View the quick, at-a-glance, course calendar.
Special Events
F23-021, Fall Kick-Off Social
September 13, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va. 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: LLI President, Ann Cain
Description: The Fall Kick-off Social presents an opportunity:
to meet class coordinators and learn about LLI’s various classes and clubs
to invite prospective members to attend with you
to socialize with new and returning members
to participate in drawings for door prizes
to receive help with membership and/or class registration (cash or checks, no credit cards).
to enjoy light refreshments
Members are asked to register for this event. Guests are welcome.
Biography: N/A
LLI Coordinator: Karla Anzzolin
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F23-022, New Member Orientation
September 15, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Trinity Episcopal Church, 9325 West St., Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 80
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: LLI President, Ann Cain and others.
Description: This class is for new and veteran LLI members who would like to learn more about the history and operation of our organization. New members will discover what LLI can offer them, including opportunities for socialization, volunteering and learning. The class will include an introduction to the four clubs (Mah Jongg, Book Club, Lunch Club, and the new one, Game Day) and demonstrations on how to use the LLI website and calendar and how to register for classes online. We encourage our veteran LLI members to help welcome the new members and become informed about current opportunities for a richer experience. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Biography: N/A
LLI Coordinator: Dar Miklosovich and Linda Whitehead
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F23-023, Annual Holiday Luncheon
December 6, 2023, 11:15 am to 02:30 pm
Location: Regency Clubhouse
15351 Championship Drive
Haymarket, Virginia 20169 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 140
Fee: A. $25.00 for members. Include with registration. B. $35.00 for guests. Include with registration.
Speaker/Host: LLI President, Ann Cain
Description: Sign in begins at 11:15 a.m.
Lunch is served at Noon. Cash bar is available.
The last date to sign up or cancel is Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
Biography: N/A
LLI Coordinator: Karla Anzzolin
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LLI and Hylton Performing Arts Center Partnership
F23-031, An Introduction to Playwright August Wilson
September 18, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Hylton Performing Arts Center, Gregory Family Theater (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Denise McPhail and Darren Price
Description: This class will feature an in-depth introduction to the fascinating work and life of playwright August Wilson. It will also include a scene from Fences enacted by the actors who will stage it at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in September. In addition, LLI members and guests will have an opportunity to engage in a Q&A period with the presenters and, time permitting, the actors.
During his brief 60-year life, African American playwright August Wilson won two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, seven New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, the Peabody Award, and a Tony Award among other accolades. Wilson began his literary life as a poet and short story writer, turning to drama in 1977 at the age of 32. From that point on, drama became Wilson’s genre of choice, eventually resulting in ten plays he called The Century Cycle (also known as The Pittsburgh Cycle), which he produced from 1982 to 2005. The works chronicled African American life of the decades from 1900 to the 1990s. In addition to being performed on Broadway, Wilson’s work has been adapted for television and film. A model of lifelong learning, Wilson dropped out of school at age 15 but immediately proceeded to educate himself by reading extensively in a neighborhood public library.
Performances: Fences, a play by August Wilson
Saturday, Sep. 16 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sep. 17 at 3 p.m.
Friday, Sep. 22 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sep. 23 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sep. 24 at 3 p.m.
Tickets: $30 for adult; $25 military; $12 senior and student
Biography: Denise McPhail:
Denise McPhail, co-founder and executive director of the Creative and Performing Arts Center (CAPAC) in Woodbridge, Virginia, holds a Bachelor of Individualized Studies degree in performing arts management from George Mason University. Her mission, as well as that of CAPAC, is to provide a means of diversifying the arts and making them more accessible to underrepresented populations.
Darren Price:
Drawing from his experiences growing up in Washington, DC, and Kentucky, Price has a strong connection to the themes of Femces. This connection gave him particular insight into the mindset and emotions of the play’s characters. His directorial strategy includes imbuing in his actors the confidence to step into their roles and make them believable to the audience. Although he himself is an experienced actor, the CAPAC production of Fences marks Price’s directorial debut.
LLI Coordinator: Valerie Kenyon Gaffney
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F23-032, Performing Patsy: How and Why Patsy Cline Inspired Us to Replicate and Reimagine Her Performances
November 1, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Hylton Performing Arts Center, Gregory Family Theater (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Jess Eliot Myhre & Maureen Andary
Description: When you dig into Patsy Cline’s life story, you discover a young woman who defied the odds, overcoming rural poverty & sexism to shine on the world stage. Even with all her success, her artistic goals were often thwarted by labels and producers who held the purse strings, controlling her repertoire and musical arrangements. Through it all she developed and maintained strong friendships with rising country vocalists, supporting women such as Loretta Lynn and Dottie West. She also relied heavily on the enduring love of her mother Hilda, her biggest supporter. It is this strong thread of female kinship that inspires us to pay tribute to Patsy again and again with collaborative performances from strong female vocalists. The Seven Voices project has been an opportunity for us to support one another and grow closer through our own arrangements and performances of Patsy Cline’s repertoire.
Enjoy a listening party where we compare the original recordings with some of our new ones along with some live performance and storytelling about Patsy’s life.
Performance: Seven Voices – A Tribute to Patsy Cline
Sunday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $30
Free for Veterans and Service members with ID (up to two tickets each). Free tickets are limited and available only in person at the Hylton Center Ticket Office.
Biography: Jess Eliot Myhre performs and teaches all over the country: in halls, theaters, universities, festivals, dance tents, music camps, and house concerts, both solo and with her award-winning band The Bumper Jacksons.
Maureen Andary is a professional vocalist, songwriter, and music educator at various music stores and local churches, and she performs at DC-area venues with her award winning duo, The Sweater Set.
Both Jess & Maureen are Washington Area Music Award winners and former Artists in Residence at the Music Center at Strathmore.
LLI Coordinator: Valerie Kenyon Gaffney
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F23-033, The Legendary Ingramettes, Richmond’s First Family of Gospel Music
November 8, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Jon Lohman and members of the Legendary Ingramettes
Description: Join Members of the gospel group, the Legendary Ingramettes, and former Virginia State folklorist and director of the Center for Cultural Vibrancy, Jon Lohman, for discussion and song about the important role of Black gospel music in the attainment of civil rights in the American south. The Ingramettes were deeply involved in the generationally defining struggle, and their journey is both uniquely remarkable while also indicative of the greater struggles of many. Hailing from the musically rich region of Richmond, Virginia, the Ingramettes are icons in the gospel community and were recently honored with the 2022 National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor that the United States bestows upon traditional artists.
