Center at Celebration

2014.1.28

Look Who I Ran Into!

Almost literally in some areas! Sunday added another feather in the cap of the town of Celebration and the program of Lifelong Learning. An amazing group of volunteers coordinated the town’s inaugural Marathon and Half Marathon! Perfect weather greeted 2200 runners from all over the world before sunrise Sunday morning.  As I laced up my pretty pink shoes at the start of the race I was in awe of the amount of effort it took to get the route ready with volunteers stationed every two miles to offer water, encouragement, and support along the way. Lifelong Members were an integral part of this experience both on the course itself and on the sidelines! The smiles and cheers were all the more important when we all recognized each other as I waddled by! 2 miles into it I was ready to knock MaryAnn and Paul Kinser off their bikes to ride away into the sunrise, 4 miles into it I was ready to grab three gallons of water from Bibi Aziz and head to the nearest beach and call it a day, 10 miles into it I was ready to crawl under a rock after seeing Rob and Risa Wight handing out water by their home – seriously, how could I be tired at 10 miles when they each run 26 miles after biking 112 miles and swimming 2.4 miles during a typical race for them?! For shame on me!

Kathy’s Running Attire

Moments of inspiration and awe came in the most unexpected times – at the beginning of the race I was fortunate enough to run behind a 73 year old woman from Germany who was competing in her 1,734^th marathon – she has run over 45,000 miles in her lifetime! Near the end of my race an 82 year old gentleman zipped up next to me to complement me on my choice of socks – while laughing with a full bladder is never a good thing, seeing an 82 year man in the same color socks was well worth it. He was chatting away oblivious to the look of sheer panic that if he kept me laughing I was going to burst. Harry was set on finishing his 244^th marathon and was thoroughly enjoying our town and wanted to know if everyone who lived here was as happy as all the volunteers who braved the cold, overcast morning to cheer on friends and strangers alike. I was so proud to say “Yes, we are!”

Thank you to all who helped me check off a Bucket List goal!  Seeing so many Lifelong members partaking in the race was awesome – congratulations to all who crossed that finish line.

 2014.1.15

Spring Is Upon Us!

It is amazing to think that Stetson University Lifelong Learning is approaching the launch of its 4th term! The staff and volunteers have been hard at work creating the courses and developing the catalog layout for lifelong members new and returning. This term’s line up for the Celebration Center include courses entitled “The Supreme Court and Its Important Cases”, “Experience Watercolors”, “Terrarium Building”, “Public Speaking and Presentation Creation”, and “Discussions of Worldly Perspectives”… just to name a few. We added our neighbors from Solivita last term with a great reception and continue to work with them this term as well with 3 new courses.

Our colleagues in DeLand are not to go unnoticed either. With 26 upcoming courses on Yoga, Religion, Culture, and Genealogy – the local residents are already calling to inquire about their registration opportunities. So, for those of you that are looking to participate this spring there are some important dates to consider: January 22nd (9:30am – 11:30am) Celebration Open House, January 23rd (2-4pm) DeLand Open House, and January 29th (2 – 4) Solivita Guest Lecture/Open House.

 We invite you to join us for our opening event at the Celebration Center January 30th, 1 – 2:30pm. Craig Schneider, Regional Director of Operations, with Starbucks coffee will be presenting a guest lecture for us entitled The Coffee Connection – Bringing Coffee to Life! Providing free Starbucks coffee for members, past and present, along with friends and local community residents – Mr. Schneider will provide information on coffee production, various coffee origins, and Starbucks contribution to communities throughout the globe.

The event is sure to prove informative and enable us to learn a little more about that deliciously hot cup of Joe!

2013.10.24

Lifelong Learning Visits the ‘Art’rium

The Lifelong Learning program at Stetson University held their first art extravaganza Wednesday in their beautiful atrium. Lifelong Learning student/teacher and Celebration resident Meryl Rachlin conceived the program and invited four additional Central Florida artists to display and talk about their artwork.

Setting up early afternoon, the five artists spent several hours meeting and greeting many enthusiastic students and guests. This one-on-one time provided ample opportunity for each one to talk in-depth about their mediums, perspectives, subject matter, and inspiration.

Our international students especially enjoyed the experience of learning more about art in a very personal way and the artists provided great encouragement to each.

Some of the statements heard throughout the afternoon included: “This was a wonderful idea and the artists are amazing. I loved having the opportunity to see so many different medium. I enjoyed chatting with all the artists and learning about their techniques and skill sets. They all tell a different story.”

