ALL contact information

The ALL office at Cape Cod Community College is open from

9 a.m.–3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Feel free to contact us:

Email: lifelonglearning@capecod.edu

Telephone: 774-330-4400 (please leave a message)

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Can you believe it – the semester ends this month!

I recall distant days when “School’s Out” was pure joy, but now it’s a bit like saying goodbye to an old friend. I know I will see them again, but I will miss them nevertheless.

This next four weeks I’ll savor every class.

The annual Reflections launch party is April 24th, which commemorates and encapsulates a year of creative photographs, poems and prose from our members. (Insider's tip – the cover images are outstanding!)

April 15th denotes both Tax Day and also the last day to submit class proposals for next term. I am really looking forward to the fall course offerings. What will our veteran coordinators be offering? What new folks have taken the plunge and are sharing their knowledge for the first time? I know it’s wrong to be thinking about the next meal while you are still enjoying the current one, but I can’t help myself!

Our annual meeting will be held May 19th at 10 a.m. in the science building auditorium, followed by a catered luncheon in the science building great hall. Save the date! Kudos to the hospitality committee for finding a way to add a little inexpensive fun ($20 charge for the luncheon) to our end of the year summary and annual reports by many of our board.

On this topic, you will find below that Dianne Tattersall and other seasoned ALL board members will be hosting a workshop, Monday April 7th at 12:30, on what it is like to serve on our board of directors.

I encourage anyone with the faintest bit of curiosity to attend.

We have three positions open. Two are “Members-at-Large,” who do not hold a specific title but rather represent the membership. They are voting members of the board and may be assigned certain tasks as needed, and may serve on or even lead a specific committee as the need arises. It’s a stepping stone to something more.

And the third position is “Policies and Procedures,” which Dianne herself runs. The board member who takes this on will just complete the task of describing in words what we do, so the next person who takes over isn’t starting from scratch. And if being a board member seems too challenging or burdensome, consider to just join one of our 10 standing committees.

The future planning committee, for example, is just reforming and could use some creative minds. Dianne’s meeting will cover all these topics.

That’s it! Enjoy.

Paul Coteus

ALL President

The Curriculum Committee is looking forward to your course proposals for Fall 2025.

Veteran Coordinators:

Veteran coordinators are invited to submit courses in the ALL portal now.

First-time Coordinators:

If you're interested in offering an ALL course, the first step is to discuss your course ideas with a member of the Curriculum Committee.

Please contact lifelonglearning@capecod.edu or (774) 330-4400

The earlier you submit your course, the better for you to receive the time slot you prefer for your class. The deadline is April 15th, 2025.

Henry Tamzarian

Chair, Curriculum Committee

Isn’t The Academy For Life Long Learning A Great Organization?

How Lucky Are We?

We are looking for interested members to join our team.

ALL has dedicated, knowledgeable coordinators presenting a variety of thought-provoking courses in which we share ideas, ask questions, and make observations as well as learn to paint or square dance. Not only do we have great courses, but we also host social and special events that allow us to interact and make new friends.

All this for just $125 a semester - what a bargain! 

This doesn't happen spontaneously; dedicated members work to make it a reality. These members serve as desk volunteers, coordinators, committee members or chairs, and board members. The wonderful thing is that they are all volunteers who are committed to the mission of ALL.

So, are you curious to learn how we make this happen?

Have you thought about getting involved in our organization? Would you be interested in being a desk volunteer, committee member or chair? Working on Reflections? Serve on the board? As Paul mentioned in his President’s Message, we are looking for interested members to join our team.

Listening to people in the classes that I take, I know many of you have volunteered in other organizations in the past or are new to the Cape and are looking for rewarding volunteer opportunities. Well, look no further – we’d love to have you join us.

Let’s meet and talk about the various elements of our wonderful organization. We are also open to new ideas and suggestions. Satisfy your curiosity – you might decide to help ALL move forward. The informational meeting is Monday, April 7 at 12:30 in Room 115.

