Programs

Kamloops Adult Learners Society (KALS) is a community of actively engaged learners who are interested in exploring and understanding a broad range of topics, sharing ideas, and meeting others who have similar interests. Classes are usually two hours in length and are single-session or multi-session of two to ten weeks duration.

Membership is required to register. For more information about membership, click here.

How To Register for Courses

On-line by clicking the online registration button:

In person on McArthur Island at 1550 Island Parkway Dr. through-out the semester during office hours Monday-Friday 9am-4pm (Closed from 12pm-1pm). Credit, cash or cheque

Register by Phone by Calling 1-250-376-1525

*Single session courses are non-refundable. Multi session courses are refundable with a $10 cancellation fee.

Art and Conversation: Dancing Through to the Other Side
Cost: $0
Min: 5
Max: 15

Single Session

Multi Session

Dancing Through to the Other Side holds space for dance and the body in the gallery through immersive video and sound experiences. It brings together the work of interdisciplinary artists Justine A. Chambers, Luciana Freire D’Anunciação, Tanya Lukin Linklater, Andrea Nann, Dreamwalker, and their collaborators, whose movement-based practices situate dance within the gallery, beyond the ephemeral moment of performance.

Instructor: Kristen Gardner

Kristen Gardner

Kristen is the Educator and Public Program Director for the Kamloops Art Gallery. Prior to holding this role, she served as the School and Youth Programs Coordinator for 4 years. Kristen holds a Bachelor’s Fine Arts degree from TRU (2002) and a Diploma in Digital Arts and New Media from Selkirk College (2017). Passionate about arts education, she believes in the power of art to build meaningful connection and create transformative spaces for engagement in learning.

Location: Kamloops Art Gallery 465 Victoria Street
Dates:
Tuesday September 8, 2026 9:30 am – 11:30 am
The Future Starts With Us: Gordon Brown in Conversation
Cost: $10
Min: 8
Max: 40

Single Session

Multi Session

When the world feels increasingly unstable, Gordon Brown explores a practical and hopeful roadmap for a more equitable and sustainable course. Gordon Brown will join the Guardian’s Opinion executive editor, Hugh Muir, to discuss the intricate connections between global instability and civic decline.  They’ll also explore Brown’s proposals for the practical ways we can all actively engage in our communities and renew the global order, as explored in Brown’s new book, The Future Starts With Us. This is a livestream event from London, England. Please feel free to bring your lunch.

Instructor: Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown was the Labour Party prime minister of the United Kingdom from 2007 – 2010. He currently works as the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, the World Health Organization Ambassador for Global Health Financing, and as a special government advisor.

Location: Parkview Community Centre, 500 McDonald Ave.
Dates:
Thursday September 10, 2026 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
News and Views
Cost: $60
Min: 8
Max: 20

Single Session

Multi Session

Do you like to talk about the news stories of the week?  We invite you to join moderator Ray Pillar for lively thought provoking discussion and debate about local, provincial, national and world issues.  Whatever the news we look forward to a range of views and great discussions.  Bring your burning topics or participate in the discussion of those brought to the table by other members.

Instructor: Ray Pillar

Ray Pillar

Ray Pillar is a retired Thompson Rivers University administrator, Political Science instructor and former teacher assistant at the University of Victoria and York University. He continues to be a political commentator and a keen follower of Canadian and international politics. Ray has facilitated classes at KALs for over 15 years and has received the KALs volunteer award.

Location: Parkview Activity Centre and KSC
Dates:
Friday September 11, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday September 18, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday September 25, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday October 2, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday October 16, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday October 23, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday October 30, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday November 6, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday November 13, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday November 20, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday November 27, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Friday December 4, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Additional Comments:
September 11, 18 and 25 held at Parkview Activity Centre October 2 to December 4th to be held at Kamloops Sports Council No class on October 9th.
Watershed Habitat Inventory Field Trip
Cost: $15
Min: 5
Max: 16

Single Session

Multi Session

This field trip will be a hands-on workshop at a local stream on how to do a watershed habitat inventory.  It is a follow-up to the Watershed Habitat, Care and Restoration KALS presentation given by Gord in the Spring 2025 semester.  (However, the Spring 2025 presentation is not a prerequisite for this field trip.)  We will sample, in-depth, a section of instream habitat, a sampling of riparian habitat, and, if time allows, also an upland habitat.

The choice of stream for the inventory will be determined closer to the date of the field trip to allow for consideration of water levels, accessibility of the site and the weather.  Possible sites are Peterson Creek, Tranquille Creek, Paul Creek, and off-channel at McArthur Island.  We will be outdoors so please dress for the weather on the day and bring a snack and hydration.

