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News From CALL Summer 2026
| Summer Programs | Fall Programs | Blog |
Photo by Henri Walhout, CALL Digital Photography Group
President’s Message
- Judy Hoad
We all look forward to summer with its warm days, outdoor activities, visits with friends and family and maybe a music festival. The long days bring back the memories of cottages, visits to farms, summer camp, canoeing, swimming pools and the beaches of my childhood. I also remember the excitement of planning annual trips in our motor home with my own family. Always good times. And this year my summer agenda is open and I will welcome each opportunity that comes along.
I hope you all have a wonderful summer whether it is attending one of the CALL summer programs, or staying home with your gardens, or going on the road to visit family and friends or going further away on an adventure. Let’s make new memories.
I can be reached at info@calgarylifelonglearners.ca
CALL Membership Renewals
September 1 starts a new CALL membership year. Did you know you can renew your membership at any time? Simply sign into your CALL account, click the blue Login Icon, from the drop-down menu, select "View Profile" and start the renewal process. Membership renewal reminder emails will be sent out in early August, which will contain a link to start your renewal. Upon renewal your CALL membership will be extended to August 31, 2027.
How to pay online using a credit card (and why does it say PayPal)?
CALL uses a secure payment processing system to ensure valid credit card information is entered, and funds are directed from your credit card to CALL's bank account. No credit card information is retained by CALL. PayPal is the payment processing system we use, but you DO NOT need a PayPal account to renew your membership online using a credit card.
We know that paying online can sometimes be a challenge. We have created step-by-step documentation on how to pay using your credit card. This information will be included in your August renewal reminder email, and we've put a link to this information in the Technical Help column on the CALL website.
Please consider renewing your membership online this year to help reduce our volunteer workload!
Programs Continuing Through the Summer
There are several CALL programs that continue throughout the summer. Check the following, as well as the articles below:
Tuesday Walks in the City of Calgary
Monday Intermediate Bridge
Thursday Intermediate Bridge
There may be more, which you can find in the Calendar. Some may already be full, so check first on the programs page. Sometimes they are “full” but with a waiting list, in which case just put your name on the list if you’re interested in a certain program.
Finding Peace and Joy Within
Wednesdays, 10:00am–12:00pm, July 8 to August 26
Room 310, cSPACE, 1721 29 Ave SW
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 this desire through external pursuits – family, career, service, hobbies, recreation, etc.
Thanks to 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 genuinely 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, which can provide a source of uncaused joy and respite from suffering that is independent of our external circumstances.
Please join us at “Finding Peace and Joy Within” to have a direct experience with this resource to help you have a happier and more fulfilled life.
Contact Barry after logging in on the Finding Peace and Joy Within page.
Jazz Nebula
Tribute to Cole Porter
Saturday, July 18, 2:00–4:30pm
Scarboro United Church, 134 Scarboro Avenue SW
Jazz Nebula presents a tribute to the music of Cole Porter, with Jazz Nebula’s Quartet featuring Kim Szabo, piano and vocals, and John Reid, saxophone, flute, clarinet. Tickets are $40/general admission; $35/ members of Jazz Nebula, CALL, Jazz YYC; $10/Students, and are available at eventbrite.ca and at the door.
Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. His songs — for which he wrote the music and lyrics — are noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Kiss Me Kate won the first Tony Award for Best New York Broadway Musical.
Many of his songs have become “standards,” played often by generations of jazz musicians — with fantastic melodies and interesting chord progressions — they are fun to play! Some luminaries to have recorded his music are John Coltrane, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Cannonball Adderley. Some have even written “contrafacts,” new songs on the chord progressions of his songs!
Songs to be performed include:
- Love for Sale
- I Love You
- Night and Day
- I’ve Got You Under My Skin
- I Concentrate on You
- All of You
- You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To
- Don’t Fence Me In
- Easy to Love
- What Is This Thing Called Love
- I Get a Kick Out of You
- So In Love
- It’s All Right With Me
Jazz Nebula was recently granted charitable status by the CRA, so tax receipts can now be given for donations (hint). And as an additional mark of integrity, validation, and credibility, the society’s casino application was approved by the AGLC of the provincial government, a tremendous accomplishment for the association! The moniker Jazz Nebula was recently officially registered as the official “trade name” of the Nebula Repertory Ensemble Association. Jazz Nebula has arrived!
For more information go to the Jazz Nebula page.
Fall Programs
Read It Again – A Tale of Two Cities
Mondays, starting November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; 10:00am–12:00pm
Girl Guide Centre, 2188 Brownsea Drive NW
You have the summer to read or re-read “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times” to follow on from that famous opening line. The story moves between London and Paris in the period of turmoil that leads to the French Revolution, taking us from the release of a French prisoner to the death of an English lawyer on the guillotine. It's also about lives that become intertwined by love and coincidence. In fact, it's the perfect plot for a movie, ending with another memorable line: “It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” Better yet, you can discuss this wonderful novel with a group of like minded readers!
CALL to the Ballet
New members welcome!
Dates listed below
Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, 1415 14 Ave NW.
Facilitator: Ona Stonkus
Alberta Ballet has entered into an exciting new partnership with CALL! Tickets for each of four different ballets in the upcoming 2026-2027 season will be available to CALL members at a 20% discount.
Stay tuned for more details, upcoming in the September newsletter.