To top it off, each artist then gave a short presentation about themselves and their art in a lecture format.

The extravaganza was very well received and plans are already in the works for future art events.

2013.08.28

Lifelong Learning Open House at Celebration Center

All ‘types’ of species were in attendance at the Lifelong Learning Open House event held in Celebration on Wednesday, August 28^th!

Our friend, Izzy, a 3 year old alligator participated in meeting and greeting those community members wanting to learn more of what the program had to offer. He along with his handler and “Dean of Gator Wrestling” at Gatorland, Tim Williams, were the talk of the show.

Other ‘species’ that were present included Andrea Barnes teaching Stop the Press! Treat with Homeopathy; Don & Dolores Salvo, both teaching Playwriting and Playing with Numbers; as well as David Robinson teaching Mysteries in History. In all, 41 courses were represented – showing the public what each class has to offer.

Lifelong launched in DeLand on Wednesday, August 29^th. Having nearly 60 people in attendance, the overall atmosphere was appreciation and excitement. Many Stetson Alumni joined the event and are participating in this continued education opportunity.

Lifelong Learning is a membership based program that really focuses on having fun while learning in a true academic setting with a group of like-aged, like-minded individuals empowering intellectual discussion in a social environment.

The program in Celebration launches on September 11^th (2:00 – 3:15) at the Celebration Center with a special guest lecture by Rob Wight entitled “Everything I needed to learn, I learned through the Ironman”. We invite the community (both from the Celebration and DeLand areas), whether a lifelong member or not, to enjoy our event!

2013.06.20

We Were ‘Blown’ Away

Have you ever truly stopped to ponder if you heard the sirens and the weather forecasters were giving us the true indications of approaching Category 3, 4, or 5 hurricanes – if you were really ready?

During the Summer Guest Lecture series at Stetson University Celebration Center, June 12^th Tony Mainolfi, Chief Meteorologist with WESH 2 News, spoke to the Lifelong Learning group regarding the appropriate preparation that should be made in case of a pending storm.

He began his lecture with a video clip showcasing specific details related to hurricanes including category measures, historical statistics, and our Central Florida geographical concerns related to winds and rain. Our 50+ audience did not shy away from questions, which quickly opened with ‘where is the headquarters of NOAA’ to ‘will Celebration ever have to be evacuated due to a severe hurricane threat’?

Ultimately, I do believe that Tony was able to answer many questions and even more importantly to make many folks stop to think, if they were really prepared. His recommendation is to create a ‘bin’ full of supplies to include 72 hours’ worth of drinkable water, batteries, weather radio, nonperishable food items, a decent size tarp, flashlights, and candles.

By the time the lecture was scheduled to be finished, there were still folks holding up hands with questions to be answered; however, he had to get to the station to begin his workday. Thank you Tony for coming to visit with us last week, we certainly hope that you will be able to return to give us another talk on other topics of weather. Goodness knows Florida isn’t short of weather events.

2013.05.24

You know that moment when you just ‘feel’ the excitement? You can literally sense the enthusiasm in the air just by walking into the room – that was the sense of yesterday’s Lifelong Learning appreciation luncheon held at the Celebration Center. Attended by our very own Dr. Beth Paul, hosted by our AVP Dr. Emily Richardson, and joined by over 57 Lifelong members – the event was delightful.

The event was designed to not only highlight our successes through the inaugural year for Lifelong@Stetson, but even more importantly to pull everyone together and show them our gratitude for hard work, perseverance, and dedication to such a great cause.  The program spoke to the history of where Lifelong was conceptualized to some of the highlights of the coming term. Many faces become even more excited when we announced our two upcoming trips to Key West and then in 2014 to Italy!

The luncheon was adorned with samples of our member’s artworks that were produced throughout the year in the Beginner Art Series, Beginner Drawing Series, and the ‘Shoebox to Showoff’ Courses. Sue Herscher, Karen Frances, Pauline Chaparone, Elle O’Riley, and Anne McGrath were gracious enough to show off their well-done pieces.

We were also able to raffle off over 20 door prizes including: Stetson hats, art work donated by our very own Patti Fitzgibbons, jewelry created by Lyn Berelsman, and also a free term membership – just to name a few!

Lunch was delicious as well. We had baked potato soup, with finger sandwiches, pasta salad, and absolutely delectable desserts from Celebration’s Sweet Escapes.

