday before class begins.
During the original 2006 broadcast of BBC’s series Planet Earth, each 50-minute episode was followed by a 10-minute additional featurette, taking viewers to a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of filming that specific episode. Here, in one collection, we will view all eleven 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurettes in Planet Earth Diaries, to see some of the amazing stories from the production team. Four years in the making, the series involved over 2,000 days in the field, using 71 cameramen filming across 204 locations in 62 countries. From diving with piranhas in Brazil to flying a hot air balloon over the trees of Madagascar, filming in minus 50 C temperature and hurricane-force winds, hiding in a cramped hole for hundreds of hours, or working with local people to track reclusive animals, sometimes tracking them through the night, every filming assignment provided its own unique challenges.
Linda M. Gintowt holds an M.A. in drama from the University of Toronto. She has a passion for history and the preservation of art and culture. Linda served as the Elderwise Program Coordinator for five years. She is pleased to share her love of nature with Elderwise friends through this iconic series.
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