Roughly 6 weeks before each production, a description of the ballet will be posted, along with a special link to the Alberta Ballet box office that enables the 20% discount on tickets.
CALL members who register for CALL to the Ballet will receive each update by email as well.
The performances will be:
Giselle, September 24-26
Peer Gynt, October 29-31
Beethoven 200, April 1-3
Snow White, May 6-8
Learning Opportunities
Alberta Ballet offers Dance Talks before each performance. Artistic Director Francesco Ventriglia discusses the production, a look behind the scenes, and the ballet’s history, plus a Q & A. Dance Talks conclude 30 minutes before the performance starts.
For more information about Alberta Ballet, visit www.albertaballet.com
To register, visit CALL to the Ballet
You must be a member of CALL to take advantage of this offer.
CALL Blog
Aging in Place or Aging in the Right Place
A common concern as we age is – where will we live? Most older adults say they want to stay in their own home but is this always the best option? Will your needs/wants be the same at 65 as they will be at 75? 80? 85?
In a previous blog post, I explored the various options of seniors’ housing and looked at factors that influence the choice to move. Aging, Healthcare and Housing: Can You Find Your Forever Home?
This month’s blog post explores the realities of aging, housing, health, finances, and social connections, drawing on the work of the CALL Study Group on Housing for Seniors. The members of this group prepared some excellent handouts that they used for learning and discussion. They wanted to share these with the broader CALL membership.
This blog post highlights:
- the importance of becoming informed about housing choices,
- understanding the true costs of staying at home versus moving,
- planning ahead financially, and
- addressing downsizing before it becomes urgent.
The key message: rather than focusing solely on aging in place, consider how to age in the right place—a living situation that fits your health, finances, and individual needs at each stage of life.
The CALL Blog is public so please share with your family and friends. It is easy to do. Just copy the URL https://calgarylifelonglearners.ca/Blog and paste into an email or text message.
If you are on Facebook, please follow us. https://www.facebook.com/CalgaryLifelongLearners/
Any questions or feedback, please contact me: info@calgarylifelonglearners.ca. If you have a topic that you would like to write with me, I would welcome your interest.
The CALL Blog – A Summary of Blog Posts from 2026
- Maureen Osis, CALL Volunteer, Communications Committee
Since January 2024, I have written a monthly Blog post for the CALL website. Each CALL newsletter has a link to the current Blog post. These posts have explored topics about lifelong learning and shown the diversity of programs offered by our unique association. The topics demonstrate CALL’s mission to support active, engaged and informed aging through lifelong learning.
The Blog is available to the public and helps to promote CALL.
Every Blog post is available at this link:
https://calgarylifelonglearners.ca/Blog
If you have missed some of them, here is a summary of posts from January to June that might pique your interest:
Aging and Balance (January)
We know the serious outcomes that can result for seniors from a slip and a fall. Jordan King from the University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology shared his latest research in using technology to improve balance.
Two Sides of the Double Helix: From Tracing Roots to Solving Crime (February)
This post explored the fascinating world of DNA and genetics, showing how the same science can be used in very different ways: researching family history and forensic science used in criminal investigations. William Anhorn contributed by explaining how DNA is used in forensics. The post follows an earlier one published in December 2025, “The Joy of Researching our Family History: Genealogy for Beginners with guest author Tara Shymanski”.
Addressing Ageism in Research, Education and the Community (March)
Ageism affects all of us. I attended an excellent CALL presentation about the Centre on Aging, University of Calgary, with co-authors Dr. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc, Scientific Director, Centre on Aging, and Dr. Chantelle Zimmer, Senior Manager, Centre on Aging. I explored how ageism can affect research, healthcare, and community life.
Gerontological Care Matters (April)
In the previous post about the Centre on Aging at UCalgary, I highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to improve the health and well-being of older adults.
In this post I took a personal journey with several colleagues as we reminisced about the development of Geriatric/Gerontological Nursing in Calgary.
This post highlighted the complexity of caring for older adults and emphasized the importance of gerontological and geriatric expertise, exploring how aging processes interact with disease, creating unique healthcare needs that require specialized knowledge and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Plogging (May)
This was one of the most popular posts. Readers seemed curious to find out more.
Aging in Place or Aging in the Right Place (June)
Last year I wrote about finding your "forever" home. This year I wanted to explore the pros and cons of the notion of “aging in place”. I was helped by the CALL Study Group on Housing for Seniors. The members shared their handouts that they prepared for discussion. They provided personal viewpoints and learnings about the complex area of seniors housing.
I want to thank those who collaborated with me and shared their knowledge and interests:
Jordan King, University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology; Dr. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc, Scientific Director, Centre on Aging; and Dr. Chantelle Zimmer, Senior Manager, Centre on Aging; William Anhorn, a self-professed fan of genealogy and history; as well as my colleagues, Sandi Hirst, Barb Metcalf, Dianne McDermid, Jean Miller and Sharon Moore, and Suzanne Evans, Facilitator of CALL Study Group on Seniors Housing and the members for sharing their personal observations and learnings.
Remember - the Blog is public on the website so please share with your friends and family.
Do you have a topic of interest that you would like to write about? I would love to hear from you.
You can reach me at info@calgarylifelonglearners.caThe 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 info@calgarylifelonglearners.ca. We reserve the right to edit submissions and to determine when submissions will be published.
CALL Newsletter postings 2026
- Aug 21
Meanwhile, be well, stay well in every sense of the word.