OLLI Spring 2026_pageturn - Flipbook - Page 18
Geology of Illinois State Parks
Fridays, April 10 – May 8
9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
The varied landscapes of Illinois state parks
showcase a journey through millions of years
of Earth's history, shaped by ancient tropical
seas, coal forests, and Ice Age glaciers. From
the rugged canyons of Starved Rock to the
towering bluffs of the Mississippi Palisades to
the shifting sands of Illinois Beach, this study
group will explore the geologic history of Illinois
using the state parks as our guide. Learn about
the minerals, rocks, and fossils that make up the
bedrock of the parks and the geologic processes
that have sculpted the modern terrain. We will
discuss the book Geology Underfoot in Illinois by
Ray Wiggers.
$45 – Facilitated by Geology Professor Ed Stermer
from Illinois Central College and long time OLLI
instructor.
Seats available: 24
The Art of the Documentary
Thursdays, April 16 – May 14
9:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
Do you love documentaries? Then this study
group is for you! We will explore five different
documentaries, each led by a different discussion
leader. All documentaries will be on Netflix or
Amazon Prime Video (you may have to rent
them on Amazon Prime) and will be watched
independently. The documentaries include:
Cameraperson, led by Denise Hocker; The Perfect
Neighbor, led by Gary Nelson; Porcelain War, led
by Paul Resnick; John Candy: I Like Me, led by
Keith Butterfield; and Sunday Best, led by Rob
Parks.
$45 – Facilitated by Denise Hocker, Gary Nelson,
Paul Resnick, Keith Butterfield, and Rob Parks.
Seats available: 20
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STUDY GROUPS
The Indifferent Stars Above - The Harrowing
Story of the Donner Party
Tuesdays, April 21 – May 19
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James
Brown is a narrative nonfiction book that tells
the story of the Donner Party through the eyes
of Sarah Graves, a young bride who joined the
ill-fated expedition in 1846. Using this book, we
will discuss the Donner Party wagon train as we
follow its journey from Springfield, Illinois, to its
intended destination at Sutter’s Fort, California.
We will examine the emigrants who undertook
the journey, exploring their personal stories,
the hardships of the westward trek, and their
harrowing ordeal after becoming stranded in the
mountains by heavy snowfall. Each session will
also include excerpts from The Donner Party, a
PBS documentary by Ric Burns, the brother of
renowned historian and filmmaker Ken Burns.
The book is available through local libraries,
bookstores, and online sellers.
$45 – Facilitated by frequent OLLI facilitators
Steve Garrison, retired history teacher and Ruth
Rademacker, a descendant of a Donner party
emigrant and has been on a guided tour of the
trail of the Donner Party.
Seats available: 22
Conversations with Women Artists
Tuesdays, April 28 – May 19
1:00 – 3:15 p.m.
Peoria Next Innovation Center
Each week we’ll meet two local women artists
working in different media. They will share their
career journeys as visual artists, present examples
of their work, and answer questions about their
creative processes and their roles in the cultural
life of our community. This group is facilitated
by Kristan McKinsey, Director of the Illinois
Women Artists Project, where she researches and
documents women artists active in Illinois, as well
as lectures throughout the state.
$45 – Facilitated by Kristan McKinsey, frequent
OLLI facilitator and retired art & history museum
curator.
Seats available: 18
