LIFE Macomb

L.I.F.E. (Learning Is ForEver) is an organization dedicated to providing high-quality, low-cost, and enjoyable adult-education experiences. The Macomb L.I.F.E. program is affiliated with the national organization, Road Scholar: Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN). It is independently administered by area residents who develop the courses, select the teachers, establish the fees, and promote the curriculum.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

LIFE has moved to Scheduling & Events Services located on the first floor of the University Union.

Right next to the Brattain Lounge. 

 

FULL COURSES (as of 10/23)

Cooking with Harold

Cupcakes! 

Digital Photo Organization & Storage

The Federal Art Project Collection of WIU

How to Pay Without Cash

Mastering Your iPhone

Mastering Your Samsung Android Smartphone

Pontoon Ride on Lake Argyle

Pontoon Ride on Spring Lake

What's New for Fall Fashions at Princess Shoppe

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Fall 2024 Course Information

Always Wanted to Dance?    (4/10 registered)
Line dancing is good exercise for your body and brain and requires no partner. Come learn
some steps, learn some dances, and have some fun with the option to stay for all or part of
the YMCA Senior Center line dance class that follows. ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS with
TWO left feet are welcome. A sense of rhythm is helpful.
Instructor: Pamella McLean has taught the line dancing class at the YMCA Senior Center for 15 years.
Class Sessions: Thursdays, September 5, 12 and 19
Time: 1 - 1:30 p.m.
Place: YMCA Senior Center, 400 E. Calhoun St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 10      Cost: $5

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America’s Female Founders     (31/50 registered)
Women’s contributions to our nation’s founding varied widely, from pre-war public
demonstrations of support for independence to wartime spying, soldiering, financial
support and more, to post-war influences on the nature of our new state and national
governments. We’ll explore the ways in which a number of different women helped shape
various aspects of the origins of the United States.
Instructor: Ginny Boynton is a retired professor from WIU’s History Department. She taught U.S. and Women’s History for more than 20 years.
Class Sessions: Wednesdays, October 30 and November 6
Time: 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 50      Cost: $10

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Armchair Traveler      (31/40 registered)
September 12: Cathie and Ray Bunch will share a fascinating safari in South Africa and
tour of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Experience penguins, lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos,
hippos, giraffes, zebras, and more.
September 19: Beth and John Clerkin will share their experiences with their children
and grandchildren on the MSC World Europa cruise ship. Sites they visited on the
Mediterranean Sea include Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Rome, Palermo, and Valletta.
September 26: Beth and Fred Seaton will share photos and anecdotes from their Camino
Frances in 2022 and Camino Portuguese in 2023. The Camino de Santiago is a network of
pilgrim routes in Europe that all lead to the Shrine of St. James at Santiago de Compostela
in Galicia, Spain. Participants will learn about the history of the Camino, the various
routes, what to expect along the way, and how to prepare for such a trip.
October 3: Steve Hopper was inspired to travel to Antarctica as a result of an Armchair
Traveler presentation. Steve and his son, Nate, enjoyed a two-week journey to the White
Continent.  He'll share the unspoiled beauty of Antarctica as well as the wildlife they
encountered along the way.
Coordinator: Steve Hopper has enjoyed coordinating the LIFE Armchair Traveler
program for several years. He has traveled to all seven continents.
Class Sessions: Thursdays, September 12, 19, 26, and October 3
Time: 1:30 - 3 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 40      Cost: $15

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CANCELLED

Beginning Hearts    (4/16 registered)
Have fun learning and playing the popular trick-taking card game Hearts. Following a
brief discussion of concepts, rules, and basic strategy, participants will play the game for the
balance of the two class sessions. Note: In order to maximize the amount of time available
for gameplay, participants will receive an email with a link to information about concepts
and rules prior to the first class. Share your questions in advance or bring them with you to
the first session.
Instructor: Sean O'Donnell-Brown has played and enjoyed card games -- especially tricktaking games -- as long as he has had the ability to hold cards.
Class Sessions: Monday, October 21 and Wednesday, October 23
Time: 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Place: Western Illinois Museum, 201 S. Lafayette St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 16      Cost: $10

