As we celebrated our 20 years of providing courses, Special Events and clubs for those over 50, we reflected on our growth, our impact, and the relationships we've formed over the years.

Our 20th anniversary celebration was a marvelous event where we honored and recognized those who helped Encore Learning become what it is today, we reminisced with a wonderful video, watched a photo-filled slideshow, and connected with friends at the social hour. The documentary video is a fantastic production about how Encore Learning got started and has interviews with current instructors and members which convey the enthusiasm and passion for the organization's mission.

We heard from members that the Fall 2022 Course Preview was the best yet! In under two hours viewers learned about 35 courses. If you missed it, the Fall 2022 Course Preview clips on YouTube offer you to hear directly from the course instructors and learn about the classes they are teaching. While there, don't forget to hit the Subscribe button!

Ever heard of the Aging in Place Movement? What is it, how does a village work, who runs it, who pays for it and a myriad of other questions will be answered by noted journalist and Village Leader Peg Simpson, along with guest village leaders from other villages. Aging in Place Movement will surely be a popular virtual class.

Campaign Finance Law: It's Past, Present and Future will explore the history and potential future of campaign finance law with instructor David Kolker current senior counsel at the Campaign Legal Center. Geared for 'non lawyers', this in-person course will focus on the statutory framework, the court's key rulings, and the current state of play.

Instructor Dwight Rodgers will enlighten you about wisdom of two traditions of the Western world in Mindfulness and Epictetus: The Wisdom of Not Suffering. The course will explore the tradition of mindfulness practice, which has its roots in Buddhism and the traditions of Greek and Roman philosophy, particularly the practices of the Stoic school.

Parks play an important role in our lives, whether it's creating childhood memories or socializing on a park bench with friends. The in-person course Parks in the City: Great New Urban Greenery will cover the physical development of new parks and the intense politics involved in new park campaigns. Instructor Peter Harnick is an accomplished author and expert on parks, as well as being an environmental and urban enthusiast.

Due to popular demand and willingness of the instructor Carol Morland, Encore Learning will offer Japanese Art: Looking at Six Masterworks virtually as well as in-person. This hybrid model will allow students to register for either virtual or in-person. This class begins on Tuesday, October 4 at 10:00 AM and is six sessions. Click here to register for the virtual class and here to register for the in-person class.

Registration for these and the rest of the Fall 2022 line-up is now!

If you are going to an in-person class and also taking a virtual class...

Legal Expert Chuck Rosenberg on Current DOJ and FBI Activities: Join TV Commentator Chuck Rosenberg on October 17 for a vibrant discussion about the Department of Justice and the FBI, with an emphasis on recent happenings around elections and investigations.

GMU's Dr. Bonnie Stabile on Women, Power and Rape Culture: We hope you can join us on October 31 for Dr. Stabile's discussion on why women remain underrepresented in elected and appointed office, as well as in the C-Suite (think CEO).

Check out our calendar for all upcoming events.

Want to help? Plan Special Events? Support technical efforts? Meet new people at museums? Find and propose films to screen? Put together a panel discussion? Please email info@encorelearning.net if you want more info. Committee members have fun and enjoy kudos during and after Special Events.

The Nonfiction Book Club met on September 12 to discuss A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell -- the never-before-told story of an American woman, Virginia Hall, who, during World War II worked for both the British and American Intelligence Agencies. She recruited and coordinated a network of spies in France to blow up bridges, report on German troop movements, arrange equipment drops for agents, and recruited and trained guerilla fighters. An enthusiastic discussion took place.

At our next meeting on November 14 we will discuss Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow. We welcome newcomers. Let the office know of your interest, and we'll add you to the mailing list. But please, if you do, plan to come, at least now and again.  -- Pat Chatten and Ed Rader

The Travel Club's next meeting is on October 21 at 2:30 PM (note new time), where Bill Mugg will take us to Yellowstone Park in the winter. He will cover the history, geology, ecology and photographs from his trip to this National Park. On November 18, we will accompany Marty Suydam on the Queen Mary Two along the northeast coast of the Americas.

