Active Aging Week

by Julie - Exec. Dir.September 24, 2017Leave a comment

This week is Active Aging Week and that’s exactly what we do at The Shepherd’s Center – Age Actively! Why don’t you join us and Check Out the OU! The Shepherd’s Center of Richmond offers one of the best lifelong learning opportunities in town – Open University (OU). Attend a day of classes as our guest to discover if the OU is for you!

There are two opportunities this week:

Monday, September 25^th from 9:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 7757 Chippenham Parkway.
Thursday, September 28^th from 9:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at First Presbyterian Church, 4602 Cary Street Road.

Click HERE to see the fall schedule. We look forward to seeing you at the OU!

Pssst! – Already a student? This would be a great opportunity for you to bring a friend or neighbor with you (big grin) – Julie

A Tiny OU Schedule Change

by Julie - Exec. Dir.September 22, 2017September 22, 20172 Comments

The Shepherd’s Center looks forward to welcoming to St. Luke on Monday, the 27th, Professor Evie Terrono, professor of art history at Randolph-Macon College. Her very timely topic is “Mansions and Monuments and Southern Identity in Richmond.”

Because of a conflict beyond her control, Prof. Terrono will begin her talk at 12:45, instead of our accustomed 12:30. That’s a little extra time to learn more about the Shepherd’s Center and to get to know one another (and maybe even have a second piece of cake!) See you then. Bring a friend!

Ready for a New School Year?!

by Julie - Exec. Dir.September 15, 2017Leave a comment

School days, school days; Dear old Golden Rule days!

Open University begins Monday, September 18. If you haven’t seen the course schedule, CLICK HERE . We are looking forward to a great session and a wonderful year of learning together. Tell your family, friends and neighbors. Hope to see you there – Julie

And you thought we forgot….

by Julie - Exec. Dir.April 28, 2017Leave a comment

Happy National Volunteer Week!!!!

In fact, we would not exist without our volunteers!

Many, many thanks to ALL of you for making us the great organization we are and for helping us to create a more caring community for older adults here in the River City.

We really couldn’t do it without ewe (big grin) – Julie

Date and Speaker Switch at St. Mary

by Julie - Exec. Dir.March 27, 2017March 27, 2017Leave a comment

Two of the Shepherd’s Center’s most popular speakers are Bill Lohmann, columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Ed Slipek, architectural historian and senior contributing editor of Style Weekly . Because of a family emergency on Wednesday, March 29th, Lohmann will be unable to speak on his assigned date. Ed Slipek, who was scheduled for April 5th at St, Mary, has agreed to switch his date with that of Bill Lohmann. We are pleased that we will keep both men on the schedule, although in a different order! Here, then, is the new schedule:

Wednesday, March 29: Ed Slipek on “Richmond Architectural Gems”

Wednesday, April 5: Bill Lohmann on “On the Road Again: More People, Places and Pie Around Virginia”. Lohmann will bring copies of his books to sell and to sign.

The other two great speakers in the Lunch and Life series: Curtis Monk, president and CEO of Commonwealth Public Broadcasting, and Craig Reynolds, director of the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design, keep their original dates of April 12 and April 26, respectively.

All the excitement takes place at St. Mary Catholic Church, 9505 Gayton Road. Bring a bag lunch at noon. The church will provide beverages and desserts The talks begin at 12:30.

PS – Spring Session begins TODAY! Hope to see everyone – Julie

Spring 2017 Gray Matters Newsletter

by Julie - Exec. Dir.February 28, 2017Leave a comment

The Gray Matters for Spring 2017 is now available on our website and at the link right here. Hope you enjoy!

reading sheep

PS – It says that our Annual Volunteer Celebration is in April, but in fact, it will be in May – Tuesday, May 2, 2017, to be exact. Mark your calendars!

The following is a press release from the Brandylane Publicity Department:

by Julie - Exec. Dir.February 2, 2017Leave a comment

Join Weldon Bradshaw, author of My Dance with Grace, at First Presbyterian Church (4602 Cary Street Rd, Richmond, VA, 23226) on Thursday, February 16 from 12:30-1:15 PM for a talk titled “Gifts: Thoughts of a Transplant Survivor.” This event will be hosted by The Shepherd’s Center (TSCOR) as part of their Open University program. Weldon will be a “Lunch Speaker” and attendees are encouraged to bring a sandwich (coffee and desserts to be provided). Copies of Weldon’s book, My Dance with Grace, will be available for purchase following the talk. This event is free and open to the public.

