The CCR program schedule for next semester has been announced. It promises to be the most exciting one ever, with our kickoff starring a question and answer with the Charleston mayoral candidates.

September 15
1:00 Orientation + Wine & Cheese
2:00 Charleston Mayoral Candidates

September 22
1:00 The Hunley
Brian Hicks, Author
2:30 A Personal Journey
Ken Lam, CSO Director

September 29
1:00 Changing Nature of War in Africa
Chris Day, Prof. Pol. Sci., CofC
2:30 Impressions of the Low Country
Billie Smith, Edisto Artist

October 6
1:00 Vision for the CofC’s Languages, Cultures & World Affairs Dept.
Antonio Tillis, Dean, LCWA, CofC
2:30 Buddhist Mindfulness and Detachment
Louise Doire, Sr. Inst., Relig. Stud., CofC

October 13
1:00 New Views of Our Solar System
Cassandra Runyon, Prof. Geology & Environmental Geosciences, CofC and Dir. SC Space Grant Consortium & SC NASA
2:30 A Sporting Life
Ken Burger, Charleston Author

October 20
1:00 Balance and Fall Prevention
Tomas Mendez, Wellness Director, Franke at Seaside
2:30 The Art of Food Writing
Hanna Raskin, Food Writer & Lead Critic, Post & Courier

October 27
1:00 Vampires & the Golden Age of Hollywood
Scott Poole, Prof. Hist., CofC
2:30 Grafting Camellias
Sydney Frasier, Master of Horticulture, Middleton Place

November 3
1:00 Middle East: A Mess – Is There Any Hope?
John Creed, Prof. Pol. Sci., CofC
2:30 Oman: The Unknown Middle East Country
Ed and Nancy Norberg, CCR Members

November 10
1:00 Evolution of Mary Through the Ages
Robert Westerfelhaus, Prof. Communications, CofC
2:30 Recycling & Resources…The Big Picture
Bronwyn Santos, CHS County Environmental Management Dept.

November 17
1:00 Growth in the Tri-County Region
Frank Hefner, Prof. Econ., CofC
2:30 Two Fascinating Cities: Suzhou, China, and Lhasa, Tibet
Maxwell Mowry, CCR Member

November 24
Thanksgiving Break

December 1
1:00 Women in Afghanistan
Penelope Travis, Prof. Chem., Ret’d, The Citadel, Trident
2:30 East Meets West: Music of the Oud
Peter Kfoury, Chiropractor and Musician

December 8
1:00 Luncheon and Social

1:00

Secret Societies:  Myth and Reality

Frank Karpiel, author of Charleston’s Historic Cemeteries and Professor of History, The Citadel

 Secret societies often appear in today’s popular culture, ranging from Dan Brown’s occult mysteries to the historical conspiracies depicted in National Treasure and other films.  Even those who don’t know anything about the secret societies have some inkling of their symbolism – ranging from skull and bones to the unfinished pyramid and the all-seeing eye on the dollar bill.  This presentation will explore some of the real stories of the activities of secret societies that will be just as surprising as the fictional treatments.

2:30

The Ceramic Artist

Fiorenzo Beradozzi, Ceramic Artist, Owner/Member of Cone Ten Studios

Our presenter will discuss the artist’s journey from his birth in a small town in Italy to his present day expression as a member of the art community of Charleston.

1:00
Textiles and History
Jan Hiester, Curator of Textiles, the Charleston Museum

History is told in many ways, and one key way is through textiles.    Seeing the garments and footwear people wore, both elaborate and humble, as they lived out their lives raises our understanding of those times.  The flags, the needlework, the tapestries and draperies all enhance our understanding of history. Such artifacts are the domain of the Charleston Museum’s Curator of Textiles.

2:30
Stolen Charleston
Grahame Long, Curator, the Charleston Museum

During both the American Revolution and the Civil War, Charleston was not just a symbolic target but also one of the wealthiest–at least until the shelling started. Once the redcoats of 1780 and the Yankees of 1865 stormed in, nary a church, business or private home was spared fevered plundering. Worse, Charleston’s own homefront defenders oftentimes helped themselves to unguarded heirlooms. In 1779, Eliza Wilkinson’s shoe buckles were stolen right off her feet. In 1865, Union soldiers butchered several of Williams Middleton’s valuable water buffalo and stole the others, some of which were later found at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Join author and historian J. Grahame Long as he recounts the looting and lost treasures of Charleston.

The Center for Creative Retirement (CCR) invites individuals from diverse
backgrounds to make presentations on a wide array of topics.  The views and
opinions expressed by these presenters are not necessarily those of either
CCR or The College of Charleston.*

1:00
Feng Shui Tips For The Over 50 Crowd
Eileen Conti Weklar, Master Feng Shui Practitioner, Feng Shui Designs and Solutions

If you are looking for solutions for lack of energy and stress reduction, it seems sensible to find out what you can do with you environment to promote balance. Learn ways to ensure that your spaces not only support your well-being but are not actively working against you and contributing to your drain. Amidst all the stresses of modern life, most of us want to come home to a space that promotes harmony and restoration of spirit.

