Seeking ways to stay mentally engaged on cold winter days? We invite you to explore our selection of recorded courses. This past semester we recorded thirteen of our courses and are offering Encore Learning members the opportunity to view these recordings over the early winter. The course content was recorded at class sessions held in October to December 2024 and there will be no live interaction.

Register for your spot in the recorded version of the course by December 30, 2024. Recordings will be available for viewing until February 28, 2025. Visit https://encorelearning.net/recordings/ for a complete list of recorded classes.

Sunday, November 24 found dozens of members enjoying a delightful concert with the Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra. A pre-concert reception hosted by Encore Learning brought people together to socialize and make mutual connections. Thank you to volunteers who setup, greeted and cleaned up so we could host this event.

Volunteers from left to right: Sharon Bisdee, Richard Juhnke, Marilyn Marton, Kathy Sheehan, Jutta Bauman, Nancy Manahan.

Photo by Kathy Sheehan

We are aware that some members have not been receiving emails from our membership/registration portal (ASAP). These emails are how we message students enrolled in classes and notify students about new material added to the course page. We believe this issue has been resolved.

Please know that class information we are emailing can be found directly on our website anytime. You don’t have to wait for an email to see if there is new information about your class. Enrolled students may check the course page on our website and see any posted course media.

To do this, go to www.encorelearning.net

Click on COURSES

Click on ACCESS CLASS MEDIA

You will be brought to a page of all current classes. Find your class and click on the link. You will be prompted for a password. This password was emailed to you two days before your first class. If you don’t know your class page password, please contact us at info@encorelearning.net.

Also know that Encore Learning’s eNews, The Inside Scoop, is saved on our website so if you are trying to find something you think you have read and can’t find that email, check out this page: https://encorelearning.net/about/media-publications/

2024 Recap and Call for Volunteers

Have you enjoyed our special events this year? We hope so. Our goal is to present a variety of presentations and tours that are interesting, often unusual and not available elsewhere. We look for a range of topics – some serious, some lighter – that offer you the opportunity to learn something new. We use the barometer “would I be interested in this?” If at least one person in the committee feels that it is interesting, we explore it, looking into the presentation of the proposed speaker, what format would best serve the speaker and the topic and speaker availability.

2024 was a good year for Encore Learning’s Special Events. MSNBC’s Chuck Rosenberg gave us his take on the legal issues of the day. Dr. Richard Kurin showed us the Smithsonian’s little-known work to save cultural heritage in war torn countries. And a panel from the New York’s Brooklyn Library educated us on book banning and the extensive efforts to combat it. We also offered tours of the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office and Planet Word and have a sold-out tour of the Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris 1900-1939 at the National Portrait Gallery coming up in December.

All of this good work was led by Kris McLaughlin, the Special Events Committee Chair for the past twelve years. Kris brought high standards to our committee, encouragement to pursue speakers or topics even when we didn’t know if they would pan out, ideas to pursue and great organizational skill. Encore Learning is so grateful for her dedication to creating fantastic Special Events for the past dozen years.

If you enjoy our Special Events, join us to create great events in 2025. We are partnering with the Arlington Public Library to offer some hybrid events (in-person and on Zoom) and will continue to offer Zoom presentations on Mondays and tours, both local in-person tours and virtually on Zoom.

What are the qualifications to be on the Special Events Committee? An ability to keep your eyes and ears open for possible presentations or tours, and follow through to work with presenters and organizations to bring these presentations and tours to life. Think of Encore Learning as the incubator for things you want to learn more about and a team of volunteers to help make that happen. In return: a fun, upbeat approach to working with others to create and manage great one-time events and make a contribution to Encore Learning.

Want to explore the idea of joining the committee? We’d love to talk to you. Contact Louise Kenny at LKenny1208@gmail.com.

Encore Learning Presents

We’ve had some wonderful recent Encore Learning Presents, including from Hurricane Katrina survivor Suzette Walker. These are frequently recorded and you can find them on our YouTube channel.

Save the date for January 13, when Representative Don Beyer will be our guest speaker. More details on this virtual event to follow.

Thank you to all who attend our Encore Learning Presents events and to those who provide feedback.

