July 29, 2019

Registration is under way for East Mississippi Community College’s Learning in Our Neighborhood (LION) program, which provides adult residents the opportunity to take noncredit courses on a wide range of topics.

The classes run from Oct. 7 to Nov. 15. The deadline to register is Sept. 27.

Most of the classes meet once a week for six weeks at various locations throughout Columbus. Enrollees pay a nominal $35 fee to cover registration costs, which entitles them to take up to three classes per term. Additional classes cost $10 each.

“A lot of people who took some of the classes last semester said they had a really positive experience and they are happy that EMCC is offering this program,” said EMCC English instructor Marilyn Ford, who is heading up the program.

The classes run the gamut from Medicinal Herbs, in which participants will learn about natural medicines, to Yoga and IPhone Pointers.

New this semester are three classes in which participants will only meet once during the semester. These include Christmas Ornament Painting class taught by EMCC art instructor Cindy Buob ($10); a Medicare Seminar that consists of a complete overview of Medicare Health Insurance ($10); and Grassroots Candles, in which participants will learn how to make their own holiday candle. The cost of the latter class is $10, plus $25 for candle making materials.

One special class that will be offered this semester is titled “The Columbus Bicentennial and the History of the Upper Tombigbee Valley,” which will be taught by Rufus Ward, along with Carolyn Kaye and Gary Lancaster. The class that will explore the beginnings of Columbus will take place at the historic Stephen D. Lee Home & Historical Society Museum in Columbus and is being co-hosted by the Lee Foundation and the Columbus and Lowndes County Historical Society.

The class will be limited to 25 participants and registrants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The classes are taught by volunteers who are knowledgeable in their respective fields.

“The classes are a great way for people to keep their minds and bodies active and stay connected to the community,” Ford said. “One of our main purposes of the program is to provide residents an opportunity to be lifelong learners.”

Email learninginourneighborhood@eastms.edu for more information or to sign up for classes.

Below is a list of available classes, meeting times, locations and the names of the instructors. (Note: All classes with the exception of one at EMCC's Golden Triangle campus are in Columbus.)

