News From CALL February 2024

Sketch by Anne Lefebvre, a member of CALL’s Sketch Club group

President’s Message

- Barbara Decker Pierce – CALL President

The time for holiday celebrations has passed and we are now back to normal routines and activities. CALL volunteers are busily bringing their discussion groups back together and those preparing for speaker events have promised some wonderful guests and topics for the upcoming season.

What we would value from you is your feedback … how are we doing? If you like what we are offering, then let know us so that we can do more of the same. Volunteers like to know that their efforts are being appreciated. If you have concerns, we need to know about them so we can make changes that improve things for everyone. The members of the Board are wearing name tags at CALL events so look for us to pass along your thoughts. You can also contact us through the CALL website. I now have a direct email address as CALL President. Click “About CALL” on the home page and then click “Contact Us”. The link to my email is there, along with links to other members of the Board. All of us would be happy to hear about your experiences as a member of CALL.

History Project Request

CALL has been in existence for nearly 15 years. It has grown from a small group of keen lifelong learners meeting in a Calgary living room to today’s almost 900 members who are enjoying CALL programming. Seems like it would be a good time to record the history of CALL. We are grateful that founding member and University of Calgary historian, Don Smith, along with two highly qualified CALL volunteers, Carolyn Ryder and Christine Hayes, have agreed to take on this project. Given their obvious enthusiasm for the work and impressive backgrounds in historical research, we couldn’t have asked for a more impressive “dream team”. We have lots of archival material that has been collected over the years, but we expect that some of you may have material as well (e.g. documents, photographs, personal remembrances) that would be of interest to the researchers. If so, we would be glad to hear from you.

Email President@calgarylifelonglearners.ca to get in touch with the project team.

Announcement!

- Maureen Osis and Gail Kingwell
Photo by Maureen Osis

CALL has started a monthly Blog which will focus on topics related to “Lifelong learning for the JOY of it–for the HEALTH of it” This month’s topic is: “CALL–A Unique Lifelong Learning Organization”

Why add a Blog to the CALL website?

A blog post which is available to the public can help to attract visitors to the website. Our website includes so much valuable information about CALL’s wide variety of programs. Unlike many other lifelong learning organizations, CALL’s programs are initiated by members who want to share their interests, curiosities, passions and experience with others.

Member volunteers contribute their knowledge and skills through various committees to support the programming and structure of the organization. CALL is member-driven. It depends on members for all programming and also all the behind-the-scenes work. Attracting new members is essential for sustainability and the blog is one way that we can reach out to the public and promote membership.

Because CALL is independently funded, we rely on funding from the membership base. Unfortunately, we do lose members every year, so we can’t remain complacent. We hope to increase membership by reaching out to the general public through this blog.

How can you help?

Please read our monthly blog posts and share with your family and friends. We know that the majority of people join CALL on the recommendation of someone they know. If you – or people you know – are on Facebook, please like/share/comment on our Blog post. This helps to spread the word for CALL.

If you have an idea for a topic, please reach out to: blog@calgarylifelonglearners.ca

CALL Volunteer Urgently Needed

Program Committee Secretary

Do you have email and MSWord or other word processing application skills? Would you enjoy a volunteer role that requires only five to six hours a month (including attending the monthly meetings of the Program Committee)? The Program Committee needs a new Secretary. The position entails:

• taking minutes at the monthly Program Committee meetings;
• working with the Program Committee Chair to prepare the agenda;
• providing committee members with meeting materials and minutes.

Our current Secretary, Julia Melnyk, says she has appreciated not just the support of committee members, but also how the role has made her feel that she is an integral part of CALL. She’d be happy to answer any questions.

For more information please contact: Program Committee Chair Adrienne Kertzer or Julia Melnyk.

January Events

Health and Wellness
zzz Sleep zzz

Monday, January 22, 1:30–3:00pm
Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church
Speaker: Greg Stirrett, Hons Kin, BEd, MBA

Are you tired of being tired all the time? Do you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night? If so, your’re not alone. Sleep is an essential part of our overall health and well-being, yet few of us prioritize it the way we should. This informative and compelling presentation explores the foundational principles of sleep science, the risks associated with sleep deprivation, effective sleep strategies, common sleep disorders, and avenues for accessing sleep-related services.

Members of the public are welcome to attend (at a cost of $5 at the door). Registration is not required.

Intergenerational Speaker Series – Event 3
Coping with Transitions

Wednesday, January 24, 11:00am–1:00pm.
Mount Royal University Lincoln Park Room, J301

The third event in this year’s Intergenerational Speaker Series at Mt. Royal University is “Coping with Change: Navigating through Life’s Transitions”. This topic explores periods of disruption/transition, and we will be discussing how moving through the various stages in life offers unique opportunities for insight and wisdom.

Registration is not being done through the CALL website but will be set up soon by MRU. To register for this event, go to the IGSS Events page

February Events

Science & Environment
Weather Forecasting Techniques Today

Tuesday, February 6, 7:30pm Online via Zoom
Speaker: Terri Lang

Terri Lang, is a Warning Preparedness Meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada(ECCC) in Saskatoon. She has been working with ECCC for over 30 years. She was born and raised in Saskatchewan but has spent many years living and forecasting in other parts of Canada, notably in British Columbia. Circumstances took her back to Saskatchewan in 2013. As a Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, Terri works with Emergency Measures Organizations to help prepare and deal with weather emergencies as well as educating the public about severe weather safety. She also deals with any requests coming from the media asking about weather.

For more information and to register, go to the Science & Environment page.