Dr. Richardson made a special recognition to Mary Ann Kinser, our leader on the Curriculum Committee that has helped to steer the committee as well as the mission and vision of Lifelong Learning from its conception with the Celebration Foundation.

Donna Hilbert wrote to us and stated, “Today’s appreciation luncheon was such a nice wrap up to the Lifelong Learning sessions that have given all of us so much. Everyone that I spoke with today is very enthusiastic about the summer lecture series and the upcoming fall program. Thank you for all your efforts and hard work to bring this program to Celebration.”

Donna, it is really us that must thank you! Along with all of you that made the program possible. We look forward to much continued success, accompanied by community building and fantastic course offerings!

2013.04.24

Stetson Lifelong Learners in “Religious Studies of the World” course visit the Wat Florida Dhammaram Buddhist Temple

Some say “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Others say “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” But I ask you, have you ever walked out of an experience knowing if the opportunity hadn’t risen to attend – you would probably never experience something like it again? April 15^th was that day for me. Lifelong Learning had an amazing opportunity to visit Wat Florida Dhammaram Buddhist Temple. Both groups of Lifelong members, from Celebration and DeLand, joined together in further ‘religious’ studies of the world. At Wat Florida Dhammaram the mission and purpose is to provide a religious sanctuary to all of those faithful and interested in the teachings of Lord Buddha.

It was an incredible experience at Wat Florida Dhammaram. As you walk up to the grounds you are placed in a very serene environment, even though it is right off of Hwy192 in Kissimmee – you would never know it. The grounds are beautifully manicured by volunteers to the Temple and very visibly a sense of pride from those that inhibit the area. The main temple is a shrine to Buddha with the entire interior walls being masked with a continuous mural of Buddha’s life’s events. The head Monk Phra Vijitrdhammapani (Sunan Dhananandho) (recruited from Thailand) spoke to us. Within his words were feelings of peace and harmony. He stated “if you are good inside, you are a good person. And, that is what Buddhism is really about.” He spoke of the goodness within the Buddhist belief. He gave his history of how he came to be a part of Wat Florida Dhammaram. He then took questions from the group. Our tour guide, Al Riley, then completed our discussion with specific distinction between the two sects of Buddhism (Theravada & Mahayana).

Al then let us ‘loose’ on the grounds. Within the grounds were several specific structures created to represent Buddha’s life events… like Vihara Maha Mayadevi, built in commemoration of the Buddha’s birthplace in Lumbini Nepal. The shrines are situated in a lovely walking park shaded by large southern oaks. Because of the increasing interest throughout the West in the teachings of the Buddha, these replicas are offered as places of pilgrimage for meditation, reflection, education and study.

As we loaded the bus to return back, the words of appreciation and thoughts of further study continued to flow from the members. They seemed to be captivated by the beauty and serenity that the Temple held. And for each person, it was an individual thought… for some it was “I want to learn more.” For others, it was “I truly feel like a better person for having come here today.”

My appreciation goes out to those volunteers on the grounds for maintaining its beauty, to Al Riley for assisting our learning while there, to the head Monk for his guidance and wisdom, and to the Lifelong Learners for experiencing this beautiful sanctuary with me… “Khob Khun Ka” (thank you in Thai).

2013.03.25

Bringing the Community to the Celebration Center

Did you know that Osceola County is at a 9% unemployment rate? Well, seeing a huge need and having the opportunity to do something about it – Stetson University Celebration Center along with the Celebration Area Council held its first Career Fair on Thursday March 7th.  The event was highly successful touting 22 employers ranging from the food industry, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment, financial services, and staffing services. There were 250 attendees who not only had the opportunity to seek work but also to attend various educational career seminars. Professional Development was presented by John Sheehy and Robin Kazmarek on “How to Nail the Interview” and “Resume Building”. And Sandy Geroux, a motivational speaker, dazzled one and all. Attendees enjoyed the variety of options of being able to seek work while learning simultaneously as well as the plethora of employers on tap. Three applicants were hired instantaneously and others have interviews and are following up on their searches.  The event was so successful that employers have asked us to stage another Career Fair in the fall for the holiday season.  The Celebration Area Council would like to thank Stetson’s team for an awesome job helping with the Fair and to Chick-Fil-A for providing lunch to employers and CAC Board members helping throughout the fair. Stetson University Celebration Center is proud of this accomplishment!