Performance: The Legendary Ingramettes
Sunday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $48, $41, $29; use code LLI20 for LLI’s 20% discount
Biography: Richmond’s “first family of gospel,” The Legendary Ingramettes, was formed six decades ago by “Mama” Maggie Ingram, who found inspiration in Black gospel male quartets of the 1940s and 50s. With her harmonizing singers, Ingram broke new ground with her female-driven quartet. They are now led by Ingram’s daughter Reverend Almeta Ingram-Miller, granddaughter Cheryl Maroney Yancey, daughter-in-law Carrie Jackson, and goddaughter Valerie Stewart, With the spirit of a Sunday morning service, The Legendary Ingramettes have inspired audiences into a gospel fervor whether they are performing at the Kennedy Center or National Folk Festival.
LLI Coordinator: Valerie Kenyon Gaffney
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Arts & Literature
F23-041, Mexican Modernism and the art of Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo
November 10, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Manassas Park Community Center, 99 Adams St., Manassas Park, VA 20111 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Prof. Jeanette Nicewinter
Description: This class will be an in-depth exploration of the artistic movement that shaped Mexico in the early 20th century: Mexican Modernism. It will focus on the works of the most prominent Mexican Modernist artists such as Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Jose Clemente Orozco, and many others. Students will learn about the cultural and political context in which these artists worked and how they used their art to comment on social issues, indigenous culture, and the Mexican Revolution. Students will study the works of these artists in different mediums such as painting, printmaking, and murals, along with its aesthetic innovations and visual language. Students will also have the opportunity to examine the influence of the Mexican Muralism on the development of public art and the impact of Mexican Modernism in the art world internationally. The class will also consider the unique aspects of Mexican Modernism, such as the artists’ use of native motifs and pre-Columbian art and their engagement with the country’s indigenous peoples and their cultures, as well as their depiction of the social and political issues of their time. Through lectures, discussion, and in-class activities, students will gain a deeper understanding of the art and its role in shaping Mexican culture and identity.
This talk will include details which make a talk interesting – Communism! revolution! scandal! extramarital affairs! – oh, yeah, and art as well.
Biography: Dr. Jeanette Nicewinter is a highly accomplished and dedicated art history professor who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her students. She currently serves as an associate professor at Northern Virginia Community College’s Annandale Campus, where she teaches a variety of art-historical subjects. In addition, she also teaches one course per semester at American University, further demonstrating her versatility and ability to connect with students from different backgrounds.
Dr. Nicewinter earned her doctorate in art historical studies from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2016, and since then, she has established herself as an authority in the field of ancient American art. Her area of specialization is the study of ceramics from the northern highlands of present-day Peru, and she has made significant contributions to the field through her research and publications. However, Dr. Nicewinter also frequently identifies as a “generalist” and enjoys teaching a broad spectrum of art-historical topics, which allows her to provide her students with a comprehensive understanding of the subject.
In addition to her teaching and research responsibilities, Dr. Nicewinter has also given presentations for LLI-Manassas during each of the last six semesters, further demonstrating her commitment to sharing her knowledge with a wider audience. She is dedicated to fostering a love of art history in her students and is known for her ability to make complex material accessible to them. 
LLI Coordinator: David Pace
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F23-042, In Many Voices: A Writing Workshop Series
October 16, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:30 pm
Additional dates: Oct. 23, Oct 30, Nov 6, Nov 13, Nov 20, Nov 27, Dec 4
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 30
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Rotating Leaders
Description: One of the longest-running classes at LLI-Manassas, the Writing Workshop, will continue this fall with a somewhat altered format. A rotation of seasoned writers will lead the weekly sessions. Participants will receive inspiration, ideas, examples and prompts from various authors, poets and artists and will have in-class time to write and share their writing. In addition, positive feedback will let writers know what they have created and crafted well, so they can build on their strengths in future self-chosen pieces. Each class will include time to learn from, write with, and listen to fellow writers.
Please come with ideas and materials for writing.
Biography: Multiple
LLI Coordinator: Elizabeth Crawford
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F23-043, Overview of Latin American Literature and Culture POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2024
October 27, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Ligia Glass
Description: What is Literature? What is Latin American Literature? This class will highlight the main themes to be found there. What influences did these authors have to write the books they wrote? We will look at the works of Isabel Allende, Gabriel García Marquez, Rosario Ferré, Laura Esquivel and others who will take us to their world of magical realism, politics, and beliefs. Through their words, we will have a sense of how the culture of each country developed and is embedded in their writings.
Biography: Ligia Glass is a native of Panama who has retired from the Securities and Exchange Commission. She has over 22 years of teaching all levels of Spanish and Latin American literature at Northern Virginia Community College. She has also taught Spanish with the Fairfax County Adult Education Program (ACE) and has been an OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) instructor for several years. Glass holds a master’s degree in foreign languages, a master’s in Latin American area studies, and an ABD (all but dissertation) in Latin American literature.
LLI Coordinator: Jo Anne Renton
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Current Events
F23-051, What’s Next for the U.S. Economy?
September 29, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Dr. John Min
Description: Persistent inflation? Interest rate hikes? Historically low unemployment? Jitters in the banking system? A whip-sawed stock market? What does it all mean, and what could possibly be next? Join NVCC Professor John Min as he discusses the present state of economics in the U.S. and his projections for the future.
Biography: Dr. John Min teaches economics at Northern Virginia Community College, along with Master of Finance courses at New England College of Business and Finance and at the London Academy of Trading. He earned his master’s in business administration from George Washington University and doctorate in economics from George Mason University. Outside of the college, John is the chief economist at Monex USA, where he works with corporate clients to mitigate and manage their foreign exchange risks. Prior to working with Monex, John was founder and chief economist for World First USA and worked as the vice president of sales for Ruesch International, an international financial institution based in Washington, DC. Throughout his career, John has also worked with companies such as JP Morgan Chase, Everbank, Management Concepts, Western Union, AFEX, and Ebury.
LLI Coordinator: Mike Ahern
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F23-052,
December 8, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:30 pm
Location: Prince William County Courthouse, Circuit Courtroom # 4, 3rd floor, 9311 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA. 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 126
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Judge William Jarvis
Description: Judge William Jarvis returns to continue his always popular discussions of topics currently at the forefront of the judicial system. Policing practices and other legal issues are always in the news. How should we look at these headlines? What do we need to know to understand them? Judge Jarvis answers these questions for us, speaking about what he thinks are the important issues, as well as those which you would like to know more about.