Instructor: Gord Stewart

Gord Stewart

Gord moved to Kamloops from Victoria in 2000 to work as a watershed stewardship and management consultant. In March 2005, he was hired by the BIG Little Science Centre Society (BLSCS) to run the Science Centre and be the Executive Director of the BLSCS. Gord’s current responsibilities include all aspects of the operation of the Science Centre and the Society behind it.

Location: to be determined
Dates:
Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
DYI – Is It For You?
Cost: $10
Min: 8
Max: 40

Single Session

Multi Session

In his presentation, Ralph Colebank will introduce the basics of do-it-yourself investing. He will explain how to open a self-directed investment account, and discuss account types and investment types (stocks, EFTs, bonds crypto, bullion etc). In addition, Ralph will explain the difference between trading and investing, and elaborate on the different types of trading. Depending on interest level, Ralph is happy to follow up with more in the next semester. Please note, Ralph is not a registered financial advisor, and the course content is for educational purposes only. Nothing in the course content constitutes a recommendation to buy or sell any investment.

Instructor: Ralph Colebank

Ralph Colebank

Ralph has over 30 years of investment/trading experience. Well-versed in investing terminology and practices, he is experienced in several Brokerage Platforms, for example, TD direct investing, RBC direct investing, Questrade and others, as well as many Online Investment Platforms.

Location: Parkview Activity Centre, 500 McDonald Avenue
Dates:
Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Breugel’s Hunters in the Snow (1565)
Cost: $10
Min: 8
Max: 40

Single Session

Multi Session

The context of the art and artist is as important as the work itself. Pieter Breugel, the Elder painted Hunters in the Snow during a cold period in Europe known as the The Little Ice Age.  His subject matter reveals the lives and rhythms of the working people around him.  This presentation will explore his work and his life as a northern Renaissance artist.

Instructor: Ila Crawford

Ila Crawford

Ila taught in the Department of Visual Arts at TRU from 1992 until 2018. She holds a BFA, BSW and an FMA. She is a member of the Kamloops PrintMakers Society, which has a shared studio that offers facilities in screen printing, etching (intaglio) and relief printing. Ila has hosted workshops in Kitchen Litho, Photo Intaglio, Collagraph, Tetra Pak dry point and Bookbinding. She is keenly committed to providing printmaking opportunities to people in the Kamloops region and especially to alumni from Visual Arts at TRU.

Location: Parkview Community Centre, 500 McDonald Avenue
Dates:
Friday September 18, 2026 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Chartrand Creek Restoration
Cost: $10
Min: 8
Max: 20

Single Session

Multi Session

The District of Logan Lake is proposing to develop a pilot project to restore a section of Chartrand Creek using riverscape Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) techniques.  Working with Master’s students in the Environmental Restoration program at BCIT, we will be guided through the site at the end of their week long field camp.

Instructor: Marge Sidney

Marge Sidney

Marge is a retired Professional Biologist who has worked with BCIT and the District of Logan Lake on area restoration projects for well over 10 years.

Location: Chartrand Creek (Logan Lake area)
Dates:
Sunday September 20, 2026 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Additional Comments:
Meet at the giant mine truck in the centre of Logan Lake (at the Rec Centre). We will be spending the day outdoors, so please dress accordingly. Bring a lunch and drink. There will be a series of short walks over uneven ground.
Kamloops Heritage Railway Tour
Cost: $10.00
Min: 8
Max: 40

Single Session

Multi Session

Step back in time and discover the rich history of Canada’s railways through an unforgettable guided experience.  Explore the beautifully restored Steam Locomotive #2141, the Spirit of Kamloops, the only surviving Canadian Northern Railway locomotive of its class.  See, also the beautiful collection that includes the elegant Parlour Solarium Car #406 Georgian Bay, passenger car #403, and dining car #402, and an authentic wooden caboose.   There is as well a detailed model railway display, bringing the magic of railroading to life in miniature.

Instructor: Terri Axani

Terri Axani

A lover of life and a proud Rotarian, Terri escaped Vancouver and arrived in Kamloops in 1996. With over four decades of leadership experience in tourism and the non-profit sectors, she is now leading the Kamloops Heritage Railway into an exciting new chapter.

