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Anacortes Senior College



Our Classes

Gardening with Skagit County Master Gardeners – Spring Edition

$20

with Marlene Finley

Calendar Apr 16, 2024 at 4 pm, runs for 3 weeks

This course is taught by Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners. In Spring Edition, we will teach you how to conserve water in the garden and share a palette of resilient plants for landscaping. Next, we will focus on the fragrant garden; inspiration for planning a garden that appeals to the senses. And finally, we will talk about vegetable garden planning, timing, starting plants indoors and once you do get in the garden, soil and problem solving for various vegetables. Come learn practical advice and creative ways to enhance your gardening journey.

April 16: Waterwise Gardening with Kathy Thornburgh and Bobbi Lemme April 23: Gardening for Fragrance in Your PNW Garden with Diana Wisen April 30: All About Vegetable Gardening with Sheri Rylaarsdam

Class Coordinators: Marlene Finley (MG Class of 2018) & Diana Wisen (MG Class of 1991)

Marlene Finley is past President of Skagit County Master Gardeners Foundation and chairs the Continuing Education committee. Marlene earned a Masters degree from Oregon State University’s College of Forestry and worked in management for 35 years for the USDA Forest Service and National Park Service.

Diana Wisen graduated from Whitman College with a BA in education and taught elementary school for a few years, but when she got involved with Camp Fire Girls and Boys, she discovered she really enjoyed teaching adults. Diana focuses her efforts on outreach and education activities, the Training Team, chairing the Recruitment & Retention committee, planning the Know & Grow workshops and coordinating the Speakers Bureau.

The Mystery Story as Literature

$30

with Matthew Sullivan

Calendar Apr 16, 2024 at 4 pm, runs for 6 weeks

From Sherlock Holmes to C.S.I., mystery stories have been popular and enduring forms of entertainment. In addition to exploring the world of crime, mysteries can offer insight into the nature of good and evil, raise questions about the human condition, and reveal truths about history and culture.

On an introductory level, this class will examine the basic schools of the mystery genre, ranging from the classic to the contemporary. Over six weeks we will read and discuss:

  1. The Roots of Mystery and Classic Detectives (Edgar Allen Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle)
  2. Golden Age/Cozies (Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None)
  3. Hard-boiled Fiction (Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon)
  4. Contemporary Literary Mysteries (novel to be determined)

Required Texts: A few days before the course begins, please check your email for a few readings to complete before the first class (I will bring some print copies to class, as well). Two of the novels we read--And Then There Were None and The Maltese Falcon--should be widely available in libraries and bookstores, and any edition is fine. We will discuss options for our third novel in class.

Instructor: Matthew Sullivan

Matthew Sullivan is the author of the novel Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, which has been translated into seven languages and was a Barnes & Noble Discover Pick, a GoodReads Choice Award finalist, and winner of the Colorado Book Award. His stories and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and elsewhere. He spent 20 years teaching writing and literature at a community college in rural central Washington. Midnight in the Orchard by the Lake, his new mystery novel, set in Soap Lake, will be published in January 2025 by HarperCollins. He lives in Anacortes.

The Photographers of Anacortes

$20

with Adam Farnsworth

Calendar Apr 16, 2024 at 4 pm, runs for 3 weeks

The Photographers of Anacortes exhibit is a gateway to over 86,000 images in the Anacortes Museum’s online catalog: As the focus of this 3-session course at the Anacortes Senior College, the timeline of Fidalgo and Guemes islands will be explored and explained through the lens of picture-taking here.

The class will learn about the biographies of the photographers – like Wallie Funk, Ferd Brady and more – who documented our town. “If you haven’t visited Anacortes.catalogaccess.com before or recently, there’s so much to discover. People are finding photos they’ve never seen before of family members, and pictures of historic events they’ve only heard about,” states Bret Lunsford, director of the Anacortes Museum. View the Photographers of Anacortes: https://anacortes.catalogaccess.com/exhibits/28

Instructors: Adam Farnsworth and Bret Lunsford

Adam Farnsworth was three months old when his family moved to Anacortes, Washington. He attended Walla Walla University and graduated in 2007 with a degree in New Media Imaging. For the last fifteen years he has worked as a web/graphic designer, studio owner, and for a short stint as the Assistant Brewer at the Anacortes Brewery. In his spare time, Adam is an avid film enthusiast, a podcaster, and musician. He’s currently the Education and Media Curator at the Anacortes Museum.

