L.I.F.E. (Learning Is ForEver) is an organization dedicated to providing high-quality, low-cost, and enjoyable adult-education experiences. The Macomb L.I.F.E. program is affiliated with the national organization, Road Scholar: Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN). It is independently administered by area residents who develop the courses, select the teachers, establish the fees, and promote the curriculum.
Visit www.wiu.edu/sao/ outreach/adult_learning_op/ LIFEmacomb.php Mark your calenders for the Fall Fling! Tuesday, October 14 from 4 - 6 p.m. in the Brattain Lounge, 1st floor WIU Union. Appetizers served. Cash bar.
RSVP - es-roberts@wiu. edu or call 309.298.1911 Writing Your Obituary We will discuss the basic parts of an obituary along with ideas of what each of us might want to include in our own. Often, obituary writing is left to family members who may not know all the details of the life being described or the accomplishments the deceased individual valued most dearly. The first session will cover ideas of what to include and where to begin. The second session will elaborate on these ideas after participants have had a chance to try a draft. Feel free to bring any samples of obituaries you have read.
Instructor: Paula Wise is a longtime reader of obituaries, has written several for family members, and considers them as a summary of one’s life story.
Date: Thursdays, Sept. 4 and 11 Time: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Beginning Hearts
Have fun learning and playing the popular trick-taking card game of Hearts. Following a brief discussion of concepts, rules, and basic strategy, participants will play the game for the balance of the two class sessions. Note: In order to maximize the amount of time available for gameplay, participants will receive an email with a link to information about concepts and rules prior to the first class. Share your questions in advance or bring them with you to the first session.
Instructor: Sean O’Donnell- Brown has played and enjoyed card games, especially trick taking games, for as long as he has had the ability to hold cards.
Dates: Monday, Sept. 8 and Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Place: Sandburg Lounge in the basement of the WIU Union. A no-ticket request will be made for this class so you can park in the parking lots on either side of the Union. If you use a metered space, you are not eligible for the no-ticket request.
Parking: See above Maximum Enrollment: 16 Cost: $10 Blooming Blooms – Entrepreneurship 101 Come and enjoy a conversation with the 2024 second-place winner of Macomb’s Small Business Competition. Anne Ingersoll is the owner of Bloom Macomb, located just a few doors down from Larry A’s Pizza and behind the Princess Shoppe. Anne isn’t new to business ownership but is new to owning a retail shop. She is excited to share her mission behind starting Bloom Macomb and how she is a little different than other flower shops in the area. And you can get a sneak peak into what’s coming up this fall in her shop!
Instructor: Anne Ingersoll owns Bloom Macomb and College Bound Associates. She has been a business owner for 20 years.
Date: Thursday, Sept. 4 from 5 – 6 p.m.
Place: Bloom Macomb, 1510 E Jackson St.
Parking: At the site Maximum Enrollment: 25 Cost: $5 Four Dramatic Chapters in American History Our history is replete with dramatic and significant events which made major impacts on our history. This class will consider and evaluate four events in chronological order. There are no required textbooks and there will be handouts for each session.
Instructor: Larry T. Balsamo is a retired WIU Professor of History and is a veteran presenter in the LIFE program since 2011.
Date: Sept. 9, 16, 23, and 30 from 3 - 4:30 p.m.
Place: Sandburg Lounge in the basement of the WIU Union. A no-ticket request will be made for this class so you can park in the parking lots on either side of the Union. If you use a metered space, you are not eligible for the no-ticket request.
Parking: See above. Maximum Enrollment: 40 Cost: $15 US Presidents and the US Constitution This course will offer a brief history of US presidents’ interpretation of the US Constitution, based on historical examples. The course will seek to historically contextualize actions by the Donald Trump administration in 2025.
Instructor: Tim Roberts, a WIU professor, is an historian of American political, international, and legal history.
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 9 and Thursday, Sept. 11 Time: 11 a.m. – noon Place: Sandburg Lounge in the basement of the WIU Union. A no-ticket request will be made for this class so you can park in the parking lots on either side of the Union. If you use a metered space, you are not eligible for the no-ticket request.
Parking: See above Maximum Enrollment: 40 Cost: $5 Grounds for Discussion Wonder what all the different
drinks are that a coffee shop offers? Like, what’s the difference between a cappuccino, latte, Americano and a coffee macchiato? And should I get a flavored syrup or not? What about all the different tea drinks including a chai or matcha tea latte? Enjoy the relaxed vibe as Brandon Thompson explains different drinks and allows you to sample them. He will also give samples of the shop’s baked goods.
Instructor: Brandon Thompson is the owner of Sullivan Taylor Coffee House.