We are currently seeking volunteers for a variety of roles:

• Delivering catalogs to local community centers, business, doctors offices and more.
• Developing strategies to diversify our membership and ensure we are inclusive
• Planning academic courses or Special Events
• Joining a newly forming Public Relations/Marketing committee
• Be a photographer for your class or event

If any of these opportunities are of interest to you, please visit our Volunteer page or send an email to info@encorelearning.net.

Please email the Encore Learning office if you are interested in joining any of our clubs or would like more information. You can also visit our Clubs page on our website for details about our clubs.

Chamber Music Club

The Chamber Music Club meets every first and second Friday of the month, from October through May, to hear chamber concerts sponsored by the Friday Morning Music Club, a venerable institution dating to 1886.

The musicians are superb and the programming, diverse and interesting.

The 1-hour concerts start at noon, making lunch or coffee with other Encore Learning members afterwards attractive. The December concerts are on December 6 and 13.

The venue is St. George’s Episcopal Church, 915 N. Oakland St., adjacent to the Virginia Square Metro station. For those who drive, the church has a small parking lot. On-street parking is available as well. Please contact the office if you wish to join. – Rhoda Ritzenberg, Coordinator

Cinema Club

The Encore Learning Cinema Club meets monthly to see a morning movie at the Cinema Arts Theater in Fairfax. Groups average 14 people. After the movie, the group has lunch nearby to discuss and rate the movie. The next movie dates are planned for December 10 and January 17. -Caroline Wooden and Dru Dowdy

Global Lunch Club

The reestablished Global Lunch Club had its first meeting at Dhoom Restaurant. Nine members attended and enjoyed an Indian buffet lunch. We plan to meet next on December 12th at T.H.A.I in Shirlington restaurant for Thai food and conversation. Subsequent meetings will be on the second Thursday of the month, barring conflicts with other Encore Learning events and classes. Restaurant suggestions welcomed! -Jan Rothstein, Coordinator

Electric Vehicle Club

The new EV Club met in October and November. The club is aimed at owners of EVs and PHEVs and those thinking about purchasing one.

Club Coordinator Barry Ginsberg will be in touch with future meeting dates.

To join the club contact Barry Ginsberg at btg100@gmail.com.

Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club meets Wednesdays from 8:00 – 9:00 AM at La Madeleine in Bailey’s Crossroads.

The group catches up over breakfast and talks can be about anything. Recent topics included a local play, woodworking, fall leaves and a nature program.

-Photos courtesy of Lee Cooper

Travel Club

In November, Marty Suydam lead a successful discussion on the topic of Travel Insurance. Many good ideas were shared by Marty and various club members. The next scheduled meeting will be on Friday, January 17, 2025. Lee Cooper will be presenting her family’s recent trip to England. All meetings are on Zoom starting at 3:30 PM and lasting for about an hour. To get on the club email list, send a request to info@encorelearning.net. If you’re interested in doing a presentation of your trip, let the office know. We hope to see you virtually on Zoom! -Charlie Hallahan, co-Coordinator

Mindfulness Club

Almost every Wednesday of the year, at Noon, the Encore Learning Mindfulness Club meets for discussion, about 20 minutes of guided meditation, and general sociability. Participants come as schedules allow or as the need for a quiet or contemplative period arises. The meditation period is not exotic; we generally take about 10 minutes to get centered in the moment, and the rest of the meditation period exploring what arises in the insight tradition. We often discuss resources (online, published, in person) which are available, usually at minimal expense.

If you wish to be added to our email group which gives meeting access information, please contact the Encore Learning office.

-Dwight Rodgers, Coordinator

Nonfiction Book Club

The next meeting of the Encore Learning Nonfiction Book Club will take place on January 13 when we’ll discuss H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald. From Amazon: “The instant New York Times bestseller and award-winning sensation, Helen Macdonald’s story of adopting and raising one of nature’s most vicious predators has soared into the hearts of millions of readers worldwide. Fierce and feral, her goshawk Mabel’s temperament mirrors Helen’s own state of grief after her father’s death, and together raptor and human “discover the pain and beauty of being alive” (People).

We’ll meet in the Bluemont Room (2nd floor) of the Arlington Central library. The meeting will begin at 1:30 PM and end no later than 3:00 PM. All members are welcome. If you’d like to join the book club, please let the office know and we’ll add your name to the mailing list. We meet on the 2nd Monday of every other month.  – Ed Rader, Co-coordinator

Tech Hobbyist Club

The next seminar of the Tech-Hobbyist Club will be on December 9 at 10:00 AM on Zoom.