Travel Club meetings usually take place on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact the Encore Learning office if you would like to add your name to the club email list or you are interested in giving a presentation. --Charlie Hallahan and Connie Collins

The Encore Learning Bridge Club met on September 21 for a five-table luncheon and Bridge game at the Lubber Run Community Center. This was our first time using the Senior Room at the Center and everyone thought the room was perfect!! The good news is that the room comes with tables and chairs so that's one thing we don't have to worry about. Mark Linton was our host for the luncheon, bringing all the food, with Sharon Bisdee and Joan Carter, co-chairs, supplying the drinks, plates, cups, ice, etc.

We used to be able to meet comfortably in individual's homes but our group has gotten so large (we now have 36 people on our list) that we're trying to have at least several games a year in venues where we can have five or even six tables. We welcome all Bridge players (it's social Bridge but we're not a group for beginners), so if you're interested, let Sharon (sbisdee@gmail.com), Joan (jcarter4609@verizon.net) or the Encore Learning office know and we'll put you on the list. Thanks to Lee Cooper for the photos. --Joan Carter and Sharon Bisdee

The Breakfast Club continues to meet weekly on Wednesdays at 8:00 AM at La Madeleine, a low-key, Parisian-style breakfast and coffee place in Bailey’s Crossroads. Club Coordinator is Ron Wise. Thanks Lee Cooper for the photos.

The Cinema Club's next outing will take place in person on Thursday, September 29, at 9:35 AM at Cinema Arts Theatre in Fairfax to see a 9:45 AM showing of See How They Run. In the West End of 1950's London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered. When world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and eager rookie Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) take on the case, the two find themselves thrown into a puzzling whodunit within the glamorously sordid theater underground, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril.

Rotten Tomatoes score of 72%. After the movie, we will eat lunch nearby. Our October meeting is planned for Friday, October 21. Looking forward to our movie discussions! --Dru Dowdy and Lee Cooper

In-Person Course Locations: All class locations, including room numbers, can be found in the course description. All courses at GMU will be held in Van Metre Hall at the Mason Square Campus in Arlington. Paid parking is available in an attached garage accessed off of Kirkwood Boulevard. Parking for two hours is $9.00. There are nearby parking meters as well.

Zoom Login Information for Virtual Courses:  All Zoom login information has been uploaded to your member account and can be found in your class media. You will use the same login information for all class sessions, so we recommend saving the login information to your desktop. For tips on using Zoom, see these resources. 

Class Media: You will be notified by staff when supplemental class materials are available to view in your member account. To access class media, log into your account on Member Account Manager, open the My Activities tab, navigate to the course, and select the View Media link. 

Inclement Weather and Other Policies: Please see this link for more information.ail a few days before your class.

The Membership Committee seeks volunteers interested in growing our membership! We are a welcoming and fun-loving Committee. Volunteer time averages four hours/month. We seek help with: event planning & support to create activities that welcome new and prospective members; outreach to elevate our visibility; direct email for member recruiting; basic data tracking to learn which activities are most effective; and/or elbow grease and creative ideas! Join us! For more information, please email: info@encorelearning.net

THANK YOU to all of you who kindly refer friends. Thank you to the Membership Committee for their efforts to spread the word about Encore Learning. If you'd like to bring Encore Learning into your community (residential building or neighborhood) to share information about membership let us know. Tell a friend about Encore Learning so you can see your name here!

Encore Learning is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Any donation is a charitable contribution deductible from income tax to the full extent permitted by law. Members, friends and organizations wishing to support Encore Learning may direct contributions to our General Fund to support our sustainability, to the Arthur W. Gosling Youth Scholarship Fund or the John T. Sprott Scholarship Fund. If you would like to discuss tax benefits of charitable giving and charitable remainder trusts, please contact the office.