 Dear Senior Academy Members, The beauty of fall was fully apparent when the Senior Academy met for a picnic at the Lilly Lake Shelter in Eagle Creek Park. It was the first in-person event of the academic year. The weather was cool, the surface of the lake was placid and reflected the trees on its shores, one of which had already turned and provided brilliant color. It is a popular spot and several schools had chosen it as the place from which their students explored the woods and enjoyed their snacks. The liveliness of the young people made for an enjoyable background to the conversation over lunch and the activities that allowed contributions for Paws Pantry and for the 2021 United Way Campaign auction to be first gathered and then conveyed to campus to good ends. The pleasure of meeting in person has also been evident in the gatherings of some of the Interest Groups. The String Theory Group was the first to combine knitting and crocheting with three-dimension conversations, and that to very good effect because its members can donate a very impressive number of scarves and hats to Paws Closet, just in time for winter—and then taking November and December off from their labors. Similarly, the Walking Group enjoys each other’s company as they explore trails in different parts in the city, the November outing taking them to the extensive grounds of Robin Run—an opportunity to also link up with members of the Senior Academy who moved to that retirement village. The Book Club still holds its next meeting via Zoom, discussing John Green, The Anthropocene Review this month. Additional Interest Groups are being created and will offer a broad range of options for people with different interests to get together to learn, be active, and socialize. Let me encourage you to visit the IUPUI Senior Academy website, to join as a member, if you have not yet joined online, and, importantly, if you have not yet logged into the Member Center, taking that step will enable you to create a profile, including your interests, and connect with other members. At the end of the month, the tour of the Miller House in Columbus, IN, originally scheduled for April 2020, is re-scheduled for Thursday, October 28, 2021. You may have already pre-registered for this event, which has helped with the planning. At this time, the reminder invitation, including the registration, is going out in a message to the membership and is listed under “upcoming events” on the website. All of those who pre-registered, please register. And, since there are still spaces available, others may want to register, too—until all spaces are filled. The trip to Columbus takes about an hour. We gather for the tour at the Visitor Center. Parking is available and free next to it. Masks are required in the Visitor Center and during the tour. You may want to expand your visit to Columbus with coffee or lunch or shopping and also exploring the town’s annual exhibit, “Columbus from Main Street to Megalopolis, What Is the Future of the Middle City? New Middles 2021 Exhibition." The Last Lecture has always been a special event, and this year we are able to return to celebrating the presentation in person in the Theatre of the Campus Center with a reception. For details, please check the website and, if you have not yet done so, register for The Last Lecture on November 1, 2021, 2–4 p.m. The IUPUI Senior Academy has been a sponsor of and participating in the annual Spirit & Place Festival. This year the theme is “Change” and Senior Academy members will participate as discussion leaders in a virtual event on November 10, 2021, 3:30–4 p.m. It focuses on the question “Can religion contribute to meaningful change, or are the main solutions political?” Peter Thuesen, author of Tornado God, provides the introduction to a conversation about one of the biggest challenges of our time. (Particulars and registration for “Climate Change and American Religion” is available on this website). You may recall and have noticed that the Senior Academy Bulletin is a fairly new feature (maybe the resurrection of a newsletter in earlier times) and, therefore, it is still evolving. It may lend itself well to recognizing and publicizing activities and accomplishments of Senior Academy members, an option that the Membership and Communications committees are exploring. As their discussions progress, I am taking the liberty to alert you to a solo show of paintings by Craig McDaniel, Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts in the Herron School of Art + Design, 2019 Last Lecturer together with Jean Roberson, and Senior Academy member. The exhibit, entitled "Dreams of Joy," will be presented at the Indianapolis Arts Center. A reception for the exhibit is scheduled on Thursday, November 4, 2021, 5–8 p.m. All are invited. The exhibit will remain on view through December 17. Indianapolis Arts Center is located at 820 E. 67th Street, Indianapolis. Art Center hours are Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–10 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday Noon–6 p.m. Also on view will be a juried national exhibit of contemporary drawings, and an exhibit of art by the art center staff. Marianne S. Wokeck For questions and comments, contact us at ude[dot]iupui[at]ymedacas. |
