North Platte was a small town in the middle of Nebraska on the Union Pacific Railroad.  During World War II, this railroad line was a major route for moving soldiers across the country for training and to the east and west coasts for training and debarkation.  A town of only 12,000 people, North Platte welcomed and fed six million soldiers during the war.  Union Pacific Depot canteen was open 24 hours a day for four years.  This story honors our veterans and the wonderful people of North Platte.

Chairman of the Day:                Mary Russell

The Perzigians will describe their experiences living in Egypt from December 2010 until June of 2014.  When they departed from Cincinnati, they expected to encounter many adventures, but they did not expect to be present for the historic event of the Arab spring.  Their presentation will highlight their everyday life as well as the revolutionary political events.

 

Chairman of the Day:               Diane Sakmyster

German immigrants in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century settled in the fertile Mill Creek Valley.  They wore wooden shoes in their gardens and present a fascinating story of hard work and musical Saturday Nights.  Wooden Shoe Hollow, a historical novel by Charlotte Pieper, describes their lives.  Learn more about these little known settlers and their story.

Chairman of the Day              Gretchen Thomas 

Did you know that we will be closing this year on International Migratory Bird Day?  Before we fly away to various locations and summer adventures, include College Club in your plans. Since May is the peak of the birding season in Cincinnati, birds will be the stars of the program. With over 30 years of experience dedicated to providing high quality bird feeding supplies, Mr. Gilmore, owner of Wild Birds, Unlimited, will discuss how to attract a variety of color and song to our yards.  Backyard birding is a relaxing, exciting and educational hobby.

Chairman of the Day          Carolyn Clodfelter

Words matter!  Debates, commentary, analysis, and commercials have bombarded us for nearly fifteen months.  However, the complexities of this election season remain.  In an analysis unlikely to be matched on CNN, Fox News – or even the Cincinnati Enquirer – University of Cincinnati Professor Emeritus of Political Science Albert Tuchfarber, PhD, shared insights and observations on the 2016 presidential race during a presentation. The forces behind the election have been decades in the making, according to Dr. Tuchfarber, the product of the end of the post World War II boom and the slowdown in economic and population growth and middle class prosperity that followed. He described the current state of national and global identity as a period of “transition” in which large majorities of the electorate are dissatisfied with the direction of the United States and traditional political party alliances have shifted. What does the future hold? Dr. Tuchfarber predicts a mixed bag, with one clear bright spot: The United States will remain dominant on the world stage at least until the 2050s. Menu:  Trio salads, fruit, fudge nut ball

Kathie Turin                                Chairman of the Day

Mrs. Kaye Browning is the curator and owner of the Kathleen Savage Browning Miniatures Collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center in Maysville, Kentucky.  It is one of the most extensive assemblages of one-twelfth-scale miniatures in the world.  Kaye will share her philosophy of collecting and also present special pieces from the gallery.

Menu:  Tortellini (veggie and cheese), bread and herbed butter, strawberry shortcake.

Ann Hanson                              Chairman of the Day 

Queen City Chamber Opera was founded by Dr. Isaac Selya in 2012 to advance the careers of emerging opera artists by giving them valuable professional engagements in fully staged productions with a full orchestra.  QCCO performers have been able to continue their careers with many famous opera companies around the country.  You will be happily entertained by Isaac and several of his performers.

Menu:  Soup, salad, and casserole.

Mrs. Cora Hillman                                                                  Chairman of the Day

The mission of One Way Farm, which was organized in 1976, is to provide a warm, secure and loving environment to children, ages 6 – 18, who have been abused, neglected, and abandoned. Safe and independent housing is provided for these residents as well as medical treatment and educational services.    Twenty boys and twenty girls are housed in two separate shelters.   They are supported as they strive to build an independent and productive life.    Purpose:  To stop the cycle of child abuse and provide a loving environment for children to grow in mind, spirit and body. To develop an educational system to further the potential of all children without regard to race, color or national origin. 

 

Ann Hanson                                             Chairman of the Day 

The mission of Joseph House, Inc. is to meet the needs of the homeless veterans suffering from addiction within our community and provide them the support they need to maintain a life-long commitment to recovery and to thrive in the community. One of the goals for this year is to participate in philanthropic endeavors.  The first of these will be a project benefitting the residents of the Joseph House.  All members are invited to participate.  We will be collecting small toiletries, socks, treats, etc.   The members of College Club will gather to package gift bags of socks and toiletries to present to the clients of Joseph House during the anticipated holiday season.  Members are asked to meet at 10:30 a.m.  to complete and assemble the bags for residents of the Joseph House.  These will be given to the speaker, Ms. Alicia Harter from Joseph House, for distribution.     

 

 Janet McDaniel                             Chairman of the Day

Caroline Williams shared her wonderful talent and love of Cincinnati for nearly five decades.  “A Spot in Cincinnati” was a much-anticipated regular feature in the Cincinnati Enquirer.  Her sketches of landmarks and locations throughout Cincinnati will be shared and discussed.

      Carole Rauf       Chairman of the Day

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, known as OLLI, at the University of Cincinnati, is a popular educational program that adds much spice to life. It is geared to mature adults (age 50+) and its classes are held at several convenient locations around  Greater Cincinnati, all with free parking. The quarterly catalog for OLLI spells out the course offerings, from 8-week seminars to one-time lectures.  Topics numbering in the 100s, year-to-year, vary widely; from traditional subjects (art, literature, music, or philosophy) to the practical (how to use your I-pad, decluttering or elder law). Best of all, OLLI brings interesting people together in a stress-free environment, at an affordable cost - with no tests, no grades, and in almost all cases, no homework.      

       

    Cynthia Browne           Chairman of the Day               

 

 Cindy Lawyer is a retired history elementary teacher from Zanesville, Ohio, who will spark your interest about an historical event she stumbled upon while reading the picture book, Train to Somewhere by Eve Bunting.  Enjoy a Power Point presentation with historical pictures, while learning about the mass migration of over 200,000 children who were moved from major cities to new families in the West. You will hear information about one of the largest social experiments from our country’s history, not found in school textbooks.   Glenna Baumbaugh          Chairman of the Day

Enright Ridge Urban Ecovillage is a community of people fostering a sustainable urban neighborhood that promotes social and economic well-being while contributing to the preservation of our planet.  You can find friendly neighbors who have regular pot-luck dinners, raise goats and chickens, participate in a food co-op and neighborhood greenhouse.  There are only a few such communities in the country and it is 5 minutes from downtown Cincinnati!                                            

 

  Nancy Cavanaugh          Chairman of the Day  

From the ground level, Rothenberg Preparatory Academy in Over-the-Rhine seems surrounded by a dense forest of brick and concrete surfaces. Yet, a bird’s eye view reveals that ornamental flowers, fruits and vegetables flourish on the roof of this historic elementary school building, serving as a source of beauty and learning for students. The program will discuss the inspiration, design, and creation of the garden and its curricular connections, with participants discovering how the garden both enriches academic programming and enhances the unique urban community of Over-The-Rhine.

 

Ms. Mary Ronan……………………………..……………Chairman of the Day

The Tuskegee Airmen were an all-black squadron who served as the first military aviators in the US army Air Corps (AAC), a precursor of the US Air Force. Trained at the Tuskegee Army Field in Alabama, they flew more than 15,000 individual sorties in Europe and North Africa during WWII.  Their impressive performance earned them more than 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses and helped encourage the eventual integration of the US Armed Forces.

 

Mrs. Carol Kortecamp…………………………………………………Chairman of the Day