Events

This class will offer an illustrated, biographical presentation of an extraordinary young man from eastern Berks county who became an explorer of Africa’s Sahara, Canada’s Hudson Bay, and the Amazon basin in three dangerous expeditions in the four years just prior to World War I. His scientific discoveries made today’s maps more accurate and modern air travel possible. Presented by Robert Gerhart, who as a boy lived in the house in which Darius was raised in Clayton. Pastor Gerhart, years later, returned to Bally as pastor of the Hereford Mennonite Church which had been the home congregation of the Berky family. About the Instructor: Dr. Robert Gerhart Bob Gerhart has been a student of church history from his youth throughout his years of pastoral ministry. He served as a pastor of congregations in Pennsylvania, California, and Lesotho, Africa. He was a staff member of the Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) and has served as the executive director of the Alliance of Mennonite Evangelical Congregations. He and his wife, Joyce, live in Bally.

Many folks in the Living Branches community may remember the hustle and bustle of Souderton in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. But centuries before that, before roads, bridges, trains, or modern industry, there were pioneering people forming the town that many now call home. This course will dive into the early history of Souderton, from its first Welsh settlers, to the early days of the railroad and the town’s industrial boom, to the turn-of-the-century Souderton that shaped the community as we know it today. Learn the long passed, but not forgotten, history of Souderton. About the Instructor: Dan Yocum - An eighth generation Soudertonian and great-great-great grandson of Henry O. Souder, the founder of Souderton, Dan Yocum has a love for the history of this community. He serves the community in various ways, highlighting our rich past whenever possible. Dan is the small business administrator for Univest Bank and Trust Co, where he also oversees the historical archives. In his not-so-free time, Dan is an elected member of the Souderton Borough Council and is a founding member of the Souderton-Telford Historical Society. He serves as the financial secretary and museum chair of the Perseverance Volunteer Fire Company and president of Souderton-Telford Rotary Club.

Money management is different for seniors. This class will look at managing your finances through a biblical perspective. Together we’ll explore aligning your priorities, lifestyle, and God’s call with your finances. We’ll learn about giving, saving, spending, protection, and investing strategies that fit your needs as a senior. About the Instructors: Randy Nyce is an Everence stewardship consultant, helping families, businesses, non-profits, and congregations in the eastern Pennsylvania region with stewardship education and charitable gift planning. Jeff Godshall, CFP®, CTFA, is a financial planner with Everence Trust Company. Jeff is a trust and investment specialist serving on a team of financial professionals who help individuals, institutions, and churches with their investment, insurance, and financial planning needs. Trish Sneddon, CSA, CLTC, is an Everence financial services representative. Trish has a bachelor of arts degree in health care administration, and has earned her certification in long-term care insurance and the ertified senior advisor designation. She previously worked as a nursing home and health services administrator.

Did you know that there are approximately 1,000,000 books published each year worldwide? It is easy to be overwhelmed with all of those choices. This program will guide you through book recommendations for biographies and historical fiction. Learn about lesser known titles that you may have missed. Be reminded of classics and popular bestsellers that you haven’t gotten a chance to read. A list of the titles covered in the presentation will be provided to attendees. About the Instructor: Nicole Husbands - Nicole Husbands is the young adult and outreach services librarian at Indian Valley Public Library in Telford. As a librarian, she answers patron inquiries on a nearly daily basis, often suggesting fiction and nonfiction titles for them to read. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Neumann University and a master’s degree in library science from St. John’s University. Husbands has served as a judge for the Indies Book Award given by Foreword Reviews.

If you have strolled in Delaware county’s open spaces, you have likely been in the presence of apex predators. Great horned owls hide in plain sight. They hunt, mate, and raise their young in a world fraught with danger from above and a banquet below. Come and share a photo and video journey of a pair of great horned owls in Delaware county. This program will feature King Tuft, Queen Ann, and The Little Prince and Princess. About the Instructor: Pamela Dimeler - Pamela Dimeler is a photographer and videographer specializing in wildlife who has a special interest in birds. She has been observing and documenting a pair of Great horned owls in Delaware county for eight years. This past March she was an invited presenter at the International Festival of Owls in Houston, Minnesota. Pamela is the director and founder of Parkside Academy of Music and Dance. A member of the Brandywine Harp Orchestra, she plays the Celtic harp. She serves as a fitness instructor for senior citizens at the Rocky Run YMCA. She resides in Delaware county, with her husband Scott.

