Nice NICE Meeting again...

... which was well attended considering it's so close to Christmas and all are so busy...




... and the attendees were rewarded by 3 presentations of trips. John was first, with narrated movies of his travels in Turkey and Greece on an Elderhostel program entitled "Discovering the Jewels of the Mediterranean: Athens to Istanbul." Then Bob reported on his program at Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park with another wonderful slideshow of photos he took of volcanoes, lava, a hike through a lava tube, steam from lava entering the sea, and more. Finally, Bill and Jenny recounted their trip to Thailand and Cambodia, replete with magnificent photos and firsthand info on the culture and religion of the land. Below is a photo of Bill, Bob, and John.



The next meeting is on February 14th, 2009, and more inspiring travel programs will be presented.

Writer's Group Meeting...

... was today following the NICE meeting mentioned above. Phyllis hosted us for a delicious lunch...




... during which we honored our founder, Don (on left), for his upcoming birthday, by all enjoying a piece of Boston creme pie...



...followed by readings of our latest memoir masterpieces.



The stories related the year Santa visited, the travails accompanying the knitting of a scarf when an inquisitive cat got into the act, the exploits of a bulldog named Brutus, and some reflections on jury duty.

December 13 Meeting Info

NICE DECEMBER MEETING

(Northern Illinois Chapter of Elderhostel)

Saturday, December 13 at 10:00 AM to Noon


State Bank of the Lakes, Grayslake, Illinois
In the basement meeting room


Bill Casale will be presenting his trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos

the State Bank of The Lakes, 50 Commerce Drive in Grayslake, IL, 60030 ((847-548-2700) located east of Illinois Route 83, off Center Street, on Industrial Drive, across from the Post Office. (Double click on map to enlarge.)




We need at least two other presentations

(call Pete Clark at 1-847-549-1659
or e-mail at peterobertclark@aol.com)

There is no cost, there are pass-outs from Elderhostel, everyone is invited – please feel free to bring a friend!

NICE Meeting today!

Our bi-monthly meeting in Grayslake featured several trip reports today. The first was Don's PowerPoint presentation on his recent sailing adventure out of Camden, Maine on the ketch "Angelique." They spent 6 nights aboard as they explored the waters of Penobscot Bay, visiting small towns, spotting waterfowl and seals, helping raise and lower sails, taking turns at the helm, and dining on tasty shipboard cuisine and even including a lobster bake on shore. You can see a photo of the craft on the poster behind Don. The naturalist and folklore specialists also added much to the educational component of this program.



We then viewed a professional DVD showing the boat and all its amenities, which along with Don's photos and descriptions had us all ready to sign up for the trip!



Then Chuck showed photos of his recent 9 day trip canoeing Utah's Green River as well as his 6 day backpack trip in Arizona's Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The audience was amazed at the scenery but not anxious to do the seemingly straight-up climbs to reach the mesa tops!



The next meeting is Saturday, December 13th, in Grayslake.

Writer's Group Meeting...

The writer's group re-assembled at Chuck's place after the NICE meeting and enjoyed a lunch...



... and stimulating conversation as we re-connected after a hiatus of several months...



... and then the readings of our latest literary masterpieces followed -- always a wonderful time as we learn more about each other and get ideas for future pieces we can write.



KC Bird also joined our group today, and though he attentively listened to all the readings, he never contributed any constructive comments!

Writer's Group Meeting...

... at Don's place in Sedgebrook, beginning with lunch and conversation in the cafe...



...followed by sharing our latest memoirs, getting "caught up" since our last meeting was 7 months ago, and having light dessert. Seated (l to r) are Phyllis, Pete, Evie, and Don (Ellen is out of the photo on the couch.)

Our next meeting will be at my place following the NICE meeting in Grayslake on October 11th.

June and August Meetings canceled.

The next meeting will be at the Bank of the Lakes (Grayslake) at 10:00 AM to Noon on Saturday, October 11, 2008.