Biography: Honorable William Jarvis, Judge of the General District Court, graduated from Old Dominion University in 1985 with bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and criminal justice. After graduate work at the University of Virginia, he attended George Mason University School of Law, graduating in 1991. He served as a prosecutor in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, from 1992 to 1998, and in Marion County, Florida, from 1998 to 2002. Upon returning to Virginia in 2002, he served as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Prince William County until 2012, when he was elected to the bench. Throughout his career, he has taught search and seizure law as well as other topics to police, attorneys, and other judges.
LLI Coordinator: Craig Johnston
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F23-053, Looking at the history of the Arabian Peninsula and Islam
October 19, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: William Pierce
Description: Mr. Pierce will lead us from the ancient origins of the intensely tribal Bedouins on the Arabian Peninsula, through the rise of Islam, its internal disputes, its ebbs and flows through history since then, the establishment of Saudi Arabia, and its competing interests of adapting to the modern world while keeping its Bedouin history and culture. He will discuss how they and other Arab and Muslim countries view the world through their very ancient history, culture and religion—a valuable subject for all of us to understand in these days of a shrinking world.
Biography: William Pierce is a retired U.S. foreign service officer with concentrated experience in Middle Eastern and Indonesian affairs. He has served in many Arab and Islamic countries and participated in negotiating treaties and promoting U.S. interests overseas. He is an avid reader proficient in Indonesian and Arabic and has studied Arabic and Islamic history. He is uniquely qualified to bring us that rich, diverse, and (to us) largely unknown history, a history which has shaped much of the world and continues to do so to this day.
LLI Coordinator: Craig Johnston
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F23-054, Great Decisions 2023, Part 2
October 26, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Additional dates: Nov 2, Nov 9, Nov 16
Location: Zoom
Maximum class size: 372
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Dan Leahy
Description: Part 2 of the 2023 program will discuss the following topics:
China and the United States,
Politics in Latin America,
Iran at a Crossroads and
Climate Migration.
Biography: Dan Leahy is a retired federal government employee with over 30 years of public service in the area of international trade. Dan is a longtime member of LLI and has taught the Current Events Discussions and Great Decisions classes for many years. He is a past president of LLI and currently is a member of the program committee.
LLI Coordinator: Dan Leahy
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Experience Buffet
F23-061, A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
December 11, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: David Pace
Description: David and Mary Pace went on a week-long pilgrimage to the Holy Land earlier this year. They visited and prayed at multiple locations important in the life of Jesus as related in the Gospels. This included his birth in Bethlehem, his early ministry around the Sea of Galilee, and his final week with his death and resurrection in Jerusalem. Details about some specific locations vary among different Christian faith traditions, and this presentation will be in accordance with the Catholic tradition. The purpose will not be to proselytize, but rather merely to report on the experience.
Biography: David and Mary Pace are seasoned travelers, having visited 79 countries and all but one continent (Antarctica). Their love of travel began when David was stationed in Germany for three years in the US Air Force. Mary holds a bachelor’s degree in art from San Diego State University and a master’s degree in education from the University of Virginia, and David holds a bachelor’s degree in math from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in astronomy from San Diego State University. In addition, David is a retired USAF officer and meteorologist, a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, and has had stints in the private sector and at the Federal Aviation Administration. Both David and Mary recently appeared as advertising models for Richfield Living and David has also made appearances as a background extra in various TV shows and movies. David is currently the LLI-Manassas webmaster.
LLI Coordinator: David Pace
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Health & Fitness
F23-071, Urology Updated
November 9, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Dr. Bary M. Berger
Description: Urology specialist Dr. Berger will present new information about the field of urology and provide updates on treatments in his day-to-day practice. He will lead an overall discussion of prostate health, sexual function, and testosterone therapy. Time will be allowed for a question and answer session after the slide presentation.
Biography: Dr. Bary M. Berger graduated with honors from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1987. He completed his residency program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine specializing in urologic surgery. Dr. Berger has over 25 years of clinical and leadership experience in private practice. He is presently with UVA Community Health and practices in Haymarket, Virginia.
LLI Coordinator: Kelly Espy
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F23-072, Let’s Start Something New–Chair Yoga
December 13, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center, 9100 Freedom Center Boulevard, Manassas, VA. 20110
Freedom@gmu.edu (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 40
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Instructor: Robin Frey
Description: Are you ready to have some fun? Robin Frey will take us through the basics of chair yoga and explain the many benefits of a mind-body program. While sitting in a chair, you will be stretching and moving your entire body. She will also demonstrate how we can use the chair for balance and support while we are in a standing yoga position. All are encouraged to attend including beginners and those with limited capabilities. Remember to wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
Biography: Robin Frey has been with Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center for eleven years. Presently, she is their Fitness Program Director. She is a Certified Personal Trainer and also certified as a Functional Movement Specialist. She is looking forward to introducing you to Chair Yoga.
LLI Coordinator: Kelly Espy
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F23-073, Let’s Get Fyzical
October 18, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 60
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: David E. Ebbecke, PT, DPT, MBA; Dr. Samantha Schambach, PT, DPT; Dr. Jessica Beech, PT, DPT, ATC, ATRIC
Description: Three therapists will present the different treatments available for balance issues, vestibular (pertaining to the inner ear and brain) disorders, the acute stage of concussions, post-concussion syndromes, and the use of the water environment for arthritis, joint replacements, gait disorders, and chronic pain.
David Ebbecke will talk about how to identify and assess balance impairments in older adults, including common balance tests and measurements. He will present ways to improve balance including balance specific exercises, strength training, flexibility, and other environmental modifications.
Dr. Schambach will define and explore the causes, signs, and symptoms of a concussion, as well as concussion rehabilitation, including physical therapy, and the exercises and techniques used to help patients regain function and reduce symptoms.
Dr. Beech will speak to aquatic physical therapy as a specialized form of rehabilitation that involves exercise and movement in water, which can help patients benefit in a variety of ways. She will identify the common conditions that can be treated, the necessary safety considerations, and the equipment used in aquatic physical therapy.
Biography: David Ebbecke, PT, DPT, MBA, is the owner of the Fyzical Therapy and Balance Center, with clinics in Manassas and Gainesville. He has been helping individuals overcome their pain and disability since 1997. David continues to see patients daily in his clinics. While possessing an extensive background in orthopedics and sports rehabilitation, he shifted his practice focus in 2019 to treating patients with balance and vestibular disorders.