This presentation will consist of a collection of stories that depict the Amish way of life in the eighteenth century. The stories will reveal some of the challenges that the Amish faced in preserving their values. About the Instructor: S. Duane Kauffman - Stanley Duane Kauffman was born near the Bratton Township village of Mattawana in the Juniata Valley of Mifflin County, PA. He received a B.S. in secondary education from Eastern Mennonite University and a M.A. in history from Temple University. His further graduate work included a year at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. In 2003, he retired after 45 years of teaching history on the faculty of Dock Mennonite Academy. In addition to an active role at Perkasie Mennonite Church, he presently serves on the board of trustees for the Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania. After his marriage to Naomi Hoover in 1960, the Kauffmans moved to East Rockhill township in Bucks county. After Naomi’s passing, Duane became a resident of Dock Woods in December 2018. Tracing back six generations, 24 of Kauffman’s 32 ancestors were Amish. He has written The Mifflin County Amish and Mennonite Story (1991), The Amish of the Chester Valley (2014), and Shem Zook: An Uncommon Amishman (2020), as well as articles for various Amish and Mennonite related publications.

This presentation will explain what the spotted lantern fly is and how it damages plants. We will look at the current quarantine zone and review when and how to help control its spread. About the Instructor: David Sutton - David Sutton is a Penn State master gardener who volunteers with banding and data recording of tree of heaven trees for the PA Department of Agriculture and data recording of spotted lanternfly egg emergence for the local Penn State extension office. Sutton was employed by Rohm and Haas/Dow Chemical, working in marketing and agricultural chemicals. Through a partnership between Rohm and Haas and the Philadelphia School District, Sutton produced Poetvision, a series of videotapes of contemporary American poets, now available online. While serving on the Pottstown borough council, he led the effort to establish the west campus of Montgomery County Community College in Pottstown.

The sun is our closest star to study. Through this presentation, you will learn about the three parts of the sun’s atmosphere and the features that can be seen with properly filtered telescopes. You will also learn how heat and light are produced inside the sun, its dynamic features that come and go, and what we can see when the sun is in the active phase of its 11 year cycle. About the Instructor: Dr. Albert Lamperti - During his tenure as a teacher/researcher at Temple University School of Medicine, Dr. Albert Lamperti taught histology and neuroanatomy to first year medical, dental, and podiatry students. During that time he took up astronomy as a hobby and has been learning ever since. When he taught astronomy for non-science majors at Chestnut Hill College, he would tell the students his background and tell them that anatomy and astronomy are both visual sciences and that he is a visual learner. Dr. Lamperti has been active since 1985 in the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers and in the Astronomical League, a national umbrella organization over astronomy clubs in the US. He is one member of a four person National Observing Coordinator Team for the A.L. and coordinates two of the 70 observing prams the A.L. offers.

We may not all be tea drinkers, but we have all heard about tea. It is the second most frequently consumed beverage in the world. From where did it originate? How is it made and what other kinds of tea are there besides black tea? Pour yourselves a “cuppa” and join us for a fun time learning about this amazing beverage and some of its fascinating history. Instructor: Jane Irvin-Klotz - Jane Irvin-Klotz is a member of the Norristown Garden Club and the Old York Road Garden Club. She is a member and volunteer for the Philadelphia Horticultural Society and the Morris Arboretum. She holds a B.S. in elementary education and an associate’s degree in horticulture. She has lectured on various plant topics for over 25 years.

Do we have an obligation to act in the face of a changing climate? And do moral arguments really move people to respond to this challenge? This class explores some ethical and theological reasons that we should care about what is happening to our planet, and how those reasons can motivate people to effective responses. We will talk about how faith communities have a role in responding to climate change, with a particular focus on how Anabaptist perspectives apply to climate change. Instructor: Dr. Doug Graber Neufeld - Dr. Doug Graber Neufeld is Professor of biology at Eastern Mennonite University, where he advises environmental sustainability majors and teaches courses in environmental science and biology. He also directs the Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions, a collaborative effort between two Mennonite colleges (Eastern Mennonite University and Goshen College) and a Mennonite relief and development agency (Mennonite Central Committee). Dr. Neufeld earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas, Austin after three years studying blue crabs at a fishing village along the Gulf of Mexico. He held postdoctoral fellowships in Arizona and New Zealand. His primary interests are in the areas of climate change communication, environmental toxicology and monitoring, and international water issues. He has lived in Cambodia and Kenya where he worked on water projects with Mennonite Central Committee.

