|
|
News From CALL September 2024
Sketch by Brenda Pfleger, Facilitator, CALL Sketch Club Interest Group.
President’s Message
- Barbara Decker Pierce, CALL President
The summer days are getting shorter, and the month of September is fast approaching. For many, September is considered a month for new beginnings. While CALL programming did not completely disappear over the summer, it did slow down. So, now’s the time we rev things up to get back to full programming. Wouldn’t this be a good time to reach out to your friends and neighbours to tell them about CALL? We know that our most effective marketing tool is word of mouth. Think about inviting a friend to your next Interest Group meeting. Non-CALL members are welcome to attend up to two Interest Group meetings to test us out before joining. Or consider asking someone to come with you to a Speaker event. CALL Cafés are free for everyone and the $5 we charge to non-members to attend other Speaker events is great value. Think of this as giving a gift to them – an entry into the world of lifelong learning.
Not everything we do involves new beginnings however… Did you know we have several Interest Groups that have been meeting for over ten years or more? The members of these groups have been discussing current events and issues, playing brain games, enjoying Calgary cultural events, reading and being creative together since CALL’s founding. I really appreciate all those whose commitment and enthusiasm has kept these lively groups going. They clearly mean a lot to those who participate, and they are the backbone of CALL programming.
Now is a good time to take a close look at all the events and programs that CALL offers. We have a tendency to miss out on experiences that we overlooked. Is there a program, activity or event that might broaden your horizons?
A final reminder – this is also the time of year to renew your membership. If you haven’t done so already renew online which will make us very happy you have chosen to join us for another year.
September Events
Kickoff Café 2024
- CALL Café Committee - Alana, Judy, Leslie and Linda
Monday, September 9, 1:00-3:00pm
Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church, 4612 Varsity Drive NW
If you haven't yet registered for the Kickoff Café, please consider doing so now! Join us as we celebrate the start of CALL's new year with an extraordinary musical experience and a special introduction to Ammolite Opera (AO), Calgary’s newest opera company.
You will also have an opportunity to learn more about CALL's 2024/25 programs. CALL coordinators/facilitators will be available to share information about their Interest Groups and Speaker Events.
You must be a CALL 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 the the Kickoff Café registration page.
Health and Wellness
Six Pillars of Brain Health
Monday, September 16, 1:30pm–3:00pm
Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church, 4612 Varsity Drive NW
Speaker: Valerie Bautista
Valerie Bautista is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and Certified Dementia Practitioner serving the Calgary and Cochrane communities. She tailors recreation and leisure activities to her clients' strengths to help them achieve personal goals and improve their well-being. Over the past nine years, Valerie has worked with individuals experiencing dementia and other cognitive challenges, fueling her curiosity about the brain and ways to enhance its function.
Members of the public are welcome to attend (at a cost of $5 at the door). Registration is not required.
Treks and Travels
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Deserts and Desserts
Wednesday, September 18, 7:30pm
Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church, 4612 Varsity Drive NW
Speakers: Dr. Alana Gowdy and Rowan Fisher
Parents of travelling offspring can sometimes be provided with the opportunity, or challenge, to visit unusual places. When the chance came to visit her daughter Rowan in Riyadh, the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Alana decided that she was ready, willing and able to go.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a Middle Eastern country that, although well known, is not often experienced first-hand. In a journey that reached from the central desert to the Red Sea, Alana discovered there was little that was familiar. However, the food was tasty and worth the trip!
Both are again resident in Calgary and will give a joint presentation on their experiences. This Treks and Travels presentation will have two different perspectives, one from a brief visit and one from years of residency. Like all countries, Saudi Arabia has changed over the years and since the time each spent there, it has developed in interesting ways.
Members of the public are welcome to attend ($5 at the door).
Not So Common Law
Protest Encampments on Universities
Monday, September 23, 1:00–3:00pm via Zoom
Facilitator: Jim Conway
In this Interest Group, Jim Conway explores the historical and social background of some of the intriguing interesting and important legal cases which have had lasting impact on our society.
Protest encampments proliferated on university campuses across Canada this year. Concerns have been raised about the use of force by police in ejecting protestors at the behest of universities. Does the law of trespass support the actions taken by universities? Does the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms apply to universities and ‘override’ trespass law and university policy?
