New Adventures members beat the heat walking through Veterans Oasis Park on an early July morning. Pictured, left to right, are Bill Haskell, Linda Ems, Catherine Osborn, Dianne Zimmerman, David Zapatka, Michael Buscaglia, and Eugene Lariviere.
Jan Bobbett and Mary Kenny
Good news! It’s time to sign up for New Adventures in Learning (NA) fall classes, and many classes will be offered in-person once again.
If you are asking, “What are these adventures I hear about?” let’s answer that question with a look backwards. We have offered all kinds of NA classes for over 20 years, so take a look at this sampler.
* ASU researchers visited us several times to learn about aging—from us and for us. We loved being challenged—our memory, our strength, our trust in the guy behind us who was supposed to catch us when we were told to fall backwards. Really.
* Hearing from experts as we try to make decisions … is helpful, like when I was getting ready to sign up for Social Security, buy a new computer, etc.
* We finally learned—and it was in a Zoom class—a foolproof way to successfully stay hydrated. Doctors remind us to stay hydrated. Now I do it.
* Our technical team can help with just about any computer challenge. And the latest class I took from Rob brought many insights, such as using Gmail for organizing my files. Who knew?!
* Marty Brounstein’s class on the Holocaust helped us believe that in the face of the worst of times, there were heroes who took action to aid and rescue Holocaust victims.
* We love field trips, such as Veterans Oasis Park.
* Roundtable classes are for expressing your own thoughts. In our very first roundtable, I learned how to improve my soup-making skills, thanks to other students sharing their expertise.
* Sometimes we search for books to read; other times we search our history and our hearts to write our own life story.
* Because I like to laugh, I signed up for most classes led by the Nilsens, who laughed as much as we did, about words, family, their culture, etc.
* When we have classes at the Sun Lakes Center, I walk into the classroom and see so many friends I had made in previous classes. It feels good. I sure look forward to having in-person classes there again.
* Call it expert advice or just good ol’ tips, but after taking these classes, we know more about investing, physical therapy, dementia, gardening, etc.
* Are we richer? You be the judge.
To become a member or learn about the many classes available Oct. 4 through Dec. 10, go to the NA website www.newadventures.info. The online curriculum guide will be posted in early September. There you’ll find class descriptions and see whether a class will be held in-person at the Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s Sun Lakes Center located at 25105 S. Alma School Road (northeast corner of Alma School and Riggs Roads) or via Zoom. Need more assistance? Call NA at 480-857-5500.
Fall registration opens at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 22, so don’t wait. Join or renew your membership today to experience your own great adventure in learning.