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 Bix Beiderbecke: Young Man with a Horn     (21/24 registered)
2024 marks the 100th anniversary of Davenport, Iowa, jazz legend Bix Beiderbecke’s
first recordings, which occurred at the dawn of what became known as America’s
“Jazz Age.” His influence continues to this day, and his legacy is honored every year
at one of the longest running jazz festivals in the U.S. — “The Bix” in Davenport.
Through two films the class will explore the rise and fall, as well as the musical
legacy, of one of the greatest soloists in jazz history:
1. Bix: Ain’t None Play Like Him Yet is a fascinating 1981 documentary directed by Academy
Award winning director Brigette Berman that beautifully captures the man and his era. The
title comes from an admiring quote about Beiderbecke by none other than Louis Armstrong.
(September 9)
2. Young Man with a Horn is a powerful 1950 film directed by Michael Curtiz and is based
on Dorothy Baker’s 1938 bestselling novel, which was inspired by the life of Beiderbecke.
The film features an all-star cast: Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, Doris Day, and Hoagy
Carmichael. (September 16)
Instructor: Bill Maakestad is a retired WIU professor with a lifelong interest in listening to
and performing a wide range of music - with the exception of rap and opera.
Class Sessions: Mondays, September 9 and 16
Time: 6 – 8 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 24      Cost: $10

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Book Writing, Researching, and Self-Publishing    (6/30 registered)
Muses for writing vary, and although it may not be suitable for children, The Red Barn
emerged from the author's experiences as a Missouri farm boy and public school student, the
years he spent as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and from his need for a Covid
19 distraction. Memory and oral tradition need bolstering from research for authentication
and plausibility. Self-publishing is the easiest way to get manuscripts into print with minimal,
though still significant, costs. The Red Barn is available from Amazon, Kindle, or the author,
and pre-class reading, though not required, will prevent inevitable spoilers.
Instructor: Larry Rawlins’ career spans music, school administration, and counseling. A
Vietnam War veteran, he also published Every Friday.
Class Session: Wednesday, September 4
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30     Cost: $5

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Bringing Balance to Your Optimal Wellness! Part 2    (16/30 registered)
Part one of this class covered different dimensions of optimal wellness. In part two we will
explore in more detail the main elements of balance for your body. You will learn about
common disorders associated with those elements, how they are treated with physical therapy,
and how to improve your physical balance for safer mobility in daily activities. You don’t have
to have attended part one to attend this second class.
Instructor: McDonough District Hospital’s Lawrence Michaelson, PT, DPT, is the father of
seven children and has been practicing physical therapy for 15 years.
Class Session: Wednesday, October 16
Time: 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $5

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Cogs and Goggles and Corsets! Oh My!      (10/30 registered)
What if technology kept advancing but the ways to power it didn't?  Imagine a world
where steam power is still king yet we have the same kinds of technology present today.
Steampunk lecturer Professor Lena Foltz-Pendarvis, who travels the world in search of new
discoveries and knowledge, will teach you about Steampunk, where time travelers abound
yet time stands still. Learn about this alternate history genre that has spawned numerous
books, movies, festivals and conventions around the world.
Instructor: Kim McDaniel has a master’s degree in history and is pursuing a MFA in
theater.
Class Session: Tuesday, October 8
Time: 5 – 6 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $5

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Common Scams and Prevention Strategies     (32/35 registered)
You will learn simple prevention strategies to make yourself a harder target for common
scams.
Instructor: Jeff Hamer has 23 years with the Macomb Police Department and is the
Chief of Police for MPD. He also holds a MA in Organizational Leadership from Lewis
University.
Class Session: Thursday, October 24
Time: 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 35      Cost: $5

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Composting Dos and Don'ts      (18/30 registered)
Turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into black gold! Learn the best practices for
backyard and indoor composting. You will also learn about the benefits of composting,
how to choose the right compost bin, and how to maintain it.
Instructor: Chris Enroth is a horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension
serving Henderson, Knox, McDonough, and Warren Counties.
Class Session: Thursday, October 3
Time: 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $5