• History of Christmas Carols; Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, Mondays at 10 a.m., EMCC Lion Hills Center, 2331 Military Road, instructor Glenn Lautzenhiser. Thirty-two carols will be presented along with the story behind the songs.
• Yoga, Mondays at 2 p.m., Bliss Yoga Studio, 425 Main Street, instructor Laura Vernon. This intro to yoga class for beginners and those of all levels will focus on Vinyasa style yoga. The instructor will provide props and hands-on adjustments. Each class will end with relaxation. Bring your own mat or use one at Bliss.
• IPhone Pointers, Tuesdays at 11 a.m., Golden Triangle Development Center (Bingo Hall), 1522 Gardner Blvd., instructor Kelvin Young. This course will help participants learn how to use their IPhones and IPads. Bring your own IPhone or IPad and make sure your devices are charged.
• “The Tempest,” A Renaissance Drama, Tuesdays at 2 p.m., EMCC Lion Hills Center, 2331 Military Road. “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” One of the last of Shakespeare’s plays, “The Tempest” is considered a tragicomedy. Stranded on an island with a few inhabitants, will the shipwrecked crew find friends? Or is something else afoot? Amid magic and spirits, what will be the outcome? Join this class to find out.
• The Columbus Bicentennial and the History of the Upper Tombigbee Valley, Tuesdays at 4 p.m., Stephen D. Lee Home & Historical Society Museum, 316 7^th Street North, instructor Rufus Ward. Participants will be led through approximately 600 years of history as they explore the growth of Columbus and the surrounding area.
• Medicinal Herbs, Tuesdays at 6 p.m., EMCC Lion Hills Center, 2331 Military Road, instructor Robert White. Let by Robert White of Robert’s Apothecary, participants will discuss and explore natural medicines such as herbals, homeopathic, food state vitamins and what diseases or conditions respond to them. Participants will also learn about hemp oil, fish oil, probiotics, anti-inflammatories, and an assortment of other products.
• Your Great Transformation, life habits for healthy living, Wednesdays at 11 a.m., EMCC Lion Hills Center, 2331 Military Road, instructor Diane Malone. This course will offer life habits for healthy living. Transformation is rarely an instant process. The path to good healthy is a lifelong journey. Participants in this class will discuss life habits that have helped improve thousands of lives.
• Knitting, Thursdays at 9 a.m., St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the Parish Hall at 318 College St., instructor Patty Keffer. This is a sharing and a gathering for all who have an interest in knitting. You may have no experience at all but a desire to try your hand, or you may be an experienced knitter with a desire to share your craft and expand your knowledge. Let’s bring those desires together in this workshop to learn and improve old and new skills. If you don’t have knitting needles and yarn there will be some to use. No need to buy your own until you are sure.
• Stretch, Breathe, Relax, Thursdays at 11 a.m., St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the Parish Hall at 318 College St., instructor Patty Keffer. Many of us hurt all the time, have tight muscles, and are not comfortable in our bodies. Stretching can help all of these problems and when deep breathing and relaxation are added you will be on your way to feeling better. Stretching can be done standing, sitting on a chair, and sitting and lying on the floor.
• Adult Ballet, Thursdays at 11 a.m., Ballet Columbus studio, Covenant Presbyterian Church, 515 Lehmberg Road, instructor Laura Beth Berry. Whether you are brand new to ballet or looking for a gentle reentry to movement, this class is for all adults who want to dance. Come enjoy the beauty and grace of classical ballet while improving your posture, balance and muscle tone. This class will cover basic ballet positions, steps and vocabulary with a focus on the students’ awareness of proper posture and body alignment. We’ll start with standing barre work for strength and flexibility, then move to center floor exercises to enhance coordination and balance. No prior dance experience necessary. Attire: Close-fitting active wear (tights and leotard if you have them). Ballet shoes are a plus and can be ordered the first day of class through the instructor.
• Wine Appreciation, Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. for four nights, EMCC Lion Hills Center, 2331 Military Road, instructor Daniel Harrell (Note: There is a $50 fee to enroll in this class to cover the cost of the wine, cheeses and hors d’oeuvres.) Do you need and end-of-the-week break? Would you like to learn more about the types of wine pairings with different foods? Join this class for wine tastings with light hors d’oeuvres. Must be 21.
• Journalism and Radio Broadcast, Fridays at 3 p.m., meets in the EMCC radio station, classroom T1-A on EMCC’s Golden Triangle campus, 8731 S. Frontage Road, instructor Don Rodney Vaughan. This class looks at radio broadcasting as an art (rather than as a science). The transmission of the human voice over the airways is nothing short of fascinating and miraculous, whether the voice message is in the form of a weather forecast, a football score, or an introduction to an Arianna Grande song. The course will focus on how to deliver content on live radio. Moreover, ethical concepts are discussed: speech and the First Amendment, objectivity, accuracy, and fairness. Participants will definitely be on air with important messages. A live broadcast will be taking place during class time. The course accentuates that radio broadcasting is not impromptu, but extemporaneous.

Here are classes that will be offered once:

• Medicare Seminar, Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. to noon and again at 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Both classes are the same so participants only need register for one session. EMCC Student Union Building, room 507 on the college’s Golden Triangle campus. Do you need help navigating the waters of Medicare? This class will provide a complete overview of Medicare Health Insurance. We will discuss the options available to individuals including Traditional Medicare — Part A and Part B, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D and Medigap. The computer lab will allow us to look at the Medicare.gov website and work through choosing a Medicare Part D prescription plan for 2020. Please bring your current Medicare Card and a list of prescription medications you are currently taking. This class should provide hands-on information for anyone interested in working through the process using their own information. Participants will walk away with all the information for 2020 open enrollment that is Oct. 15-Dec. 7.
• Christmas Ornament Painting, Nov. 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Open to all ages. Meets in the EMCC Humanities and Fine Arts Building on the college’s Golden Triangle campus with arts instructor Cindy Buob. Are you looking for neat Christmas ideas? Participants will paint two to three Christmas ornaments. All materials will be provided.
• Grassroots Candles, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m., Grassroots Candles, 127 N. 5^th Make your own candle for the holidays. Grab a friend and learn about the art of candle making. You will choose your own scents and come home with a new candle designed especially by you.