The topic presented will be on Batteries by Barry Ginsberg. All Encore Learning members are invited.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87045265665?pwd=RDVCcjJMeFNYb1V2bkRrMVVKZHdaZz09

Meeting ID: 870 4526 5665

Passcode: tech

With the year-end approaching, some of you may be doing some tax planning and there are three ways to support Encore Learning and your other favorite charities while lowering your tax liability.

1. Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA makes your donation 100% tax deductible even if you don’t itemize.
2. Appreciated securities (eg. stocks) will avoid paying capital gains tax and also increase your itemizable deductions
3. A grant from your donor-advised fund which has been funded from appreciated assets.

For more details, please visit this page for helpful info about end-of-year giving. You can bookmark it for later too!

The best thing about Encore Learning is our members! Give a friend an Encore Learning “gift membership” this holiday season. That would be a warm, Encore Learning welcome for the coming year. 

Checkout our webpage for details:

https://encorelearning.net/membership/gifts/

In addition to giving a membership you can gift a class to an Encore Learning member. Contact the office to pre-purchase a credit to their account and that will be applied to their course registration.

Alternatively, if you know someone now who seems interested in joining or know someone recently retiring, take a moment to explain to them what you find rewarding about Encore Learning. Then, let them know how to join. Joining is easy; all they have to do is visit our website and click on “join.” If they have questions about the process, they can email the staff at info@encorelearning.net.

Memberships are tax deductible as a charitable contribution.

As the Fall Semester draws to a close, we are already excited for the upcoming Spring Semester! I think you will be so excited to explore the catalog featuring an impressive array of about 35 engaging classes that will be unveiled after the new year. This diverse lineup, including fresh offerings and beloved favorites, is made possible by the dedication of our wonderful volunteers from the Academic Programs and Publications Committee.

In this season of gratitude, we are continually inspired by the heartfelt appreciation we receive from our members regarding their enriching experiences in classes, clubs, and events. It truly brings us joy to facilitate opportunities for you to explore, learn and connect within our vibrant community. Our small but mighty staff of four appreciates the kindness and support from our members, as well as the commitment of the volunteers who step up to transform ideas into reality. We could not achieve our mission without the incredible efforts of over 150 volunteers each year—committees, instructors, Class Aides, and board members—to create these enriching opportunities for our 1,000 members.

This time of year also brings out all of the ‘best of’ lists. We hope that you think of Encore Learning as one of your ‘best of 2024’ experiences. We truly value your support and would love for you to share your positive experiences with friends, welcoming them into our vibrant community.

As we look forward to the exciting special events and our Course Preview on January 30, we invite you to join us online and engage in the joy of shared learning. Wishing you a delightful holiday season filled with warmth and connection—your presence is what makes Encore Learning special!

~ Lora 

Lora Pollari-Welbes

Executive Director

Important Date Reminders

• The office is closed December 20-January 3 for holiday break.
• Spring 2025 Course Catalog will be available online January 2. Printed catalogs will be mailed in January.
• Spring 2025 Course Preview is January 30 at 9:30 AM.
• Course registration opens February 3 at 10:00 AM.

Please note that our regular office hours are 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. If you reach us after 2:00 PM, you may not receive a response until the next business day.

During October and November 2024, we welcomed the following new members:

Thank you to Brian Coyne for referring friends who became members of Encore Learning! Spread the word and please refer friends and family to Encore Learning. If you’d like to bring Encore Learning into your community (residential building or neighborhood) to share information about membership, let us know.

Encore Learning is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Any donation is a charitable contribution deductible from income tax to the full extent permitted by law. Members, friends and organizations wishing to support Encore Learning may direct contributions to our General Fund to support our sustainability or to the Arthur W. Gosling Youth Scholarship Fund. If you wish to designate a charitable gift in someone’s honor or memory, please email us indicating how the gift should be recognized. If you would like to discuss tax benefits of charitable giving and charitable remainder trusts, please view our Donate page or contact the office.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Inside Scoop. If you would like to submit an article or share some photos of members participating in Encore Learning activities, please email us at info@encorelearning.net.

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