Encore Learning's 20th Anniversary Celebration will be held on September 12 from 2:30 to 4:30 PM at George Mason's Arlington campus (Mason Square).

Were you busy on a Monday and missed an Encore Learning Presents? Catch the recording on our YouTube channel.

Check out our calendar for upcoming events.

The Travel Club is taking the summer off but will resume with a full Fall schedule of events. On September 16, Charlie Hallahan will present Part 2 of his 2020 trip to Northern India. Included will be Agra and Varanasi. On October 21, Bill Mugg will take us to Yellowstone Park in the winter, and on November 18, we will accompany Marty Suydam on the Queen Mary Two along the northeast coast of the Americas.

All meetings are at 2:00 PM, usually 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

The Encore Learning Non-fiction Book Club will meet next on September 12 at noon in the Bluemont Room of the Arlington central library, conditions permitting. We'll be discussing A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II. The spy was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into the Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and, despite her prosthetic leg, helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it.  Note the time, different from our usual 1:30 start, to enable members to attend Encore Learning's 20th Annual Celebration that day. We welcome newcomers. Let the front 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.  --Ed Rader

On Monday, July 25, Encore Learning Cinema Club saw the sweet movie "Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris." It was heartwarming and delightful. It followed the movie trope of a newcomer completely transforming the lives of everyone

she encounters. The impetus of the story is Mrs. Harris, a housekeeper

in London, wanting to buy a Christian Dior dress. At that time it could

only be done in person in Paris. Deb and I agreed that neither of us is

into fashion so were wondering how we would feel about the movie. We

both loved it. Rob felt a pivotal moment in the movie was out of

character for Mrs. Harris but still liked the movie nonetheless. Dru

was concerned about a break in continuity when a particular character

was holding a beer and then it seemed to magically disappear. Jason

Isaacs, who plays Mrs. Harris's bookie, played Malfoy's father in all

the Harry Potter movies. He was extremely sinister and snotty in those

movies but was convincing as a working class guy here.

After the movie we went to eat at Yamachen Sushi, where we discussed the

movie. Rob, Deb and I sensibly got chicken teriyaki while everyone else

got sushi. Mandy got sushi called Christmas tree which was pretty and

Lark got tuna that looked like watermelon. Speaking of watermelon, we

got complimentary watermelon wedges and complimentary vegetable spring

rolls, both of which were delicious. Movie rating: 4 (out of 5). --Lee Cooper

The Encore Learning Bridge Club met in July for four tables of lunch and Bridge at the home of Cynthia and Jeremy Baskin. Our June meeting also included four tables at the home of Lee Cooper. We'll be taking a break in August, but have set our next gathering for Wednesday, September 21, at the newly renovated Lubber Run Community Center where we can accommodate as many tables of players as sign up. We're thrilled to be able to use their Seniors' Room as it's already set up with card tables and chairs. Host for that meeting will be Mark Linton, with assistance from Sharon Bisdee and Joan Carter, club coordinators. If you're already a Bridge player and want to join our group, please contact the Encore Learning office, Sharon ([email protected]) or Joan ([email protected]). --Joan Carter

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 to Lee Cooper for the photo.

The Fall 2022 Course Preview will be held virtually on Thursday, September 1 at 10:00 AM. This is your chance to hear directly from the course instructors and learn about the classes they are teaching.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84159780997

Passionate about journalism and media? Then you may enjoy Journalism, Democracy and Change. Instructor Charles Self will guide you through a review of how journalism and democracy was thought about in the 20th century. You’ll examine new political forces and media technology that altered interactions between political power players, journalists, opinion makers, civil society and individual citizens. The course will end by exploring where public consensus seems to be headed and what might emerge in the future relationship between journalism and democracy in the 21st century.

Are you a history buff? Instructor Lydia Voronina’s course titled The Soviet Dissidents: Ideas, Actions, Heritage might be just what you’re looking for. This course will introduce you to brave individuals in the former Soviet Union who dared to challenge the Soviet political system knowing full well the risks of public condemnation and persecution. Topics covered will include the major ideas behind the dissident’s actions, the tactics used to organize various forms of protest and dissemination of information, as well as related issues of human rights, religious liberty, and emigration. 

Those with a passion for social sciences and human behavior should check out instructor Lynn Borton’s course What Kind of Curious Are You? This highly interactive course will explore research and theory emerging around human curiosity. Participants will learn about how one builds their curiosity muscle, what a curiosity fingerprint is, and how these concepts relate to learning, well-being, empathy and social justice.

Registration for these courses and the rest of the Fall 2022 line up will be live on our website at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 6. Be sure to mark your calendars!

Please help with the distribution of the fall course fliers! We have identified 28 sites in the area and need some extra help for the physical pick up and delivery of fliers to the sites. Your help is invaluable to keep Encore Learning growing and thriving in our community. Please email [email protected] with the heading FALL FLIERS and Anne Werner, our Volunteer Committee Chair, will get back to you with more information.

We are actively seeking Class Aide volunteers for both virtual and in-person courses. Class Aides are matched to classes prior to registration. Training will be provided in September. Please contact the office with questions or to volunteer. Thank you in advance for volunteering for this critical role!

If you would like to learn about other volunteer opportunities, go to our Volunteer page on our website.

Follow Encore Learning Instructors

If you want to checkout instructor Ken Avis' band Veronneau, they are playing for free at Lubber Run Amphitheater on Saturday, July 30 at 8:00 PM.

To catchup on instructor Bill Schneider's latest opinion, read his article in The Hill, "2024: A nightmare scenario". Bill is teaching a course on American Politics Since the 1960s following the midterm election.

For the most current status of Encore Learning, check our public calendar.

THANK YOU and to all of you who kindly refer friends. Thank you to the Membership Committee for their efforts to spread the word about Encore Learning. 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.