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Cooking with Harold    (12/12 registered)   (Course FULL/CLOSED)
Harold’s cooking classes involve both demonstration and hands-on preparation of the
food. This class will feature preparation of two gourmet pasta dishes. The first is shrimp in
gorgonzola cream sauce and the second is ham and meatballs in cream sauce. The attendees
will eat the delicious food and receive copies of each recipe.
Instructor: Harold Schmalfeld loves cooking and has been teaching this class for multiple
years.
Class Session: Thursday, September 19
Time: 5 – 7 p.m.
Place: First Christian Church, 124 N. McArthur St.
Parking: In the west side parking lot. Enter through the southwest door (close to west
Jackson St.) and take the elevator to the basement.
Maximum Enrollment: 12      Cost: $15

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The Curious Wisdom of Picture Books      (8/20 registered)
Picture books may look like pure fun, but many contain hidden wisdom that benefits
children of all ages. From folktale retellings of Stone Soup to modern fables like The Fate
of Fausto, picture books have a bigger story to tell. Prepare to be amazed by the depth of
just thirty two pages and soak up the wisdom of picture books.  
Instructor: Tiffany Erickson has a Master's of Library and Information Science and is the
children's librarian at Macomb Public Library. Her book The Snack Thief will be published
in 2025.
Class Session: Tuesday, September 24
Time: 2 – 3 p.m.
Place: Macomb Public Library, 235 S. Lafayette St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $5

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Cupcakes!       (COURSE FULL/CLOSED) 
Want to elevate your cupcake game beyond box mixes and canned frosting? Join me as I
share my (limited) knowledge of cupcakes and icing. We'll taste a variety of cupcakes and
frostings after decorating them ourselves! Supplies and recipes will be provided.
Instructor: Kathleen O’Donnell-Brown is a retired WIU writing instructor who now
spends her time making cupcakes, playing pickleball, and taking LIFE classes.
Class Session: Thursday, October 24
Time: 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 12      Cost: $10

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Digital Photo Organization and Storage       (COURSE FULL/CLOSED) 
Faster cameras and high capacity memory cards have made it easier than ever to shoot and
store hundreds of photos on our computers, cell phones, and thumb drives. This course will
help you store, find, and even edit your favorite photos to get your images in order.
Instructor: Brenda Allison is a retired IT Director for AFSCME. She worked in many levels
of technology and finds that teaching LIFE classes keeps her technological skills current.
Class Session: Tuesday, October 22
Time: 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $5

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CANCELLED

Eco-Friendly Household and Hygiene Products      (8/20 registered)
Are you trying to purchase environmentally responsible household/personal hygiene
products, but you don't know which ones are truly effective and eco-friendly? Then this class
is for you. The first session will be an introduction to eco-friendly products. For the second
session, willing participants will be invited to bring a list of products they have used and
their personal ratings on environmental benefits and effectiveness. A list of these products
and their ratings will then be emailed to all participants.
Instructor: Kathy Fischer is a retired professor from the Health Sciences Department at
WIU, and she worked as an RN prior to 1980.   
Class Sessions: Tuesdays, October 1 and 8
Time: 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $10

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Euchre – Beginning      (17/24 registered)
Come learn to play an easy-to-learn Midwestern card game, Euchre. Actually, Euchre has
been around since the 1800s and was very popular in Europe. You will learn the basic
version and then you will play multiple rounds. On the second day you will hone your new
skills.
Instructor: Jim Unruh is a retired fifth grade teacher with over 40 years of euchre playing
experience.
Class Sessions: Monday, October 28 and Wednesday, October 30
Time: 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 16      Cost: $10

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Euchre – Intermediate     (12/16 registered)
This intermediate class is for people that took the beginners class or who already know how
to play Euchre and who want to practice their strategies with the instructor there to offer
support and advice.
Instructor: Jim Unruh is a retired fifth grade teacher with over 40 years of euchre playing
experience.
Class Sessions: Monday, November 4 and Wednesday, November 6
Time: 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 16      Cost: $10