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Place: Sullivan Taylor Coffee House, 119 S Randolph St.
Parking: At the site Maximum Enrollment: 10 Cost: $15 A Hard Day’s Night: The Beatles at the Princess Theater!
Enjoy an old-fashioned matinee screening of the first and best Beatles film at the historic and beautiful Princess Theater in Rushville. A Hard Day’s Night, released in 1964, is a joyous musical comedy that Time magazine once named one of the 100 greatest films. Those attending will also learn some history about the iconic Princess Theater, which was built in the silent movie era and recently underwent a complete renovation, complete with state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment. What better way to spend a weekday afternoon, and you can purchase popcorn, candy, and beverages. Just for fun, there will also be Beatles’ door prizes, giveaways, and trivia.
Instructor: Bill Maakestad has been a Beatles fan for 60 years.
Date: Thursday, Sept. 11 Time: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Place: Princess Theater, 116 E. Lafayette, Rushville Parking: At the site Maximum Enrollment: unlimited Cost: $10 Basics of Homebrewing Homebrewing is a fun activity and very rewarding, whether it is done alone or with friends. Class will start with a brief intro into the background of homebrewing, types of beers, things to consider when getting started, equipment needed and process options. Then we’ll walk through how a typical beer is brewed, starting with purchasing supplies through storing the final product. Taste samples will be offered too.
Instructor: John Carlson began homebrewing in 2008 for his granddaughter’s baptism party. He has since brewed over 900 gallons and over 30 different types of beer.
Date: Monday, Sept. 15 from 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Place: Sandburg Lounge in the basement of the WIU Union. A no-ticket request will be made for this class so you can park in the parking lots on either side of the Union. If you use a metered space, you are not eligible for the no-ticket request.
Parking: See above Maximum Enrollment: 25 Cost: $5
Al Sears: His Life, Music, and Legacy
Timed to prepare jazz fans for the 2025 Al Sears Music Fest (September 19-21), this course will survey the life of Albert Omega Sears from his birth in Macomb through his career as a world-class jazz saxophonist and successful businessman. This single-session class will feature brief remarks interspersed with lively music and enjoyable film clips.
Instructors: Sterling Kernek is a retired WIU historian and long-time jazz fan. Bill Maakestad was a founder and served as president of the Al Sears Jazz Festival.
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 16 from 1 - 2:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site Maximum Enrollment: 36 Cost: $5 Nutrition to Support Healthy Aging We will explore some key nutrients involved in healthy aging, including protein, vitamins D and B12, calcium, and fiber in the context of one’s overall dietary pattern. We will also discuss the Mediterranean and MIND dietary patterns and look at simple strategies to integrate recommendations from these diets into our own daily routines.
Instructor: Lynn Henderson is a registered dietitian and a licensed dietitian nutritionist with over 30 years’ experience in clinical and educational roles.
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 16 Time: 10 – 11 a.m. Place: Sandburg Lounge in the basement of the WIU Union. A no-ticket request will be made for this class so you can park in the parking lots on either side of the Union. If you use a metered space, you are not eligible for the no-ticket request.
Parking: See above Maximum Enrollment: 25 Cost: $5 Nature Walk at Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary Join Prairie Land Conservancy (PLC) Program Coordinator Jaime Webb for a nature walk at Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary. We will explore prairie plants and oak-hickory woodland, along with birds and other wildlife. Please wear closetoed shoes, long pants, and bring a water bottle with you. Trails are all grass with some slight inclines. Feel free to bring binoculars, cameras, or field guides with you. PLC will have some materials for folks to borrow during the event.
Instructor: Jaime Webb, MA in Environmental Education, is a place-based, experiential environmental educator with five years of experience.
Date: Thursday, Sept. 18 or rain date, Friday, Sept. 19 from 1 – 3 p.m.
Place: Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary, 1900 Wigwam Hollow Road Parking: At the site Maximum Enrollment: 30 Cost: $5 University Art Gallery Exhibition Tour We will tour and discuss the 3 current gallery exhibitions: Michael Mahoney, the Biennial Faculty Exhibition, and Danny Houk.
Instructor: Tyler Hennings, MFA, is a WIU alumnus and the Director of the Western Illinois University Art Gallery.
Date: Thursday, Sept. 18 from 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Place: WIU Art Gallery, behind Sherman Hall, WIU Campus Parking: Around the gallery. A no-ticket request will be made for this class so you can park in spaces around the gallery. If you decide to park in a metered space, you are not eligible for the no-ticket request.
Maximum Enrollment: 15 Cost: $5
Watch upcoming issues of the Community News Brief for additional classes or visit www.wiu.edu/sao/outreach/ adult_learning_op/ LIFEmacomb.php
