Blog Posts - Peer Learning of Chapel Hill

Course/Lecture Cancellations

3/12/2020

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING COURSE/LECTURE CANCELLATIONS

Cancelled
All remaining Investigating American Presidents cancelled until further notice.
The 3 lectures are cancelled due to presenter family commitments. Andrew O'Brien will be presenting in the fall. To Be Determined.

Cancelled
April 29 at 1:30 : British Royal Grandchildren: The Life of Czarina Alexandra DESCRIPTION: Learn about the continuing legacy of Queen Victoria's famous grandchild. Why was the Czarina Alexandra raised solely by her grandmother at Windsor castle?

Cancelled
May 6 at 1:30: British Royal Grandchildren - Part 2: The Life of Kaiser WilhelmDESCRIPTION: Learn about the continuing legacy of Queen Victoria's famous grandchild. Why was Kaiser Wilhelm hated by his English relatives, yet he was able to cradle Queen Victoria on her deathbed?

CancelledMay 13 at 1:30: An English Country House Weekend
DESCRIPTION: Did you ever wonder what a weekend would be like spent at an aristocratic English country estate or castle? Delve into the protocols, the parties and some real life scandals involving the best and brightest of Edwardian England.

March 2020 Stepping Out Lunch

3/12/2020

Date: 3/20/2020
Place: Sal's Pizza & Ristorante, Homestead Rd at MLK Parkway
Time: 12:30 PM
RSVP to Jim Neeley: RSVP.Jim.Neeley@gmail.com

Peer Learning Classes and Coronavirus

3/9/2020

At the current time, Peer Learning will continue to offer regular classes. All Peer Learners are urged to stay at home if they have upper respiratory symptoms or if they have a compromised immune system. Healthy Peer Learners should use their own judgment as to whether it is safe for them to come to class.

If the local situation changes, we will alert Peers through email and our website so please check regularly.

PEER LEARNING MEMBERS: Please check your email before leaving for Peer Learning.

Reminder: Revised Schedule Due to Binkley Baptist Blood Drive on March 5th

2/29/2020

~Binkley Baptist Blood Drive in the Fellowship Hall ~
~ Thursday March 5th 2:00 - 6:30 PM ~
A quick reminder of this Thursday's class schedule, per our published schedule and how this affects Peer Learning classes:

The blood drive preempts only the Thursday afternoon class slot.
Since one Volcanoes (Vo) slot was lost due to weather, I have moved the Volcanoes & Shakespeare classes one week later (skipping break week) which leaves no slot at the end of term for makeup in the Thursday PM timeslot.

This means   NO Volcanoes Class this week
There will still be 6 Volcanoes and 4 Shakespeare classes.

Volcanoes  Feb 20 lost to weather
Instructor: Beth Timson .
Thursday PM 1:30-3:00 Pocket Room 6 weeks: Feb 20-27 , Mar10-Apr 2, April 16
Volcanoes are amazing in and of themselves, but some major eruptions have played an outsize role in human history around the world. We will look briefly at the how, where, and why of volcanic activity, then spend some time with famous volcanoes discussing how they changed the course of human events...and could do so again in the future.

Skips Mar 5 (blood drive)

Reading Shakespeare  moved to April 23 - May 14
Leader: Barb Tepperman
Will follow Volcanoes classes in same time,day of week and place.

Ancient Humans  Feb 20 lost to weather
Instructor: Gary West
One time slot lost to weather. All available slots Mon to Thursday are committed.
Non conflict slots available Fridays not allotted to speakers or luncheons.
See shaded areas of the rent chart.  Makeup or scrap to be decided in class.

Binkley Baptist Blood Drive
The blood drive will occupy the fellowship and pocket room space as well as need the parking lot space for convenience of donors.
It you need an activity for Thursday afternoon and have an extra pint to share,  come give blood.

From Binkley web site
Blood Drive Sponsored by Health Ministries Thursday, March 5 2-6:30 pm, Fellowship Hall Visit redcrossblood.org and type in sponsor code ‘Binkley’ to make an appointment.

Reminder: Class Schedule Change due to Super Tuesday Voting

2/28/2020

1. American West History Class by George shall not be held on Tuesday, March 3rd, at 11:00 to 12:20 due to Super Tuesday voting on Binkley premises. Instead the American History class shall be held on Friday, March 6th, at Binkley at 11:30 to 12:30.

2. Science Round Table Class Scheduled for Tuesday 1:30 pm on Tuesday, March 3rd, shall now be held on Friday, March 6th, at Binkley at 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm.

Passing of Don Forman

2/28/2020

It is with sorrow that we announce to you that Don Forman, long time member, past president and contributor to Peer Learning, has passed.