CALL Café
Winston Churchill and the Emerald Lake Painting–1929

Tuesday, February 20, 1:00–2:30pm
Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church, 4612 Varsity Drive NW (Monday is a holiday.)
Speaker: David Finch

The coffee social will begin the Cafe, the presentation will commence at 1:30 PM.

David Finch will explain how In the summer of 1929, Winston and his brother and their two sons toured North America by train. Every few days Winston presented a speech to sold out crowds and when they got to the mountains they took a few days of recreation.

This presentation tells the story of how one of the Churchill paintings, done in the Rockies, returned to Canada. It involves stories about his painting, of course, but also his interest in the oil industry, his cigars and how he ended up in New York City on the day the stock market crash happened.

Illustrated with photos and even a bit of unpublished film footage of Churchill painting, the stories in this presentation will illuminate another aspect of a public man who even won a Nobel Prize. And not for peace!

David Finch is a Calgary historian, the author of dozens of books and once fell out of a tree while canoeing.

You must be a member to register for this event, but when you do you can add 1 to 4 guests to your registration. For more information and to register, go to the CALL Café page.

Treks & Travels
Guernsey – A Personal View

Wednesday, February 21, 7:30pm
Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church, 4612 Varsity Drive NW
Speaker: Reg Brehaut

Reg Brehaut has a deep connection to Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands between the French and British coasts. He has lived, worked and vacationed on that unique island and he will share what entrances him – the scenery, the history and the culture – and what keeps pulling him back. Reg’s presentation will feature stories and pictures from many trips taken over many years, from 1964 to 2017.

Many of us know Reg for his tech expertise and support of CALL. He is also a wonderful photographer. Come join the Calgary Association of Lifelong Learners on February 21st to learn about life on Guernsey. This speaker series is free for members of CALL. Members of the public are welcome to attend at a cost of $5, collected at the door.

For more information, go to the Treks & Travels page.

Interest Group Updates

Giant Pansy Blossom Painting Workshop

Tuesday, February 6, 1:00–4:00pm cSPACE Marda Loop
Facilitator: Helen Berscheid

Do you need a break from this Arctic blast … and maybe even a chance to dream ahead to spring? Why not spend a pleasant three hours in a workshop where you will create a beautiful watercolour painting of a pansy blossom? How spring is that?

Beginner watercolour painters welcome. Register at the Giant Pansy Blossom Painting Workshop page.

Read it Again

Starts Monday, February 12, 10:00am–12:00pm Marda Loop Community Hall

The beauty of “Read it Again” is that the session is short – just four meetings – and we examine in depth one book we’ve previously read. Our first session, rereading The Grapes of Wrath, was so successful that we decided to continue. Join us for an in-depth discussion of The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje. The novel won the 1992 Booker Prize, and the 1996 film was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning 9 including Best Picture and Best Director.

The group meets Mondays from 10:00 am to noon, at Marda Loop Community Hall, February 12 and 26, March 11 and 25, 2024. To learn more about this program, go to the Read it Again page.

Zentangle Studio Time

First class is Monday, February 12, 10:00am–12:00pm Girl Guides Centre, 2188 Brownsea Drive NW
Facilitator: Sandra Chatelain

The CALL We ❤️ 2Tangle Studio group is full of folks using Zentangle® to boost their creativity, focus and find hours of enjoyment in drawing. Zentangle is an easy art form to learn. No art experience is needed to learn Zentangle, just persistence and practice. We use minimal materials, such as paper, pencil and a pen to learn to draw patterns from the environment. Putting these patterns together and shading them creates mini pieces of art.

Please Register at the Zentangle Studio Time page.

March – Save the Date

Speaker Event
Mirrors and Monsters

March 4, 1:00pm Scott Hall, Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church
Speaker: James Hume

What do the monsters of Greek mythology reveal about the classical understanding of human nature? Why, if these monsters are so terrifying, do they also decorate ancient party bowls, perfume bottles, and cosmetic mirrors? What do the representations of Medusa that feature in contemporary literature, advertising, television and film tell us about our own time?

James Hume will answer these questions and more in Mirrors and Monsters. An Associate Professor (Teaching) in the Department of Classics and Religion, he has taught Classical Mythology and Literature for over three decades to upwards of 300 University of Calgary students at a time.

For more information and to register, go to the Speaker Events page. You must be a CALL member to register. Members of the public are welcome to attend at a cost of $5, collected at the door.

CALL Website Tech Tip

-Shauna Romanzin, CALL IT Committee Chair

Did you know you can view your CALL membership information online by signing into your CALL account?

1. Once you are logged into your CALL account, click the Login Icon and select “View Profile”.
   
2. You’ll then see your membership information listed, such as your membership renewal date (1), links to view information such as your event registrations (2) and you can even update your membership data by clicking on the Edit Profile button (3).
   
3. When you are finished simply click on any CALL menu item at the top of the page and it will take you back to viewing the website.

Your CALL Newsletter

The CALL Newsletter is our way to communicate what is going on in our community. It's a way to highlight events of interest, ‘peek behind the curtain of CALL’ and to give some general information about CALL groups and members.

You are invited to send your ideas and suggestions for future issues to communications@calgarylifelonglearners.ca. We reserve the right to edit submissions and to determine when submissions will be published.

CALL Newsletter dates for posting

The newsletter group has decided to return to posting once a month. The posting dates for 2024 are:

• February 16
• March 22
• April 19
• May 24
• June 21
• August 23

Meanwhile, be well, stay well in every sense of the word.