2:30
National Borders and the Middle East
Christopher Wright, Professor of History, The Citadel

After WWI and WWII in the Middle East borders were established that disregarded the tribal and ethnic groups that historically lived there. And so many years after the ends of these wars, the impacts of these decisions are still playing out.

The Center for Creative Retirement (CCR) invites individuals from diverse backgrounds to make presentations on a wide array of topics. The views and opinions expressed by these presenters are not necessarily those of either CCR or The College of Charleston.

1:00  Developing Resources to Preserve African American Slave Dwellings

Joseph McGill Jr., Founder of the Slave Dwelling Project, Magnolia Plantation

When Joseph McGill spent a night in one of the newly restored slave cabins at Magnolia Plantation in May of 2010, his only intent was to bring much-needed attention to these often-neglected dwellings.  Now, with over 60 overnight stays in 14 states across the nation, the project is still going strong.  This lecture chronicles those stays and the future of the Slave Dwelling Project.

2:30  Drayton Hall and the Ashley River:  What Kind of Future Do We Want for Our Past?

George McDaniel, Executive Director, Drayton Hall

Established as a plantation in 1738 when George Washington was six years old, Drayton Hall today is an historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is open to the public for tours.  It is a landmark attraction on the Ashley River, a State Scenic River.  Both the Ashley and Drayton Hall played critical roles in the history of the state and nation, but what about their future?  Some believe that historic preservation is old-fashioned, while others contend it is creative and is more about the future than the past.  This presentation will generate discussion about that question.

Leave: Mt Pleasant at 7am
CofC North Campus at 7:30am
Return to Charleston at approximately 6pm

What we will see:
We will take the Freedom Trail Tour of Savannah, some of the highlights include Remnants of the Underground Railroad, Visit the oldest Black Church in North America, Civil Rights Museum.  We will follow the tour with a non-hosted lunch at Sisters of the New South restaurant. Cost is approximately $10-$12 depending on what you eat.  After lunch we will go to the Museum at the Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD).  We then board the bus for the trip back to Charleston.

The cost will be $65.00 per person plus your individual lunch.  It should be an educational and stimulating day.

Please sign up at the next CCR meeting or call Dave Clark at 843-884-6999.

1:00  Electricity Pricing and Why It Matters*

John Preston, Professor Emeritus, Eastern Michigan College of Technology

This talk explains the difference between power and energy and why residential customers are usually unaware of the value of electric power at different times of the day and the effect of time-of-day prices on the development of alternative energy sources.

2:30  Aging in Place

Barbara Franklin, Chair of the National Aging in Place Council

Aging in Place means staying where you are most comfortable, but it doesn’t happen by accident!  What does it take to plan and what kinds of resources are available to support successful aging in place?

*This program has been rescheduled from its original date on February 10.  Maxwell Mowery graciously relinquished the time of his scheduled China talk on March 3 to make it possible for Professor Preston to make his presentation before leaving the area for the year. We will enjoy Maxwell’s presentation next semester. The other cancelled program from Feb. 10, Know Your Snakes, will be rescheduled next winter when the snakes are again more docile.

1:00
To Hear Them Tell It: Memories of Growing Up in Charleston
Mary Coy, Author, Licensed Charleston Tour Guide

Mary Coy is a fourth-generation Charlestonian.  After being asked to write her own memories of growing up in Charleston, she realized what a wealth of Charleston memories were still untapped in folks all around her. Her book, To Hear Them Tell it: Memories of Growing Up in Charleston is a compilation of the stories she discovered when she tapped this wealth.  One of the persons whose memories she includes in her book is Marty Moseley, a treasured member of CCR.

2:30
Ukraine and Russia
Max Kovalov, Visiting Professor of Political Science, College of Charleston

The dispute between Russia and the Ukraine has been an ongoing issue in the news for many months.  This talk will consider the history of the relationship between Russia and the Ukraine and consider factors in going forward.

1:00
Hinduism As I Understand It
Shashi Pai, President of the Charleston Sanatan Hindu Temple and Cultural Center
 
Shashi Pai, who is not an authority on religion nor claiming any special expertise about the topic will discuss his personal effort to understand the Indian spiritual tradition.
 
2:30
Price of Waging Losing Wars in the Early Roman Principate: Why Dacia Matters
Alvaro Ibarra, Professor of Art History, College of Charleston
 
The Roman Emperor Trajan’s Dacian Wars saved Western civilization.  And yet, hardly any layperson knows about Dacia or its significance.  This lecture explores the role Dacia played in the preservation of the Roman Empire and examines the great efforts of emperors desiring to capture and retain present-day Transylvania.

1:00  Beekeeping in the Lowcountry

Woody and Gail Weatherford, Owners of Bees R Us Bee Farm

The Weatherfords will discuss –

            The origin of bees and beehives

            Bees then and now

            The different bees in a hive and their jobs

            The things you can make with bee products.

2:30  Political Realities in South Carolina Today

Andy Brack, Statehouse Reporter and Publisher

Brack will outline historical, political, tax and other trends to highlight the pickle South Carolina lawmakers face as they try to move the state forward.  His talk will be wide-ranging on issues from taxes and ethic reform to what’s going to happen at the Statehouse in the year ahead.