If you are interested in joining this Interest Group for this and upcoming presentations, contact the facilitator. You must be a CALL member to join.
Intergenerational Speaker Event
The Power of Connections and Relationships
Wednesday, September 25, 11:00am–1:00pm
Mount Royal University, Lincoln Park Room, J301 (parking free to registered attendees)
Speaker: Richard Lee-Thai
We at CALL are pleased that the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors Program has approved funding for another year of the Intergenerational Speaker Series (IGSS). This year’s series is shaping up to be just as interesting as those in the past. Our first event will focus on how friendship and social connection positively impact overall wellbeing. The presentation will cover topics such as Making New Connections After Transitions, The Importance of Social Connections, Creating Safe Relationships and Mentorships.
Richard Lee-Thai is a TEDx Speaker, Connection Consultant, and co-author of “Become Your Superself: Connect with Yourself to Connect with Others.” His TEDx talk: “How to Find Excuses to Connect” outlines how people can more easily make meaningful connections. His ultimate vision is to create a world without loneliness.
To register for the event, go to the IGSS website.
October Events
Science and Environment Speaker Series
Urban Development in Maya Lowlands: A case study from the Calakmul Region, Southern Campeche
Tuesday, October 1, 7:30pm via Zoom
Speaker: Dr. Kathryn Reese-Taylor
Kathryn Reese-Taylor is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary. Her principal research focuses on remote sensing, landscape archaeology, urbanism, and the development of complexity in the Maya lowlands. Reese-Taylor has directed archaeological projects in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico and published numerous articles, chapters, and reports, often with collaborators and students. Her current project is a multidisciplinary program of research located in southern Campeche focused on the region surrounding Calakmul.
In this presentation she will discuss the emergence, florescence, decline, and revitalization of the Bajo el Laberinto urban landscape from 1000 BCE to 1460 CE, with an emphasis on the distinct settlement patterns and land management strategies that resulted in exceptional and long-lasting prosperity. The study area surrounds the Bajo el Laberinto, a major wetland in southern Campeche, and is focused on the city of Calakmul, one of the largest and most significant cities in the Precontact Americas.
The study was initiated in 2011 and since 2014 many lidar surveys have been undertaken over approximately 270 square kilometres. Archaeological excavations have afforded new insights regarding the long-term urban development, landscape modification, and environmental management within the region.
You must be a CALL member to register. For more information and to register, go to the Science and Environment page.
Interest Group Updates
History and the Arts
Re-CALL-ing the Arts of the Renaissance and Reformation
Tuesdays, September 17 to October 8, 10-11:30am
Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church, Meeting Area on Second Floor
Facilitator: Malcolm Rennie
Are you interested in sitting in on a discussion with the greatest artists and figures from the Renaissance? Or meeting Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, and other figures from the Reformation? If so, and you have some free Tuesday mornings in Northwest Calgary, you can not only meet these figures but BE one of them as CALL's History and the Arts meets in person for slideshows and trivia on these periods plus discussions as these characters.
If you don't wish to research a character and prefer to sit back and watch, that is okay as well. You can choose to attend Renaissance mornings on September 17 and 24, or Reformation mornings on October 1 and 8, or you can attend both.
For more information and to register, go to the History and the Arts page.
Finding Peace and Joy Within
New Session
Wednesdays, October 2 to November 20, 10 am-noon
Room 310, cSPACE Marda Loop
Facilitator: Barry Ronellenfitch
There is a universal human desire to be happy and to avoid suffering. For the wise, this desire extends to those we love and to our community. We try to fulfill that desire through our outer world – family, career, service, hobbies, recreation, etc. Through modern technology, we now have wealth, health, and social connection to an extent that our ancestors (and many in developing nations) could only dream of. Yet which of us is truly happy and free of suffering? Do you have the feeling that “something” is missing?
We have known since we were small children that we have a mind and a body. However, we have a third, inner resource that we easily overlook, that can provide a source of uncaused joy and respite from suffering.
Please join us at “Finding Peace and Joy Within” to have a direct experience of this resource to help you have a happier and more fulfilled life. For more information and to register, go to the Finding Peace and Joy Within page.
Read It Again
Anna Karenina
Are you like me with an ‘I ought to read this’ bucket list? Is Anna Karenina on that list? Or maybe you read it years ago and would like to read it again as a more mature adult?
