Fall Flurry – Learning As A Lifestyle

By: Wanda Campbell
Every fall, the Center for Lifelong Learning engages in a flurry of activity. From the end of September to near the end of November we are busy with community events, class activities, and planning future classes, events, and activities.

Community Activities
Starting the last weekend in September this year, we hosted the Grease Festival. The next weekend was the Ol’ Time Fiddlers Convention. Starting on October 26, the Athens Storytelling Festival comes to town. And just three weeks after Storytelling, we are geared up for Christmas Open House. If you have not had the opportunity to participate in the community activities, I invite you to come on down. Although the Grease Festival and Fiddlers Convention have already passed, you still have time to attend the Athens Storytelling Festival and Christmas Open House.

The Athens Storytelling Festival is jam-packed with great stories, nationally recognized storytellers, and lots of opportunity to mingle and buy author recordings and books. Donald Davis, Bill Lepp, Bill Harley, Geraldine Buckley, and The Dill Pickers are the featured artists. Get “the Whole Schebang” to come and go as you please throughout the entire festival, including Tuesday’s 5th Annual Dan Williams Local Tellers Competition. Or you can pick and choose what days you’d like to come. Tickets are available online.

The Christmas Open House event is sponsored by the Greater Limestone Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Athens. With activities scattered around the Courthouse, everyone enjoys the sounds and smells of Christmas. Carolers will be singing many of your favorite Christmas carols as they stroll through downtown. Santa will arrive in style at the Center for Lifelong Learning Center and will take toy requests. During the Christmas Open House, we will host Merry Market in the Mezzanine of our building. Merry Market gives home-based businesses an opportunity to sell on the Courthouse Square. Call Jennifer Williamson at 256-232-2600 for more information about fees and spaces.

Upcoming Classes
It is not too early to mark your calendar for the 3rd Annual Women’s Leadership Conference, April 11. The 2018 theme is Women Who Serve and the line-up of speakers is just fabulous. We are trying something new and offering three Dessert and Discussion Series. The first is a series on Caring For Older Adults. The four-week series will focus on Dementia, Social Security, and more. The second series will focus on Foreign Affairs. The topics for that discussion include Trade, Jobs, and Treaties, Crisis in the South China Sea and more. Our third series will focus on Our Town. Topics include Streets and People and so much more. We hope you will come out and discussion our topics while enjoying a dessert.

Like the iceberg that floats in the sea, what I have mentioned is just the beginning. There is so much more in the planning stages. We have trips, professional development courses, leisure fun, and so much more coming up.

Wait for more here, on our website – www.athens.edu/cll or stop by to see us at 121 South Marion Street. We would love to talk with you.
By: Wanda Campbell
Center for Lifelong Learning – 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 – 256-233-8262