November News and Events

November 2023 Newsletter

Stimulation - Knowledge - Interaction - Fun

Jim Clunan

Acadia Senior College's remarkable founder, Jim Clunan, died earlier this week on October 30th in Virginia Beach surrounded by his family.

It is a testament to Jim and Dorothy's planning and perseverance that ASC is still thriving today. Together they created a wonderful community of lifelong friendships and learning. As many of us know, Jim had a magic way of "encouraging" people to participate and volunteer!

Anne Clunan, Jim's daughter, writes: "We will be having a celebration of our parents' lives on MDI this coming summer. We hope you and all their friends will be able to participate and share stories. As you know, that was one of our parents' favorite past-times."

Thank you Jim - we will miss you!

Above - Jim and Dorothy on their deck overlooking Somes Sound. Jim visiting one of the banks on the island.

Food for Thought

A B-52's Final Mission - the North Woods

Dr. Joseph R. Wax

On a frigid winter afternoon at the height of the Cold War, a Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortress departed Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts for a routine training mission. Hours later, the aircraft’s smoking wreckage lay scattered across a snow-encased mountainside in Maine’s desolate North Woods. This gripping account chronicles the events and aftermath of that fateful day as revealed by the men who miraculously survived and the families of those who perished.

Dr. Joseph R. Wax will talk about this significant national event that occurred in 1963 near Greenville, Maine. He is the author of FINAL MISSION The North Woods which tells the story of a group of unsung heroes who made a significant contribution to aviation history and paid for it with their lives.

The lunch and talk will be held at Birch Bay Village in Hull’s Cove on Friday, November 10, 2023. The lunch begins at 11:30 and costs $15. The talk and slide show begin at noon. The program will also be offered on Zoom.

Click for more information and to register

Please let us know by noon on Wednesday, November 8^th if you cannot attend.

P.S. - The "Banned Books I Love" talk has been rescheduled for January 26th, 2024. Reservations for this event open on November 27th.

A Note About Online Event Registration

Our website now supports online registration for events such as Food for Thought and Coffee Clash - we will no longer use Google forms. Please register online for both in person and Zoom events.

For events that require payment, the form allows you to register and pay through a secure form on our site. We will not be accepting payment at the door.

As always, cancellations may be made until noon two days before the event.

Because this is a new system, please let us know what you think and if you have any problems registering. Thanks for your help.

Note: If you register on your phone, you may need to turn your phone to landscape mode. We are aware that the form does not display correctly in portrait mode on phones and are working on that.

Winter 2024 Classes Announced!

Online Registration Opens

Wednesday, November 29^th, 9 a.m.

Course registration closes on December 8^th and

the winter term begins on January 8^th.

Please see the online course brochure for important information, registration details, and class descriptions. Class descriptions are also available on the ASC website: https://www.acadiaseniorcollege.org/courses

IMPORTANT!

To register online you must be a current member and

have an active online account.

Please call or email with any questions.

Call for Spring Course Proposals

Course proposals for the Spring 2024 term are

due Monday, November 27^th.

Yikes - we haven't even registered for winter classes yet! But, the spring term starts on March 18th so we are starting to plan now.

Have an idea for a course?

Teaching for Acadia Senior College is rewarding and fun! You will meet new people and undoubtedly learn from your students as well. Plus, all instructors are entitled to one free class for each course taught. Share your passion - if you have an idea for a class, a special skill, or knowledge you would like to share, please consider teaching a class.

Click here for the Course Proposal Form

Learn more about teaching for ASC or contact us if you have questions.

Pine Tree Power Referendum

There have been a number of forums and discussions about the upcoming vote. The ASC Events Committee had hoped to offer such a discussion, but scheduling did not work out. However, our friends at Midcoast Senior College held a forum in conjunction with Bowdoin College on October 16th. If you are interested in learning more watch the recording of this event. James Cohen, an attorney with the Portland-based Verrill law firm, presents the opposing view, and John Brautigam, chair of OurPower, the organization that put the initiative before the legislature, presents in support of the bill.

Reminder - Please submit Fall course evaluations

Don't forget to submit your online course evaluations. The Curriculum Committee reviews comments to help them evaluate class sizes and locations, and learn what topics you enjoy. All comments are shared anonymously with the committee and instructors.

Annual Octoberfest Party

What fun we had and so nice to gather again at the Seal Cove Auto Museum for our annual fall party. About 80 members and guests attended and shared delicious treats provided by the Membership and Volunteers Committee, wine, and beer provided by Black Bear Brewing in Orono. Live music from the Rob Collins Quartet jazzed up the evening and even inspired a few folks to dance!

Photos - Ann Caswell and Janice Kenyon

Acadia Senior College

PO Box 475

Southwest Harbor, ME 04679

acadiaseniorcollege.org

learn@acadiaseniorcollege.org

207-288-9500