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Eye to Eye: Looking at Eyes Looking at Us           (25/30 registered)
Research has shown that infants as young as two weeks old prefer looking at pictures of
faces whose eyes are looking directly back at them. The eyes of others looking directly
at us can fascinate, draw us in – but not always pleasantly. Far from it in some cases. In
this course we will consider what paintings and literature have to say about this attraction
or repulsion of eyes looking at us. We will look at the direct gaze in portraitures and
self-portraits in selected Renaissance Italian art, in miniature paintings in 18th century
British art, in selected fiction of Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, and in the
ornithological art and essays about birds by John James Audubon.  
Instructor: Thomas Joswick is a retired professor of English from WIU.
Class Sessions: Mondays, November 4, 11, and 18
Time: 3 - 4:15 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $10

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The Federal Art Project Collection of Western Illinois University & Gallery Tour (COURSE FULL/CLOSED) 
You will see artworks from WIU’s Federal Art Project Collection. These pieces were made
by Illinois artists and commissioned by the federal government during the New Deal era
of the 1930s. The class will also tour and discuss the current exhibitions on display in the
gallery.
Instructor: Tyler Hennings, MFA, is the director of the WIU Art Gallery.
Class Session: Thursday, October 10
Time: 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Place: WIU Art Gallery, behind Sherman Hall, WIU Campus
Parking: Around the gallery (A No-Ticket request will made for the day/time of the course.  )
Maximum Enrollment: 15      Cost: $5

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Food Safety - Keeping it Safe from the Grocery Store to Your Table     (4/20 registered)
Learn how to store, prepare, and cook food safely and to prevent foodborne illness.
The course will also discuss food safety concerns with popular meal delivery services.
Participants will also learn how to take the guesswork out of ensuring that food has been
completely cooked to the proper internal temperature.
Instructors: Stefanie Johnson, Licensed Environmental Health Practitioner, has worked
in the field of environmental health and food safety for over 20 years. Jonathan Chu is a
Sanitarian & Certified Food Protection Manager.
Class Session: Thursday, November 7
Time: 2 -3 p.m.
Place: McDonough County Health Department, 505 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $5

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How to Design a Small Floral Arrangement          (12/12 registered)
In this class you will learn how to make a small box arrangement in a wood box as well as
how to use different size vases to make bouquets. Jane Billingsley will show you how to
make a rose arrangement and how to fill in the gaps and holes in an arrangement to make
it fuller.
Instructor: Jane Billingsley is a certified floral designer and has been Hyvee’s floral
manager for 12 years.
Class Session: Tuesday, September 24
Time: 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Place: Hy-Vee, 1600 E. Jackson. Meet at Customer Service.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 12      Cost: $5

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How to Pay Without Cash – Mobile Payments       (COURSE FULL/CLOSED)
The course will explain how to use cash apps on your mobile device. We will discuss
Venmo and PayPal. You will learn how to download and use the apps, as well as how to
avoid any pitfalls that can occur when using mobile apps.
Instructor: Julie Anne Pickett has been a financial advisor/wealth manager at IPI Wealth
Management since 2006.
Class Session: Tuesday, October 29
Time: 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 15      Cost: $5

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An Introduction to Conservation Legacy Giving      (8/25 registered)
This is an introduction to the Prairie Land Conservancy and how the land trust works with
landowners to protect the natural areas, open spaces, and farmlands. The instructor will
share the work that has been done with conservation easements and the stewardship of the
preserves. There will be a brief overview of the impacts of legacy giving and estate planning
on the conservancy’s programing.
Instructor: Victoria Livingston is the Prairie Land Conservancy’s executive director.
Class Session: Tuesday, October 22
Time: 1 – 3 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 25      Cost: $5

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An Introduction to Emergency Preparedness      (12/30 registered)
This presentation will be a basic introduction to Emergency Preparedness, risk assessment,
and best practices before, during, and after disasters. The focus will be on a plan for you,
your family or even your business.
Instructor: Edgar Rodriguez is the Emergency Manager for McDonough County, an
adviser for the University, and MDH’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.
Class Session: Tuesday, September 10
Time: 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $5