E-mail Pete at peterobertclark@aol.com or call 1-847-549-1659 if you have or will have an Elderhostel Trip you have attended and wish to present to the group at that time. We need at least 3.

Next Meeting June 14, 2008

The next NICE meeting is Saturday, June 14, 2008, from 10:00 - 12:00 Noon at the State Bank of The Lakes, 50 Commerce Drive in Grayslake, IL, 60030 (847-548-2700) located east of Illinois Route 83, off Center Street, on Industrial Drive, across from the Post Office. (Double click on map to enlarge.)



All are invited -- both those who have participated in Elderhostel programs and those with an interest in learning more about the programs.

Call Pete Clark if you have any questions: 1-847-549-1659 or email him at peterobertclark@aol.com

April 12, 2008 Meeting of NICE

Eleven attended today's meeting and president Pete welcomed everyone and took care of the business that needed to be covered...



...after which Bob showed a DVD he had made of his Elderhostel hiking program at the western section of the Grand Canyon out of Peach Springs, Arizona. The program featured 5 hikes along the rim and down into the canyon.



Then Chuck and Ellen presented a movie of their 2 Elderhostel paddling programs, the first out of Brooksville, Florida (paddling the South Withlacoochee, Hillsborough, and Weeki Watchi Rivers), and the other out of Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs, Florida, (hiking along the Suwannee River, paddling the Suwannee and Ichetucknee Rivers, and numerous local foods and folk arts/crafts.)



Finally, Pat, Executive Director of I-PLUS, related the services and philosophy of her program, Independent Positive Living Under Supervision, which enables homeless individuals/families of Lake County and the surrounding counties to transform their lives and become contributing members of the community.



Following the meeting, Pete treated everyone to lunch at the nearby Hillside Restaurant where engaging conversation ensued and all bid farewell until the next meeting in June.

(l to r: Bob, Ellen, Phil, Ed, Pete, Judy, Dixie, Pat, Adrian, and Jan)

Next Meeting is April 12th, 2008

The next NICE meeting is Saturday, April 12, 2008, from 10:00 - 12:00 Noon at the State Bank of The Lakes, 50 Commerce Drive in Grayslake, IL, 60030 ((847-548-2700) located east of Illinois Route 83, off Center Street, on Industrial Drive, across from the Post Office. (Double click on map to enlarge.)



All are invited -- both those who have participated in Elderhostel programs and those with an interest in learning more about the programs.

Call Pete Clark if you have any questions: 1-847-549-1659 or email him at peterobertclark@aol.com

NICE meeting at Sedgebrook - February 9, 2008

A full house turned out for the February Northern Illinois Chapter of Elderhostel (NICE) meeting at Sedgebrook retirement community, Lincolnshire. Many resident Elderhostel alums were joined by NICE members from the area to hear contrasting presentations about China.



Brad Swanson (photo below), Libertyville High School Principal, described and illustrated his experiences in November, 2007. Brad was one of 65 secondary school principals and educators from the US, UK, Canada and Australia spending two weeks with 80 of their Chinese counterparts. The group met in Changzhou, Jinangsu Province. The intent of bringing together educators from the Western tradition and China was to promote understanding and potentially to lead to student and staff exchanges.



After describing the markedly different system found in China, Brad commented that the greatest surprise was the Chinese interest in “how to develop a healthy balance” in teacher/student relationships. Brad stated that the Chinese system is a very autocratic classroom, something many teachers are interested in relaxing.

Following refreshments provided by Sedgebrook, Bob Chen (photo below), an Elderhostel alum and resident of Sedgebrook, illustrated an extended Elderhostel in southern China. Bob, trained as an engineer in the Chinese schools in his youth, shared his love of beauty as found in China, his observations on the ease with which the many minorities in China live together peacefully, and the contrasts between the rural areas and the pollution-generating industrial areas.



Both presenters remarked upon the contrast between the very old and very new, one as an outsider looking in and the other as an insider, absent for years, looking anew.

reported by Don Nylin