GUEST LECTURE: Honorable Bob Edgar

Who ever said that politics couldn’t be funny? Well, certainly not the Lifelong Learning members that attended the guest lecture on Wednesday, February 6, with the Hon. Bob Edgar, President and CEO of Common Cause, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches for seven years, President of Claremont School of Theology and former member of Congress from Pennsylvania.

Mr. Edgar’s topic was “Isn’t Good Government Everyone’s Common Cause?”

• Legislation that will pass in 2013
• Legislation that won’t pass, but should be discussed
• Lessons learned from 2012

Common Cause is a non-partisan, non-profit advocacy organization founded in 1970 by John Gardner as a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and hold elected leaders accountable to the public interest.

Mr. Edgar spoke much of his experience in the public eye as a member of Congress and divulged many ‘unknowns’ to the members. The members were engaged and participating with several great questions.

Mary Ann Kinser, our leading member of the Lifelong Learning Celebration Curriculum Committee stated, “It was a great way to kick off the season”.

We would like to thank Mrs. Patricia Schroeder a former American politician who represented Colorado in the United States House of Representatives from 1973–1997 for helping us to bring in Mr. Edgar personally. A member of the Democratic Party, Schroeder was the first woman elected to Congress from Colorado. And, we are now fortunate to have her as one of our Lifelong Learning members for the Celebration Center.

CHANGES AT CELEBRATION

Toni Castillo has been named the new Director of Stetson University Celebration Center, and began in mid-August. The new Director’s areas will include oversight of the Stetson University Center at Celebration staff, assisting with the Stetson Lifelong @ Celebration initiative, as well as other special center projects.

Castillo was most recently the Campus Dean with Southern Technical College in Mt. Dora, Florida. Prior to this she served as Vice President of Education Operations with Star Career Academy. She held responsibility for multi-sites with 8 campuses, and created growth of enrollment and student satisfaction throughout the system.  Prior to her corporate position, she was the Director of Education with Florida Technical College.  Castillo has experience in coordinating professional development, overseeing accreditation requirements, maintaining outstanding retention, and supervising online instruction while working to develop articulations with high schools.

Castillo originally started her learning career in K-12 education where she was an Assistant Dean with a small private school in Florida from grades K4 – 6 and the Facilitator Support Specialist/Program Coordinator for the Florida Online Reading – Professional Development (FOR-PD) program, with the University of Central Florida’s Department of Education.  She earned her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Stetson University and her B.A. in Literature from University of Houston.

She and her family reside in Sanford, with 3 children Christopher ‘CJ’, Zachary, and Jaina ‘Jac’ along with their beloved yellow Labrador Nacho.

Additionally Midge McDaniel has been named Concierge for the Stetson University Celebration Center. Midge’s previous experience includes working as the Administrative Assistant to both Assistant and Associate Deans of Stetson University College of Law, and Creighton University Law School; five years of experience as a Registrar; experience in working at Hotels, most recently the Doubletree Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resorts and over 20 years of experience working in an office setting, Midge appreciates the opportunity to use her diverse skills and experience in her new role as the Celebration Concierge.

‘Celebrating’ Leaps and Bounds

The Celebration Center is leaping forward with many great changes to elevate Celebration even higher than it was previously. The Lifelong Learning program has had great success with 114 registered members and 27 courses to offer local residents. We will soon be in the development phase for the spring course offerings. Some of the courses that start in October will be Alfred Hitchcock, a Beginner Art Series, Genealogy: Research on the Internet, and New Urbanism in Celebration, just to name a few. Time sure does fly!

Lifelong successfully launched its lecture series successful last Wednesday with Dave Robinson presenting ‘John Steinbeck, The People’s Novelist’.  Our next guest lecture will be October 10^th at 2:45pm presented by Mitch Bloomer, Resource Teacher from the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida in Maitland, Fl. He will be presenting on “America and the Holocaust: What We Knew, What We Did”. This will surely prove to be a spirited dialogue with our members.

Then on Friday, October 26^th there will be a bus trip for the Lifelong Learning members to Stetson University – Deland campus. While on the trip, the members will be able to meet with both Dr. Libby and Dr. Paul (perhaps you can add what they will discuss?). They will enjoy lunch at the CUB and then take a tour through the Gillespie Museum. If you should happen upon them while on the tour or at lunch, please say hello. I believe it will be a great day for our members.

Fantastic facility upgrades have taken place recently including mass painting throughout the building. The larger areas have been completed, and the offices, as well as the classrooms are soon to follow. If you have a chance, you should come by and take a look.

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