Sun City residents may have heard of the Lifelong Learning Committee, but many may not be familiar with the dedicated individuals who volunteer their time to bring various topics of interest.
These individuals, including Jackie Monilaw, Chair, Bill Ball, Dottie Bobzin, Victoria Cederquist, Joan Davis, Carl Hupert, Tom Smith, Dave Fink, and Carol Waxenberg, along with staff liaisons Shannon Smith and Melissa Hornick, are the driving force behind the committee’s activities.
Bobzin said, “The committee began around 2007. Carl Hupert had the idea and is still a member.”
The committee members, past and present, were passionate about the lectures before they joined. Bobzin said, “Most of the members are former educators.”
The committee’s mission statement, “Working in conjunction with the Lifestyle Department, the volunteer Lifelong Learning Committee is committed to providing engaging and diverse lectures of interest to Sun City residents,” reflects their dedication to offering a wide range of stimulating topics.
Monilaw said, “The members research and look for speakers. We take suggestions from residents; we go to the library. We do a lot of work before we schedule them. We attend their presentations or watch a YouTube video.”
The presentations are on Fridays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. There are 48 lectures on average each year. The committee has booked all the speakers for 2025. On average, seventy residents attend the events.
Bobzin said, “About 30 percent of our speakers do this for a living. We have authors, college professors, and even some residents passionate about a topic and have obtained much knowledge through research.”
The most popular topics are related to History or Chicago. Recently well-attended events were Riverview, Marshall Fields, and the History of Elvis.
Smith said, “We try to time the presentations with dates that may have a connection. For example, a presentation on candy with Valentine’s Day, Historic events close to those dates like 911.”
The topics encompass history, current events, pop culture, persons of interest, etc.
Monilaw said, “We are never too old to learn.”
The lectures fill up fast, with some residents signing up for every session. The price is only six dollars, and you might hear something you never knew. The lectures are listed in the Lifestyles magazines, and you can register online.
