After years of mining, the land is often left disturbed. My project explores how we can bring these lands back to life using soil amendments, materials that have the potential of restoring soil fertility and reviving the community of native plants. I believe, with every native leaf, the story of healing begins. It’s a story of recovery of how science and stewardship can help ecosystems restore themselves, one handful of soil at a time.

This presentation will take us on an exploration of humanity’s historical relationship with substances, examining how drugs have been used across cultures and time.  Renee will discuss world events that have shaped substance use and policy, discuss the influence of culture, and scrutinize the development of laws, particularly those rooted in racism rather than in scientific evidence.  By understanding the historical context, we can better recognize how we have arrived at our current substance-related challenges, evaluate what interventions are working, and consider innovative ideas for moving forward.  When we truly learn from history, we are less likely to repeat its mistakes.

This presentation will discuss the scientifically established benefits of, and the many resources available with respect to whole food plant-based (WFPB) eating.  How it can increase the chances of avoiding chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer, as well as improve our chances of increasing not just our lifespan, but our “health span”.

Join an expedition ship sailing from Iceland to Greenland in the Wake of the Vikings. Then enjoy a land add on with a trip to the Greenland Icecap followed by a visit to Illulissat, the iceberg capital. Learn about the history and culture of this land so much in the news recently.

This presentation will introduce you to the history and the work of the BC SPCA.  Their work is much more than animal protection.  The BC SPCA’s community work provides resources such as low-income spay/neuter programs and food banks for pet food to enable people who are struggling and their companion animals to stay together. They fight for better laws for all animals: domestic, wild and farm.  Dora will share with us some stories of animal rescues they have performed.  The tour of the facility will allow us to experience the daily life in the busy Community Animal Centre.

What do Alzheimer’s and early childhood education have in common?  At first glance, you might say, “nothing”; however, as I lived through Alzheimer’s with my family members, I realized that many of the principles that I learned and practiced in my professional calling could be implemented to help navigate through the changes in my loved ones and support them as the disease progressed.  In this talk, I will share ideas and concepts from early childhood education, along with practical examples, that helped me as I adapted to my mom who lived with Alzheimer’s.  Participants will come away with a greater understanding of ways to adapt and adjust to a loved one who is living with Alzheimer’s.  

In this class, we examine the relationship between colonialism, law and the modern human rights regime.  It offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the structure and scope of law and the emergence of global institutions in an era of globalization. We further discuss how violence, elitism and power have come to shape the world in which we live today.

This talk will explore the underlying science of many common things you have, see or do (or should not do) around the house or backyard. These include equipment, appliances, gadgets, processes, materials, food, drinks etc. It will also point out things that should be treated with caution.

In the first Come to the Concert class of the new year we will preview music that spans the centuries: from Bach to Brahms and Bernstein to Coleman. This concert turns the stage over to the brass and percussion sections of the Kamloops Symphony, who will perform an arrangement of Bach’s most well-known organ composition, his Toccata and Fugue in D minor.  Brahms’ musical homage to composer Joseph Haydn, his Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Bernstein’s familiar and exciting West Side Story Suite and contemporary American composer, Valerie Coleman’s, Fanfare for Uncommon Times, will provide further proof of the power of brass to inspire audiences.

Artificial intelligence has long been an object of both fear and fascination in the stories we tell, from the murderous HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey to the benevolent android Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation.  Lately, questions about AI’s impact on our lives have taken on a new urgency.  While HAL famously proclaimed, “I’m sorry, Dave.  I’m afraid I can’t do that,” today’s AI is increasingly showing all that it can do.  This course will look at how narratives around artificial intelligence in fiction, film, and other media explore what it means to be human, and what the future may hold for our relationship with AI.

The speaker for this presentation, a retired forecaster at the Canadian Meteorological Centre, will introduce the science of winds, from the basic principles to specific wind systems and extreme events such as tornadoes and hurricanes. There are identifiable wind patterns on earth, our presenter will explain what they are and what causes them. He will go on to introduce the scales for winds in different events. This is a zoom class, so attendees can join from the comfort of their own home or come in person at the Kamloops Sports Council.

An aging driver might notice the changes but not always the bad driving habits that have accumulated over the years.  This course will familiarize you with everything you need to know in order to remain a safe and confident driver. Sylvia will cover the driving statistics, the latest rules for senior drivers and effective techniques to navigate the senior driving years.