OLLI Fall 2025 - Flipbook - Page 19
Fever in the Heartland:
The Ku Klux Klan in the Midwest
Mondays, October 20 3 November 10
9:30 3 11:45 a.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
Explore the chilling rise of the Ku Klux Klan in
1920s Indiana through Timothy Egan9s book, A
Fever in the Heartland, The Ku Klux Klan9s Plot
to Take Over America. We9ll examine the three
periods of the Klan in America; learn about the
greed and political power of the Klan; and discuss
comparisons to white supremacy in America
today. Please plan to obtain and read A Fever in
the Heartland, The Ku Klux Klan9s Plot to Take
Over America, available online, local booksellers,
and libraries. There may also be supplementary
reading materials.
$45 3 Facilitated by Roberta Parks, retired VicePresident of Unity Point Foundation and frequent
OLLI facilitator, and Judge Glenn Collier. (RG/RFs)
Seats available: 20
The West Wing: Myth and Reality
Mondays, October 27 3 November 24
1:30 3 3:45 p.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
The West Wing was an acclaimed American
political drama that navigated thorny political
issues, national crises and moral conundrums,
such as the limits of executive power, the role of
media and the election process. In each session,
we will watch one episode together to be followed
immediately by a wide-ranging discussion on
some of the issues raised in that episode. We will
analyze the characters9 decisions and dilemmas
and discuss how real-world policies are re昀ected
in the program9s plotlines. Please join us for what
should be a fun and thought provoking 昀ve weeks!
$45 3 Facilitated by Gary Nelson, retired attorney
and frequent OLLI facilitator. (NG/RF)
Seats available: 20
We the People:
How the U.S. Constitution was Born
Wednesdays, October 29 3 November 19
9:30 3 11:00 a.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
How did a group of delegates in 1787 create a
document that still governs the United States
today? We9ll explore the origins of the U.S.
Constitution4why it was written, how it was
shaped by debate and compromise, and what
it set out to achieve. As a living document, the
Constitution has evolved through 27 amendments,
continuing to guide American democracy. Join us
for a fascinating look at how the Constitution came
to be4and why it still matters.
$45 3 Facilitated by John Cummings, retired
educator and frequent OLLI facilitator and
instructor. (RF/NG)
Seats available: 20
Celebrate Jane Austen9s 250th Birthday
Wednesdays, November 12 & 19 and
December 3 & 10
10:00 a.m. 3 12:15 p.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
Celebrate the 250th birthday of Jane Austen,
one of the most beloved and in昀uential authors
in English literature. Renowned for her keen
observations of social class and gender roles,
Austen9s novels are treasured for their wit, irony,
and unforgettable, complex female characters.
In this special scribe-to-screen series, we9ll
explore two of her classics: Emma and Sense
and Sensibility. We9ll begin by reading Emma
for our 昀rst session on November 12, followed by
a discussion of the 1996 昀lm adaptation starring
Gwyneth Paltrow on November 19. Next, we9ll dive
into Sense and Sensibility on December 3, and
wrap up with a discussion of the Oscar-winning
1995 昀lm featuring Emma Thompson and Kate
Winslet on December 10. Books are available
through local libraries and booksellers, and
both 昀lms can be streamed on Amazon Prime.
Celebrate Austen9s literary legacy with fellow
readers and 昀lm lovers!
$45 3 Facilitated by Jane Hense, Denise Hocker,
and Roberta Koscielski, all experienced OLLI
facilitators and true literature lovers. (NG/RFs)
Seats available: 20
STUDY GROUPS
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