Join us for an exciting class as we learn about autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles. We’ll look at a brief history of autonomous vehicles and then explore some of the technologies that are needed for perception, planning, and obstacle avoidance. We will consider the benefits of assistive driving and vehicles specialized for delivery and road cleaning. We will note how comfort and safety concerns are issues in their construction. Instructor: Dr. Shu Kong - Dr. Shu Kong is a postdoctoral researcher at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. He obtained a Ph.D. in computer science at University of California at Irvine in 2019. His research is motivated by a desire to create intelligent systems that benefit human life through computer vision and machine learning. His current focus is on visual perception and learning in the real open-world. His research of visual perception has been applied to autonomous driving. He also actively applies his algorithms to interdisciplinary research such as building vision-aided high-throughput systems that study ecology on pollen grains, and the study of health and aging with nematodes.

C.S. Lewis was one of the most acclaimed apologists for the Christian faith in the twentieth century. His fiction and nonfiction works provide a popular introduction and defense of the truth of Christianity in a way that is accessible to many who would not otherwise give a hearing to the gospel message. Lewis’ writing style and imaginative genius make his works a delight to read. He has had a profound impact on the Christian imagination, and the course will demonstrate this from a case study of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (LLW), as well as references from other Lewis books. It will be very helpful, but not absolutely necessary, to read (or reread) LLW before attending the course. LLW is readily available for free online. Instructor: Tom Sanders - Tom Sanders is a resident of Dock Woods and has been an avid reader of C.S. Lewis and books about him for over 50 years. Lewis is one of a handful of authors who has profoundly shaped his understanding of and love for the scriptures and the glory of God in Christ. Tom is an experienced adult Sunday School teacher and taught high school chemistry for five years at Germantown Academy. After a 33 year career as a research chemist, he retired from Rohm and Haas/Dow in 2011. He and his wife Shirley raised two boys, both of whom are active in studying and living out their faith.

Mathematics is fun, and it’s filled with beautiful ideas and many mysterious and surprising elements. We can see the creative mind of God in math. God has created a marvelous universe that works according to mathematical principles. In a way we are thinking God’s thoughts after Him when we study math. This course will be an eclectic look into some of the more beautiful and surprising ideas in math. We’ll look at strange properties of numbers, try to grasp the idea of infinity, see how a simple mathematical series describes many areas of the created world, look at the graphs of love, examine the most beautiful and surprising equation ever discovered, look at a (supposed) proof that two equals one, and many other ideas. Best of all, no mathematical ability is required to understand the course. If you think you hate math, maybe this course will change your mind. About the instructor: Tom Sanders Tom Sanders is a resident of Dock Woods and has been a fan of mathematics since elementary school. He loves reading about math, physics, and science in general, particularly how math and science show the glory of God and His creative power. Tom taught high school chemistry for five years at Germantown Academy. After a 33 year career as a research chemist, he retired from Rohm and Haas/Dow in 2011. He and his wife, Shirley, have two sons.

We are all familiar with parsley even if we don’t grow or eat it. What makes this herb so popular and widely used? Unlike most of the other herbs it doesn’t have a fragrance or pretty flowers, yet it is has been cultivated for centuries. What makes this herb so desirable? With its numerous health benefits, parsley is easy to grow even on your windowsills. Learn about how to grow parsley and why it is so beneficial to your health. About the instructor: Jane Irvin-Klotz Jane Irvin-Klotz is a member of the Herb Society of America, the Norristown Garden Club, and the Old York Road Garden Club. She is a member and volunteer for the Philadelphia Horticultural Society and the Morris Arboretum. She holds a B.S. in elementary education from St. Joseph’s University and an associate’s degree in garden design from Temple University. She has lectured on various garden topics for over 30 years.

This course will look at some of the most famous examples of successful nonviolent campaigns: Dr. Martin Luther King’s civil rights movement, Gandhi’s campaign in India, and the overthrow of the dictator Marcos in the Philippines. We will also discuss some other amazing but lesser known examples. Dr. Sider will build the case that if pacifists claim they have an alternative to war, then they must be willing to put themselves in danger’s way in the way soldiers do. If Just War Christians really believe their criteria that war must be a last resort, then they must invest large amounts of time and money in exploring how much can be done through nonviolent action. Neither pacifist nor Just War Christians have ever really done what their own ethical commitments demand. About the instructor: Dr. Ronald J. Sider Dr. Ronald J Sider has taught courses on faith and politics for several decades. He is the distinguished professor emeritus of theology, holistic ministry and public policy at Palmer Theological Seminary at Eastern University. He is the founder and president emeritus of Evangelicals for Social Action. Dr. Sider has published over 45 books including: Just Politics: A Guide for Christian Engagement, Fixing the Moral Deficit, and Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Ron and his wife, Arbutus, live at Dock Woods.

