May 06 Monday
Utilizing The Basics, our Indoor Toddler Garden Programs offer families a space to promote brain development and explore nature inside during the winter. The Basics are five fun, simple, and powerful ways we can interact with children to build a strong foundation of learning!
This program is free and intended for preschool children. No registration is required.
For additional information, please contact Theresa at theresaw@dkpl.org or at (815) 756-9568 ext. 3350.
Springtime is here! Learn how to grow and maintain a vegetable garden through our Gardening 101 program hosted by DeKalb Gardens’ Heather Edwards. Peat Pots and seeds will be provided.
Registration is not required, but space and materials are limited on a first come, first served basis. This program is for adults.
For additional information contact Leah at leahh@dkpl.org or call (815) 756-9568 ext. 2112.
Check out our Seed Library available in Adult Services! Contact Britta at (815) 756-9568 ext. 2100 for details.
May 07 Tuesday
The Human Rights Authority is the investigative branch of the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, a state agency that is dedicated to advocating for the rights of citizens with disabilities in Illinois. The Human Rights Authority investigates alleged violations of the rights of persons with disabilities by providers of services. The agency is unique in its use of citizen volunteers to conduct these investigations and make corrective recommendations. As such, Regional Authorities are always seeking to fill vacancies as they occur as well as maintain a pool of potential volunteer members for times when the need arises.
If you feel that you, or someone you know, has had their rights violated by a disability service provider or if you would like to volunteer to participate in the Northwest regional board, located in Champaign, please visit the website at gac.il.gov or call the statewide intake at 1-866-274-8023.
CHILDREN NEEDED FOR AUTISM RESEARCH STUDY EXPLORING COORDINATION AND BALANCE AT NIU
Children between 3 and 12 years of age with and without a diagnosis of autism are eligible to participate. Children will engage in a variety of motor tasks, such as pulling a string, repeating a spoken sentence, or walking on a straight line. Entire study takes about one-hour. Children will receive a small toy.
Interested? Please complete an interest form by going to https://www.niu.edu/huskieslab/participate/index.shtml, emailing huskieslab@niu.edu, or calling The Human Speech Kinematics Experimental Studies (HUSKIES) Lab at 815-753-5211.
Questions? Please reach out to Allison Gladfelter, PhD, CCC-SLP, agladfelter@niu.edu, or Doug Wallace, PhD, at dwallace@niu.edu.
Our research lab is located in the NIU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic DeKalb, IL 60115.
The NIU Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI), established in 2000, is a member-directed group of individuals primarily age 50+ who enjoy learning in informal, flexible, non-competitive groups and like connecting with peers who share their interests. No grades, no tests – just learning for the fun of it.
Tuesdays, April 16, 23, 30 and May 79:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Although Italians involved in the tourist industry often know basic English, especially in such popular destinations as Florence, Venice, and Rome, that is certainly not the case in every situation you will encounter in this fascinating country. In our workshop, participants will learn how to pronounce Italian, introduce themselves, and enhance their experiences in cafes, restaurants, hotels, and shops. Reading from store signs and menus provided on PowerPoint, everyone will become adept at purchasing items, ordering meals, paying the bill, and handling pesky Italian waiters without having to resort to English. Italians typically expect that American tourists have never studied their language; here’s your chance to make a big impression!
Convener: Christopher Nissen is professor emeritus of Italian at NIU. His previous contributions to the Lifelong Learning Institute have included sessions on Venice and Italian civilization of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Enjoy lunchtime performances from local musicians every first Tuesday at our DeKalb studios. Refreshments will be provided. Our May guest is Acromusical. They are an ensemble with a unique mission…reimagining the Afro-Brazilian berimbau through powerful chamber music. We can't wait to see you there!
Would you like to start saving seeds but not sure what to do? Join Master Gardener Ren Stewart in an exploration of the basics of seed saving and learn the fundamentals of this essential gardening and cultural craft.
This program is intended for adults. No registration is required.
For more information, please contact Britta at brittak@dkpl.org or (815) 756-9568.
May 08 Wednesday
Wednesdays, April 17, 24 and May 1, 89:30 to 11:30 a.m.
COVID-19 has presented us with challenges most of us never anticipated, including isolation, social awkwardness and depression. This class will explore personal opportunities for development using creative ways to meditate and to promote positive thinking, spiritual connection and emotional support.
The sessions will be interactive and focus on the use of meditative expressions such as chanting, sound and the use of crystal and metal tone bowls. It will offer suggestions on how to use ritual and positive mindset strategies to help build harmony and explore dissonance. We will examine the resolution of stress and process the effects of sound and vocal exercises to deepen and calm the mind and spirit.
Conveners: Rev. Linda Slabon is the minister emerita of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of DeKalb and is an affiliated community minister with the UU Church of Rockford. Linda serves as a board member on the Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois and maintains a small private practice as a clinical social worker.
Toni Tollerud is a Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita of the College of Education at NIU. She serves as president of the NIU Annuitants Board, and she leads statewide seminars on supervision and trauma. For 26 years Toni served as music and choir director at the UU Congregation of DeKalb.