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Keeping Your Heart Healthy         (13/30 registered)
This class will teach you how to keep your heart healthy by looking at helpful exercises,
good foods to eat, risk factor prevention, and common heart medications.
Instructor: Kelsi Cunningham, FNP-BC, a nurse practitioner at McDonough District
Hospital who specializes in cardiology.
Class Session: Tuesday, October 15
Time: 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $5

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Living Happily Ever After, at Home        (13/30 registered)
Are you planning to stay in your own home as long as possible as you enter or are
experiencing the golden years? This class will help you establish a plan to maximize your
independence, safety, and quality of life in your home as you encounter various challenges
of aging. Common deterrents to 'aging in place' as well as practical solutions and options
will be presented with time for Q & A.
Instructors: McDonough District Hospital’s Alicia Beck and Phyllis McLouth. Alicia
Beck COTA/L does home health assessments, rehabilitation, and acute/outpatient therapy,
and specializes in home modifications, adaptive equipment and modifications for activities
of daily living (ADLs). Phyllis McLouth, PT, DPT has experience in acute, outpatient,
home health and industrial settings. Her areas of interest are strength training and
wellness.
Class Session: Wednesday, October 9
Time: 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 25      Cost: $5

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Looking Back on the Dual Cicada Emergence of 2024       (9/40 registered)
Where were all the cicadas? Most Midwesterners got to experience a noisy end to spring,
but McDonough County was an island of quiet in an ocean of cicada-mania. Chris Enroth
will recount the spring's cicada emergence and discuss why we didn’t see any in 2024. Will
we ever experience periodical cicadas? Learn all about the insect that fascinated people
across the country in 2024.

Instructor: Chris Enroth is a horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension
serving Henderson, Knox, McDonough, and Warren Counties.
Class Session: Wednesday, October 16
Time: 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 40      Cost: $5

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Mah Jongg for Beginners          (18/20 registered)
American Mah Jongg is a popular game for four players using a set of tiles to build a
fourteen tile “hand” to match one on the current year’s card for Mah Jongg. Sound
confusing? Don’t worry – you will learn the basic rules, how to read the cards which
define hands, and how to do a Charleston to develop your hand. We will play rounds until
someone gets a Mah Jongg.
Instructor: Martha Klems loves playing games and has been playing Mah Jongg with
Macomb friends for 20 years.
Class Sessions: Tuesday, October 29 and Thursday, October 31
Time: 1 – 3 p.m.
Place: Western Illinois Museum, 201 S. Lafayette St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $10

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Making Fruit Trees Within Reach of Everyone     (9/30 registered)
We will demonstrate a specific pruning method that will train a fruit tree to stay in a
miniature form. Now fruit trees can be planted in many more places throughout the
landscape, where manageable production makes care and harvesting much easier and more
rewarding. Now you can fit more varieties into a smaller space!
Instructors: Jeff and Pam Vancil are Illinois Certified Arborists and have been owners of
Hart’s Nursery for 35 years.
Class Session: Tuesday, October 1
Time: 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Place: Hart’s Nursery, 665 Front St., Bushnell
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $5

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Mastering Your iPhone            (COURSE FULL/CLOSED)
This is a basic class in understanding the function and operation of your iPhone and learning
to use the default (included on your phone) apps. You will learn to navigate the menus,
messaging, reset, iOS mail app, contacts, basic camera use, and also to browse the internet.
Instructor: Brenda Allison is a retired IT Director for AFSCME. She worked in many levels
of technology and finds that teaching LIFE classes keeps her technological skills current.
Class Session: Tuesday, November 19
Time: 9:30 - 11 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $5

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Mastering Your Samsung Android Smartphone     (COURSE FULL/CLOSED) 
This is a basic class in understanding the function and operation of your Samsung Android
phone. Topics you will learn are how to use the default (included on your phone) apps, how to
navigate the menus, messaging, resetting, browsing the internet, using the contacts, managing
basic Google account info, and using your phone camera.
Instructor: Brenda Allison is a retired IT Director for AFSCME. She worked in many levels
of technology and finds that teaching LIFE classes keeps her technological skills current.
Class Session: Monday, November 4
Time: 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $5