George Baroff wishes to add:
"Peer Learning was important to Don and to Florence and it was Don who introduced me (George) to PL and encouraged me (George) to become president.
He had a heart problem and surgery but seemed to be doing well. He was a strong presence and will be missed. Florence had long taught Short Stories at Peer Learning".

Flo Forman wishes us to know that services will be held as follows:

Sunday March 1 at 1:30 PM
Judea Reform Temple
1933 West Cornwallis Rd.
Durham NC 27705

Located 0.2 miles east of 15-501 X106 Cornwallis Rd. 2nd right turn.

Please pass on to other long time peers as you think knew him well.

Jim Neeley will be willing to car pool from Binkley lot or pick up anyone who would like a ride. You may call Jim Neeley at 919 696 6105 or e-mail James.Edward.Neeley.Sr@gmail.com for a ride.

Change in February 2020 Stepping Out Lunch

2/20/2020

Hi Peer Learners,

Due to Peer Learning's bad weather policy, our tradition of "lunching out" for the month of February 2020, shall now be on Friday, February 28th, at 11:30am at:
First Watch
1101 Environ Way
Chapel Hill, NC 27517

Located on NC 54 near Glenn Lenox toward I-40 and Durham. Parking between the buildings east of NC-54.

Formerly "The Egg & I", it is a breakfast chain with a new name & menu.

NOTE: From the corporate web site:
The restaurant still serves eggs — they’re advertised as cage-free — although some omelets are made with just the whites. You still can get biscuits and gravy, but the sausage comes from a turkey, not a pig.

First Watch has shifted the restaurant’s hours a half hour later. It’s now open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. seven days a week and has beefed up its lunch menu with more salads, soups and sandwiches.

Spring 2020 Opera Class

2/15/2020

The Spring 2020 Opera class will be delayed by one week. It will NOW start on Monday, February 24th, and run for 12 consecutive weeks. he class will end on Monday, May 11th.

February 2020 Social & Lecture

2/4/2020

Date: Friday, 2/14
Location: Binkley Memorial Baptist Church

Social: 10:30 AM

Lecture: 11:00 AM
Speaker: Frank Binkowski
Topic: New Assessments of Past Climate Events: Are They Relevant Today?

Revised Message from the President

1/10/2020

Welcome Peer Learners and a special welcome to those joining us for the first time.

Our Spring 2020 semester will begin with a 10:30 coffee hour on February 14 followed by our Second Friday lecture by Duke University researchers who will tell us about the Duke Adult Studies program and the clinical trial process at Duke. This event is free and open to the public so invite your friends to join us and learn about Peer Learning.

Our regular classes begin on February 17 and, as always, we will offer morning and afternoon classes Monday through Thursday. We will have a spring break on the week of April 6-10 (Passover and Holy Week). No classes on March 3rd, Super Tuesday for election or the afternoon of March 5th Blood Drive. As we usually do, we will have a monthly social hour with guest speaker, followed by Book Club and will continue our Stepping Out luncheons but, due to calendar conflicts, these will not always be on the second and third Fridays so watch for announcements or check our web site calendar.

This semester, we have recruited an exciting mix of classes and instructors.

We will continue our popular “Friends Around the Kitchen Table”, Short Story and Book Clubs. Ingrid Baird will present a Journey of Operas with an Oriental theme, (no spring break in this class), George Baroff will offer a second semester of “The American West” and Alan Ziegler will again coordinate “Science Roundtable”, though this class will be at a new time.

New classes will include: “Investigating American Presidents” led by Dr. Michael Joseph, Mir Ali will present “A Short History of Overseas Colonies of European Empires”, Gary West will teach us about “Ancient Humans” and Beth Timson will explore the fascinating subject of “Volcanoes and Human History”. Back by popular demand, Barbara Tepperman has agreed to coordinate “Reading Shakespeare” for one more play.

A registration form is included in this packet and also available on our website, Dues are still only $35 per peer and this fee entitles you to attend every class and activity offered this semester. Checks should be given in person to our treasurer, Jim Neeley, or mailed to Peer Learning of Chapel Hill, P. O. Box 2821, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2821.

All classes meet at Binkley Baptist Church, located at the corner of 15-501 Bypass and Willow Drive; use the parking lot and doors at the back of the building to enter. News about the program, pictures of our activities, class descriptions and registration materials are posted on our website. You may contact us at our webpage https://www.PeerLearningofChapelHill.com or email us at Peer.Learning.of.Chapel.Hill@gmail.com .

As always, we welcome suggestions for new classes and speakers. Please invite others to join us in beginning a rewarding new semester of learning and friendship.

Sally Binkowski, President