Bret Lunsford has participated in independent music, art and book production for decades based in his hometown of Anacortes, Washington. He is also a writer of history, author of “Sounding for Harry Smith” and “Croatian Fishing Families of Anacortes” and editor of “Lance Burdon: A Photographic Journey” and “Pictures of the Past: Celebrating 125 Years of Anacortes History.” He graduated from The Evergreen State College in 1988. He is currently the director of the Anacortes Museum.

Understanding World Wide Religion

$30

with Jim Barrett Ed.D.

Calendar Apr 16, 2024 at 4 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Religion impacts all of us every day: foreign policy, government decisions, social interactions, and the wars we fight. What is religion, why do people believe, where did it come from, and why don’t most people talk openly about it? What are the similarities, the differences, and the benefits to followers of the major religions? What trends can we identify? These and other questions will be discussed as well as your own experiences with religion, in this “no-judgment” course.

Instructor: Jim Barrett, Ed.D.

Jim received his BA from Western Washington Univ. and his masters and doctorate from the Univ. of Washington in Higher Education. He was employed by the UW for 32 years in several Health Science positions and retired as Director of the Dept. of Health Sciences Center for Educational Resources and as an affiliate professor in the Dept. of Medical Education. For the past 12 years he has researched and written on the subject of comparative religion.

Embodied Self-Regulation Meditation: Integrating Body, Mind, and Spirit

$30

with Steve Templin

Calendar Apr 18, 2024 at 4 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Note: No Thursday Class on April 25; Last Class May 30.

What underlies many physical, mental, and emotional complaints is our nervous system’s protective response to stress and trauma. This stress response is helpful for a time, but when it lingers, potentially for a lifetime, it damages not only our health and well-being but our potential for joy, creativity, and open-hearted engagement with others.

The key to resolving this old programming and it’s symptoms at their roots is found in the unconscious terrain of the brain and body, not in the thinking mind. Our innate, inner capacity for healing is activated by a conscious shift in awareness from ‘thinking’ to ‘direct bodily experiencing’. This direct experience, or ‘interoception’ , has the capacity for reprogramming the brain ... along with our health and well-being.

Embodied Self-Regulation Meditation is a collection of felt awareness and breathing tools for successfully navigating our inner healing journey towards wholeness. This course will focus primarily on the practice of Embodied Self-Regulation Meditation and the supportive science, such as interoception, neurocardiology, polyvagal theory, epigenetics, and trauma research.

Instructor: Steve Templin

Steve Templin is a retired Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, HeartMathTrauma-Sensitive Certified Practitioner, and certified teacher of a number of energy psychology systems with 40 years of experience.

Preventing Senior Financial Fraud & Exploitation

$30

with Racheal Meloche

Calendar Apr 18, 2024 at 4 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Note: No Thursday Class on April 25; Last Class May 30.

The U.S. Office of Justice reports that financial fraud is the number one crime committed against seniors in the U.S. Additionally, in 2022 the National Council on Aging reported more than 88,000 complaints of fraud, resulting in more than $3 billion in losses from people 60+. These statistics do not report the instances of fraud that go unreported. Locally, the City of Anacortes reported more than 300 cases of fraud in 2020, according to City Data. This shows that our town is not immune to the problem and points to a real need for fraud education and prevention among our senior population.

In this course you will learn:

  • The most common scams targeting seniors and the steps you can take to protect from becoming victims of financial fraud.
  • New fraud trends and how criminals are using technology to access private data.
  • Psychological manipulation techniques criminals employ to gain their victim’s trust.
  • Actions you can take to protect from elder financial abuse.

You will also hear true stories of Anacortes seniors who have been victims of financial fraud, the personal impact they experienced, and the protections they put in place afterward to rebuild.