Please register in the office or email lifelonglearning@capecod.edu. Looking forward to seeing you!

Dianne Tattersall

ALL Past President



Reflections 2025

Launch Party

April 24, 2025 1-3:00 p.m.

Lorusso Technology Building Atrium - 2nd Floor

 Be among the first to explore this incredible new collection up close with fellow ALL members. (Light refreshments will be available.) A lively program of prose and poetry from the book will be read by the authors.

Don't miss the chance to be part of this special event that will leave you feeling inspired and connected.

There is no charge for this event.

Click the following link to register for Reflections 2025 Launch Party

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/nj7fu2d

Want a copy? Preorder Reflections 2025 - $10

Order online https://checkout.page/s/kIBVN1gINeyqH 

(Note there is an added $2 Handling Fee)

Or

Bring your check ($10) to the campus.

Any questions? Please reach out via email to lifelonglearning@capecod.edu for more information.

The Reflections 2025 Team



On Monday, May 19, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. we will have the 1st annual “End of Year Luncheon” for ALL 

This fun event will be held on campus in the Great Hall of the Science Building and will be a catered lunch. 

We will be sending out a flyer with all the details in the near future! 

Registration and $20 payment will be required for this event.

Alice Mitchell

Chair, Hospitality Committee

Understanding Harmful Algal Blooms: Causes, Impacts, and Ongoing Research

April 28th - 12-1:30 p.m.

Dr. Mindy Richlen is a Senior Research Specialist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), specializing in harmful algal blooms, or HABs. In this position, she fosters collaboration with stakeholders and public health communities to advance HAB research and response efforts. She is also dedicated to community and classroom outreach.

Please join Dr. Mindy Richlen from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) on April 28th for this informative talk on a topic that potentially affects all of us who live on Cape Cod.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are an increasing concern in freshwater and coastal ecosystems, affecting water quality, public health, fisheries, and local economies. Dr. Richlen's talk will highlight current efforts to better understand these blooms and their far-reaching impacts in New England.

She will provide a broad overview of HABs and their causes, how they impact the environment and human communities, and what can be done to prevent and mitigate their effects.

Her presentation concludes with a discussion of ongoing research conducted through the Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health program.

Registration is required for this event.

Contact the ALL office to register and reserve your spot:

 liflonglearning@capecod.edu. 

Members will receive the Zoom link the day before the meeting.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Contacts

National Office for Harmful Algal Blooms: https://hab.whoi.edu/

Anderson Lab Webpage: https://www2.whoi.edu/site/andersonlab/

CINAR webpage:  http://www.cinar.org

Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health Community Engagement Core: https://www2.whoi.edu/site/whcohh/research/cec/



This is one of a series of articles featuring ALL courses and ALL coordinators. Please let us know if there is a course or coordinator you would like to know more about.

Steve Waller is a retired Air Force ophthalmologist and medical school professor. He has lived on Long Pond in Centerville and its herring run since 2017, where he became fascinated with herring migration and kettle pond geology, botany, birds and wildlife. The peaceful nature of canoe trips on the Pond reminds him of walking meditation, so he wrote a book about all this in 2023: A Moving Meditation. 

My wife and I were married in Centerville in 1972. After a military career that took us to Germany, Asia, Washington, DC, and the wilds of south Texas, we came back in 2017. Complications of cancer treatment led to the loss of my voice and to my retirement.

I keep a journal several times a week on my laptop. In 2022, I realized I had the skeleton of a book about our nearby kettle pond and herring run. I began to pull sections of the journal out and fill in the details, finally submitting my work for publication in 2023. The editor at UMass Press in Boston was immediately enthusiastic. We decided to title the book A Moving Meditation, reflecting my perception that silent canoeing on a calm pond can be like Zen meditation during a walk.

