Press Release: Osher Lifelong Institute Courses To Begin
University of Missouri Extensions’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute delivers courses designed to complement the interests, concerns and lifestyles of the over-50 adult. New programs for Fall 2014 include Researching Your Family History which will run weekly from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays starting on September 9 and ending October 28. Also offered is Travels with Sharon which will run weekly from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays starting on September 11 and ending on October 30. These classes are presented using interactive television (ITV) and will be held at the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library. The cost for each course is $90 which includes 8 sessions and handout materials. For more information on the classes or to register call 573-686-8064 or visit our website at extension.missouri.edu/butler.
Researching Your Family History: One of the world’s most popular hobbies is genealogy. You may have dabbled a bit or have already been bitten by the genealogy bug. What starts as simple curiosity can quickly grow into an obsession. People decide to research their family’s history for different reasons, perhaps to understand a little more about themselves and their roots; to give their children a sense of family by providing them with information about their ancestors, where they came from and how they lived; to compile a family medical history; to qualify for a lineage society, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution or Sons of the American Revolution or other heritage societies; or to publish a family history book.
Travels with Sharon will take you to places such as Yunnan Province, Chinawith its deep spirituality and sweeping scenic vistas. Your next destination will take you to the D-Day beaches and WWII American Military Cemetery of Normandy and cruise the Seine to Paris with stops at Monet’s and Van Gogh’s homes in France. From there you will be taken to Myanmar (Burma) and Laoswhich is still recovering from the ancillary devastation from constant USA bombing during the Vietnam War. Isolated from the world in the recent past, Burma—now known as Myanmar—remains a magical destination, yet one steeped in history. Visit gold temples and mystical lakes. The course will end with travel to Spain, a country that conjures images of rocky plains and whitewashed villages, majestic cathedrals and simple homes designed by Antoni Gaudi, rugged castles, the windmills that taunted Don Quixote, bullrings, the influence of the Moors, the strum of guitar and fiery flamenco. Final destination will be Portugal which brings to mind bold explorers, colorful ceramics, and close ties to the sea.
Whether you are interested in your family’s history or world travels don’t miss these opportunities to learn and travel in the comfort of your Poplar Bluff Municipal Library.