Dr. Samantha Schambach, PT, DPT, is a graduate of Osbourn High School. She continued her education and received her doctorate from Shenandoah University in 2020. While there, she was the assistant coach of the university’s volleyball team. Dr. Schambach’s focus is to further her knowledge and skills in manual therapy, sports medicine, and vestibular rehabilitation with emphasis on post-concussion rehabilitation protocols.
Dr. Jessica Beech, PT, DPT, ATC, ATRIC, earned her doctorate in physical therapy in 2002 and has practiced physical therapy continuously in outpatient orthopedic settings. Dr. Beech started the aquatic physical therapy program in 2014 in partnership with Central Park Aquatic Center in Manassas. She enjoys the freedom that water based physical therapy offers patients to perform exercises that increase strength, mobility, balance, and function while decreasing the load through the body’s joints. The support that water offers patients decreases sensations of pain during therapy, while increasing therapeutic benefits.
LLI Coordinator: Nancy Osborne
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History
F23-081, The Lincoln Assassination Trial
October 11, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Jacquemin Family Foundation Rehearsal Hall, Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Dr. Paul Severance
Description: The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April 1865 prompted a massive manhunt for the perpetrator, actor John Wilkes Booth, and those believed to be involved in the larger plot against Lincoln. Within 12 days of the assassination, Booth was dead and over 300 individuals were apprehended and incarcerated by government military forces and civilian police departments. Eight individuals intimately involved in the plot were singled out for trial by a military tribunal, which opened less than a month after Lincoln’s assassination. From the outset, the trial faced questions with respect to its constitutionality and suspicions that endure to this day that the trial was driven by a desire for revenge rather than justice. Dr. Paul Severance’s presentation will examine the arrests, incarcerations, trial, and sentencing of the eight major conspirators, with a focus on the legal dimensions of the judicial process. Dr. Severance will appear in the uniform of Winfield Scott Hancock, who supervised the execution of the conspirators.
Biography: Dr. Paul Severance is a retired historian and now the head docent of the Lincoln Assassination Conspirators’ Trial Restored Courtroom at Fort Leslie J. McNair in Washington, D.C. He served as a professor of strategy and professor of military science at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF) and the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at Fort McNair from 1993 to 2018. Dr. Severance is also a faculty member of the Blue-Gray Education Society and is a highly sought-after educator on the American Civil War and the Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Peninsula, and Seven Days Campaigns. Dr. Severance received his undergraduate degree in education from Northeastern University, his master’s in systems management from the Florida Institute of Technology, and his doctorate in human development from Virginia Tech. He is currently an instructor with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the College of William and Mary and the Lifelong Learning Society at Christopher Newport University, where he lectures on The Nature of War, Forms of War and Patterns in Warfare, Military History, and Geography.
LLI Coordinator: David Pace
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F23-082, Nazis on the Potomac in World War II
October 4, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Jacquemin Family Foundation Rehearsal Hall, Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Bob Sutton
Description: This class will explore the little-known history of PO Box 1142, a secret facility established shortly after the United States entered World War II. Located at Fort Hunt in Fairfax County, the complex was tasked with interrogating and eavesdropping on high-level Nazi prisoners, as well as translating and analyzing captured German war documents. The American servicemen who worked at PO Box 1142, many of whom were Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany with a personal motivation to defeat the Axis powers, were young, bright, hardworking, and dedicated to their work. Through the use of non-violent tactics, they were able to gain valuable information that helped contribute to the Allied victory in World War II. Historian Bob Sutton will be discussing his book, Nazis on the Potomac: The Top-Secret Intelligence Operation that Helped Win World War II, and will have signed copies available for purchase during the presentation.
Biography: Robert K. Sutton is a retired historian with a wealth of experience in the field of public history. He served as the chief historian of the National Park Service for nearly nine years, and prior to that he was the superintendent of Manassas National Battlefield Park for 12 and a half years. Dr. Sutton’s professional journey began as director of the Historic Preservation and Historical Administration public history programs at Arizona State University from 1986 to 1990. He has a number of publications to his credit, including books, articles and reviews on various public history topics. Currently, Dr. Sutton is working as a consultant to the American Battle Monuments Commission.
LLI Coordinator: David Pace
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F23-083, Civil War Women: Indispensable Leaders of the Second American Revolution
November 6, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Dar al-Noor Islamic Community Center, 5404 Hoadly Rd, Manassas, 20112 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Gene Schmiel
Description: The Civil War brought about a wholesale transformation of American society; and among the most titanic changes was the role of women. Abolition of slavery was the most far-reaching change, but others included further opening of the West via the transcontinental railroads and the Homestead Act; expansion of the role of government; increased urbanization and immigration; and even the rise of baseball as the national game. But the thousands of women who asserted themselves during the war, becoming doctors, nurses, spokesmen for abolition, and other professions, even soldiers, transformed society irrevocably. Gene’s two volume book, Civil War Women: Underestimated and Indispensable, discusses 100 of those women and their contributions. Signed copies of the books will be available for purchase at the LLI session or via this web-site:
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00HV4SSWK
NOTE: This program will be upstairs at the Dar al-Noor Islamic Community Center. Shoes may not be worn on that floor. Attendees should be prepared to take off their shoes, as only socks or bare feet are acceptable there. On occasion, booties to go over shoes may be provided, but not always.
Biography: Gene Schmiel is a retired U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer, who was also an assistant professor of history at St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. He holds a doctorate in history from The Ohio State University and has written over 20 books about the Civil War. His first, Citizen-General: Jacob Dolson Cox and the Civil War Era, was published in 2014 by Ohio University Press. A companion book, My Dearest Lilla: Civil War Letters Home by General Jacob D. Cox, will be published this fall by the University of Tennessee Press. In February of this year, he spoke at LLI-Manassas on the biography of General Irvin McDowell. Gene is a native Ohioan who lives in Gainesville, Virginia, on the border of the Manassas battlefields.
LLI Coordinator: David Pace
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F23-084, “Blue Light” – the Story of the CSS Hunley, the Confederate Submarine that Sank a Ship and Sparked an Enduring Civil War Mystery
December 7, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va. 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Mike Ahern
Description: On the murky night of February 17th 1864, outside the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, the Union warship Housatonic exploded and sank within minutes. The ship had been rammed with a torpedo carried by the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley, marking the first time that a warship had been sunk by a submarine. But shortly after its stunning success, the iron fish-boat vanished without a trace, sparking one of the greatest mysteries of the Civil War.
