IN PERSON at APL and ZOOM

Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may attend either in-person or by ZOOM if desired.

As we are repeatedly told how divided and polarized our society has become, we may feel discouraged from trying to bridge those divides. This presentation is an antidote to that discouragement, providing practical tips for productive dialogue in divided communities. Drawing on his book Together We Decide, Craig Freshley emphasizes the importance of open-mindedness, inclusivity and cooperation as he shares inspirational stories and teaches practical skills for getting along and moving forward together.

Craig Freshley is a professional facilitator, author and public speaker who is passionately committed to peacemaking and draws on his experience with consensus decision-making to promote healing in our world. In 2019, he received the American Civic Collaboration Award for creating and facilitating Make Shift Coffee Houses, community gatherings that provided a space where individuals from diverse political backgrounds could come together to engage in dialogue and understand each other’s perspectives.

IN PERSON at APL and ZOOM

Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may attend either in-person or by ZOOM if desired.

The East Coast Greenway is a developing trail and transformative vision, with the aim of creating nearly 3,000 miles of safe, off-road routes that connect Maine to Florida for biking, walking, and rolling. Join us to explore the current state of the Greenway in Maine, with a focus on the existing route in Lewiston, and to learn about exciting plans for future expansion into Auburn and statewide improvements. We'll also share stories of inspirational through-travelers and provide tips on how you can access the Greenway locally for multi-use recreation and sustainable transportation.

Based in Maine, Emily Paskewicz joined the East Coast Greenway Alliance in 2024 as its Northern New England Manager. In this role, Emily carries region-wide responsibilities for all aspects of Greenway development, advocacy and state committee and volunteer engagement. She supports communities along the route in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts as they plan, build and maintain sections of the Greenway.

IN PERSON at APL and ZOOM

Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may attend either in-person or by ZOOM if desired.

Paul Linet is the Founder and CEO of 3i Housing of Maine, a non-profit organization working to promote Independent community based living options for adults (of all ages) with disabilities through Innovative, Affordable Housing and Integrated Support Services.

Since its establishment as a non-profit in 2020, 3i HoME has been pursuing unique models that leverage smart-home assistive technology with person-centered enhanced care coordination. Paul will be detailing the 3i HoME totally accessible housing developments occurring in southern and western Maine and the potential for replication in the L/A area.

Following a lengthy career in business and law, Paul Linet, founded 3i HoME drawing on 25 years of family caregiving advocacy, as well as regulatory and legislative experience at the state and federal level.  The 3i HoME team is creating supportive/accessible housing, thereby addressing the needs of thousands of Maine citizens dealing with the shortage of direct care workers, nursing home closures and the needless institutionalization of older adults and adults with disabilities. 

IN-PERSON at APL

Join us in exploring Flash Memoir, a short form, non-fiction way of recording your memories, and to share them with our group, if you wish. All suggested assignments will be written outside class time and be no longer than 500 words (about two pages, double spaced, 12pt type). In this workshop you will find a safe place to hear your work read aloud, and to invite our group to engage in constructive discussion. All are welcome, no previous experience is necessary. Our first meeting will be an open forum, so bring your questions and curiosity!

Barbara Gravinese is a published writer of memoir, poetry, and informational booklets, born in New York City, who has lived in Vermont, Kansas, New Mexico, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Her work experience has included teaching painting and drawing, English language, and human anatomy. She holds Master Degrees in Folklore and Counseling, and was awarded a US-Canadian Fulbright Fellowship to study abroad. Barbara is currently a resident of Brunswick, Maine.

Zoom and in person at APL

Lindsay will join us via Zoom. Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may either Zoom in from home or come to the library to watch the presentation on the big screen.

Lindsay Ware will introduce us to the work of Science Dogs of New England, an organization that trains both dogs and their human handlers to use the superior scent-detection abilities of dogs for low-impact conservation and research work. The presentation will include a video of the dogs working on important environmental research. 

Lindsay has partnered with dogs for conservation purposes since 2011, when she began training dogs to find mortally wounded large game animals for hunters. Passionate about wildlife and conservation from a young age, Lindsay earned her B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Unity College, and her M.S. in Biology from the University of Western Ontario. She spent many years traveling the U.S. and Canada working as a wildlife research technician for several government and non-profit agencies.

IN PERSON at APL and ZOOM

Everyone who registers will receive a link to ZOOM in their email on the morning of the class, and may attend either in-person or by ZOOM if desired.

A mosque made out of chain link fencing. A gasoline pump that morphs into a man committing suicide. A jet fighter emerging threateningly from the ceiling of a beautiful mosque. Works like these demonstrate the wonderful creativity of Saudi conceptual artists and reveal fascinating insights into a country known primarily for its fundamentalist form of Islam and its oppression of women.

Loring Danforth is a retired professor of anthropology at Bates College. In 2012 he spent a month in Saudi Arabia with a group of Bates students, an experience chronicled in his book Crossing the Kingdom: Portraits of Saudi Arabia. In 2016 he co-curated an exhibition of contemporary Saudi art at the Bates College Museum of Art.

IN-PERSON at L-A Metro Chamber of Commerce (415 Lisbon Street, Suite 100, Lewiston, ME)

When we think of plants and botany, many of us think first of flowers, but there is a whole world of non-flowering plants out there. These include lichens, liverworts, mosses, clubmosses, horsetails, ferns and conifers. This course will cover the basic structures, functions, ecological relationships, and taxonomy of this diverse group of organisms, including an introduction to the specialized vocabulary used to study them. The course is primarily taught with PowerPoint but will include live and preserved specimens from each group. An optional field trip on a weekend day will be scheduled near the end of the course.

Jeff Pengel was trained as a geologist and botanist and holds degrees in Natural Science and Secondary Education. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide, a Maine Master Naturalist instructor, and an Appalachian Mountain Club volunteer naturalist. Jeff has worked as geologist, high school science teacher, outdoor educator, and park ranger but has spent most of his career in IT and project management.

IN PERSON at APL

Students will learn the basics of making greeting cards. I will discuss materials, tools, and measurements. Each student will make at least two cards. (Each student who wishes to make cards should bring a ruler, scissors and a double-sided tape runner, or a liquid glue appropriate for paper, such as Tombow liquid glue.)

Jo has always enjoyed crafting, and for the past 20 years or so, she’s been into paper crafting, mainly ornaments. That has led her to card making, selling the cards at craft fairs and donating them to charities. She looks forward to helping others make their own cards. Jo is semi-retired and looking forward to full retirement soon.