This course has been filled. Join us for a historical overview of the Hatfield Packing Company. A sixth generation, family owned company, it provides wholesome, sustainable food with a world-class team practicing ethics, integrity, and stewardship. Come to learn about the more than 125 years of history of this local company, which now raises hogs and produces pork products across several states, providing food for people across the globe. About the Instructor: Doug Clemens Doug Clemens serves as the chairman of the board for the Clemens Family Food Group, which is a vertically coordinated company overseeing the production chain from farm to retail and food-service customer. A great-grandson of the founder of Hatfield Packing, he has been a team member of the business since 1978. Clemens serves on the boards of the North American Meat Institute, the Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education, and the Mary Campbell Center. He formerly served on the board of directors for Souderton Mennonite Homes. A member of Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, he and his wife, Becky, have three adult children.

This illustrated lecture will focus on local Native American artifacts. Come to hear about the different stones that Native Americans used for their tools along with where those stones were originally found. Several hundred spear points, arrow heads, and tools that were found on a three acre field just north of Vernfield along the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek will be displayed. About the instructor: Tim Moyer Tim Moyer has been a pastor for the past 12 years and is currently serving at Bally Mennonite Church. Prior to attending Eastern Mennonite Seminary and becoming a pastor, he opened and managed an auto body and mechanical repair business for more than 20 years. He has a passion for nature and takes every opportunity that is available to be immersed in God’s creation. His hobbies include artifact collecting, birdwatching, hunting, gardening, tree identification, beekeeping, and crafting canes and walking sticks from unique pieces of wood that he finds on his many nature walks on his property. Tim and his wife, Sharon, live near Sassamansville, PA.

Did you ever wonder how Amazon manages to get packages to you so quickly? It’s all made possible by an amazing and intricate system involving sophisticated algorithms and computers that coordinate a bewildering array of robots, conveyor belts, delivery vehicles, and human workers to move goods and packages efficiently from manufacturing facilities to your home. In this course we’ll dig into the technology behind the logistical operations of Amazon and the surrounding ecosystem of manufacturers and delivery companies to see just how it is possible for Amazon to perform its magic on a daily basis. About the Instructor: Dr. Ted Ralphs Ted Ralphs is a professor of industrial and system engineering at Lehigh University. His field of expertise is mathematical optimization, which is the study of how to create mathematical models of complex systems for the purpose of understanding and improving their operations. For three decades, he has worked to develop the fundamental mathematical algorithms and software that power operations in a wide range of industries. He is also a cofounder of the COIN-OR Foundation, a non-profit foundation that supports the production of free, open-source software for mathematical modeling and optimization.

This course has been filled. An overview of the history of the underground railroad in Montgomery County will be presented spanning the time period of its activity. We will touch on specific houses, properties, individuals, and much more. About the Instructor: Ryan J. Conroy Ryan has volunteered with multiple local non-profit organizations in providing historical research, and has authored articles for magazines, websites and blogs. He serves on the boards of the Phoenixville and Spring-Ford Historical Societies. He has a local history show online for Voxipop called Timeless Tales. Ryan enjoys sharing his love of history and knowledge of some of his favorite subjects such as local history, photography, immigration, and historic properties.

Join our local documentary creators as they show and facilitate a discussion on one of their most recent publications, Postcards from Babylon. This film features author and pastor, Brian Zahnd, as he investigates the question, “How does the church stay faithful to the beautiful way of Jesus while situated in one of the most divisive political climates in our nation’s history?” The film explores how Christians seeking proximity to power has led to a hyperpartisan nationalistic posture that is demonstrably hindering the witness of Christ. Please note: the themes in this documentary may be challenging and emotional for some attendees. About the Instructors: David and Kathi Peters David and Kathi Peters are a husband and wife documentary film making team who live in Souderton. David started making films while in high school and has used his gift to create films ever since. Kathi joined him in their business in 2012, and together they travel the world telling stories, typically about how God is working through the lives of people. They also create films for local businesses and social service organizations. They have been married 40 years, have three children and four grandchildren.

