Academy for Lifelong Learning            

NEWSLETTER

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

To the Members of A.L.L.,

As I begin my first message to you as President, it seems as though classes just ended and a new board was elected.  Right after the election, we started to get ready for the fall, 2008 semester.  We expect to have over 800 members this year, a new record!

As we look forward, growth is on the schedule as well as transportation, finances and budget. We have been doing a good job of finding space for our growth, and will have two new sites this semester, the Bourne Senior Center and the Dennis Library, both of which are eager to have us.  I went to Bourne and met the director, and several people that worked there said they couldn’t wait for us to come. We used to be the best kept secret on the Cape, but we can’t say that anymore.

I and two of my colleagues, Tommy Tamayo, who is in charge of Curriculum, and John Kennedy, former Curriculum Chair, were invited to a regional conference at Harvard. I never thought I’d get into Harvard--they must have lowered their standards!  Since the board has not yet been briefed on what we learned there, I will save the details for a later date. One thing I can say now for sure is WE ARE THE BEST, and our members benefit so much and in so many ways from our program.

We have had two board meetings since the election and I can tell you that every committee chairperson is raring to go. Special Events, Hospitality and Curriculum are all putting in long hours to make this year the most successful yet. There are more varied courses this year, some new coordinators and a lot of exciting ideas.               We are planning many new social events with an eye to costs, particularly gas. More trips will be held nearby and we hope that many of you will attend. The chair of Special Events is George Kovatch and you will find his article elsewhere in this newsletter. George is new to the board and a welcome addition.

One date to put on your calendar now is the Open House, which will be held on August 10^th. Save the date. It’s when you get to meet the coordinators to ask questions about the courses you are interested in. It’s also an opportunity to socialize with other A.L.L. members.  And there are always good refreshments!

The board members are always available to you. Their names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses are listed on the Bulletin Board in the office area.  My home phone number is (508) 539-1154; my e-mail address is norma02649@verizon.net; or you can leave a message at the office:  (508) 362-2131 X4400. I will be around during the summer.

Best wishes for an enjoyable summer,

Norma Cohen 

SCHEDULING OF SPACE

Just a friendly reminder: to schedule space for committee meetings, Board meetings, extra class sessions, etc., please call the Facilities Coordinator's office, Colleen St.Pierre, @ ext. 4649, or Jim Riordan @ ext. 4418 before you make it official with your group.

Please also note your meeting on the white desk calendar in the office. Hopefully, this will eliminate conflicts and double booking. Remember that only one of our rooms is available in August during registration, but facilities can undoubtedly find you space elsewhere. Thank you.

A.L.L. LITERARY SOIREE

A.L.L. writers, this is for you.  On Monday, November 17, 2008, the Academy will hold its first ever “A.L.L. Literary Soiree,” as our way of celebrating the amazing writing talent of our membership.  You do not need to be published to take part in this event.  Even if you’ve never submitted anything anywhere but have thought about it, or if you just want to mingle with writers, plan to attend. We’ll be encouraging our writers to read from their work, make some available for sale, and discuss the nuts and bolts of publication.  

If you have published, whether your work has been featured in our own literary magazine, Reflections, or has been published elsewhere, we want you. We already know of several writers who’ve had work published in books, magazines, literary journals, newspapers, and other media, some multiple times and some quite well known. Many have already agreed to take part in this event.  But we may not know about you!

Please contact Vivien Kellerman at: vkellerman@comcast.net if you’ve had work published and want to take part in this celebration. Details are still being worked out.  Also, if you want to work on this committee, or be on the public relations committee, let me know.  We are doing many exciting things.  Please note that to display and/or sell your work, you must be a paid member of the Academy, and you must register ahead of time.

Vivien Kellerman,

Public Relations

ANNUAL BANQUET HONOREES

On April 24, the Academy for Lifelong Learning held its annual banquet, honoring the Academy’s 20^th anniversary. This year’s banquet, held in the JFK ballroom of the Cape Codder motel and attended by well over 100 people, was a very special event which included a proclamation from the state Senate honoring the Academy and an address from President Kathy Schatzberg of Cape Cod Community College.  President Schatzberg praised those who had founded and inspired A.L.L., as well as talking about the future and working with the college’s Encore Institute, which has recently received funding and recognition.

On this special evening, we also presented medallions to those individuals who had coordinated classes for ten or more semesters.  Honorees included: Saul Adamsky, Jim Coogan, Neil Cronin, Jack DiBenedetto, Ed Foster, Jim Perry, and Dorothy Swanbeck. Thanks to these special people and to all those who coordinate classes for the enrichment of all of us!

To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old.

OFFICE VOLUNTEERS

This past year, we successfully managed the desk, and I am grateful for all the hours and work that each of our volunteers did.  Those volunteers include: Pat Almeida, Alice Baker, Barbara Berelowitz, Irene Bunin, Beverly Chace, Genie Cooke, Liz Donoghue, Mary Field, Beth Friend, Judith Friend, Vicky Georgantas, Karen Gilligan, Joyce Goosman, Pat Howitt, Alice Kaltschmidt, Barbara Katz, Vivien Kellerman, Judy Larocque, Arlene Lewis, Ginny Mayo, Joe McQuade, Christine Michelson, Linda Oberly, Nita Pigo-Cronin, Paula Stefani, and Vida Wagner.