After more than a century, in August 2000, an expedition led by novelist Clive Cussler found and raised the Hunley intact from the ocean floor and towed her back to Charleston harbor. For the next 15 years, in a specially-built conservation and research center, the Hunley was opened and painstakingly dismantled and examined by a team of historians, naval engineers, and forensic scientists. Their findings and analyses revealed remarkable details of the submarine’s construction and technology and the probable fate of her crew, whose remains were found still at their duty stations in the wreck.
In this class, Mike Ahern will relate the fascinating history of this remarkable naval encounter, the examination and conservation of the boat, and whether the mystery of the CSS Hunley has been truly solved.
Biography: Mike Ahern holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry and served 26 years in the US Army. He has taught at the US Military Academy at West Point, 12 years with Prince William County Schools, and as an adjunct for George Mason University’s College of Education. He is a former Washington Post Teacher of the Year for Prince William County Schools. He is also a former president of LLI-Manassas and has taught many classes for LLI. He has visited the CSS Hunley’s Conservation Center in Charleston and looks forward to telling this amazing story.
LLI Coordinator: Mike Ahern
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F23-085,
October 9, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Additional dates: 10/16, 10/23
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Ann Cain and Dan Leahy
Description: Using The Great Courses videos and class discussions, we will examine how the exploration, conquest, and settlement of the West transformed the United States from a regional republic to a continental and later a world power. In the process, Western history became the source of myths, legends, movies, politics, and the basis of what many would call the exceptional character of Americans.
Biography: Ann Cain spent 39 years teaching American history and government to high school and community college students in several states including Virginia. She received her undergraduate degree in history from Duke University and her master’s degree in history from the University of Tulsa. She is a James Madison Foundation Fellow with a special interest in the creation of the United States and the U.S. Constitution. Ann currently serves as the president of LLI.
Dan Leahy is a retired federal government employee with over 30 years of public service in the area of international trade. He has taught the Great Decisions classes for many years and is a long-time member and former president of LLI.
LLI Coordinator: LLI Coordinator: Ann Cain
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F23-086, Justice Delayed, Justice Denied: The Tragic Story of Harris Neck, Georgia
October 11, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va. 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Harry F. Burroughs, III and David M. Kelly
Description: This is the story of a small, isolated community in Georgia known as Harris Neck, where three generations of former African American slaves and their descendants carved out a subsistence living from 1865 to 1942. Shortly after the United States entered World War II, the US Department of War decided to construct three runways in McIntosh County to train army combat pilots. Despite thousands of acres of suitable undeveloped land in the county, the Department of War followed the advice of county leaders and condemned the 2,687 acres of Harris Neck.
The landowners were given two weeks to vacate their property, and then homeless they sought refuge in a pine sapling woods. Their one hope was the promise made by the federal government that they could have their land back after World War II. This promise was never kept. What is happening now? Our speakers will present an overview of the impact this event had on the descendants and the steps that were taken, and are still being taken, to right this wrong.
Biography: Harry F. Burroughs, III retired in 2015, after 38 years as a staffer for the U.S. House of Representatives. For the last 20 years on the hill, he served as the Republican staff director of the Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, & Insular Affairs. Over those 20 years only a handful of hearings deeply affected him, and this is one of them.
David M. Kelly is a writer and community organizer as well as the Executive Director of the Harris Neck Land Trust. He has been working on social and environmental justice issues for most of his career. Shortly after 9/11 he moved to McIntosh County and has been involved in the Harris Neck fight for justice ever since.
Harry and David are co-authors of Justice Delayed, Justice Denied: The Tragic Story of Harris Neck, Georgia.
LLI Coordinator: Jo Anne Renton
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F23-087, The Great Boston Molasses Flood
November 15, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Zoom
Maximum class size: 284
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Dennis Van Derlaske
Description: On January 15, 1919 a large tank containing approximately two million gallons of molasses burst and set off a river of molasses that flowed at speeds up to thirty-five miles per hour, inundating a North End Boston neighborhood and eventually killing twenty-one people. The event was largely forgotten until its recent 100th anniversary. This class will explore the history of molasses and the molasses trade and discuss how fault for the disaster was attributed and assessed within the social structure of the times.
Biography: Dennis Van Derlaske is a member of University of Mary Washington ElderStudy in Fredericksburg. He serves on its curriculum committee and frequently lectures on topics of “vernacular history.” Dennis is a past member of the Prince William County Historical Commission and currently serves on the board of the Prince William County Historical Society.
LLI Coordinator: Mike Ahern
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F23-088, George Mason/Fractured Union
October 26, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 120
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Donald McAndrews
Description: This presentation is based on the film Fractured Union, in which Don McAndrews portrays George Mason. The film revolves around the Constitutional Convention and the disagreements regarding the Constitution’s contents and applications, which led to fractured friendships among the founding fathers. Don will present some background information on George Mason, and he would also like the members of the class to engage with him. In other words a Q and A with George Mason?
Biography: Having moved to Virginia in 1985, Don became interested in history after seeing excellent living history performed at Gadsby’s Tavern in Alexandria and in Williamsburg. His interest led him to take classes at Gadsby’s to become a living history interpreter in 1990. Initially, he studied 18th century medicine in the National Medical Library at the National Institutes of Health and performed as several doctors at Gadsby’s and at Gunston Hall. In 1995 Gunston Hall asked him to portray George Mason, which he hesitated to do. However, with the assistance of their library and staff, he has portrayed George Mason since that time and has appeared in six video presentations of this historical person.
LLI Coordinator: Nancy Osborne
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F23-089, DC Boundary Stones
September 20, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Dar al-Noor Islamic Community Center, 5404 Hoadly Rd, Manassas, 20112 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Stephen Powers
Description: In 1791 and 1792, a team of surveyors placed 40 milestones marking the boundaries of the original District of Columbia, which consisted of a 100 square mile square of federal land between Maryland and Virginia. These markers were placed under the supervision of commissioners appointed by President George Washington in accordance with the Federal Residence Act. Today, 36 of these original marker stones remain, making them the oldest federally placed monuments in the United States. This presentation will delve into the history of the survey and preservation effort and provide an update on the current status of the markers.
Biography: Stephen Powers is currently a senior program manager for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and has overseen infrastructure rehabilitation programs and construction projects for the last 11 years. The son of an army colonel who grew up locally in Springfield, he attended Thomas Jefferson High School and obtained a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech. After graduation, he worked for six years as a heavy highway project engineer prior to going to work at Washington National Airport, where he has spent 18 years as the resident airfield engineer and oversaw the exterior renovation of the 1941 Historic Terminal-A Building for the Airports Authority’s Capital Development Program. Stephen is a member of the local National Capital Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. His work with the boundary stones grew from his daughter’s elementary school project on Arlington County Trivia and a lifelong interest in Washington, DC history.
