Mar 19 Tuesday
The Human Rights Authority is the investigative branch of the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, a state agency that is dedicated to advocating for the rights of citizens with disabilities in Illinois. The Human Rights Authority investigates alleged violations of the rights of persons with disabilities by providers of services. The agency is unique in its use of citizen volunteers to conduct these investigations and make corrective recommendations. As such, Regional Authorities are always seeking to fill vacancies as they occur as well as maintain a pool of potential volunteer members for times when the need arises.
If you feel that you, or someone you know, has had their rights violated by a disability service provider or if you would like to volunteer to participate in the Northwest regional board, located in Champaign, please visit the website at gac.il.gov or call the statewide intake at 1-866-274-8023.
CHILDREN NEEDED FOR AUTISM RESEARCH STUDY EXPLORING COORDINATION AND BALANCE AT NIU
Children between 3 and 12 years of age with and without a diagnosis of autism are eligible to participate. Children will engage in a variety of motor tasks, such as pulling a string, repeating a spoken sentence, or walking on a straight line. Entire study takes about one-hour. Children will receive a small toy.
Interested? Please complete an interest form by going to https://www.niu.edu/huskieslab/participate/index.shtml, emailing huskieslab@niu.edu, or calling The Human Speech Kinematics Experimental Studies (HUSKIES) Lab at 815-753-5211.
Questions? Please reach out to Allison Gladfelter, PhD, CCC-SLP, agladfelter@niu.edu, or Doug Wallace, PhD, at dwallace@niu.edu.
Our research lab is located in the NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic DeKalb, IL 60115.
The NIU Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI), established in 2000, is a member-directed group of individuals primarily age 50+ who enjoy learning in informal, flexible, non-competitive groups and like connecting with peers who share their interests. No grades, no tests – just learning for the fun of it.
Tuesdays, March 19, 26 and April 2, 99:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The Nazis used “language Instruction” (Sprachregelungen) to influence German press publications after 1933. These secret instructions were provided to a select group of journalists, who then spread them throughout the German press with the warning that they were to share their notes only with trusted colleagues and destroy them regularly. These practices have been studied extensively by the Jewish philologist Viktor Klemperer, cousin to both the conductor Otto Klemperer and American actor Werner Klemperer (better known as Colonel Klink from the sixties TV show Hogan’s Heroes). With an emphasis on Klemperer’s writings, we will look at examples of these press instructions in translation, as well as how they were reflected in the newspapers of the period.
Convener: J. Katharina Barbe, associate professor emerita and former chair of NIU foreign languages, was the co-editor and a contributor for Modern Germany in the series Understanding Modern Nations.
The Next Picture Show community fine arts center in Dixon presents its Shades of Gray Art Exhibition thru March 30. It features works of art created in black, white & gray using mediums such as acrylic, charcoal, digital photography, enamel, wool & silk fiber, film photography, graphite pencil, and watercolor.
March brings a new line up of artists on display at the Coliseum Museum of Art, Antiques & Americana in downtown Oregon, IL, with exhibits by Stephen Hart of Dixon and David Van Delinder of Cherry Valley.
Stephen Hart is the Feature Artist for March, with his display of digital photography of local and regional scenes with an emphasis on the Nachusa Grasslands. Starting out at the young age of 13 his hobby has been evolving since the film days to today’s modern cameras that offer so many features.
David Van Delinder, of Cherry Vallery, has his work on display in the Lowden Gallery from March 1 – April 30. David’s fine art is rooted in traditional technique and classical composition. His pen and ink drawings of abandoned barns and jazz musicians, impressionistic florals, landscapes, and classical oil portraits all display both virtuosity and inspiration.
The work of these two artists as well as the many other artists on display throughout the Coliseum Museum will be highlighted on Friday, March 15, with an Artist Reception from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, with music by Slainte who will present Celtic music for the evening’s entertainment.
Tuesdays, March 19, 26 and April 2, 9, 161 to 3 p.m.
Over the last several decades, people studying wellness have found that daily doses of wonder can do a lot to improve our everyday lives and lift us out of depression, worry and loneliness. For some of us, though, that sense of enchantment – so natural when we were children – has become more and more difficult to find.
In this study group, we’ll look at easily accessible poems that try to capture or trigger our experience of wonder. What is wonder, anyway? When, where and why does it catch us by surprise, and are there ways we can better seek it out in days to come? As we talk about poems, perhaps we’ll be prompted to share more of our own wonder-filled moments and insights.
Convener: Joe Gastiger was pastor at the First Congregational Church, UCC, in DeKalb for almost twenty years before retiring in 2020. Prior to ministry, he taught English classes at NIU and coordinated the University Honors Program. These days, he serves on the LLI Curriculum Committee and chairs the Steering Committee. Joe has led more than a dozen study groups for LLI and has published four books of poetry.
Ready, Set, Sing!What? FREE Singing LessonsWho? All men and women who love to sing!When? Five Tuesday evenings for an hourStarting March 5th, 2024Where? Christ Methodist Church 4509 Highcrest Rd, Rockford, IL7:00 – 8:00 Singing Lesson8:00 – 8:15 RefreshmentsSponsored by The 2nd City ChorusBarbershop Harmony SocietyFor more information email:info@2ndcitychorus.comor call Dave M at 815-262-2831
Mar 20 Wednesday
Wednesdays, March 20, 27 and April 3, 109:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Erosion, the great equalizer, perpetually wears down the land with the forces of wind and water, but the greatest erosive force on the planet is ice, specifically glacial ice. When more snow falls in the winter than melts in the summer, that snow accumulates and compresses, forming glacial ice, ice that moves over the land reshaping it often with variations beyond our imaginations. Glaciers can even move boulders the size of small houses relocating them miles from their origin.
We begin our examination, exploration and discussion with a brief overview of the geology of the Earth’s Ice Ages and the history of America’s national parks, concentrating on those carved by ice. We will focus on Yosemite, the crown jewel and my fave. We will then traverse the continent with glimpses at Acadia, Isle Royale, Voyageurs, Glacier and North Cascades national parks. Then north to Alaska to visit Glacier Bay, Kenai Fjords and Wrangell-St. Elias national parks. The beauty of these national parks will warm your heart.
Convener: Linda Fulton is a retired middle-school teacher with a lifelong interest in the natural wonders and beauty of our world. She has led many LLI classes on our national parks and monuments.