The Life Enrichment series is planned especially for adults age 60 and over.
The series is made possible by funding from Bethel College and the generosity of speakers who share their talent and expertise without compensation. The series is held in conjunction with Bethel’s academic year.
| Cost: | $20 per semester or $2 per week; first-time attendees get a free day |
|---|---|
| Time: | 9:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. (lunch following) |
| Location: | Krehbiel Auditorium in the Luyken Fine Arts Center on the Bethel campus, unless otherwise noted |
Coffee break time is usually 10:15–10:35 a.m. (donations needed to help cover cost). Lunch is served in the Schultz Student Center dining hall. Tickets for lunch should be purchased by 10:35 a.m. Cost: $6 for full meal; $4 for soup/salad/dessert.
Current Schedule
| February 7 | |
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| 9:30 a.m. | Third Time’s a Charm John Sheriff, outgoing interim president, Bethel College |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | SouthWind Global Aviation Tyson Teeter, co-owner, Moundridge |
| 11:30 a.m. | Transforming Agriculture from a Soil-Degrading into a Soil-Building Activity Timothy Crews, research director and ecologist, The Land Institute, Salina |
| February 14 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Black History: Happenings through the Years and the Regression Being Experienced in Current Times Sylvia Kelly, grandmother, great-grandmother and activist, North Newton |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Current Tax Policy and Your Retirement Finances Ken Kriz, professor, Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs, Wichita State University |
| 11:30 a.m. | Come and See: Reflections from a Learning Tour to Israel and Palestine Heidi Regier Kreider, conference minister, Western District Conference, North Newton |
| February 21 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Managing Wildlife in the Rapidly Changing Landscape of the Greater Yellowstone Area Steve Schmidt, retired regional supervisor for Idaho Fish and Game, Montana |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Cowboys and Clerics John K. Burchill, criminal justice historian and author, Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina. Sponsor: Kansas Humanities Council |
| 11:30 a.m. | Cowboys and Clerics, continues (double session) |
| February 28 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | 50 States at 50 Stacey Rhoades, clinical professional counselor, Newton |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Tortilla King, Local Moundridge Business Gary Brown, chief operations officer, Moundridge |
| 11:30 a.m. | Re-Thinking Homelessness James Wilson, executive director, New Hope Shelter Inc., Newton |
| March 7 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Pacifist in the War Zone near Mosul, Iraq Bill Swartley, certified registered nurse anesthetist, Newton |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | The Sedgwick County Science and Discovery Center Dee Wright, volunteer/membership coordinator, Exploration Place, Wichita |
| 11:30 a.m. | Group of 62: The Story of MCC Rescuing Russian Mennonite Soldiers after WWI John Sharp, professor of history, Hesston College |
| March 14 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | A Woman Pastor’s Memoir Dorothy Nickel Friesen, Newton |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Bonneville Salt Flats - Land-Speed Record Attempt Glen Ediger, director, design research and development, North Newton |
| 11:30 a.m. | Successful Aging: Maximizing Quality of Life Louis Medvene, professor of psychology, Wichita State University |
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March 21 - Spring Break |
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| March 28 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | All Things Fishing at Harvey County Parks Stuart Scott, Harvey County Parks ranger, Fishing’s Future master angler and KDWPT-certified angler instructor, Newton |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Dead Towns of Central Kansas Amy Bickle, Hutchinson News |
| 11:30 a.m. | Preparing to Live in the Shoes of Women in History Irene Nielson, president and artistic director, Designing Excellence, Lindsborg, and Bonnie Johnson, chief financial officer, Designing Excellence, Sedgwick |
| April 4 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | "Someone will actually buy this?" The Birth and Development of the ReUse It Center LaVon Ediger, McPherson |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Ten Reasons Why Health Care has Changed Vallerie Gleason, chief executive officer, Newton Medical Center |
| 11:30 a.m. | Benefits for Seniors You Did Not Know Robert Carlton, director, Harvey County Senior Services, Newton |
| April 11 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Kim Jong-Un’s North Korea: A Clear and Present Danger Jim Goering, retired World Bank economist, North Newton |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Life up a Child’s Voice: I Am for the Child Sandra Bradley, director, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, Newton, and Marlene Faul, CASA volunteer, North Newton |
| 11:30 a.m. | How to Advocate for Quality Long-Term Care Services and the Ombudsman Program Barbara Hickert, state long-term care ombudsman, Topeka |
| April 18 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Golden Notes - The Choir at Grand Central Janet Ediger, director |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Community Paramedicine Scott Metzler, department chief, Newton Fire and Emergency Medical Services |
| 11:30 a.m. | A. Masterworks Concert Plans William Eash, professor of music, Bethel College B. Bethel College Jazz Combo I Jim Pisano, associate professor of music |
| April 25 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Going Back to Future Success: A Backwards Story about Retro Running Aaron Yoder, head cross-country and track and field coach, Bethany College, Lindsborg |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | Why Do We Not Want to Talk About Suicide? Barbara Gibson, president, National Alliance for Mental Illness for Harvey, McPherson and Marion counties, Newton |
| 11:30 a.m. |
C. Henry Smith Peace Orations |
| May 2 | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Owning and Growing Coffee in Honduras Ashley and Julia (Niehage) Williams, Moundridge |
| 10:15 a.m. | Coffee break |
| 10:35 a.m. | The Future College Jon Gering, president, Bethel College |
| 11:30 a.m. |
Woven (women) and Open Road (men) |