I was first fascinated with the origin of kettle ponds – huge ice chunks dropped off the retreating glacier that created Cape Cod 20,000 years ago. Much of geology is created over eons, but the kettle ponds of the Cape were created in an instant. Each icefall (serac) left a depression and some future water with which to start the kettle pond. From its shape, I suspect our pond, Long Pond Centerville, was created by three contiguous seracs whose contents flowed together. There are nearly nine hundred similar kettle ponds on Cape Cod.

We are fortunate to live adjacent to an active river herring run, a small stream called the Centerville River. In April and May, the little gray "ghost fish" zip up the stream and spawn in our pond, then exit back to salt water. Their fry wait here and grow for a few months before also migrating to the Nantucket Sound. Eels migrate out from the pond to spawn in the mid-ocean, and the young eels swim up our herring run. We also host ospreys, cormorants, swans, otters, muskrats, turtles, mallards, geese and songbirds. In the autumn and spring, we see the little diving ducks, mergansers and buffleheads, who stayed for the whole winter this year. Rarely, we spot a bald eagle, snatching a fish or bullying an osprey to give up his fish.

This winter I led an ALL course on the contents of my book – geology, wildlife, botany and environmental challenges. We had a full house online and in person. I found a computer program that would read my words aloud, using my voice from 2015. The students could hear me. My wife read excerpts from the book to supplement my comments. It was a wonderful discussion and shared experience. 

Steve Waller

ALL Coordinator

ALL members, please watch the following brief video on one of our Spring 2025 courses, Functional Art, coordinated by Joan Freedman of our ALL Board. 

Functional Art takes ordinary household and garden items and turns them into works of art utilizing simple techniques.

In class, we put the fun into “Functional.” We hope that you watch and enjoy the following short movie. 

The Academy for Lifelong Learning's annual "Dinner & Show" was a "sold out" event. Thirty-eight ALL members began the evening by sharing a lovely dinner, with old and new friends, at the Dolphin Restaurant in Barnstable Village.

After dessert, the group of well-fed participants walked across the street to view the 7:30 p.m. presentation of "Dial M for Murder" at the Barnstable Comedy Club.

It was a lovely way for ALL members to welcome spring on Cape Cod.

On Monday, March 31st, a concerned and attentive audience filled the Lorusso Atrium to hear Brian Haendiges, a seasoned ALL coordinator, deliver a vital presentation, titled "Scams and Frauds: How To Protect Yourself In A Continually Evolving Space."

It was a full house with more than 40 ALL members attending this important talk. Recognizing the increasing vulnerability of individuals in today's digital age, Haendiges aimed to equip attendees with the knowledge necessary to safeguard their finances and personal information.

He began by illustrating the alarming surge in consumer losses due to scams and identity theft. Drawing upon data from AARP, he revealed that in 2024, consumers were defrauded of nearly $43 billion, a figure that continues to climb in 2025.

Haendiges then presented compelling examples, some from Cape Cod, detailing instances where unsuspecting residents lost substantial sums, including their life savings, to cunning swindlers.

Brian emphasized the diverse and evolving nature of modern scams, particularly those leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence. He outlined several prevalent tactics:



• Digital Deception:
• "Phishing" via deceptive emails.
• "Smishing" through fraudulent text messages.
• Exploitation of QR codes to redirect users to malicious websites.
• AI-driven replication of voices, phone numbers, and corporate logos.
• Physical Threats:
• In-person scams designed to manipulate victims.
• The use of "skimmers" and "sniffers" to steal card information.
• "Shoulder surfing" to steal passwords and PIN numbers.
• Information Harvesting:
• Mining social media for personal data to create convincing scams.

Haendiges stressed the importance of recognizing "red flags" that indicate fraudulent activity:

• High-pressure tactics and demands for immediate action.
• Threats, scare tactics and attempts to instill fear.
• Requests for secrecy and prohibitions against sharing information.
• Demands for unconventional payment methods, such as wire transfers, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
• Suspicious language, including poor grammar and overly formal phrasing.
• Promises that appear too good to be true.