This course will provide an overview of the Souderton Area School District. It will include demographic information about the students and their families. We will look at the courses of study for students in kindergarten through grade 12, as well as the various clubs, activities, and athletic offerings of the district. Join us to learn about the Career Pathway Program and the STARR Program, as well as some of the business of the district and responsibilities of the Board of School Directors and Administration. About the instructor: Dr. Frank T. Gallagher Frank T. Gallagher, Ed. D, is a superintendent of schools in the Souderton Area School District, a district comprised of approximately 6,300 students in southeastern Pennsylvania. Frank received his bachelor’s degree in special education from Penn State University, his master’s degree in educational leadership from Gwynedd Mercy College and completed his doctorate in education from Arcadia University with a dissertation topic of social justice leadership. He began his career as an emotional support teacher. Frank joined the Souderton Area School District in 2001, and is currently serving in his eighth year as superintendent of schools. He resides in Bucks County with his wife, Wendy, and their dog, Millie.

This course has been filled. An illustrated, chronological talk on the westward migration of the Lenape population of the Delaware Valley, from the arrival of Swedish, Dutch, English, and German-speaking settlers beginning in 1620 until after the French and Indian War (1755-63). About the instructor: Dr. John L. Ruth With family roots in Bern and Zurich, Switzerland, John Landis Ruth was born in 1930 on a farm 29 miles northwest of Philadelphia, and was ordained a minister in the Mennonite Church at the age of 20. His Ph.D. thesis at Harvard University was titled “English Hymn-Writing in America, 1640-1800.” After teaching English and American literature at Eastern University and Universität Hamburg, he turned to film documentaries on the Amish and Hutterites, and narratives of eastern Pennsylvania Mennonite life, including “Maintaining the Right Fellowship” (1984) and “The Earth is the Lord’s” (2001). In 1971 he and his fraktur-artist wife, Roma Jeanette Jacobs, returned with their family to his birth community and homestead, from where he served as associate pastor of the Salford Mennonite Church from 1972 to 1994, and led historical tours in Europe for 45 years.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a return to our full symphony orchestra. Please join us as we present a program of chamber music by principal players of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra along with anecdotes and composer biographies related to our upcoming season. Each class member will receive a complimentary concert ticket, and discounted season tickets will be available for purchase. Come share in the excitement of our 50th anniversary and the return of live music! About the instructors: Jane Nechin, Hannah Richards, Emily Guglielmi Jane Nechin (principal flute) graduated from West Chester University and teaches music in the Abington School District. She is the principal flute with Orchestra Society of Philadelphia and directs the Chancel choir and Herald Ringers at Sanctuary Church in North Wales. Hannah Richards (viola) graduated with degrees in viola performance and music business from the Hartt School/University of Hartford. Hannah has performed extensively with The Divine Hand Ensemble and the Lehigh University Orchestra. Hannah maintains an active private studio through ArcoNet and Clemmer Music. Emily Gulglielmi (violin) attended Philadelphia Musical Academy (now University of the Arts). Emily taught strings in both the Centennial and Upper Dublin school districts and is currently principal second violin for the SPSO. Emily teaches privately and also as a faculty member of the Ambler School of Music.

Note: This class has been rescheduled since the printing of the course brochure. The new date is September 28. Learn about the phases of the moon, eclipses, and the varied features that can be seen on the moon with the naked eye, binoculars, and telescopes. Note the general areas of the Apollo landing sites. You will learn the differences between craters, basins, mare, valleys, domes, and rilles, and how best to view them and how they might have formed over the millennia. Some audience participation will reveal some of the mechanisms of crater formation. The talk will culminate with a virtual fly in and around Crater Tycho! About the instructor: Dr. Albert Lamperti A retired professor of anatomy and cell biology at Temple University School of Medicine, Dr. Lamperti taught histology and neuroanatomy to first year medical, dental, and podiatry students for 37 years. He also taught astronomy for non-science majors at Chestnut Hill College for five years. Astronomy is an avid hobby, a welcome distraction from work, and now a welcomed avocation in retirement.

One of the most enduring—yet complex and even contradictory—styles of art ever produced in this country, American Impressionism captured and held public attention for more than a century. The style was appreciated for its fairy tale views of an elegant American yesteryear, while at the same time carrying the imprimatur of Paris and reflecting the origins of modernism. Why should an artistic movement based, in large part, on the enterprise of capturing momentary visual events in paint linger so long on American palettes? This lecture explores the conditions that made the style so popular in the United States, revealing a nuanced history of art interchange in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, far more complicated than the straightforward imitation of a foreign style. About the instructor: Dr. Amanda C. Burdan Amanda C. Burdan is curator at the Brandywine River Museum of Art and has organized many exhibitions on the fine and decorative arts of the United States. She joined the curatorial staff of the Brandywine River Museum of Art in 2012, and previously worked in the curatorial departments at the Florence Griswold Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art. She earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. at Brown University. Her next exhibition, “America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution” opens at the Brandywine on October 9, 2021.

