2017 Let’s get started!

Our committee members have already commenced promoting the U3A Strathalbyn program for 2017 with a stand at the Strathalbyn Monthly Market.  We will be back at the Lions Quarterly Market on 29th January with programs and joining forms ready to receive registrations.  The fee of $40 remains unchanged.

The AGM will be held at the Strathalbyn Senior Citizens Hall on Parker Avenue from 2pm on Monday 3rd February and registration day will be Monday 6th February in the reading room of the library.

The 2017 Program and Joining form are available on this website along with  a reasonably detailed outline of each of the subjects on offer.

 

Don Hopgood – the bibliophile

What a privilege it is to have Dr Don Hopgood AO share his thoughts on some of the books he has read and enjoyed.  The four sessions spread over four weeks during winter stretched our brains while tickling our funny bones and reviving our memories.

The books which he shared ranged from ‘Shadow of the Thylacine’ to ‘Duke the Life of Duke Ellington’, ‘The Dreyfus Affair’ – a political scandal not a romantic entanglement to ‘One Summer America 1927’ the story of Lindbergh’s solo flight across the Atlantic and William Dampier’s contributions as “a pirate of exquisite mind”.

Discussion ranged from the mapping of the stars by Herschel, to the discovery of the earliest complete gospels in the Sinai Desert by middle-aged Scottish twin sisters and Tim Flannery’s suggestions for ameliorating the effects of Global Warming.

Don provided us with comprehensive notes on each of his sessions with publication details should we wish to read them for ourselves.

Down Hill to December

Spring is in the air which means the end of the year is rushing headlong towards us.

Changes to the Program and forthcoming events are detailed in the August Newsletter which is available here on the website.  Points to note are:

Our end of year celebratory lunch will be held at the Wine House on December 7th

A Quiz night is to be held on 10th September and another on 12th November.  Strathalbyn U3A members and their partners and friends are welcome to join our table. Contact Norma (details in the newsletter).

The next 5th Wednesday Morning Tea will be held on 31st August at the Strath Neighbourhood Centre – all welcome 10am – 11.30.

The second of the Cryptic Crossword sessions will be held on Tuesday 30th August.

 

On Display!

The annual Strathalbyn Craft Fair provided an excellent opportunity to mount an exhibition of U3A activities.

A colourful display by the Social Art Group, healthy herb plants from the Hands on Gardening group, attractive handmade cards for sale and items relevant to many of our activities provided a visual invitation to visitors to the fair to stop and chat about U3A.

February already!

The AGM and Registration day are done and now it is time to get started on the year’s learning, sharing and having fun.

Most activities still have vacancies and it is never too late to start.

Unfortunately we have had to suspend the offer of Creative Writing but with a bit of lateral thinking and hopefully the offer of a new presenter it will go back into the program soon.

The new equipment purchased with the aid of a grant from U3A SA will be installed in the Strath Neighbourhood Centre ready for the first groups to use. We also have a collection box at the centre where members can pick up or drop items such as registration forms, name badges, newsletters etc.

The IGA Mall proved to be a suitable venue to hold the Expo this year.  Existing members stopped to pick up a program, make an early bird registration and to pay their annual subs.

Our sign and displays attracted the attention of potential new members who accepted copies of the program and joining forms to mull over and consider before committing to join one or more of our activities.

All in all a worthwhile way to spend a Thursday.

Friday 29th January is the AGM and registrations will be accepted.

An additional registration day will be held on Monday 1st February in the Strathalbyn Library.

Most activities will be getting underway in February and with a few new activities on offer as well as many carrying on from last year there is plenty of choice and no excuse to be bored or inactive.

2015 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 800 times in 2015. If it were a cable car, it would take about 13 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Quiz Night Participants Wanted!

• Quiz nights are fun!
• Quiz nights raise money for worthwhile causes!
• Quiz nights are a great way to socialise!
• Strathalbyn U3A members and their family and friends can join our Quiz Night Contestants group.
• There is no compulsion to attend  but if we have your details we can keep you informed of coming events.
• The first team effort we came a creditable second.

The next quiz night is 7th November in aid of the Senior Citizens, 7pm for 7.30 in the hall on Parker Avenue.  We have almost enough names to make two tables this time.  Details in the newsletter.

De-Cluttering part 2

Following the success of our first de-cluttering session at Howards Storage World a second session is being considered for later in the year.  Watch this site for further details

Cryptic Crosswords

Do you wish you knew the key to unlock the mysteries of Cryptic Crosswords?

Chris Thompson will be presenting an afternoon on Thursday 16th July to do just that.

2pm – 4pm in the Angas Room of the Strathalbyn Community Centre (the Library), Coleman Tce Strathalbyn.  All U3A members (and their friends) are welcome.  Refreshments will be served.

No need to register just turn up.