Flex your brain with free lectures and classes
Representatives of the Clear Lake Association of Senior Programs figure the best gift they can give the community is the opportunity to learn.
So the organization offers free lectures and minicourses throughout the year.
This effort, a community outreach initiative of the University of Houston-Clear Lake, just started offering monthly presentations at the Melvin Knapp Senior Center in Pearland.
But CLASP also offers daytime mini-courses in partnership with the Clear Lake City's Freeman Branch Library and evening lectures at UHCL.
CLASP was the 2002 brainchild of UHCL volunteer and alumnus Marilyn Lunney.
Initially, it was a free public outreach for seniors in the area to give them mental stimulation," said UHCL's Mindi Funderburg. Now it's open to all ages.
It's just a wonderful way to touch people in our community and provide a service."
Volunteers coordinate the programs at all three of the CLASP sites and also have served as speakers.
LECTURES AT UH-CLEAR LAKE
The Visions in Our Midst Distinguished Speaker Series" is held 5:30-7 p.m. one or two Thursdays a month at Garden Room 1510 in UHCL's Bayou Building, 2700 Bay Area Blvd. in Houston.
Upcoming lectures include:
Thursday, Feb. 4: Battle of the Alamo," presented by UHCL adjunct history professor Eddie Weller.
Thursday, March 4: An Overview of the Past, Present and Future of Harris County," presented by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.
Thursday, March 18: Memories of a Texas Ranger," presented by Texas Ranger Sgt. Haskell A. Taylor, retired.
No reservations are required for the lectures, and free parking is available in Lot R. For directions, visit www.uhcl.edu/maps.
For a full list of lectures, visit prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/CLASP.
MINICOURSES AT CLEAR LAKE LIBRARY
The minicourses at the Freeman Branch Library, 16616 Diana Lane in Houston, are held 10:30 a.m.-noon.
Winter programs will include:
Friday, Feb. 5: From Piles of Junk to Polished Prose: Writing Your Family's History," presented by Kathryn Black Morrow.
Friday, March 5: Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God: Colonial American Religion," presented by Kimberley Weathers.
Friday, April 9: Community Emergency Response Team: Your Community: What's So Special," presented by Mardie Menke, Harris County Community Emergency Response Team coordinator.
MONTHLY PRESENTATIONS IN PEARLAND
The Melvin Knapp Senior Center, 2424 South Park Ave. in Pearland, presented its first CLASP mini-course in January. Presentations will be held once a month from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Upcoming presentations on the calendar:
Monday, Feb. 8: The Science of Happiness," presented by Robert Bartsch.
Monday, March 8: The Mayan Culture," presented by Karen Wielhorski, executive director of UHCL's Neumann Library.
Monday, April 12: Voices from the 1900 Galveston Storm," presented by Shelly Kelly, UHCL archivist.
Call 281-283-2019, or e-mail clasp@uhcl.edu.
For more information, call 281-283-2021, or e-mail clasp@uhcl.edu. Reservations are required for minicourses.