Now is the time to take the plunge and join us for a detailed look at the marriages depicted in Tolstoy’s work, his attempt to justify Anna’s tragic end, and his portrayal of the rapid and far-reaching changes in Russian society towards the end of the 19th Century.
Anna Karenina, written nearly 150 years ago, continues to be widely read with 15 out of 18 paper copies now on loan from the Calgary Public Library. What makes the novel so relevant to today’s reader?
We will read Anna Karenina in sections choosing topics that we want to investigate further and bring back our findings to the next meeting.
For further details, please check the Read It Again page.
Walking–A CALL Activity
- Sue Constable, Jennifer MacDonald, Facilitators
It is hardly surprising that walking has been a mainstay activity for CALL since its inception. The first walking group was begun in 2011 by Barbara Grant, one of CALL’s founders. Today, CALL has Sunday and Tuesday walking groups. Igor Hyrenko and Patricia Jean took over leading the Sunday afternoon walks, often ending with an afternoon beverage at a local café until COVID put a temporary halt to this. Jennifer MacDonald is the current facilitator of this group.
Given the activity’s popularity, a Tuesday walking group was started by Sue Constable in 2016. As part of the group’s evolution, Peter Usher, who took over leading these walks in 2017, used the Rotary/Mattamy Greenway map to explore the city’s walking paths. He also started a weekly blog with photos to highlight the group’s walks. Leslie Nicholls took over facilitating for 2018 and 2019. Blair Pierce took on the facilitator role in 2020 when COVID presented a number of challenges. Walk leaders produced Self Guided walks distributed weekly until smaller groups of eight walkers were permitted. With no current restrictions Sue is back facilitating this Tuesday Group which continues to enjoy exploring a variety of the natural and built environments in Calgary.
Not surprisingly, COVID diminished the number of walkers. While there were often 30-some walkers prior to COVID, today, 10 to 20 walkers continue to enjoy the health, social and psychological benefits of this walking activity.
While facilitators are instrumental in communicating and organizing, it’s the Walk Leaders who make the walking groups so successful. These dedicated leaders pre-walk the routes to be familiar and sure of their safety before exposing the group to them. New leaders are always encouraged. Current leaders are Bobbi Braden, Dennis Burns, Maria Campos, Sue Constable, Toby Korytko, Charlie Moore, Blair Pierce, Peter Usher.
The Tuesday walking group has continued over the summer, although the Sunday group is taking a break until October.
CALL Needs Another Sketch Group
- Brenda Pfleger, Sketch Club Facilitator
The CALL Sketch Club is a victim of its own success, our waitlist justifies starting another group. This new group needs a facilitator who would be supported by me in the early stages. The role of the facilitator doesn’t require an extensive background in art, only an interest in developing skills and a willingness to carry out administrative roles such as scheduling meetings and sending out reminders, welcoming new members etc.
As facilitator, you can choose when and how to meet. Monthly? Twice a month? In person? Over Zoom? You can even choose to have a co-facilitator – particularly useful if one or both of you need to travel.
Both CALL and I are able to help you to get started and support you. Without you volunteering, this new group cannot start.
If you are interested, I would be happy to chat with you about this opportunity. Please go to the Sketch Club page and click the Facilitator button.
Did you see the CALL Blog posts over the summer?
The July Blog Post focussed on “Appreciating Poetry and Mental Health”. We answered the question: Why read, write, or listen to poetry? And the answer is that it’s good for your mental health – including your cognitive health! Thanks to Melvin Pasternak, CALL member and volunteer, for sharing his thoughts about his life-long love of poetry.
In the August Blog Post we looked at “Late Bloomers”, those who expand their creativity and productivity in later life. What they have in common is a great curiosity. Enjoy reading the stories of three individuals who are exploring new interests and/or pursuing new talents.
The CALL Blog is public so please share the link with your family and friends. Find all of the posts at: https://calgarylifelonglearners.ca/Blog
The CALL Newsletter
- Newsletter Team
Did you know that we appreciate receiving articles from our members? We are happy to publish articles that celebrate CALL. Your personal experience about how you have benefited would be a valuable contribution to this newsletter. Please 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 postings 2024-25
- September 20
- October 18
- November 15
- December 20
- January 17
- February 21
- March 21
- April 18
- May 16
- June 20
- August 22
Meanwhile, be well, stay well in every sense of the word.