Learn tips and ideas for healthy cooking for one to two people, review what healthy cooking looks like, suggestions for meals, and how to handle leftovers. If cooking seems like too much work, Marianne Kane will provide you with easy meal ideas that take very little time and effort that anyone can do! Eating right is important for our overall health and well-being. About the Instructor: Marianne Kane Marianne Kane has had a lifetime interest in healthy eating and overall wellness. She earned her B.S. in nutrition from Penn State in 1995. Marianne has worked in food service for her whole career (30+ years) from a grocery store to long-term care facilities. Marianne is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She has served as the nutrition care manager for Souderton Mennonite Homes for the past 24 years.

Have you ever wondered how to reduce the risk of cognitive decline? Are you interested in learning about the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia? Do you know how to identify if a memory lapse is part of normal aging or might be dementia? Join us for an informative session during which a dementia care expert will answer these questions and much more. About the instructors: Jennifer Brush and Mandy Cheskis Jennifer Brush, MA, CCC/SLP serves as program director, Montessori Education for Dementia, St. Nicholas Montessori College in Dublin, Ireland. Passionate about enriching the lives of people with dementia, she is on a mission to put the focus of care on the person’s preferences, interests and abilities. Jennifer is the author of Montessori for Elder and Dementia Care and many other books and articles on dementia. She has been a pioneer contributor in the area of spaced retrieval memory intervention. Mandy Cheskis is dedicated to providing quality health care to people living with dementia. She has worked for more than 25 years as a speech language pathologist. She earned the AMI practitioner certificate in Montessori for Aging and Dementia and is recognized as a master clinician in cognitive communication deficits. She is committed to preserving the abilities of people living with dementia and maintaining pathways for meaningful connections.

Resilience is defined as the ability to navigate adversity and grow through challenges. This presentation and discussion will focus on resilience and positivity. We will look at how gratitude is therapeutic, and how being present, making adjustments, and having a sense of purpose are building blocks of resilience. We will focus on the importance of staying positive and how we can identify internal and external resources to help us. We will consider lessons that we have learned during the pandemic. About the instructor: Dr. Kathleen Fisher Dr. Kathleen Fisher is a nurse educator and researcher at Drexel University. As a nurse and a nurse practitioner she has enjoyed working with many different groups of people including native Americans in Alaska and on the Hopi reservation, with migrant farmworkers from the eastern shore of Maryland, with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and with people experiencing homelessness. Dr. Fisher has collaborated with Drexel and Living Branches in dementia care strategy programming since 2017. She cherishes working with the residents and staff at Living Branches and has enjoyed using a “transformative, participatory action research approach.” She plans to complete a study on resilience at Living Branches.

We will discuss your personal relationship with gravity and suggest several methods of shedding pounds (in some cases micro-ounces) by letting gravity work for you rather than against you. Among the subjects under discussion will be international travel, bad driving habits, subterranean exploration, lunar observations, barometric pressure, and ocean tides. With luck and concentration, you will leave with a deeper understanding of gravity, free fall, space dust, and a new realization of what is meant by “weight.” About the Instructor: Obie Ralphs After growing up a nomad moving between eleven towns in seven states coast to coast Obie has settled down, living with his wife, Bobbie, in this area for the past 55 years. He graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in physics in 1963 and spent the next ten years with Bell of PA before beginning his real career teaching math and physics at North Penn High School. During that time he and Bobbie owned and operated Our Family Toys, a craft business inventing, making, and selling wooden mechanical desk toys. Since retiring in 2004 they have enjoyed playing Celtic music with Quadas Dulcimer Club. In 2016 they moved from the woods of Salford Township to the Woods of Dock.

This course has been filled. This walking tour explores little known information on the emergence of the Doylestown Railroad Station that changed the history of the region, and a catastrophic fire that threatened to reverse the progress of a town. You will see examples of post-revolutionary expansion of commercial and residential buildings and learn about the global impact of a nationally known agricultural manufacturing company and how it became the Doylestown Agricultural Works that we recognize today. Please note: Wear comfortable walking shoes and clothing that is appropriate for the weather. Participants will need to be able to stand and walk for 70 minutes on uneven terrain. This one hour walking tour will begin at 10:15 a.m. Take the shuttle or drive on your own to the Magill Schoolhouse, 56 S. Main Street, Doylestown, PA, where the tour will start. Bring a packed lunch to enjoy together after the tour. Tour limit: 19 people. The cost for the shuttle and the tour: $25.00, cost for the tour only: $10.00. About the tour guide: Pat Witek Pat Witek relocated from New Jersey in 1994 and has lived in Doylestown ever since. She worked at Doylestown Hospital as the director of quality initiatives for 23 years and was the patient safety officer for most of that time. Recognizing the rich historical heritage at the hospital and in the community, she is dedicated to amateur historical research since her retirement in 2019. She volunteers at the Doylestown Historical Society and focuses on the history of the Doylestown Borough. Pat has many interests that she shares with her husband, including travel, classic movies, and following the adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