To counter these threats, Haendiges provided practical advice:

• Implement strong, memorable passwords, and utilize two-factor authentication.
• Regularly update passwords, especially for financial accounts.
• Exercise caution when opening emails or clicking on links from unknown sources.
• Screen incoming calls and allow unknown numbers to go to voicemail.
• Prioritize credit card usage over debit cards for online transactions to enhance protection.

The presentation concluded with a question-and-answer session.



In summary, the audience’s enthusiastic response to Brian’s presentation confirmed the timeliness and value of the insights he shared.

Peg Crawford

Brian Haendiges has an extensive background in financial services and insurance and was the CEO of a company. He taught courses for various MBA programs, as well as chess classes at a Lifetime Learning Institute in Virginia. Brian is coordinating "Topics Of Interest In Retirement" the second six weeks of ALL's Spring 2025 session.

A ink to the powerpoint used in the presentation follows:

Be sure to check websites for complete information.

Bird walk at the Museum of Natural History in Brewster. Walk and talk on Wednesday, April 16, 9:30 to 11 a.m. Tickets are $10.

Jazz Jam Cape Cod, hosted by Bart Weisman. Sunday, April 20, noon to 2:30. Cultural Center of Cape Cod. Regular admission: $15.

Exploring coastal Cape Cod at Harbor Hatches. Saturday, April 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mass Audubon, 291 U.S. 6, Wellfleet, MA. Check website to register for this event. Four-mile hike with some walking on soft sand. Members: $35; nonmembers: $42.

Whale-watch cruises. Opening day is Saturday, April 18. Many departures form Provincetown Harbor. Check website. Adults: $75; seniors: $65; kids 5-12: $50.

Heritage Museums & Gardens: Adventure Park opens on April 11.

Check the website for spring hours. 67 Grove St. Sandwich. Adults: $68; children, ages 7-13: $59.

Cape Symphony, Beethoven: the Revolutionary, Barnstable Performing Arts Center, April 5 & 6, Saturday. 7:30 p.m., Sunday, 3 p.m. Buy tickets online.

Outermost Contra Dance. Contra Basics workshop April 18 at 6:30 p.m.; dancing starts at 7:30. Wellfleet Preservation Hall, 335 Main St. Regular admission: $15; ages 30 & under: $10; with student ID: $5.

The herring will begin their migrations in mid-April. Check websites for parking areas. Some have limited parking. Listed below are some of the local herring ladder runs.

Dexter’s Grist Mill Fish Ladder, 2 Water St., Sandwich.

Bell’s Neck Conservation Area, off Depot St. in Harwich.

Herring Run recreation area in Bourne on Cape Cod.

Mashpee River Herring Run (you can watch from a bridge).

Stony Brook Grist Mill in Brewster.

Herring River in Wellfleet.

Sandwich Bazaar Flea Market has opened for the season, outside at Oakcrest Cove Field, 34 Quaker Meetinghouse Rd. Wednesdays, April 2 – October 29, 6 a.m. until noon, Sundays. April 27 – October 26, 7 a.m. until noon. Free parking and admission.

Is there a friend who would like to know more about ALL?

We now have a 2-minute video that provides an overview of who we are and what we offer. A link to that video follows. It is also on our website. Feel free to share this newsletter and tell your friends to take a look.

A link to the video is at the end of this article.

Mark your Calendar!

The Academy for Lifelong Learning annual meeting will be held on May 19, 2025. We will be sending out a flyer with all the details in the near future! 

All ALL members are invited to attend.

The ALL Art Gallery exhibits the works of artists' connection to the Cape Cod Academy for Lifelong Learning. The works of Leslie Healy and Christine Radant are currently on display.

The ALL Art Gallery walls are outside classrooms 106 and 115 and change regularly.

Please contact the ALL office if you are interested in exhibiting your art.