ADVENTURES
IN LEARNING
Lifelong Learning
at Colby-Sawyer College
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT SERIES
Community Spotlight Series came about to honor AIL's 25th Anniversary. It aims to highlight community connections, AIL partnerships, and the experience of lifelong learning.
Each session is free and open to the public, though space is limited, and reservations are required. Times and venues vary; please see details below.
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Please join us to learn more about AIL and each other!
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2023 Community Spotlight Photos, Courtesy of Joan Eaton
2024 Community Spotlight Presentations
August 20
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We Are Buoyed! The Story of Lake Sunapee's Global Fame
Lethbridge Lodge, Colby-Sawyer College, 4:00 PM
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Distinguished senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and (Volunteer) Research Director for the Lake Sunapee Protective Association (LSPA), Dr. Kathleen Weathers has studied ecosystems across the globe and the factors impacting their function. Join us to learn how unanticipated events during her 2004-05 sabbatical with LSPA laid the groundwork for Lake Sunapee to become a famously-studied body of water for researchers and community groups around the world. This talk will weave stories of serendipity and science that have led to Lake Sunapee’s global, regional and local fame.
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March 28
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A Barnie's Journey, The Fleming Center, New London Barn Playhouse, 4:00 PM
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Please join us for a conversation with Education Director Sage Tokach and Executive Artistic Director Keith Coughlin of the New London Barn Playhouse. They will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the season selection and audition processes, as well as share stories about the journeys of Barnies from past seasons.
This program is co-sponsored by Adventures in Learning (AIL) and the New London Barn Playhouse (NLBP).
In addition to the main program, information will be provided about AIL and NLBP.
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2023 Community Spotlight Presentations
September 25
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Life is a Love Story: Sharing Creativity, Commitment and Roots, Lethbridge Lodge, CSC Campus, 3:30-4:30 PM
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Peter and Kathy have built their life together in New London for 45 years, continuing the threads of family connections in the area.
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Join them to learn about their mutually supported artistic careers, their journey as a couple, and how their love of nature forms their intentions for life from the inside out. They will show some of their artistic endeavors, such as Kathy’s “Petreflection” images and Peter’s drone and kayak videos, as well as an example of his translucent wood lampshades.
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RSVP required.
May 11
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The Last Traverse: Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Whites, Clements Hall, Ivey Science Center, CSC Campus, 4:00-6:00 PM
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Please join us for an evening with Ty Gagne, author of The Last Traverse: Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Whites, a true story of tragedy and survival in the White Mountains. Joining Ty will be James Osborne, survivor of this winter ordeal.
This program is co-sponsored by Adventures in Learning and the New England Healing Sports Association (NEHSA).
In addition to the main program, information will be provided about AIL and NEHSA. Copies of The Last Traverse will also be available for purchase, with 100% of the profits going to NEHSA.
This event is free and open to the public. RSVP required.
April 21
Encore: On the Diplomatic Stage with Shirley Temple Black
with Tom Hull, Lethbridge Lodge, CSC Campus, 3:30-4:30 PM
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What do you do with your life when you win an Oscar at age seven and retire at age twenty-two as a Hollywood legend who uplifted American’s spirits during the Great Depression and World War II?
AIL Member Tom Hull will tell how Shirley Temple Black gravitated to a twenty year diplomatic career, including her last act as Ambassador to Czechoslovakia, where he worked closely with her during the fall of communism and the subsequent dissolution into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
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Limited spots available. RSVP required.
March 19
Songwriting After Seventy
with Gordon Terwilliger, Galligan's Pub, CSC Campus, 4-5 PM
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What does one do when faced with staying home during a pandemic?
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AIL study leader Gordon Terwilliger purchased a guitar, an amp, and a mic at the beginning of the pandemic and began writing songs! Three years and seventeen songs later, he is still enjoying the process and the performance.
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Please join us for an informal and entertaining afternoon of dialog and song with Gordon Terwilliger. There will be lots of music, and Gordon will share how his songs came about.​
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Mama T will be tending bar. Light snacks will be provided by AIL. Doors open at 3:45.
March 8
A Child's View of WWII: Myth and Reality on the Home Front
with Deb Perkins and Jim Perkins, Lethbridge Lodge, CSC Campus, 4-5 PM
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The World War II experience has generally been told from the perspective of veterans and spouses, but now we can shift our attention to their children. What was it like to grow up in a small New Hampshire town with neighbors, parents, and older siblings heading off to war? How did government policy and propaganda affect everyday life for children of that time?
Debra (Lamson) Perkins was preparing to enter school in Elkins when her father enlisted in the U.S. Navy — leaving his wife and daughter for nearly three years. Deb will share recollections and family memorabilia from that period, supplemented by posters and images from the New London Archives presented by Jim Perkins.