Nicolet College LIR Rises To Challenge of Developing Robust Offerings in Light of COVID-19 

Click here for the complete list of upcoming offerings and descriptions.

Having faced their share of challenges over their lifetimes, members of the Learning in Retirement (LIR) program at Nicolet College knew exactly what they had to do in order to put together a safe and engaging series of fall offerings in this era of COVID-19. 

It’s not like the pandemic is their first rodeo. Many of them have lived through the threat of polio, several wars, times of economic collapse, and countless other challenges. It’s all part of what shaped this generation that has circumnavigated the sun more than a few times. 

“I guess we just did what we’ve always done,” said Brenda Peltier, Nicolet LIR coordinator, reflecting on life in general when putting together the upcoming season. “We roll up our sleeves, face all the obstacles head on, and brainstorm solutions to get us through challenging times. We have a great team of people who are committed to making the LIR the best that it can be.” 

In order to keep members safe yet still engaged with LIR, just about all presentations this fall will be held online in the virtual world. In all, there will be 21 different presentations Sept. 16 through Dec. 16. 

Some classes will last just a couple hours while others will meet online multiple times over the course of months. For this year only, the annual LIR member fee has been reduced to $30, and is good through June 30, 2021. Members are welcome to take as many or as few classes as they like. 

Click here to become a member or call the college at (715) 365-4593. 

And as always, there will be no tests or grades in any of the classes, only learning just for the fun of it. 

Members signing up for classes will be sent a Zoom link before the start of a class to join the presentation. 

Upcoming classes include the ever-popular Ced’s Nature series from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays Sept. 16 to Oct. 28. In all there will be six different topics covered which include a look at swans, beaver ecology, wild turkeys, the life cycle of a forest, bird migration, and birds of prey. 

Other LIR presentations include: 

Genealogy and DNA Primer from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24. Participants will learn where to start and what documentation you need to build your family tree.  From there we’ll explore the best practices for researching and documenting your genealogy using information available mainly on the Internet. 

Is a Happy Mushroom a Fun Guy? from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5. Learn about those mysterious mushrooms of all shapes and sizes that pop up in our yards and forests. Anne Small, coordinator of the Northstate Mycological Club, will give you information onfungi and mushroom biology and explain their place in the Northwoods. 

ArtStart Fall Exhibit: Andrea Carlson & Andy Messerschmidt 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16. There will be two tour choices and this will be the only offering with the option of attending in-person. A virtual tour option will also be available. For more details, contact Peltier at bpeltier@nicoletcollege.edu or call (715) 365-4491. 

Sigils for Travelers of I-94 with Andrea Carlson.  Drawing on her Ojibwe heritage, Carlson creates images that “celebrate the joy of Indigenous people found in places that we’ve made for ourselves, in places that were necessitated because of our exclusion elsewhere.” The exhibition title incorporates the Latin meaning of Sigil—medicine or poison and the space along Interstate highway 94. 

Shooting Buffalo with Andy Messerschmidt. As part of Andy Messerschmidt’s 900-plus piece Agrocult series, this exhibition’s focus is on the “anthropological cataclysm of the agrocults”. The artist’s work asks the viewer to review and evaluate the many changes brought upon the land by humankind. 

Due to COVID-19, ArtStart staff will introduce the exhibits and be available for questions. Please follow social distancing requirements and masks are required during the in-person tour. No refreshments will be offered. 

Old Age Ain’t for Sissies, Part 2, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 27.  There were so many good questions asked in Dr. Bill Wright’s first class on this topic that time ran out, and participants asked to have a second session. Attendance at the first class is not a prerequisite for attending this session. Dr. Wright is an inspiring individual and has many good insights into the aging process. 

Civil Discourse withJane Banning, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 1. This non-partisan, non-political class is about ways to connect, understand, and have civil conversations when it seems there are no paths through the thickets. Pick up some fundamental skills in how to converse with people with whom you disagree. 

Click here for the complete list of upcoming offerings and descriptions.