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Menopause: Educate, Embrace, Empower      (3/15 registered)
What is menopause and what symptoms should I expect: mood swings, hot flashes, decreased
libido? Are my menopause symptoms treatable and will I be on treatment forever? When
should I expect menopause? Are there other health risks associated with menopause? All these
questions about pre- and post-menopause and more will be answered.
Instructor: Emily Mynatt, APRN, FNP-C, is a nurse practitioner in McDonough District Hospital's Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic with a passion for women’s health and well-being.
Class Session: Wednesday, September 18
Time: 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 15      Cost: $5

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An Overview of Illinois River History & Ecology of Two Wetland Restoration Sites    (16/20 registered)
You will learn an overview of the Illinois River floodplain’s history and about the floodplain
restoration of The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon and Merwin Preserves. After hearing
about the work, the instructor will take the group on a site visit to the Emiquon National
Wildlife Refuge.
Instructor: Denim Perry has worked as a restoration ecologist since 2003 for The Nature
Conservancy with the Illinois Rivers Program.
Class Session: Tuesday, September 17, and rain date Tuesday, September 24
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Place: The Nature Conservancy, 11304 N. Prairie Rd., Lewistown
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $5

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Pontoon Ride on Lake Argyle   (COURSE FULL/CLOSED)
Enjoy beautiful Lake Argyle while taking a relaxing morning pontoon ride. We will watch for
wildlife and enjoy the fall colors. Life jackets, binoculars, and field guides will be available, or
you are welcome to bring your own.
Instructor: Bridget Hinchee has a M.S. in Natural Resources Recreation Management and
has been the site interpretive program coordinator at the park since 2000.
Class Session: Friday, October 4, and rain date Friday, October 11
Time: 10 – 11 a.m.
Place: Argyle Lake State Park, 640 Argyle Park Rd., Colchester
Parking: Go straight after entering the park entrance and turn right into the concession
parking lot at the bottom of the hill as you approach the lake. If you get to the boat ramp you
have gone too far.
Maximum Enrollment: 6      Cost: $5

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Pontoon Ride on Spring Lake  (COURSE FULL/CLOSED)
Enjoy a relaxing pontoon ride around beautiful Spring Lake. As you look for natural wildlife,
you can ask questions about fish, birds, and plants, as well as learn about the services that the
Spring Lake Park offers.
Instructor: Ryan Hansen, Spring Lake Park Manager
Class Session: Thursday, September 12, and rain date Thursday, September 19
Time: 10 – 11 a.m.
Place: Spring Lake Park, 602 Spring Lake Park Rd.
Parking: At the bottom of the hill by the bait shop
Maximum Enrollment: 12      Cost: $5

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Standing: How to Take a Case All the Way to the Supreme Court         (13/25 registered)
In law, “standing” is a requirement that a party seeking a legal remedy must show they have
sufficient connection to and harm from the law or action challenged to support that party's
participation in the case. This presentation will discuss traditional rules of standing and
recent changes made by the US Supreme Court.
Instructor: Gayle Carper, JD, practiced law from 1983-2007 and was a professor in the WIU
LEJA Department from 1987-2012.
Class Session: Wednesday, October 9
Time: 1:30 – 3 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 25      Cost: $5

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Tradition, Technology, and the Titanic     (14/20 registered) 
The Titanic was not only a bridge between Europe and America but also between the old and
the new. It was the most luxurious, opulent ship of its time while also boasting a number of
engineering and mechanical advancements. Join Kim McDaniel as Professor Lena FoltzPendarvis and Douglas Menke as Magister Aloysious Von Diesel as they delve into the
dichotomy of tradition and technology related to the Titanic.
Instructors: Kim McDaniel has a master’s degree in history and is pursuing a MFA in theater
while Douglas Menke has an MFA in theater.
Class Session: Thursday, October 3
Time: 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Place: Spoon River College Community Outreach Center, 2500 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $5

