Upper Perkiomen School District

Life Long Learning, a non-profit corporation, was organized on March 11, 1993. Its purpose is to offer individuals residing in or near the Upper Perkiomen Valley opportunities to learn through hearing talks and participating in discussions on many topics including history, the arts, health, religion, travel, gardening, cultural diversity, cooking, literature, finance, and much more.

Life Long Learning fulfills its purpose by offering a series of seminars in the spring and fall each year. Three concurrent one-hour seminars are held before a thirty minute coffee break and three concurrent seminars are held after. Participants may choose two seminars – one from each time frame. Field trips may be planned to enhance the classroom experience. It is our hope that there will be something to interest everyone with each spring and fall session.

Life Long Learning is intended primarily for senior citizens in the Upper Perkiomen Valley and surrounding areas, but people of all ages are welcome to participate. There is a modest charge for the educational series to cover refreshments, facility costs, insurance, postage and equipment. The New Goshenhoppen United Church of Christ graciously provides rooms and the necessary clerical and custodial services. The Upper Perkiomen School District generously assists with technology needs and printing requirements.

Life Long Learning has no paid staff. Its board of directors and all of its faculty members are volunteers, freely contributing their time, talents, and energy to what has become an important and popular part of the Upper Perkiomen Valley’s cultural life.

Board of Directors
Carol Elias, President
Annette Thompson, Treasurer
Priscilla Kistler, Recording Secretary
Sharon Muntz, Recording Secretary
Maribeth Reigner, Communications Secretary
                       
James Coffey          Susan Royer   
Kathy Doyle            Charles Shagg    
Gail Gerhard           Jean Thobaben  
Glenn Gilbert          Kathie Utz          
Thomas Henry           
             
Rev. James Roth, Audio-Visual Coordinator                          
Dr. Allyn J. Roche, Upper Perkiomen School District Liaison 

If you are interested in being a speaker for one of our upcoming events, please contact Carol Elias at clelias@comcast.net

Spring 2023 Course Listing

SESSION 1 - 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
A. Planes, Trains, Automobiles... and more!	B. Nature and the Great Outdoors	C. Music in the Valley
Apr. 4  –  Trains: Railroading in PA: Early Origins to Present Juliette O’Connor                      Apr. 11 – Planes: Amelia Earhart – Life & Legacy of this Aviation Pioneer  Marcia Grande Apr. 18 – Steamboat: John Fitch-Inventor of the first steamboat company Jennifer Burns                                                                 Apr. 25 – Automobiles: Henry Ford - Farm Boy to Folk Hero, Despot to Sage Marcia Grande	Apr. 4 –   Growing Outdoor Recreation for Pennsylvania Nathan Reigner   Apr. 11 – Green Lane Park: Then and Now Kevin Crilley            Apr. 18 – Green Lane Reservoir: Important Bird Area Kevin Crilley        Apr. 25 – Basic Ecology: How Nature Works! James Coffey	Apr. 4 –   Make Music Upper Perk  Susan Royer Apr. 11 – Performance by UPHS Women’s Choir  Dr. Mark Thomas Apr. 18 – A Band Was Born--Red        Hill's Cornet & Other Local Bands Tom Wetzel Apr. 25 – Performance by UPHS Select Strings  Dr. Mark Thomas

 

SESSION 2 - 11:00 am to Noon
D. Mind Your Manners: Etiquette to Netiquette *Class size limited to 24. All classes conducted by Annette Thompson, Linda, Woodley, Sharon Muntz & Candace Perry	E. Gifts from the Garden	F. Art made Beautiful *Class size limited to 20
Apr. 4 –   Historical Etiquette from Medieval to Victorian Times Apr. 11 – Manners in the Twentieth Century and Etiquette Customs Around the World Apr. 18 – Schwenkfelder Tea Items & Digital Day Manners Apr. 25 – Tea Social – “Practice What You Preach”	Apr. 4 –   Upper Perkiomen Valley Garden Club Diana Rudloff & Jackie Jackson Apr. 11 – Gardening in Containers and Small Spaces Leigh Kieser Apr. 18 – Herbal Vinegars Linda Shagg Apr. 25 – Miniature Planters Sandy Park	Apr. 4 –   Pysanky Ukrainian Easter Eggs Demonstration Sandy Park Apr. 11 – Creating Forever Flowers: The Art of Pressed Flowers Linda Conrad  Apr. 18 – Creating Pressed Flower Bookmarks  Linda Conrad Apr. 25 – Painting on Slate  Bev Kalb

 

Each instructor contributes their time to the Life Long Learning program.
We express our deep gratitude for their kind assistance.

Spring 2023 Class Instructors

Jennifer Burns – President of the Craven Hall Historical Society (Warminster, PA) 

James Coffey – Retired UPSD Science Teacher

Linda Conrad - Worldwide Pressed Flower Guild member and Philadelphia Flower Show judge 

Kevin Crilley – Environmental Educator, Montgomery County Parks

Marcia Grande – Retired UPSD Guidance Counselor, teacher & school principal

Jackie Jackson – Leader - Community Benefits Garden (all produce goes to Open Link)

Beverly Kalb - Self-taught artist, Sells her crafts at local art shows
 
Leigh Kieser - Penn State Master Gardener and Master Watershed Steward

Sharon Muntz – Retired UPSD Librarian & Teacher

Juliette O’Connor – Museum Educator, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

Sandy Park - Ukrainian descendant, creates Pysanky Ukrainian Easter Eggs, Mosaics, and Concrete Leaves

Candace Perry – Curator of Collections, Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center

Nathan Reigner – PA Director of Outdoor Recreation, UPSD Graduate

Susan Royer - Co-founder of Make Music Upper Perk

Diana Rudloff – President, Upper Perkiomen Valley Garden Club

Linda Shagg – Educator and retired RN

Mark Thomas - Supervisor of Music, UPSD

Annette K. Thompson – Retired UPSD Counselor, Genealogist

Tom Wetzel - Member of the Red Hill Band

Linda Woodley – Retired UPSD Reading Specialist and Teacher 
 

All registration is by mail. Complete the registration form and mail with $20.00 non-refundable fee to:

Life Long Learning, New Goshenhoppen U.C.C.
1070 Church Rd
East Greenville, PA 18041

Enrollment is limited. Prompt registration will ensure your place in the classes of your choice. Please indicate your first, second and third choice for each hour.

Classes will be held on the following four Tuesdays: April 4, 11, 18, 25. One session of three concurrent classes will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Following a half-hour coffee break, a second session of three concurrent classes will
be held from 11:00 a.m. until noon.

All sessions will be held at New Goshenhoppen United Church of Christ, East Greenville. Parking and elevator access are available in the lower parking lot next to the main church building.

On Tuesday, April 4th, the opening day, an orientation session will be held at 9:00 a.m. Please make every effort to attend.

Participants can register for one course at 9:30 for all four weeks and one course at 11:00 for all four weeks and attend the courses for which they are registered.

For further information, call Gail Gerhard at 215-679-6523

*Mask requirements will follow all Covid guidelines for New Goshenhoppen UCC.

All sessions are held in the Educational Wing of the New Goshenhoppen United Church of Christ in East Greenville. Parking and elevator access are available next to the main church building.