Instructor: Racheal Meloche, MS

Racheal is Vice President and Community Bank Manager at Banner Bank in Anacortes. She has been in the financial industry for 28 years and holds a MS in Finance from Davenport University and is a Doctor of Business Administrational candidate at Capella University. She will be joined in instruction by additional Banner Bank staff.

The Exciting World of Art Metalsmithing

$30

with Paul Thorne

Calendar Apr 18, 2024 at 4 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Note: No Thursday Class on April 25; Last Class May 30.

Artistic metalsmithing has existed for thousands of years. This class will address the materials, techniques and tooling involved in hot metal art forging also known as metalsmithing. Metalsmithing encompasses numerous styles including Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Art Nouveau, Craftsman, Art Deco and Modern. Italian, Nordic, Germanic, French, Greek, Slavic, African, Arabic and countless other cultural and ethnic groups have made unique contributions to fine metalwork. We will explore grand architectural gates and other structures, elegant furnishings, personal ornamentation, tooling and historic weapons. For those adventurous world travelers, these introductions will peak awareness of peoples and history through recognition of beautiful metal sculpture, ornamentation, artists, tools and timeless techniques. During this class you will be invited to bring, show and explain your own personal metal treasures and the amazing stories behind them.

Instructor: Paul Thorne

Paul Thorne's ancestors come from a long line of skilled workmen including a blacksmith, carriage maker, tool and die maker, pattern maker, machinists, locomotive engineers, mechanical engineers and teachers. Paul has been a working blacksmith since 1983 and has worked in the metal working industries his entire adult life. His architectural and sculptural work is found in fine homes throughout the Pacific Northwest. He has demonstrated in numerous conferences and taught students, apprentices and fellow smiths out of his own shop for many years. You will find his teaching thorough, understandable, patient and enthusiastic. Paul’s passionate life calling is to create beautiful ironwork and pass on this craft to the next generation of blacksmiths.

Washed Up Creations: Making Art from Driftwood

$30

with Joe Treat

Calendar Apr 18, 2024 at 4 pm, runs for 6 weeks

Note: No Thursday Class on April 25; Last Class May 30.

Embark on an artistic journey as I delve into the world of driftwood art, telling the story of how this passion opened the floodgates of my hidden creativity. In this immersive 6-week course, I aim to ignite the artistic flame within each student, encouraging them to explore and pursue their own creative interests.

Throughout the course, I will not only share the narrative behind my personal discovery of driftwood art but also provide hands-on experiences. Witness the evolution of driftwood sculptures as I showcase my own artworks. I will reveal the secrets of identifying the perfect driftwood specimens on the beaches of the great Pacific Northwest, offering practical insights on where and what to look for and providing invaluable tips on structural techniques that bring these sculptures to life. Delve into the artistry of knotholes, as I discuss how they play a pivotal role in infusing character, especially around the eyes and nostrils of my creations. Uncover the significance of incorporating driftwood bark into driftwood artworks, adding texture and depth to the sculptures. As an important part of this 6 week course we will be working together through the step-by-step process of actually creating a driftwood sculpture. Join me in this experience, where driftwood art becomes a medium for self-discovery, expression, and the unleashing of hidden artistic potential.

The highlight of this course will be the final class, which will be held at the enchanting "Bowrassic Park", my home sculpture garden and workshop. Immerse yourself in my driftwood sculptures. It is my goal that you will leave this course not only with newfound skills but also with a renewed desire to embark on your artistic journey.

Instructor: Joe Treat

My discovery came during a trip to my wife’s native Thailand, where artisans make horses out of teak. When I got home, I decided I was going to try and make something. I made a little triceratops. Within hours, people were pulling over, knocking on my door, asking me questions, wanting to buy it. And then someone called me an artist, and I haven’t been able to stop since.

I am a driftwood sculpture artist with no formal art education or woodworking experience, who has become known locally and regionally for my collectible art and my driftwood “zoo” at my home in Bow. Although I have sold many collectible pieces, I prefer to just pursue the evolution of my artistic driftwood sculpting skill.





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