Did you ever have one of those days when you wake up feeling great, look in the mirror and see yourself as 20 years younger? When I looked in the mirror this morning, my hair was brown again. When this feeling of the impossible hits me, I think of all the things I still have not seen.
At the Center for Lifelong Learning, we are planning a summer trip to the “enchanted forest.” On Friday, July 29, we will leave the Center at 8:00 am, headed to Montevallo, Alabama.
Montevallo, Alabama is in Shelby County, just south of Birmingham. It is the home of the University of Montevallo. And, according to Wikepedia, there is a plaque on Reynolds Cemetery Road that marks the geographic center of the State of Alabama.
But that is not why we are going. We are going to see the trees in Orr Park. Why would you want to go see the trees? As you walk along the park, you will be greeted by carvings of faces in the trees. This remarkable forest of characters is a gift from Tim Tingle, a local artist who wanted to save as many trees as possible after a storm in 1993. Mr. Tingle only uses the dead trees, leaving the living ones to continue to grow. Today, there are over 30 sculptures in Orr Park courtesy of Mr. Tingle.
We are also going to visit the American Village in Montevallo. American Village opened in 1993 as a classroom for children. The goal of the Village was to help children understand the principles of liberty and to understand our history. It is a civics classroom with re-enactments of great moments in history. American Village houses replicas of Mount Vernon, Independence Hall, and the Oval Office.
This trip will require a good bit of walking. You will be outside a good bit too, so remember to bring your personal fan. This trip would be a good outing for families or for adventurous friends. The fee is only $55/person which includes a picnic lunch. The last day to register is June 30.
If you have not registered for summer camps at the Center for Lifelong Learning, now is the time. Archery Camp is already filled, and several others only have a few spaces left. We have added a camp for older “kids,” too. CSI Camp is for 11th grade and up. It features a short course in forensics around blood, bones, and handwriting tools used to investigate. It sounds like so much fun, I want to attend myself. The fee is $55. Camp is scheduled Tuesday, June 28 – Thursday, June 30, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
For more information about what is happening at the Center, call us at 256-233-8260 or visit our webpage – www.athens.edu/CLL. We make regular announcements on Facebook at Center for Lifelong Learning at Athens State University, and on Twitter and Instagram at CLLatAthensState.
By: Wanda Campbell
Center for Lifelong Learning – 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 – 256-233-8262
