Blog Archives

Carmela Gets it Done

Introduction

Bard LLI has good news and bad news. The good news is we have one of the hardest-working and most skillful and diplomatic volunteers we could have ever wished for. The bad news is we can’t clone her. She is Carmela Gersbeck, a three-year veteran of LLI, who co-managed the Online Team during the most dramatic technological change in our 21 years of existence.

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New Members Share Their Perspective

Introduction

Every influx of new members provides an opportunity to see the strengths and limitations of LLI through fresh eyes. And this year, as in previous years, 24 newcomers had some definite opinions to share on the new member survey, with the understanding that their insightful comments will be taken to heart as we strive to improve our functioning and offerings.

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When Your Passion Becomes a Class

Introduction

What makes an ex-IBMer teach a class on organs? One visit to Dale Ziegenfelder’s house would answer that question. Dale has a church-sized pipe organ installed in his home. (Newsflash: it’s a bit too big to fit in the living room.) LLI member Dorothy Baran, who frequently produces classes,

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Feedback About Fall Courses

Introduction

This year’s evaluation form yielded hundreds of opinions about the courses we took, the presenters, and our overall enjoyment of the experience. The most common ratings were 4 or 5. However, opinions about a few courses were widely split, with one garnering three 2s and five 5s. And one member rated a class 0,

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Anticipating WinterFest

Introduction

Once the holidays are over, LLI members can look forward to the diverse offerings of WinterFest 2023. On four consecutive Wednesdays starting January 4, LLI members will have the opportunity to attend two presentations. There is no need to worry about bad weather or parking since they will all be held on Zoom.

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Sawkill Trail at Montgomery Place

Introduction

Many of us are discovering new trails and parks we can visit across the seasons in the Hudson Valley. Bard College alone has many paths, both around cultivated gardens and landscapes as well as through woodlands and along waterways. Montgomery Place offers several of each. One of the gifts of this strange COVID era is how much more time many of us spend outdoors.

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Bard LLI Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)/Social Justice Team: The Journey So Far

Introduction

The Bard LLI focus on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) and Social Justice began in the fall of 2020 with a class addressing racism called “Who, Us? What White People Can Do to Face Racial Injustice and Build a More Just America.”  The class arose, in part, from the personal experience of longtime LLI members and presenters Barbara Danish and Laura Brown.

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Curriculum: The Core of LLI’s Appeal

Introduction

The Curriculum Committee provides us with the main reason we joined LLI: courses on a wide range of engaging subjects taught by presenters who are knowledgeable and passionate about their interests. The Committee is made up of producers, those LLI members who work with the presenters to bring their course ideas to fruition.

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Rare Books on Display

Introduction

On Thursday, September 20th, the Friends of the Stevenson Library held a special opening and reception: an exhibit of 22 books from Alvin Patrick’s collection of approximately 5,000 rare or first edition books written by African Americans. Mr. Patrick titled the exhibition Faces of the Struggle: Frontispiece Portraits in African American Literature (1834 to 1949).

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Update on Montgomery Place Farm and Farm Stand

Introduction

Local residents and seasonal visitors look forward to picking up beautiful fresh produce and locally made farm offerings from June to November at the Montgomery Place Orchards Farm Stand on 9G in Red Hook, New York. Known especially for well over 60 varieties of apples, sold as they ripen and are picked,

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