Course Description: “What in the World is going on?!” This Great Decisions course will explore and discuss eight newsworthy topics. The class format will provide a brief intro and background of the topic, followed by class interaction and discussion.

Class Leader Bio(s): Charlie Walter’s background has been concentrated on teaching, group process and facilitation. He was a high school teacher, business trainer and safety guy. Ken Mulder’s background has concentrated on Project Management, Supply Chain Improvement and Customer Satisfaction Improvement. Charlie Walter and Mulder are long time participants at CLL and bring a wide array of experience to this effort.

Notes: Availability of reading and reference material, some at cost, will be discussed at first class.

Course Description: In today’s world, your phone can be your best travel companion. What do you do when you arrive in a foreign port? How do you find internet access, restrooms, restaurants, or stay in touch with your family? This class will help you travel with confidence by exploring the best apps for communication, navigation, photography, and security. Learn how to take, edit and organize photos, protect your information, use AI for travel, and discover which apps can simply make your journey more fun. This will be a hands-on working class, so be sure to bring your iPhone or android.

Class Leader Bio(s): Dee La Garde has a MBA from the University of Kansas. She has over 700 days cruising and has circled the World 4 times touring all 7 continents. On the Cruise Ship one of the featured classes was “Tech for Travel.” Sean La garde has an engineering degree from Widener University in Philadelphia, PA. He is currently working as a system engineer.

Notes: Bring your phone (iPhone or android) to every class, it will be a key tool throughout each session.

Course Description: Flexibility and balance are two on-going challenges for older adults. This class concentrates on stretching routines to improve flexibility, and on balancing techniques. Students proceed at their individual paces and are encouraged to practice outside of class.

Class Leader Bio(s): Jean Lee-Jackson, a Registered Physical Therapist, is now a consultant who specializes in home health care. From years of experience, she sees the detrimental effects from a lack of exercise.

Notes: Bring a mat or blanket for floor exercise.

Course Description: Intermediate Knitting picks up where Beginning Knitting left off. We will use our knowledge of the knit stitch and purl stitch and learn to read patterns, knit in the round, and make cables, stripes, and lace. You must know how to knit and purl to take this class. This is a 6-week class. You have the option of purchasing supplies from me on the first day of class for $25.

Class Leader Bio(s): Kristine Matthews initially learned to knit in a junior high school home economics class and she picked it back up when she was pregnant with her second child. That was 23 years ago and today she’s rarely without a pretty yarn and needles somewhere close by.

Notes: This is a 6-week class meeting January 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13 and 20. The class requires around 600 yards of worsted weight yarn (preferably not cotton) in two or more colors, a pair of size 7 or 8 16” circular needles and a pair of size 7 or 8 32” circular needles. You have the option of purchasing supplies from me on the first day of class for $25.

Course Description: Listen and learn about great R&B Music from the 50's & 60's.

Class Leader Bio(s): Bob Butler holds an MBA from Central Michigan University. He has been a Junior H.S. Math teacher, a Buick dealer, and has a lifelong passion for “My kind of Music.”

Course Description: Fused glass creations are beautiful and easy to create. This is not stained glass or blown glass but is known as kiln formed glass. During the 2-hour tour we will make 2 projects with sheet glass, noodles, stringers and dots of glass. We will fire your projects within 2 weeks following the tour date. The art glass we are using is handmade, very unique and beautiful. It is very expensive glass, and we fire the pieces in the kiln for up to two firings that take almost 24 hours each. You will be amazed at what you create! A $30 fee will be collected on January 16 to cover materials and firing. We will meet on January 16 from 1:00 to 3:00.

Class Leader Bio(s): Anita Vasquez and Rosanne Painter Maas are lifelong crafters and love making things out of glass. You can see pictures at our website for Paradise Glassworks at: paradiseglassworks.com.

Notes: We will meet at: Paradise Glassworks 2 David Street, Unit E Fort Walton Beach Students need to wear close-toed shoes in the studio. Eyeglasses are required in the studio which we provide or you may use your own.

Course Description: Each student will build and take home a cheese and charcuterie board with ingredients sourced and provided by The Board Chef. You will taste and cut a minimum of 8 cheeses and 3 types of salami, learn how to make salami roses, and have an opportunity to play with added accoutrements such as dried fruits, olives and sweetie peppers. This tour will meet on Monday, January 19, at 10:00 and last between 1.5 to 2 hours. A fee of $25 will be collected at the door to cover ingredient costs. The fee will be collected at the door and is payable by cash or credit card.

Class Leader Bio(s): Annmarie has been in the food industry since her first job at the age of 14 in a Southern California pie shop. Since then, she has worked on every side of this amazing industry, not only as a brands manager for a national broad liner as a center of the plate specialist, but also as a successful entrepreneur. She took a leap during Covid, took out every tool, called on every business relationship she had, made a plan, moved to Fort Walton Beach and started The Board Chef.

Notes: This one-day tour will meet at 322 Harbor Place SW, Fort Walton Beach. This is Annmarie’s residence. There is plenty of street parking available.

Course Description: We will look at Aldous Huxley's Story of a Brave New World, written in 1932 and see how past and present events are drawing us into his Utopian nightmare.

Class Leader Bio(s): Bob Brim is a retired engineer and a veteran of the Vietnam War and wife Gina Brim is a retired school teacher/librarian.