There will be some changes for the up-coming year in an attempt to provide more consistent and organized service. The biggest change will be in the coverage slots.  To wit, Monday 8:30 –12:30 will be an administrative coverage time which I will cover weekly. The afternoon shifts have been compacted to one 12:30 – 3:00 shift.  There is no real need for desk coverage after 3:00p.m.  However if you select this shift, it means you can’t take afternoon classes one day a week. The shifts will look like this:

Monday                                     Tuesday thru

                                                Friday

8:30-12:30 Administrative            8:30 - 10:30

12:30 – 3:00                               10:30 - 12:30

                                                12:30 - 3:00

There will be an organizational meeting for volunteers--after Labor Day--to pick shifts once you know the courses you are taking.  We will also go over a revised office manual.

If you would like to volunteer for the office this fall, please call Beth at (508) 833-2952 or leave a message at the A.L.L. office (508) 362-2131, X4400.  Once again, thanks to all who volunteered this year; hope to see you back!

Beth Friend,

Vice-President

WEB PAGE UPDATE

The A.L.L. Web page will have a link on it in the near future to this site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26666455@N07/sets/

This site has photo albums of A.L.L. activities; just pick the album you want to view and follow the directions.  If you would like to take digital pictures of an event for uploading to this website, please send a note to tommytcape@yahoo.com. 

Thanks!

THE CATALOGS ARE COMING!

The Curriculum Committee expects to get the catalog on line and in the mail (first class) by August 1. The course offerings are fantastic, and the only problem you will have is picking the ones you want most.  If you have friends who might be interested in A.L.L., be sure to have them call the office and get on the mailing list for the Fall catalog (508-362-2131, ex. 4400).

The Curriculum Committee is working with the registration committee to make registration easier for all.  We are talking to each coordinator to determine the maximum number of students in each class. This will be listed in the catalog and adhered to. We hope the churn during registration will be less onerous for all of us.

As always, once classes start, everyone will be able to sign up for any courses that have room for more students.

Registration will begin on August 4 and continue through the start of classes on Monday, September 15.  Be sure to come to the Open House on August 10 from 1-3:30 p.m. in the CCCC cafeteria and meet the coordinators for this fall’s classes.

MEET THE COORDINATORS

Please join us for the:

Annual Summer Open House

Sunday, August 10, 2008

1 – 3:30 p.m.

Cafeteria in the Grossman Commons

Cape Cod Community College

All returning and prospective members of A.L.L. are welcome/encouraged/urged to attend this event for the food, fun and socializing. There will be thirty-three new courses and new coordinators as well!  Meet and interview the coordinators of courses for Fall ’08; pick up a catalog if you don’t have one, and even register on the spot!  You know how quickly courses fill up at A.L.L., so get a head start. (Don’t forget your checkbook!)

SPECIAL EVENTS

Be sure to mark your calendars for the following events:

·         October 14, 2008. Bus trip to Lexington and Concord, led by our own revolutionary, Saul Adamsky.

·         October 18, 2008. A trip to the Cape Cod Canal Visitors Center for a presentation on the building of the canal and its bridges by the Army Corps of Engineers followed by lunch at a nearby restaurant.

·         November 2, 2008. A trip to the Cotuit Arts Center for a production of "1776" followed by dinner at the Regatta Restaurant.

Watch for flyers and sign up sheets the first week of classes at the registration desk.

We need your input for future activities and would appreciate your completing

this short survey questionnaire and returning it to:

George Kovatch, P.O. Box 562, Cummaquid, MA 02637.

Type/Name of Event _____________________________________________________

Month/day of week/time __________________________________________________

Mode of transportation (Bus, car/car pool) ____________________________________

Estimated cost, including transportation, if necessary ____________________________

Other considerations / Preferences _________________________________________

Also, if you wish to help plan or organize an event or are willing to offer a ride to someone needing one, please submit your name and number to George at the above address or call 508-362-3492.

The Committee encourages those wanting to attend an event but needing transportation or not wanting to travel alone to contact Ginny Mayo, 508-790-1038 or Mike Donovan, 508-362-2409, to request assistance in making a match with those offering rides.

George Kovatch, Committee Chair

Board of Directors 

Class of 2009

Jerry Berger, Long Range Planning

Norma Cohen, President

Claire DeBarros, Hospitality

            Bruce Murphy, Ways & Means

Class of 2010

            Beth Friend, Vice President

            Vivien Kellerman, Public Relations

            Sheila Place, Clerk

            Joseph Werner, Membership

Class of 2011

            Ann Corbett, Policies & Procedures

            George Kovatch, Special Events                   

            Tom Tamayo, Curriculum

            Dudley Thomas, Treasurer

Immediate Past President

Harvey Irlen

Newsletter Staff

Barbara Irlen & Iris Tolbert, Co-Editors

Carol Call, Production

Printed by the CCCC Copy Center

This newsletter may also be read on the ALL website at www.allcapecod.org