This course will cover the history of chaplaincy, the general purpose of spiritual care, and the unique ministry of end-of life care. Discussion will occur surrounding hospice and the perceived attitudes towards comfort care. Questions to be discussed: What does it mean to be a chaplain/pastor? What is a ministry of listening? About the instructor: Phyllis Ward Phyllis Ward is the pastor of worship at Grace Mennonite Church and a full-time hospice chaplain at Doylestown Hospital Hospice. Phyllis was a former music teacher at Penn View Christian (now Dock Academy) and Meadowbrook School in Abington. Phyllis loves to sing, play guitar, travel, and grow vegetables and herbs. Phyllis has one fur baby, a golden doodle, Henry.

Three generations of Wyeth artists have lived and painted in the Brandywine Valley, starting with N. C. Wyeth, known for his dynamic illustrations for classics such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, and continuing with his daughters, Henriette and Carolyn Wyeth, and son, Andrew Wyeth. The third generation of this creative family includes N. C. Wyeth’s grandson, Jamie Wyeth. Although each family member has a distinct style, these artists share a commitment to painting subjects they know well. This lecture will give an overview of the art and inspirations of this talented family. About the Instructor: Mary Cronin Mary Cronin is the dean of education and public programs at Brandywine River Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pa. At the museum, she develops and leads programs for visitors of all ages. Mary has a B.A. in art history from Swarthmore College and an M.A.T. in museum education from The George Washington University.

Dan West had no inkling that an idea implanted in his mind in 1938 would lead to the “trip of a lifetime” for some 7000 men ages 16 to 72 after World War II. This illustrated talk will tell the story of the Heifer Project which Dan West founded after his relief work during the Spanish Civil War. It will include the story of the “seagoing cowboys” who tended livestock shipped by the Heifer Project and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration to devastated countries after World War II. We’ll look together at the legacy of these cowboys and the Heifer Project. About the instructor: Peggy Reiff Miller Peggy Reiff Miller is the author of the children’s picture book, The Seagoing Cowboy. She has been researching, writing, and speaking about the seagoing cowboys since 2002. She writes a twice-monthly blog about this history on her website at www.seagoingcowboys.com. She is currently working on a book about the first decade of the Heifer Project, today’s Heifer International, an organization for which she serves as a historical consultant. She lives with her husband, Rex, in Englewood, Ohio.

This presentation will provide an overview of therapy dogs, their disposition, training, certification, and where they serve. We will consider the difference between a therapy dog and a service dog, and learn about the benefits of therapy dogs. About the instructor: Dr. Alice L. Hoersch Dr. Alice L. Hoersch taught geology and environmental science at La Salle University for 42 years and served as an executive assistant for five university presidents for 23 years. She earned a B.A. in geology from Bryn Mawr College and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Johns Hopkins University. She served as a faculty member and consultant for Project Kaleidoscope, a national organization devoted to improving undergraduate science education. She has a three-year-old therapy dog, Dyson, who visits residents at Living Branches.

“The ubiquity of clocks and watches, and the time obsessed culture of which they are both cause and effect, has led us to regard our way of timekeeping as coming with the territory, like the air we breathe. Nothing could be further than the truth.” (Times Pendulum xvii) We are all obsessed with TIME. This lecture will trace the history of timekeeping devices from the beginning of civilization. Included will be pictures and background information about the use of sunlight, water, fire, mechanical devices, wrist watches, and atomic energy to power our clocks. Some of the interesting questions covered include: How did we get from a stick in the ground to atomic clocks? Why do we have time zones? Where does your cell phone time signal come from? Why do clocks move in a clockwise direction? How did the Swiss become famous for wrist watches? Who established the first tower clock? What does the future hold for timekeeping? Come join us for a fun and educational exploration into the fascinating world of horology! About the instructor: Frank G. Hartwell After retiring from a 36 year career as a high school teacher and guidance counselor, Frank Hartwell reinvented himself as a horologist. Upon completing classes at the School of Horology in Columbia, PA, he started a clock restoration business, using more of the other side of his brain and lots of eye-hand coordination. In 2020 he restored almost 100 clocks. Mr. Hartwell’s fascination with horology began when he found his first clock in his grandparents’ attic. In addition to restoring clocks, he enjoys restoring antiques and making and marketing country wood crafts.

