No Registration Required
Open to members only, except for September 13th Open House
All Programs are In-Person
East Campus Forum Auditorium
12:15 pm – Cookies, tea and coffee
1:00 pm – Presentation
September 13 – Singer/Entertainer – Open House – Bring a friend!
A musician (guitar, piano and banjo) and singer, John Coperine plays several of his originalsongs about love, life and loss, family (and sometimes politics). His songs are sometimes silly, and he performs favorite singalongs, encouraging all to join in. The goal is to entertain you while also touching your heart, and leave you smiling, feeling connected and inspired by the power of music.
John Coperine spent nearly 30 years as a teacher and administrator in public and private schools. As a musician, John started young in rock and roll, became a singer/songwriter during the coffeehouse era, played at weddings and corporate functions with all occasion bands, recorded an album of original songs, and now performs for his favorite audiences ever—seniors!
September 20 – Norwalk River Valley Trail
Discover all about one of the community’s most beloved assets, the Norwalk River Valley Trail We include an overview of the history, current state, and future of this regionally significant, universally accessible, trans modal, outdoor recreational project. Learn how projects of this size get funded and built.
Andrea Gartner is the Executive Director of the Norwalk River Valley Trail. Committed to projects that encourage residents to build sustainable and thriving communities, Andrea’s professional and volunteer efforts have impacted projects regionally. In addition to her volunteer affiliations, Andrea is an elected official and Majority Legislative Leader on Danbury’s City Council.
September 27 – Danbury Museum & Historical Society
Learn about the history of Danbury, the Danbury Museum’s place in the community and the historic buildings located on its Main Street. Danbury was the home to some renowned people and notable events. We discuss what the histories of Danbury and Norwalk have in common.
Brigid Guertin has a BA in History from Marymount College in Tarrytown, and a MA in Museum Studies from George Washington University. She is Executive Director of the Danbury Museum and Historical Society and is the Danbury City Historian. She is a member of the Danbury Garden Club and Chairs its Scholarship committee. She is involved with many other committees and boards in the community.
No Lunch & Learn October 4 and 11 – Jewish Holidays
October 18 – Treating Balance Disorders
Balance disorders and dizziness are the main health complaints of older adults, with nearly 30% of people over of 65 sustaining a fall each year. While it is natural to be concerned about falling, it is not an inevitable part of aging. Come and learn about ways to identify and combat risk factors, prevent falling and minimize future injuries, stay steady on your feet and get you back to doing what you love!
John Chiang and Mike Tu met and became friends at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania over 25 years ago. They each pursued careers in finance, holding senior positions at top investment banks and hedge funds in NYC, until recently transitioning to the world of healthcare. They are the co-owners of FYZICAL Norwalk which specializes in fall prevention and helping older adults stay steady on their feet.
October 25 – 3-D Printing
Over the years, 3D printing has evolved from science fiction to reality. In the 1980’s, early additive-ink manufacturing equipment and materials were developed, and three-dimensional plastic prototype models became a reality. Today, 3D printers are even being used to build houses. Where does it go from here? Come and learn more about the creative ability of 3D printing.
Vladimir Mariano is the co-founder and President of the Fairfield County Makers’ Guild, a community makerspace in Norwalk and also the Makerspace Manager at CT State Community College Norwalk. He is the founder of Desktop Makes, an online education site where he teaches 3D Design and 3D printing.
November 1 – Dianne Flagello – Global Volunteers and Teaching English
All over the world English is the language of commerce, technology and opportunity. Many young people in developing countries lack access to the English language, which could assist in lifting them out of poverty. Learn how Dianne lived in local communities as a Global Volunteer, helping young people to learn conversational English. She shares her longtime participation with the people, their children and the deep cultural immersion she experienced.
Dianne Flagello, a former member of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, also served as Director of the Precollege Division of Manhattan School of Music for 25 years.
November 8 – Music Theater of CT
Join us for a discussion about successful professional theatre outside New York City. Learn about the challenges of founding a professional company, selecting the works for an annual season, the casting process, producing a show and developing an audience. Hear about the positive impact of regional theatres, both culturally and economically across the country, and why communities with thriving cultural organizations enjoy a much richer quality of life. A special guest will make an appearance, so this is an event you don’t want to miss!
Kevin Connors is an accomplished director and composer with a rich theatrical career spanning Off-Broadway and regional productions. Kevin has also taught at prestigious institutions including The Hartt School of Music/University of Hartford and Musical Theatre Works in NYC.
He is a Broadway World Award winner for Best Director and a Connecticut Critics’ Circle Best Director recipient multiple times. His Off-Broadway credits include Play Like a Winner (NYMF award-winner), Prime Time Prophet, and Jukebox Saturday Night. He has directed over 150 MTC Equity Main Stage productions, including acclaimed shows like Next to Normal, Ragtime, and Cabaret.
November 15 – Global Health as a Security Issue
Explore the impact of transnational threats to health such as pollution and climate change, infectious disease emergence and pandemics, our dependence on imported health care workers and medical supplies. As well, we examine the importance of global health governance elements, such as the World Health Organization, global finance mechanisms such as the World Bank, and global information networks for disease surveillance and knowledge sharing. The objective is to illustrate that, in global health, the failure of one country is a shared global failure and investing in global health saves lives and advances the common good.
Patrick W. Kelley, MD, DrPH, is a Director in the Fairfield University College of Arts and Sciences. He has lectured in over 20 countries and authored or co-authored more than 80 scholarly papers. Dr. Kelley served in the US Army for more than 23 years and retired as a Colonel. He founded and directed the Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System.