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Water, Barley, Malt, Hops, and Yeast - Deconstructing Beer Ingredients     (7/20 registered)
Calling all beer enthusiasts! Ever wonder what goes into making your favorite brews? In this
course we'll delve into the fascinating world of beer ingredients. From water composition to
the terroir of hops, each element plays a crucial role in crafting that perfect pint.
Instructor: Sean West is a brewer and co-owner of Forgottonia Brewing
Class Session: Wednesday, October 23
Time: 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Place: Forgottonia Brewing, 324 N. Lafayette St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 20      Cost: $5

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We Need to Talk Book Club      (19/30 registered) 
These novels remind us of our current issues.  Our discussions allow us to see these
contemporary issues in a different light, give us a new perspective, and awaken us to another
reality.
James by Percival Everett - Tuesday, September 3
Huck is still here. The island, raft, and dodgy characters are still here. The use of the raft
trip as a vehicle for a series of comic vignettes, tragedies, and morality plays is still here, and
the evolving relationship between Huck and Jim/James is still here. What is different is that
the story is told from the perspective of the self-educated, self-aware James who lives behind
the minstrel character facade of Jim in the original story. Through his eyes the story is still
epic but the laughs, fears, hopes, and revulsion fall in different places (to great effect) and
as we come to know and love James as James, the precariousness of his life in a white society,
and the urgency of his journey becomes more pressing with each page. It is eye-opening and
heartbreaking while still being eminently readable.
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout – Tuesday, November 5
From Pulitzer Prize–winning author Elizabeth Strout comes a hopeful, healing novel about
new friendships, old loves, and the very human desire to leave a mark on the world. With her
“extraordinary capacity for radical empathy” (The Boston Globe), remarkable insight into the
human condition, and silences that contain multitudes, Strout returns to the town of Crosby,
Maine, and to her beloved cast of characters as they deal with a shocking crime in their midst,
fall in love and yet choose to be apart, and grapple with the question, as one character puts it,
“What does anyone’s life mean?”
Instructor: Connie LaRue is a retired English teacher who loves books. She encourages and
supports book clubs and book discussions.
Class Sessions: Tuesdays, September 3 and November 5
Time: 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Place: On Zoom
Parking: N/A
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $10

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What’s New for Fall Fashions at Princess Shoppe (COURSE FULL/CLOSED) 
Owner Kathy Moon and her assistant will show you the color trends for the fall and what
to accessorize with those clothes. She will also show you what kinds of tops to wear with
different styles of pants. There will be a walk through the store to show you a multitude of
different displays.
Instructor: Kathy Moon
Class Session: Thursday, September 26
Time: 5 – 6 p.m.
Place: Princess Shoppe, 1520 E. Jackson St.
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 12      Cost: $5

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When Macomb Hosted Abraham Lincoln: Behind the Scene    (36/40 registered) 
This involves a class and then a live performance. In the class you will learn about the
historical background to the play, written by Tim Roberts, “When Macomb Hosted Abraham
Lincoln."  Roberts will tell you about the context for the events which the play dramatizes,
and he will connect Macomb’s local history with the national events occurring during the
Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. On the second date, you will attend the live performance of
the play.   
Instructor: Tim Roberts is a WIU history professor who presents public history topics on the
Civil War era.   
Class Sessions: Thursday, October 3 at 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 5 at 7 - 8 pm
Time: See above
Place: Macomb Art Center, 25 E. Side Square
Parking: At the site
Maximum Enrollment: 30      Cost: $5

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Due to a change in policy, PayPal will no longer be refunding the transaction fee when course registration fees are refunded due to cancellations. However, depending on who makes the cancellation, there will be instances in which the transaction fee will be refunded. When a course is cancelled by the LIFE Organization or Instructor, the PayPal Transaction Fee will be refunded. When a course is cancelled by the LIFE Registrant, even if the cancellation comes within the 30 Day current cancellation policy deadline, the PayPal Transaction Fee will not be refunded.