Four WWII soldiers holding up a translucent American Flag at sundown. The sun behind the flag creates a semi-silhouette of the four war-weary soldiers. Clouds, sun, and sand complete the picture. All soldiers are in uniform with helmets and rifles, boots, etc.

ALPENA — The Association of Lifelong Learners at Alpena Community College has announced upcoming programs, which will be held in addition to their regularly scheduled weekly programming.

For more information on any of these programs, call the ALL Office at 989-358-7207. For Zoom connection information, email all@alpenacc.edu.

Tour the library

Come tour the newly renovated Alpena County Library at 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 10. The library is located at 211 N. 1st Ave. in downtown Alpena.

The completely renovated George N. Fletcher Public Library is ready for viewing. Join Library Director Eric Magness-Eubank as he shows off what has taken place over the past year.

Over the years, Magness-Eubank has contributed much to the programming for ALL.

Exciting new 2022 senior programs

Learn about exciting new senior programs for 2022 at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at ACC’s M. Briggs Center, in-person and via Zoom.

Alpena Senior Citizens Center Program Manager BJ Sander will briefly cover current programs at the senior center: Meals on Wheels, in-home services, and exercise programs. She is excited to share information on five new programs: the Healthy Book Club, mindfulness and dementia, plus an art project collaborating with Art in the Loft.

Sander has worked at the senior center for five years. She is certified in senior fitness, nutrition, and dementia. BJ is beginning her training to become a health coach in January.

Touring Egypt

Join ALL for a tour of Egypt at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at M. Briggs Center and via Zoom.

One bucket list completed! Join Sue Nagy to learn about her recent trip to Egypt. Hear how Egypt was a part of ancient man. Hear how the temples and pyramids were built and how they are more awesome than what any TV documentary can show. You will be able to try some Egyptian treats and share in Nagy’s dream trip.

Nagy is a valued member of ALL’s board. Besides making the plans for The Happening, arranging the monthly Moveable Feast, writing articles for The Alpena News, and contributing her wisdom at the meetings, she manages to find time to travel and then to share her experiences with ALL.

Waterfront recreational park (rescheduled)

Join ALL to learn about a maritime-themed community park at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13, at M. Briggs Center and via Zoom.

Creating a maritime-themed community park along the Thunder Bay River that adjoins the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center campus has been envisioned since NOAA opened its Alpena headquarters in one of the Old Fletcher Paper Company buildings more than a decade ago. Funding at that time supported the creation of the Maritime Heritage Trail and construction of the foot bridge across the river to Rotary Island Mill Park. This presentation will highlight key features of the planned waterfront park, partners engaged to date, and a timeline for completion.

Throughout Katie Wolf’s career, she has melded her science, technology, and communication expertise to promote public understanding and protection of our natural environment. She began her environmental career with Kentucky Division of Water where she developed an internationally recognized citizen water monitoring program, Water Watch. After moving to Michigan to coordinate the World Conference on Large Lakes on Mackinac Island, she directed Michigan Governor’s Environmental Youth Awards and served as public participation consultant for the Great Lakes and Water Resources Planning Commission. Later in her career, she directed external relations for the Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network, and then directed the National Medal of Technology & Innovation. Today she lives on the shores of Lake Huron and serves as Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s liaison, as well as community relations and outreach coordinator for the sanctuary.

Living the dream: Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Hear from a couple who hiked the Appalachian Trail at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13, at M. Briggs Center and via Zoom.

For over 10 years, Eric and Shelly Cornish dreamed about completing a through-hike on the Appalachian Trail. In 2021, they achieved their dream by hiking the entire 2,193 miles of the Appalachian Trail in 167 days.

The Cornishes both retired from their busy careers in 2020. Eric was an orthopedic surgeon and Shelly was a teacher/principal. Shelly was inspired to hike by Russ Lewis and participated in long-distance hikes with the Bike & Boot Club. Eric, despite being an active hiker, had never slept in a tent until four months prior to their through-hike. Together they researched gear and completed shakedown hikes in the months leading up to their through-hike. Now they dream about their next big hike.

Senior safety and Community Risk Reduction

Hear from Community Risk Reduction Officer Andy Marceau at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 17, at M. Briggs Center and via Zoom.

Captain Marceau will discuss his numerous programs to keep us safe in our homes and reduce our risk for injuries and fires. A primary focus is to get more working fire alarms installed throughout the Alpena area in partnership with the American Red Cross. He will also have information on Smart 911 that helps emergency crews get you the help you need more quickly.

Captain Andy Marceau is the Community Risk Reduction Officer for the Alpena Fire Department. He has been a firefighter for 23 years. He enjoys speaking to groups and making our community safer through fire and fall prevention.

WWII Industrialization and the Homefront

World War II Industrialization and the Homefront will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at M. Briggs Center and via Zoom.

In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt and his military advisors were becoming convinced that the United States would soon be drawn into World War II. Recall from your knowledge of history that World War I was “The War to End All Wars.” Since there was no need for any more wars after World War I, the United States rapidly took apart its military industrial capabilities. A short 20 years later, with World War II already going on in Europe, it became painfully clear that the United States was in no way prepared to fight another war and American Industry was not prepared to produce what was needed. In short, the ability of President Roosevelt to agree to Winston Churchill’s plea for help was essentially non-existent. And yet Roosevelt told Churchill “Yes.” What happened next is the subject of this presentation — how the United States military progressed from a state of being badly ill-prepared to becoming the most powerful in the world, keying in on Detroit and Michigan, with special emphasis on what arguably would become the most important manufacturing facility in America at Willow Run Airport.

Dennis Norton’s father, Austin Norton, returned from World War II where he served on the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill in some of the most horrific campaigns in the Western Pacific. On the GI Bill, his father attended Michigan State University, where Dennis was born. Because his mother was working to support the family while her husband was attending class, and because babysitters were few and far between, Austin took Dennis to class with him from time to time. So Dennis’ college career began in 1949 at MSU at the age of 1-½ years old, and ended with his graduation from Eastern Michigan University in 1970. The experiences of his father during World War II were the prime reason for Dennis’ lifelong interest in World War II history. His major in college was history and he later became a pilot and was the founder and first president of the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run. Forty years later, he still works on fund raising for the museum and continues to tell the story of Willow Run and how that story fit in with the overall Homefront participation in World War II.

After his father graduated from MSU, Dennis grew up in Ypsilanti, lived many years in Ann Arbor, and currently splits time between homes in Dexter and Presque Isle. His family dates back to the late 1800s in Presque Isle. His wife Carol has been on the Grand Lake Association Board, and Dennis is currently on the Grand Lake Association Board and the Presque Isle Township Museum Society Board. They have three children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Doomed sisters

Doomed sisters will be the topic of a presentation at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at M. Briggs Center and via Zoom.

This is the story of two sister ships, the Western Reserve and W.H. Gilcher.

Launched in the same year (1890) from the same shipyard, both vessels were lost in storms in 1892. This presentation will tell the story of the parallel lives of twin ships of the Great Lakes.

As a local history teacher and part time Great Lakes sailor, Jeff Thomas draws on both experiences to tell the stories of Great Lakes shipwrecks. He finds the small details that bring the stories to life in a story-telling experience that puts the viewer “in the moment” of these dramatic tales.