Cedars of Dexter Hosts Adult Learners Institute Classes

The will host several classes conducted by the Adult Learners Institute (ALI) this fall in its clubhouse, 411 Cedars Lane in Dexter.

A kickoff for the fall semester will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 18 at Silver Maples of Chelsea, with ALI teachers on hand to discuss their classes and volunteers answering questions and helping to fill out forms.

ALI, a Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI), holds classes in cooperation with Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor.

Four ALI classes will be held at The Cedars, including "WPA Art: Defining America," in which Rick and Deb Zuccarini explore the Works Progress Administration and the arts the U.S. government sponsored during the Great Depression.

In "Herons, Eagles and Alligators, Oh My!," retired naturalist Tom Hodgson will show images and share stories of birds, mammals and reptiles he photographed while canoeing on Florida’s rivers, lakes and estuaries. Hodgson, who is involved with the Jackson Audubon Society, Haehnle Audubon Sanctuary and Waterloo Natural History Association, has led several classes for ALI.

Ed Riske, an avid photographer, will teach "Introduction to Digital Photography" for anyone new to the art. Participants are invited to bring their cameras and instruction manuals to the class. Riske will discuss digital terminology, explain pixels, discuss choices for making a print, explain camera settings, provide tips for editing photos and how to compose photographs.

In "The Bible as a Food Guide," Yael Dolev will explore biblical foods and rules of cooking. Dolev, who has more than 25 years of hands-on work experience in agriculture and conservation as a researcher, professional food industry magazine editor and farmer, as well as experience in training people, will give a general overview of foods mentioned in the Bible, with emphasis on the importance of spices and herbs at biblical times.

In a second class, she will focus on grains and beans, including the meaning of breaking bread and the debate about corn in the Bible. In her third session, she will discuss other fruits and vegetables such as grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.

ALI classes in Chelsea

Other ALI classes are a short drive away. Silver Maples of Chelsea, 100 Silver Maples Dr., will host musician Ken Kozora with “Appreciating Music (Even the Weird Kind!),” in which Kozora will demonstrate ancient instruments such as the djembe, dumbek, frame drum, bamboo flutes and singing bowls, as well as modern instruments such as the synthesizer, electronic percussion, wind synthesizer and sequencer.

In “Exploring Musical Theater,” Angelo Angelocci, Bob Southgate and Chris Lenehan will present four films: Gypsy, Yeoman of the Guard, Aida and Company.

Erik Pederson will teach “History of Sports through Artifacts." Art historian Nancy Nilsson will teach “Journeys Through Western Civilization: More High Renaissance Art and a Taste of Mannerist Art." Jim Schardein will teach “Search for Causes of Birth Defects.”

The Chelsea Retirement Community, 809 W. Middle St. in Chelsea, will host Mike Kizer with “Basic Home Repairs and Maintenance”; history buff Bill Allen with “Coins and Paper Money”; Tom Collier with “Destruction and Reconstruction: 1865-1877”; Charlie Taylor with “Introduction to Physics”; and Susan Nenadic with “Shakespeare Authorship Controversy: Have We Been Played?”

For more information and prices for the individual classes, visit adultlearnersinstitute.org or call 734-433-1000, ext. 7358. For scholarship information, call Mary Ann Merkel 734-475-2739 or email info@AdultLearnersInstitute.org.