This course will explain how a weather forecast is constructed, sharing the philosophy that AccuWeather applies to weather forecasting. Come to hear stories of some of the unique experiences that Dale Mohler has had as a weather forecaster, and some of the changes that have taken place in his field of work. We will consider together what we can expect in the future of weather forecasting. About the instructor: Dale Mohler Growing up in the 1960s and 70s in rural southeastern Pennsylvania, Dale Mohler witnessed several major weather events that prompted his interest in the weather. The 1966 blizzard and Hurricane Agnes were two significant weather events. He did a five minute weather discussion each day during the morning announcements in his senior year of high school. Dale graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. in meteorology. He began working for AccuWeather in 1981, and helped start the AccuWeather international forecasting department. He branched out into agriculture commodity weather forecasting in the mid-1990s. He has been the weather commodity forecaster for the Louis Dreyfus Corporation for the past 15 years.

Beginning as a junction on the North Penn Railway in the mid-1850s, Lansdale quickly grew into a commercial and industrial hub. This class will highlight the people, places, and events which contributed to the borough’s growth through the late 19th and early 20th century. About the Instructor: Patricia Rieker As a lifelong resident of Lansdale, Patricia Rieker has always been interested in the history of the borough. She and her husband have owned a home in the West Ward for nearly fifty years. She was employed as an elementary school teacher in the North Penn School District until her retirement in 2010. Since that time, she has volunteered with the Lansdale Historical Society as a researcher and trustee. She enjoys presenting history programs to people of all ages.

Learn about how Claude Good went from being a missionary with his wife, Alice, in a remote area of Mexico to being the founder of the Worm Project, a ministry of the Mosaic Mennonite Conference. Run entirely by volunteers, the Worm Project provides medicine to treat millions of children for parasitic worms. Meet several of the Worm Project's volunteers and hear about how it partners with other organizations around the world to reach some of the most vulnerable children in over 40 countries. The new book, How to Change the World One Penny at a Time: The Story of Claude Good and the Worm Project, will be available for purchase. About the instructors: Gary Delp, Dr. Clarence Freed, and Jeff Hollenbach Gary Delp serves as president of the board for the Worm Project. Gary and his wife, Julie, live in Sellersville and are members of the Blooming Glen Mennonite Church. Dr. Clarence Freed volunteers with the Worm Project and has treated children in Haiti who suffer from parasitic worms. Jeff Hollenbach is a member of the board for the Worm Project. Jeff's background includes teaching math and coaching numerous sports at Pennridge High School, including head coach of the football team. He is also a licensed pastor and is active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization.  

If you are fascinated with how self-driving cars are able to distinguish a tree from a person, or how self-driving cars are able to distinguish a tree from a person, or how computers are able to recognize your fingerprint or your eyes, come learn about current research in the field of visual perception. While there are many technological advancements in visual perception, much of this research has taken place in static situations. The open, dynamic, vast, and unpredictable world creates many more complexities. Dr. Shu Kong will discuss this topic from the aspects of data distributions, handling the unknowns, visual learning methods, and multimodal perceptions. About the instructor: Dr. Shu Kong Shu Kong is a postdoctoral fellow in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. He earned a Ph.D. in computer science at the University of California Irvine, ad his research interests span computer vision and machine learning as it pertains to autonomous vehicles and interdisciplinary research. His latest interdisciplinary research outcome include a high-throughput vision system for pollen analysis, which has been featured by the National Science Foundation for opening a "new era" of fossil pollen research.

This is a storytelling and visual presentation about the beginnings of the Sanford Alderfer Auction company founded in 1958 by Sanford A. Alderfer, and then joined by his brother, Harold Alderfer. Sanford's son, Sandy, will share about his experience in the auction and real estate businesses, and how they have evolved over time. He will provide insight on how the industry may look moving forward. About the instructor: Sandy Alderfer Sanford "Sandy" Alderfer is the president/CEO of the Sanford Alderfer Real Estate and Auction Company, which specializes in all types of real estate transactions and commercial liquidations. He has been a licensed auctioneer and realtor since 1973. Sandy graduated from Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in 1970 before attending Goshen College for two years, and later graduated from Reisch Auction College in 1973. In honor of his work he has been inducted into the National Auctioneer Association's Hall of Fame, as well as the Pennsylvania Auctioneer Association's Hall of Fame. Sandy and his wife, Gail, live in Harleysville.