LLI Coordinator: David Pace
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F23-08A, An Introduction to Cold War Intelligence
December 7, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Jason Hall
Description: Dr. Hall will give a brief introduction to the main different kinds of intelligence gathering and then look at human intelligence (HUMINT) in particular as it was used in specific key instances during the Cold War. He will focus on two key relationships between countries, the Special Relationship and the Five Eyes, showing how intelligence information was and will continue to be shared with certain countries and how important that information was to advancing the goals of the West during and after the Cold War. He will examine three specific instances to illustrate this: 1) the role that British Agent Oleg Penkovsky played in resolving the Cuban Missile Crisis; 2) the very close shave with total nuclear war the world faced during the Able Archer military exercises and how one observant American military officer saved us all; and, 3) how two CIA technicians solved the problem of surveillance in Moscow—the story of The Moscow Rules.
Biography: Dr. Jason Hall is the executive director of the Cold War Museum, whose key goals are to honor the service of those who had professional roles in the Cold War to make sure that coming generations understand the significance of the Cold War; and, to use Cold War history to show how intelligence supports our policy, diplomacy, and military action. The Cold War Museum is nearby at Vint Hill, Virginia, between Gainesville and Warrenton. Dr. Hall is also Principal of Public Trust Strategies, a consulting firm for non-profit organizations and government entities. In addition to consulting, he is a part-time professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, teaching in the Masters in Public Administration program. He earned a Ph.D in modern European intellectual history from the University of Michigan. His bachelor’s degree is from Harvard.
LLI Coordinator: Ann Cain
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F23-08B, Fauquier County and Victory at Normandy—The Secret Story
October 4, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 150
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Mike Washvill
Description: In this presentation, Mike Washvill will reveal how the road to the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion of Normandy actually began in November, 1943 in a barn at Vint Hill Farms Station (VHFS) in Warrenton, Virginia. He will explain how the Signal Intelligence, Codebreaking, and Strategic Deception groups worked together to make the D-Day invasion successful.
Biography: Mike Washvill served in the US Army as an Electronic Warfare-Intercept System Technician assigned to the 1st Armored Division in Germany from 1981 to 1983 along the border with East Germany and Czechoslovakia. From 1983 to 1984, he was assigned to Vint Hill Farms Station (VHFS) at the Electronic Material Readiness Activity (EMRA).
After his service in the Army, he earned a degree in electrical engineering and worked on designing, constructing, and operating radio and wireline communications networks and other specialized electronic technical systems. Mr. Washvill has been a volunteer at the Cold War Museum since 2017.
LLI Coordinator: Ann Cain
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Lifestyle
F23-091, Holiday Flower Arranging Class
December 14, 2023, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Flower Gallery of Manassas, 10816 Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas, VA 20109 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 20
Fee: $45.00 pay upon arrival to class in either cash or check
Speaker/Host: Doug Burroughs
Description: Doug will demonstrate how to choose flowers, greenery and other materials for a floral arrangement and will supply each student with the materials needed to make an arrangement to take home to enjoy. This is the only class session this semester.
Last date to register for this class is Friday 01 December 2023.
Biography: Doug Burroughs has owned the Flower Gallery of Manassas for over 40 years. His career began in high school when he had a job delivering flowers after school. He now works in all aspects of the floral business. including designing floral arrangements. Doug has taught classes for clubs, civic groups, and numerous classes for LLI.
LLI Coordinator: Jill Gentry
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F23-092, Happiness 101
October 5, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Paul Singh
Description: Happiness is such a big part of our lives. In this interactive class, Paul will share what he has discovered about happiness. This session is a good opportunity for anyone interested in exploring the different components of happiness and laughing at some of Paul’s jokes.
Biography: After winning the Toastmasters humorous speech contest 14 times and going to the national level in 2003, Paul Singh started his stand-up comedy career. In 2014 he created the Happiness 101 workshop and has presented it at various senior centers. He does comedy because he likes being happy and laughing. He hopes to bring that to others.
LLI Coordinator: Jo Anne Renton
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F23-093, Let’s Cook Italian with Chef Darrel Markin
October 2, 2023, 01:00 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Trinity Episcopal Church, 9325 West St., Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 20
Fee: Class fee is $20.00, included with registration.
Speaker/Host: Darrel Markin
Description: In honor of Italy’s red, white and green flag, Darrel will present three pastas. We will learn how to prepare stuffed shells that can be frozen and cooked later, followed by an Italian take on tuna noodle casserole, only much better, and then a very easy tortellini with pesto. Also included are a simple salad and chocolate Sicilian cake.
NOTE the unusual class start time: 1:00pm. This is necessary to have enough time to demonstrate and cook.
Buon appetito. !!!!!!
Biography: Darrel Markin is a former Department of State employee who has worked both in Washington, DC and overseas. On one assignment she spent three years in Rome, where she shopped local markets and participated in Italian cooking classes. After returning to the states, she decided to attend culinary school and graduated in 2004 with a degree from the Florida Culinary Institute. Currently she cooks for her family and friends.
LLI Coordinator: Kelly Espy
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Our Neighborhood
F23-101, Mock Trial and Tour of Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre
October 12, 2023, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, 12229 Brentsville Road, Bristow, VA 20136 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 50
Fee: $6.00 payable at check-in at the courthouse building entry—no checks or credit cards
Speaker/Host: Docents at Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre
Description: In celebration of the 292th anniversary of Prince William County’s founding, we will visit Brentsville Courthouse (1822-1893) Historic Centre, the second county government seat planned community to provide services to the settlers in the western regions of the county.
The Mock Trial will be based on an actual trial held in the courthouse, with participants playing the various roles including the jury. After the trial, we will be divided into smaller groups to visit the jail and the farm homestead, where docents will describe their activities in the 1800s. The remaining buildings, the church and the school house will be open for exploring on your own.
Driving directions will be sent closer to the date.
The last date to register for this field trip is Monday October 2, 2023.
