At right: Jim Ellison with LLL President, Cathy Lindstrom and Pet Companion Club Treasurer, Julie Schilling.
LLL helps Pet Companion Club
Ruth Shaffer
The first Monday Morning Lecture this season was free and was pressented by Linda Bolon about Coexisting with Coyotes. In lieu of the normal $5 admission, LifeLong Learning gave all donations made that morning to the PC Pet Companions Club. That club relies on donations from the PebbleCreek community and LifeLong Learning was thrilled to be able to present president, Jim Ellison, with a check for $560.
New initiatives
Ruth Shaffer
LifeLong Learning is still learning, exploring, and expanding. This season was the first TED Talk Extravaganza, the first-time registration was staggered, the first use of a lottery for tickets for the Luke AFB trip, a new Will Call system for distributing tickets for Premier Lectures, a new opportunity to buy a season ticket package for Premier Lectures and new concerts by the Guitar Group. President Cathy Lindstrom stated that she is very proud of these latest changes made by the LLL Board.
Your ideas for classes, lectures, trips, and new programs are welcome and encouraged. LLL grows and expands when you share your ideas. We want to know what your interests are. Your ideas can be sent to [email protected] or stop at the LLL Center and speak to a volunteer or call the Center at 623-535-8875.
Ways to support LifeLong Learning
Ruth Shaffer
As 2019 comes to a close and plans for year-end giving are considered, LifeLong Learning (LLL), a non-profit 501(c)(3), would welcome your tax-deductible donation. Our number one goal is to provide quality programming to PebbleCreek residents. Your ideas and participation help with that goal and in honor of the 15th anniversary of LifeLong Learning, your financial help will also be appreciated.
If you shop at Fry’s and have a VIP card, sign up for their Community Rewards program. Your inclusion in their program contributes to the amount of money LLL receives from Fry’s every three months. If you shop at Amazon, sign up for Amazon Smile and connect your account to LLL. Amazon donates a small percentage of every purchase to LLL. These programs cost you nothing and are other ways to help LLL continue to provide quality programs.
The LLL website, www.lifelonglearningatpc.org, has a tab at the top of the home page titled Donate. If you need assistance, visit the LLL Center and a volunteer will help you or call the center at 623-535-8875.
Sunday Series preview
Dave Hungerford
Celebrate Sundays in PebbleCreek with LifeLong Learning (LLL). Four years ago, we initiated this enlightening and entertaining program of concerts with refreshments in the Chianti Room. Admission is free but you must register to assure a seat at one of the tables. Please arrive early to select your beverage and though optional, we ask that you bring a non-perishable food item to contribute to the St. Mary’s Food Bank collection and a donation to LLL’s 15-year anniversary fund drive.
Dan Reed and his Hot Shots play Dixieland will perform on Jan. 26 from 2-3:30 p.m. Registration begins on the website on Dec. 26, 2019. Learn about a style of music sometimes referred to as hot jazz or early jazz, which was first developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century.
The second program will be the LLL Guitar Group playing Songs You Like to Listen to on Feb. 23 and the third program on March 29 is the SoSco Duo taking us Around the World with Music. Register for these programs at www.lifelonglearningatpc.org 30 days before they occur.
Steven Semken
Dig a Monday Morning Lecture
Lorna Bray
Join geologist Steven Semken who will explain Arizona’s deep history as we travel back in time and find answers recorded in its fossils, rocks, mountains, and landscapes. His lecture will include the origin of our magnificent Grand Canyon, the state’s copper wealth, the red rocks of Sedona and Monument Valley, the Mogollon Rim, and the Sonoran Desert Community.
At 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 6, Professor Semken will be in PebbleCreek to discuss the nearly two-billion-year-old geological history of Arizona. Tickets to all Monday Morning Lectures are $5 at the door of the Renaissance Theater. All lectures begin at 10 a.m.
PC Reads looks ahead
Alice Haywood and Dianne Harmon
The third season of PebbleCreek Reads, a special program of LLL that meets the first Thursday of every month at 5 p.m., is in full swing. If you want to attend a discussion, register online at www.lifelonglearningatpc.org 30 days before a meeting. This is a free program but registration is required and space is limited to 24.
The book for Dec. 5 is The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. Books to begin 2020 are as follows: Jan. 2, Have you seen Luis Velez by Catherine Ryan Hyde; Feb. 6, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides; March 5, Kindred by Octavia E. Butler; April 2, This Tender Land by William Kent Kruger, May 7, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett; and June 4, Bear Town by Fredrik Blackman.
Join the discussion and share your time and thoughts with other readers!
Class openings remain
Carole Korzilius
LifeLong Learning (LLL) classes have been well-received and some are fully-subscribed. Some cooking classes still have openings so check the website and don’t hesitate to put your name on a waitlist for any class as cancellations do occur.
Downsizing for Seniors on Jan. 9 is a class meant just for us. Do you need help organizing? You’ll learn easy techniques to reduce clutter from Deb Lawrence. Just think how getting organized could put an end to those frustrating times when what you’re looking for disappeared.
The Intriguing World of Gemstones with Linda Kesselman on Jan. 16 will tell us where diamonds originate and the countries that have the most production. Learn about the insect that leads diamond hunters to locations deep inside the earth where diamonds can be found. Learn how quartz was synthetically produced during World War II in order to supply the military with the component necessary for radio transmitters.
We recognize the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon as a National Park with The Harvey Girls. On Jan. 22, Dr. Diane Cheney will highlight the work of Harvey Girl Mary Colter who designed both trails and accommodations at the Grand Canyon, contributing to the rise of tourism in Arizona. She will also discuss the impact of the railroad on Arizona’s growth and development.
The Great Decisions series runs for eight weeks and will have five groups this year. Topics include Climate Change and the Global Order; India and Pakistan; Red Sea Security; Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking; U.S. Relations with the Northern Triangle; China’s Road into Latin America; The Philippines and the U.S; and Artificial Intelligence and Data. Please check the website for the few remaining spaces in the Monday groups.
Review the SCHEDULE or the website for the entire line up. Most classes are scheduled from 1-3 p.m. at the LLL Center, Room 107 near the Activities Office in Eagle’s Nest. Registration is required for all classes and can be done online at www.lifelonglearningatpc.org or at the LLL Center Tuesdays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon.