Forest Hills Public Schools Community Services & Senior Center 660 Forest Hill Avenue S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49546 Phone: 493-8950 Fax: 493-8959 enjoylearning.com

informing, empowering and encouraging the curious mind

Fall August-October 2011

Fall 2020/Winter 2021 Volume 9, Issue 4

What’s Inside

Learning Café Videos p. 2-3 Online Classes p. 4 Snowmelt System p. 5 Advertisers p. 4-8

Looking for a little pick-me-up? A new set of Learning Café videos have been made containing encouraging words and lots of uplifting music.

Until our group can gather again, presenters and musicians continue to be video recorded by Community Services. This alternative method is keeping with the health protocols implemented by Forest Hills Public Schools.

To access the digital videos, it will require Internet access and a computer, tablet or smartphone. Though this format is not everyone’s cup of tea, at least the pre-recorded videos can be watched at your own convenience, and are free!

See pages 2 and 3 for presentation titles and details on accessing the video links.

Pictured: Mary Rademacher and Mark Kahny

Free Music Performance & Presentation Videos

Encore Programs Guide Is a quarterly publication of the Forest Hills Public Schools Community Services & Senior Cen-ter, 660 Forest Hill Ave, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. (616) 493-8950. It is the policy of the Forest Hills School District that no person shall, on the basis of race, religion, color, age, national origin, sex or handicap, be excluded from participation, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity and in employment.

Encore Programs Guide is published and mailed four times a year. This issue was published November 2020 by Forest Hills Public Schools, Community Services & Senior Center, 660 Forest Hill Ave. SE, Grand Rapids MI 49546-2322.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Encore Programs Guide, Forest Hills Community Services & Senior Center, 660 Forest Hill Ave SE, Grand Rapids MI 49546.

The following FREE videos have been pre-recorded for you to watch at your own convenience. There are two ways you can view:

Website: On your Internet browser, go to Forest Hills Community Services’ website, enjoylearning.com Click on the left column which reads “Senior Enrichment”. Scroll down to “The Learning Café” and click. View the list of “Free Learning Café Videos”. Click on the topic’s link and it’ll take you to the video page.

or…

Email: Wait to receive a monthly email from Forest Hills Community Services. A link to the video recordings is included in the email. Simply click on the link(s).

If you’re having difficulty opening the videos, please give us a call at 493-8950. We’re happy to help!

No registration, no charge for the videos!

2 The Learning Cafe

Music by Christopher Sloan

Listen to a selection of all time favorites in country, folk, light rock and gospel such as 5 foot 2, I’ll Fly Away, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Ring of Fire, Rainbow Today and more. Performed by local musician Christopher Sloan.

Mini concert by Mary Rademacher & Mark Kahny

In this virtual music concert, vocalist Mary Rademacher and pianist Mark Kahny perform favorites like So Nice, Baby You’ve Got What it Takes, Stars Fell on Alabama, Orange

Colored Sky, All That Jazz and more!

Pictured right: Mary Rademacher and Mark Kahny are both West Michigan Jazz Society’s “Musicians of the Year”. Mary in 2006, and Mark in 2012.

Available now:

Turning Loss Into Found

Ray Paget of the Holland Home Speaker’s Bureau discusses how to “Turn Loss Into Found”: how to understand the negative impact of loss and allow yourself to gently and positively change with it.

Pictured above: snapshot of Community Services’ website. Follow the above arrows.

Presentations have Closed-Caption—Subtitle Options

On the video screen, in bottom right hand corner of the video, you have an option to click on “CC” for closed caption subtitles.

3 The Learning Cafe

Grand History of River City Grand, indeed! Grand Rapids is rich in history, but it’s more like a short story than a long tale in comparison to our world’s history. This presentation combines captivating and lively narrative with some historical photographs and timelines. Presented by Caroline Cook, owner of Grand Rapids Running & Walking Tours.

Songs of Mercer & Carmichael by the Hagen’s

Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael, two of history’s greatest song-writers, created some of America’s favorite songs: Heart and Soul, Jeeper Creepers, Skylark, and more. Enjoy a performance by Tom and Cherie Lynn Hagen. Both of them are talent-

ed and accomplished musicians. Tom was Jazz Society’s 2007 “Musician of the Year”.

Easy Listening Music by Leonard Kurtz

Music from the 1960s and 70s is performed by local musician Leonard Kurtz. Songs from Otis Redding, Gor-don Lightfoot, Simon & Garfunkel, Jim Croce, John Prine, Van Morrison, John Denver and James Taylor.

Power of Positivity

How do you go about being positive in a world full of disappointment and difficult challenges? Ray Paget gives suggestions on facing obstacles with a realistic, yet renewed outlook. Ray is a retired pastor and presenter with the Holland Home Speaker’s Bureau.

How to Hear What’s Not Being Said

Learn the subtle, lifelong skills needed to be an empathetic listener. Dave Kampfschulte discusses how to observe nonverbal clues, picking out feelings from conversations, clarifying what is said, and listening more intently. Dave is the director of Amazing Circles Workshops. Sponsored by Aquinas’ OLLI program.

Irish Mandolin Music by Zachary Graft

As a Michigan-based violinist, fiddler, and mandolin player, Zachary Graft plays Celtic and Christian wor-ship music, both individually and with bands. In today’s video, he performs a medley of his favorite Irish music. He’s the 2013 Winner of the White Lake Chamber Music Festival Young Artist Competition.

Healthy Cooking for One or Two

It’s possible to eat fresh, quick home-cooked meals, even if you live alone or with another per-son. Presenter Laura Lauinger will provide you with some healthy, simple and tasteful recipes and meal plans for cooking for one or two. Laura is a Registered Dietitian with Mission Point and Metron Integrated Health Systems.

Available in November:

Available soon:

Presenter Ray Paget

Do you love music, but prefer CDs? You can watch the above free video recordings as many times as you’d like on your computer or handheld device. If you prefer music CDs, here are some options: the Hagen’s music and Christopher Sloan’s music can be purchased on the following website: cdbaby@amazon.com In the search box, type in “Cherie Lynn” or “Tom Hagen” or “Christopher Sloan”. To purchase Mary Rademacher’s music, you can email her at maryradreed@gmail.com to discuss which of her albums are available for sale.

Studies show that listening to music can reduce your heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety, and distract your body from pain. Singing releases oxytocin and dopamine, which helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Overall, music has a calming effect which helps listeners to cope and maintain a sense of normalcy.

4 Online Classes

Online Enrichment Classes from CreativeLive

Introducing online enrichment classes for adults! Forest Hills Community Services has part-nered with a leading online class provider, CreativeLive, to offer a variety of classes to inspire and inform you.

CreativeLive offers numerous classes that you can watch for a fee from your desktop com-puter, laptop or ipad on any day, at any time. Some of the classes are free. • Browse their vast library of 1,500+ classes in many categories. • Purchase your favorite class videos. Learn at your own pace. • Learn from handpicked instructors who speak in these pre-recorded videos in a clear and concise manner.

Classes include: cross-stitching, fabric crafts, quilting, sewing (tote bags, skirts, dresses), knitting & crocheting (hats, socks, sweaters), watercolor and pastel painting (landscapes, still life), floral design, calligraphy, scrapbooking, interior design and more.

Register through http://www.enjoylearning.com/creativeliveclasses.html

CreativeLive offers classes that can be-watched any day, at any time, from the comfort of your home.

5 Snowmelt System

New Snowmelt System During the Summer of 2020, a Snowmelt System was installed under new sidewalks and entrance-ways of the upper and lower levels of the Forest Hills Community/Aquatic/Senior Center. The new walkway will prevent snow and ice build up, creating a safer walking surface during the winter. Coiled pipes tied into the building’s boiler system circulate warm fluid underneath the concrete. The melted snow is carried away through narrow drain strips located along the sidewalks’ edge. The new system will cut down on the time it requires staff to shovel and snowblow the sidewalks. And by no longer needing to use dam-aging salts on the sidewalks, the life of the concrete is extended. The Snow Melt project was part of the 2018 Bond voters approved

to fund Forest Hills Public Schools’ capital improvements.

4 6

RGA Tech Support Offers the Convenience of In-Home Tech Support!

RGA Tech Support is a service company that assists those seeking support with technology. Our mission is to offer an effective, safe, and intimidation free opportunity to grow one’s understanding with today’s ever-changing world of technology.

Technology Set Up / Installation Personal Device & Printer Support Technology Shopping Assistance Technology Tutoring / Instruction Internet Security & Scam Assistance

For more information, please call 616.916.2569 or visit rga-tech.com/foresthills

WiFi System Installation & Upgrades Help with “Cleaning Up” your Device Digital Photo Management Smart Home Integration & Installation And much more!

A variety of services are offered including, but not limited to:

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NON-PROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE PAID GRAND RAPIDS, MI

PERMIT NO. 1

Forest Hills Public Schools Senior Center 660 Forest Hill Avenue S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49546-2322