Biography: N/A
LLI Coordinator: Jill Gentry
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F23-102, Tour of the Prince William County Central District Police Station, Groups A (10:30) and B (1:30)
October 17, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Additional dates: Oct 17 at 1:30 pm
Location: PWC Central District Police Station, 5036 Davis Ford Road, Woodbridge, VA 22192 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 25
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Police Staff
Description: Come tour the Central District Police Station and learn about the history of policing in Prince William County and how it has changed as the county has grown. Police staff will introduce the latest technology and explain the policies that keep our community safe. We will inspect a police vehicle and see all the electronics our officers need to do their jobs. In addition, we will hear the inside story of some of our most famous PWC cases.
NOTE: Each tour is limited to 25 people. There will be two tours on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. Group A will start at 10:30 am. Group B will start at 1:30 pm. Please note which group you are signing up for. If necessary, wait lists will be established for each tour.
Biography: Police Staff
LLI Coordinator: Jo Anne Renton
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F23-103, Genealogy 101/Local Resources with PWC Libraries
October 19, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Prince William County Central Library , 8601 Mathis Avenue Manassas, VA 20110-5270 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 30
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Darlene Hunter, RELIC (Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center) Librarian
Description: Are you interested in learning more about genealogy but not sure where to begin? The RELIC section of the recently renovated Central Library has specially trained staff to help you locate information to trace your family history and research persons, places and events associated with local history. The American Revolution and the Civil War as they relate to Virginia are areas of special interest. The class will also highlight the wide variety of materials available including published documents, manuscripts, indexes and research guides, photographs, maps, microforms, and computer (CD-ROM) databases. The library staff will also discuss their partnerships with local historical and genealogical societies and with other libraries and agencies with common interests, such as the National Archives, the LDS (Latter-day Saints) Family History Library, and other related organizations.
Biography: Darlene Hunter is a certified genealogist, retired. She has worked for the Prince William County Library System for about 25 years, including seven years in RELIC (the Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center). RELIC contains the library’s genealogy and local history collections. Before working for the library, she worked for the DAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution).
LLI Coordinator: Desiree Wolfe
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F23-104, New Prince William County Animal Services Center Tour
November 8, 2023, 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Location: Prince William County Animal Services Center, 14807 Bristow Road
Manassas, VA 20112 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 30
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Nancy Tarr, Volunteer and Foster Coordinator
Description: Please join us for a tour of the brand new Prince William County Animal Services Center! The Animal Services Center is almost 28,000 square feet – about four times larger than the previous shelter which opened in 1975. The Animal Services Center features natural sunlight in each animal housing area, double-sided and group housing areas for cats, individual small rooms for reptiles, birds and small animals, large grassy play yards for dogs, a two-stall barn with secure paddock, a veterinary office with surgical suite and so much more! A representative from among the staff employees will talk about who they are, what they do, and what citizens can do to help.
Biography: Center staff member
LLI Coordinator: Desiree Wolfe
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F23-105, Fire Station Tour
November 30, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Fire Station 22 – Groveton
7500 Century Park Drive
Manassas, Virginia 20109 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 30
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Christopher Brothers, Fire & Safety Program Manager
Description: You are invited to take a tour of Prince William County Fire and Rescue System’s newest fire station! You will learn about the different types of fire department apparatus and how the firefighter/EMT personnel prepare every day to be on call at a moment’s notice. You will see where they sleep, fix meals, and do much more. After the tour, you will hear about the importance of smoke detector alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home as well as what you need to know about basic emergency first aid skills, CPR, and using an AED (automated external defibrillator).
Biography: Christopher Brothers has been in the fire service for over 21 years. He recently retired from operations and currently works in the fire marshal’s office, in the Community Safety section, as the department’s Fire and Life Safety Education Programs Manager. Prince William County Fire and Rescue System offers a variety of fire and life safety education programs and resources to the communities throughout Prince William County.
LLI Coordinator: Desiree Wolfe
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Religion & Philosophy
F23-111, Mandalas: Circles of Meaning
November 13, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 35
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Sandra Fox
Description: Mandalas are colorful geometric configurations of symbols, taking their name from a Sanskrit word meaning both “circle” and “center.” Mandalas have been created and used across cultures over thousands of years and still have a place in religion, science, art, archaeology, psychology, and even politics. The presentation will explore different styles and uses for mandalas throughout history up to today. If you would like to color a prepared mandala during the presentation, you are welcome to do so. Some colored pencils and markers will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. Additionally, participants are encouraged to bring their smart phones/tablets to class if they (optionally) wish to view or investigate some websites or videos that will be presented.
Biography: Sandra Fox received her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Cincinnati. She has taught mathematics in junior and senior high school as well as working as a math tutor. She began exploring mandalas in 1996 and has led several workshops since then.
LLI Coordinator: Nancy Osborne
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F23-112, Who Wrote the Bible?
September 22, 2023, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Additional dates: Oct 20
Location: Trinity Episcopal Church, 9325 West St., Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 50
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: The Rev. James Hughes
Description: This class is a continuation of reading and discussing Richard Elliott Friedman’s book, Who Wrote the Bible? Father Jim Hughes will lead the class through the final chapters of the book, which is a synthesis of the author’s research. Over the centuries small pieces of an enormous puzzle have emerged, which Professor Friedman states were sufficient to provide a useful picture of the writers of the Bible. The book is available at Amazon for $13.29
Biography: The Rev. James Hughes holds bachelor’s degrees in both philosophy and the classics from St. Charles Seminary, Philadelphia. He holds master’s degrees in both biblical studies and systematic theology from Catholic University in Washington, D. C. He was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church in 1982. More recently he studied at the Virginia Theological Seminary, which led to being received as an Episcopal Priest in December of 2016. Currently he serves as an associate priest at Trinity Episcopal Church in Manassas. Father Jim also worked for the Library of Congress for 23 years in the Visitor Services Office and has taught 16 classes for LLI.
LLI Coordinator: Nancy Osborne
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F23-113, The Counter Reformation: The Council of Trent and Its Impact on Christianity, Part 2
September 25, 2023, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Trinity Episcopal Church, 9325 West St., Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 80
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Frank Walworth
Description: This class is a continuation of the spring session that was constrained for time, especially the section on the impact of the Council of Trent itself on Christian doctrine and practice. A brief summary of the spring session will be offered at the start, so those who were unable to attend last spring are welcome. The Council of Trent held between 1545 and 1563 has been described as “the embodiment of the Counter-Reformation.” The Council responded emphatically and enacted the formal Roman Catholic reply to the doctrinal challenges of the Protestants. Although some of the decrees–such as the index–have since been suspended, the decisions of the Council of Trent continued to inform Catholic and Christian belief and practice up through the 1960s and the Second Vatican Council and, in part, continue to the present.