Location: 40 Mt Paul Way (located behind the apartments on Lorne St next to the Sandman Centre)
Dates:
Monday September 21, 2026 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Additional Comments:
Donations to the Kamloops Heritage Railway are gratefully accepted if you wish.
Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park Tour
Cost: $15
Min: 10
Max: 25

Single Session

Multi Session

Walk through the museum galleries with a museum guide to learn about the rich culture of the Secwepemc before contact.  Dive into topics such as clothing, hunting and fishing, tools, housing and so much more.  The tour will last about 45 minutes.

Instructor: Jackie Jules

Jackie Jules

Jackie Jules works at the Tkemlups te Secwepemc Museum and for School District #73 as a Language and Cultural Educator. She leads three types of tours at the Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park: Residential School tours, Pre-contact in the museum galleries, and Ethnobotony in the Heritage Park. The tour may be led by another guide from the Museum and Heritage Park.

Location: Secwepemc Museum, 330 Chief Alex Thomas Way #200
Dates:
Tuesday September 22, 2026 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Additional Comments:
We will meet the museum guide at the museum. Parking is a distance from the museum, so please allow enough time to get to the museum by 10:00.
McAbee Fossil Beds
Cost: $10
Min: 8
Max: 40

Single Session

Multi Session

This lecture/discussion is a pre-requisite for the field trip to the McAbee Fossil Beds on Thursday, the 24th of September. The site is the most diverse site of its kind in Canada and has exceptionally well preserved insect and plant fossils, as well as fish, spiders, crayfish and even birds. You will learn more about the geology of the area, the fossils and the Eocene era when these fossils were formed. Practical information regarding the field trip will also be discussed. Please note the class on September 22 is a pre-requisite for the field trip on September 24th.

Instructor: Tom Dickinson

Tom Dickinson

Tom Dickinson is a retired Dean of Sciences at TRU and is a long time KALs presenter. His classes focus on the flora, fauna and natural history of the region

Location: Parkview Activity Centre, 500 McDonald Ave, Kamloops BC V2B 3S9
Dates:
Tuesday September 22, 2026 1:30 am – 3:30 am
Additional Comments:
Pre-requisite for the field trip on September 24th.
Come to the Concert: Inspired by Here
Cost: $10.00
Min: 5
Max: 25

Single Session

Multi Session

The first Come to the Concert class of the semester is very special as it explores the music of Juno Award-winning composer Deantha Edmunds.  Deantha is also notable as the first Inuk professional classical soprano, and this concert is her debut with the KSO. She will sing songs of her own composing: ”Life’s Song,” “Legacy,” and  the song cycle “Angmalukisaa.” The other focus of this class is the Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius, whose Symphony No. 1 constitutes the second half of the evening’s programme. Sibelius is notable as a composer whose work helped reshape the character of symphonic writing in the early decades of the 20th Century.

Instructor: Rod Michell

Rod Michell

Rod Michell is a long time resident of Kamloops. With a Masters Degree in English Language and literature from Oxford, Rod taught in the TRU English Department for over 35 years. On retirement, Rod has continued to teach, this time for KALS, and since 2008 has taught as many as 20 courses in literature, especially the Classics. Rod’s love of music led him to offer to write the programme notes for the Kamloops Symphony concerts. It is out of his research for the Symphony Notes that the classes of “Come to the Concert” have evolved to become a regular item in the KALS calendar.

Location: Kelson Hall, 330 St. Paul St. Bruce Dunn Theatre
Dates:
Wednesday September 23, 2026 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Declutter and Downsize
Cost: $10
Min: 8
Max: 40

Single Session

Multi Session

Basically, this presentation is designed to help folks reduce their material possessions, whether in response to moving to a smaller living space or in response to worry about who is going to deal with all this stuff. We got to this place of having too much stuff because of two family incomes, the advent of the mall and shopping as a form of therapy. Many would like to declutter but just don’t know where to start. Join Diane Forster as she walks us through the stages of decluttering and downsizing.

Instructor: Diane Forster

Diane Forster

Diane’s mother was a magician when it came to organizing. And Diane grew up organizing everything. Bouts of anxiety made a well organized living situation mandatory for peaceful living. She was in business (retail and tourism) for nearly 50 years, and weeding out anything not helpful made her successful.

Location: Parkview Activity Centre, 500 McDonald Avenue
Dates:
Thursday September 24, 2026 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
KALS Winter 2026 Calendar Available on Website – December 19th, 2025 REGISTRATION WILL OPEN – January 5th, 2026 @ 9 am

How To Register for Membership

On-line by clicking the online registration button:

In person on McArthur Island at 1550 Island Parkway Dr. through-out the semester during office hours Monday-Friday 9am-4pm (Closed from 12pm-1pm). Credit, cash or cheque

Register by Phone by Calling 1-250-376-1525