Benefits of lifelong learning
JEFFERSON TWP — The Lifelong Learning classes offered at Concordia Lutheran Ministries, 148 Marwood Road, do more than teach those who've reached retirement age.
They equip retirees with new skills, build a sense of community at Concordia and with the neighborhood, and give residents a chance to pass along knowledge and expertise acquired over a lifetime.
Carol Shick, a resident of Haven III, said of the classes, “It's the best thing going here. We usually get the catalogs in January and register for classes that run until July.”
And Shick registers for a lot of classes.
She said, “Last year, I took 33 classes. This year I took 42.
“Some run in series. I took Senior Yoga; that's eight sessions once a week,” Shick said. “There are English Heritage classes about the Elizabethan Age and the Stuarts and the Tudors. There are four sessions of those lasting 60 or 75 minutes.”
Other classes range from iPad for Beginners, Glass Painting, Cooking, and How to Spot a Scam.
Some classes are free; some charge a small fee. Those of retirement age with an interest in learning don't have to be Concordia residents to sign up for some classes.
For more information, visit www.concordiahaven.org.
“The Audubon Society classes are so popular and very well attended here,” said Shick.
“One everybody here is interested in is on getting a Real ID,” she said.
“One thing the whole program gives you is opportunities to grow mentally, physically and spiritually,” she said. “And I would say it's important to recognize the classes are challenging, enlightening, entertaining and inspirational.”
Concordia residents Audrey Farah and Mary Nell Hurd, have gone from students to teachers, sharing their talents with thread art with their neighbors.
Hurd said, “Part of the classes is to share your talents or crafts, if you could teach someone to do something.”
“In thread art, you are using a pattern to punch holes into cards and then you use regular sewing thread to follow a pattern and you've made a beautiful card,” said Hurd.
“I made 50 Christmas cards. It really appealed to me,” she said.
Her fellow thread art enthusiast Audrey Farah said, “She's so good. Me, I would only make one card and then I'd want to see what the next card would be.”Farah said, “A friend of mine taught me this 10 years ago.”Now she and Hurd are teaching others.“I think we had about 20 people in our class,” said Hurd.Some residents turned instructors provide a bit of living history like Al Hammer whose session, “Navy Search and Rescue” drew on his photos and memories of serving on the USS Reeves for 14 months in 1965-67 rescuing downed pilots in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War.“When the bombing of North Vietnam started to ramp up the Navy had to develop better search and rescue techniques. They anticipated a lot more planes being shot down,” said Hammer.“My job was quartermaster. I was stationed on the bridge to keep an eye on events plus assist the navigation station,” he said.From his vantage point on the bridge, Hammer was able to observe the missions that rescued six crashed pilots.“Out of the 900 planes shot down, 458 pilots were rescued,” he said.His session is bolstered by Hammer's private log entries and photos.“There were about 36 people. I was really happy with the turnout,” he said. “People had questions about the rescues and the evolution of the helicopters.”But Shick said the Lifelong Learning classes are doing more than spreading knowledge.She said, “They build a community between the buildings on our campus and with the greater community with people coming in for classes.”