Biography: Frank Walworth has an undergraduate degree in philosophy and social science, and a master of divinity degree. Ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1981, he served in various pastoral assignments in northern New York from 1981 to 1994, including teaching undergraduate courses in western civilization and adult education classes in church history for formation programs in the diocese of Ogdensburg. He moved to northern Virginia in 1994 and served in various capacities of the American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, where he retired in 2022 as assistant secretary for governance affairs. He is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, where he occasionally offers sessions for adult forums.
LLI Coordinator: Nancy Osborne
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Science & Technology & Nature
F23-121, Night Birds — the Nocturnal Lives of Owls and Nightjars
November 1, 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Manassas Park Community Center, 99 Adams St., Manassas Park, VA 20111 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Larry Cartwright
Description: Owls and nightjars are fascinating creatures that are unfamiliar to many people because of their nocturnal habits. How do these birds see at night and what special adaptations do they have to locate prey in darkness?
Is that eerie cackling you hear at night the sound of an owl calling for a mate?
Is that flute-like whistling a whip-poor-will?
What habitats do owls and nightjars occupy?
Are these birds residents or do they migrate?
Join Larry Cartwright for a discussion about these denizens of the night and see just how extraordinary they can be.
Biography: Larry Cartwright has been a nature-lover for most of his life, especially of birds and bats, and has recently begun exploring the world of insects and frogs. He conducts the Dyke Marsh Breeding Bird Survey for the National Park Service and runs the Bluebird Nest Box Program for Huntley Meadows Park. He is the coordinator of the Washington, D.C. Christmas Bird Count and the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s Winter Waterfowl Count. He has won several conservation awards, including the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s Jackson Abbott Award in 2013.
LLI Coordinator: Mike Ahern
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F23-122, History of the Universe (Classical)
October 6, 2023, 02:00 pm to 03:30 pm
Additional dates: Oct. 13, Oct 20, Oct 27
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 50
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Mark Dodge
Description: Join Mark Dodge as he presents an introduction to the classical view of time and the universe. Why do we have 24 hours in a day and 60 minutes in an hour? Why not some other number? Why do we have the calendar we have? What are planets, and why did they cause such confusion for the ancients? How did we get from the perfectly obvious idea that the Sun goes around the Earth to the weird idea that the Earth goes around the Sun? And why is Pluto not a planet any more?
Biography: Mark Dodge received his bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of California Berkeley and his master’s degree in engineering physics from the University of Virginia. He worked as an engineering scientist at IBM for 12 years and then as a high school physics teacher for 24 years.
LLI Coordinator: Christina Cinalli
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F23-123, Butterfly and Dragonfly Walk
September 24, 2023, 01:00 pm to 03:00 pm
Location: Mustang Trailhead of Meadowood Special Recreation Area
10702 Harley Road, Lorton, Virginia 22079 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: No limit
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Larry Meade
Description: During this nature walk, we will focus on finding butterflies and dragonflies, but we will also pay attention to the birds. This will be an easy walk as we stroll through a meadow and along a tree line down to a small pond.
Biography: Larry Meade is president of the Northern Virginia Bird Club and often works with various conservation groups in our region, including the Prince William Conservation Alliance and the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. He is a frequent nature-walk leader and also a photographer and a writer. Larry has participated in many bird, butterfly and dragonfly surveys and is the organizer of the Alexandria circle of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA) annual butterfly count.
LLI Coordinator: Karen Waltman
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Clubs
F23-141, Mah Jongg Club
September 12, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:30 pm
Additional dates: Every Tuesday
Location: Jukebox Diner, 8637 Sudley Road, Manassas 20110 In the Canterbury Village Shopping Center, across from UVA Health Prince William Medical Center (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 40
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: N/A
Description: Every Tuesday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., we meet for fun, laughter, and a good time. All levels of experience are welcome from beginners through master players. For more information, contact Kathy Fowler at the link “Email a question to a coordinator” below.
Biography: N/A
LLI Coordinator: Kathy Fowler
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F23-142, Book Club
September 27, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Additional dates: Oct 25, Nov 29, Dec 27
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church
8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: N/A
Description: Books, both fiction and non-fiction, are selected by the members, usually one or two months in advance. Members are encouraged to lead a discussion. The discussions are educational, interesting and fun for all, including those who may not have finished reading the current book.
The club meets on the LAST Wednesday afternoon of each month.
Biography: N/A
LLI Coordinator: Lianetta Ruettgers
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F23-143, Lunch Club
October 6, 2023, 12:00 pm to 01:30 pm
Additional dates: Nov. 3, Dec. 1, and Jan. 5
Location: Juke Box Diner, 8637 Sudley Road, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 100
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: N/A
Description: The purpose of the club is for LLI members to enjoy a meal together and become better acquainted with fellow members. There is no planned program or topic–we just chat about anything that comes to mind. Participants pay for their own lunch.
In general, we meet on the first Friday of each month, but exceptions may occur in the event of conflicts.
Biography: N/A
LLI Coordinator: Mary Foster
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F23-144, Game Day
September 14, 2023, 01:30 pm to 03:00 pm
Additional dates: Oct. 12, Nov. 16, Dec. 14.
Location: Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas 20110 (Google Maps link)
Maximum class size: 40
Fee: None
Speaker/Host: Kathy Hernandez, Julia Martin
Description: If you like to play games, please join us. Since this will be our inaugural semester, we will keep it simple by playing card games such as UNO, Phase 10, Kings Crown or any other card card game members would like, other than Bridge. You can bring your own cards, but we will have several decks available.
The club will meet on second Thursday afternoons, but this semester there is an exception in November because of an already scheduled class. In November we will meet on the third Thursday afternoon.
Biography: Kathy Hernandez has been a member of LLI since 2015 and is currently on the LLI Board. She moved to Manassas in 1999 to work for the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) in DC and retired in 2015. In her retirement she enjoys traveling with friends and family both in the country and abroad, reading, and listening to books on tape and podcasts while working in the yard. Kathy is a member of the LLI Tech/Media Committee.
Julia Martin graduated from New Mexico State University in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a bachelor’s degree in math. She moved to Virginia to begin a career with IBM as a systems engineer, then software engineer, and finally a software test engineer. She worked with DOD (Department of Defense), FBI and CIA programs and retired in 2015 after 30 years. Current retirement activities include visiting with friends and family, traveling, scrapbooking, and playing card games, online games, and Mah Jongg. She participates in LLI activities and also sings with the Manassas Chorale.
LLI Coordinator: Kathy Hernandez