Late in 2009, Weldon Bradshaw was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, an incurable, autoimmune liver condition. Over the next two and a half years, as the disease progressed slowly and his liver and health deteriorated, his prognosis grew bleak. By November of 2012, his doctor informed him that if he didn’t receive a transplant, he’d be dead within the week. Through it all, Weldon remained steadfast to the promise he’d made his family at the outset of his illness: he would be there to dance at his granddaughter’s wedding. A high school cross country coach and lifelong athlete, Weldon was accustomed to tests of endurance, spirit, and drive. But nothing could have prepared him for this – the race of his life. It would be a race against time, chance, and hopelessness in the face of devastating odds. It would be a race for a miracle.

This event is part of The Shepherd’s Center’s larger series, Open University, which hosts educational lectures and events on a variety of topics. A complete list of the Winter Session events, as well as more information about “Gifts: Thoughts of a Transplant Survivor” (third page of PDF) can be found here.

For those who are interested in continuing adult education, The Shepherd’s Center offers three 8-week sessions, from September through May. Membership is $25 annually, with tuition at $40 for each session for members. You can attend any or all of the individual classes within any session for that one price. You can find more information about The Shepherd’s Center’s Open University Program and becoming a member on the TSCOR website.

OU Schedule Changes

by Julie - Exec. Dir.January 20, 2017Leave a comment

Change of Speaker for Thursday, January 26

The announced speaker (Constance Whitney) for the Open University of the Shepherd’s Center of Richmond has had a family emergency and will not speak on Jan. 26 at First Presbyterian Church. We are so honored to have in her place Nancy Wright Beasley, the acclaimed author of Izzy’s Fire: Finding Humanity in the Holocaust. Ms Beasley will speak to us at 12:30 at First Presbyterian and will have a book signing following. (Cash, checks, or IOU’s will be accepted.) Izzy’s Fire was nominated for a People’s Choice Award by the Virginia State Library and the James River Writers . The son of Izzy, the title hero, is Jay Ipson, who founded Richmond’s Holocaust Museum. She will also have on hand for purchase and signing two other books she has written: The Little Lion: A Hero in the Holocaust and Reflections of a Purple Zebra: Essays of a Different Stripe. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Nancy Beasley. Come and bring your friends.

Change of Instructor

Dr. Reingard Nethersole will be continuing Barbara Felton’s course on American writers in Paris starting Thursday, January 26 at 9:45 a.m.

Reingard was born in Germany, studied in the UK, where she met her husband, and followed him to South Africa. She received a Ph.D. there and taught English literature for many years at a South African University. When her husband, an engineer, was transferred by his company to the U.S., she followed and has taught part-time at the University of Richmond since (and where she presently is teaching two courses). We are very lucky to have her and appreciate her fitting the OU into her busy schedule.

Small Changes in OU Topics

by Julie - Exec. Dir.January 16, 2017Leave a comment

On Monday, January 23, at 9:45 a.m., popular teacher Ellis West will speak on the topic Should the Electoral College System of Electing the President Be Abolished? This replaces the topic originally listed for him in the Open University schedule (which is now changed on the website schedule). Come to St. Luke Lutheran to hear what Ellis has to say about this important and timely topic!

On Thursday, February 9, at 9:45 a.m., Jim Smith will speak on the topic, The Incredible “Way.” An Obscure Palestinian Sect Mysteriously Becomes An International Movement. We hope to see you at First Presbyterian that day.

Lunch and Life Cancelled, Wednesday, January 11

by Julie - Exec. Dir.January 10, 2017Leave a comment

Once again, I can’t tell you how unhappy I am to have to announce that Lunch and Life is cancelled for Wednesday, January 11th, due to road conditions. The City of Richmond Schools announced that they will be closed and per our policy, we also will be closed.

Fingers crossed that Richmond City Schools will be open Thursday. If they are delayed, we ARE open, on time. I really do hope to see everyone at First Presbyterian – Julie

A snow-covered sheep stands on a meadow during snowfalls near the Albispass mountain pass south of Zurich November 22, 2008. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann (SWITZERLAND) — Not a happy sheep!