Special events, seminars among offerings of Lourdes University's Lifelong Learning programs

Here's a variety of programs from Lourdes University's Lifelong Learning:

SPECIAL EVENTS:

Sept. 27 – Fort Meigs

10 a.m. at Fort Meigs in Perrysburg

A crucial site in the War of 1812 was Fort Meigs in Perrysburg. Lifelong Learning participants will be treated to a special lecture followed by a musket demonstration and a catered lunch, followed by opportunities to tour the museum, fort, and the gift shop at your own pace. Registration includes admission to Fort Meigs and a catered boxed lunch. $25 for members, $43 for nonmembers.

Oct. 4 to Nov. 1 – Our Irreplaceable Resource: Water

7 to 9 p.m. in the Franciscan Center

Join us for a lecture series focused on the greatest expanse of fresh water on Earth and the pressing issues facing our lakes today. Also featured will be the film Mysteries of the Great Lakes, a Science North production. Travel to the ‘inland seas’ where some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth is also the world’s largest concentration of freshwater. The Great Lakes are home to varied wildlife as well as the 40 million Canadians and Americans who rely on the Lakes for water. Discover how humanity has brought these Lakes to the brink of destruction…and back. Speakers are Sandy Bihn, founder of the Western Lake Erie Waterkeeper Association and Sr. Marya Czech, SND, Lourdes University Biology Department. This is a recurring lecture, held on the following dates: Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 and November 1. $5 per week suggested donation.

Oct. 17 – Cruise with Lifelong Learning

8:30 a.m. departure, 6 p.m. return

Spend a day cruising with Lifelong Learning. Enjoy a trip on the Grand River aboard the gracious Michigan Princess Riverboat. This triple deck riverboat has 111 windows for magnificent views of the fall foliage. Enjoy an unlimited buffet lunch and live music on board. Once back on land, we will visit the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum for a guided tour. These vintage Oldsmobiles have been cruising as far back as 1896. Our registration fee includes admission to the riverboat and museum, lunch, and transportation on our motor coach chartered with Blue Lakes. $75 for members, $93 for nonmembers.

Oct. 27 – Toledo Symphony performance at Lourdes

7:30 p.m. in the Franciscan Center

Savor the sounds of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra in the comfort of the Franciscan Center.

Excellent seats have been reserved for Lifelong Learners and we get a special price. Conductor Jeffrey Pollock conducts an inspired program of Haydn, Beethoven, and Strauss, including the Concerto for Horn. $24 per person (discounted from $30).

MEETINGS/SEMINARS

Sept. 14 – All You Wanted To Know About Presidential Second Terms…

9:15 a.m. (refreshments), 10 a.m. (program), Franciscan Center

Join presenter Dr. Gerry Bazer, Dean Emeritus of Arts & Sciences at Owens Community College, as he discusses presidential elections. How many presidents won second terms? Did their victory margin increase or decrease? Why did certain presidents lose in seeking a second term? How successful were the presidents’ second terms? Did any presidents vow never to run for a second term? Did any presidents before Franklin Roosevelt seek a third term? Hear about the history of the American presidency, the 2nd time around. Free to members and 1st-time visitors.

Sept. 14 – Hot Topic: “Are the media deciding the presidential election?”

11:30 a.m., Franciscan Center Boardroom

What media (blogs, newspapers, television, social networks) do people pay attention to? Will they really influence your vote? How do you tell the difference between paid advertising and the media itself? Are the cable networks influencing voters? What do the polls tell us, and what is their influence in the vote? $10 members, $12 non-members, lunch included.

Oct. 19 – The Toledo Museum of Art’s 1st Edition King James Bible

9:15 a.m. (refreshments), 10 a.m. (program), Franciscan Center

Join presenter Edward T. Hill, Assistant Curator of Works of Art on Paper at the Toledo Museum of Art as he discusses the history of the King James Bible, 1st published 400 years ago. Learn about the events that led to the creation of the King James Bible, as well as characteristics of the first edition, as shown by examples in the collection of the Toledo Museum of Art. Presented in cooperation with Lourdes’ Duns Scotus Library, which is hosting the traveling exhibit “Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible” from Oct. 7 to 31. Free to members and 1st-time visitors.

Friday meeting bonus: 11:20 a.m. to Noon (October 19 meeting)

9:15 a.m. (refreshments), 10 a.m. (program), Franciscan Center

Sandra Clark, member of the Toledo Symphony horn section since 1990, will give a special presentation in the Franciscan Center Commons. Free to members and 1st-time visitors.

Nov. 16 – Window on the River

9:15 a.m. (refreshments), 10 a.m. (program), Franciscan Center

Ann Anderson Stranahan will read from her first book, Window on the River; a collection of emotionally charged and moving poems on the trials and joys of a daughter, a mother, a wife, and a human rights advocate. The generosity of spirit, wit, and empathetic compassion found within these poems will enrich the lives of all who encounter them. Free to members and 1st-time visitors.

Oct. 19 – Hot Topic: “The Middle East heats up”

Noon, Franciscan Center Boardroom

Join instructor Norm Thal as he breaks down the hottest topics coming from the various countries located in the Middle East. IRAN: Is the nuclear threat real or an Iraq-style “red herring?” SYRIA: Will President Assad hold onto power? Besides Russia and China, who is really helping him? EGYPT: Can President Morsi tame the military; or is it all smoke and mirrors? ISRAEL: Does Prime Minister Netanyahu need an Iranian distraction to offset his problems with the ultra-Orthodox? $10 members, $12 non-members, lunch included.

Nov. 16 – Hot Topics: “The fate of the euro”

11:30 a.m., Franciscan Center Boardroom

Join history professor Dr. Mary Robinson as she discusses the hot topic “The Fate of the Euro.” Should the euro collapse, it will have ramifications not just for the European economy but the global economy as well. $10 members, $12 non-members, lunch included.

Nov. 29 – Public Schools for Today and Tomorrow

The media reports that our public schools are “in crisis,” and that our children are not being prepared for the globalized world in which they will live and work. Are all schools failing, or mainly the inner city ones? Is money the problem? Are the wealthy fleeing public schools, and to what effect? Is school choice the answer, including charter and private schools? Is teacher education (and/or unions) the underlying problem? If so, how can this be changed? Is testing good, bad or indifferent? Does testing simply encourage cheating, not teaching? Join moderator Norm Thal, Dr. Ruslan Slutsky from the University of Toledo, and Larry Sykes, from the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education. $20 for members; $25 for nonmembers. Registration includes a catered luncheon.

For more information about these programs or classes, go to www.lourdes.edu/lifelong.