The Knowledge Guest Exchange Speaker Series 2026

Fee: $80 for all 8 Topics or choose your Topics at $15 per

Dates: An 8-week course meeting on Fridays, January 16 - March 6, 2026 

Times: 10:00a.m. - 12:00p.m.

Course Description:

Enjoy this 8-week course of interactive 90-minute to 2-hour lectures by local experts on the following topics: 

January 16 - Let's Talk Downsizing! with Professional Organizer, M. Colleen Klimczak, CPO.  

Down-Sizing can be the time to Right-Size.  Making sense of a lifetime of possessions doesn't have to be overwhelming! During this presentation, Colleen will describe the downsizing steps from laying out the process, to making decisions about what to part with and what to keep, and sharing resources to make it all happen.

January 23 -  Laugh, Listen & Connect: An Introduction to Improv with Garrett Gray of Main Stage Improv

In this upbeat, interactive seminar Garrett Gray of Main Stage Improv will lead attendees in improv games to help people laugh, connect, and have fun together - and reveal how the tools of improv can positively affect your life. Participants will build confidence, make new connections, and rediscover how fun and easy it can be to collaborate and laugh with others.

January 30 -  From Clay Tablets to Cloud Tabs: The Wild, Weird, and Wonderful Life of Books with GovState's Dean Jan Figa. 

A fast-paced romp through book history, bizarre literary facts you didn't know you needed, and a peek at how stories will survive, shapeshift, and thrive in the future.

February 6 - Pawnbroking from Medieval to Modern Times with David Schoeneman of Shane's-The Pawn Shop, Chicago Heights, IL.  

Join David Schoeneman as he steps out of the shop to educate us on the history and contemporary practice of pawnbroking with a focus on pawnbroking during periods of economic downturn.

February 13 -  History, Preservation, and Travel along Welsh Canals with GovState's David and Diane Stedman Conrad. 

The Conrads traveled to Wales in 2024 and rented a 60-foot, 20-ton narrowboat and steered it along the Mon & Brec canal, including operating the locks. Join them for an engaging presentation on their journey including a history of the canal system in the UK, the efforts to preserve the canals, and what they learned from the experience. 

February 20 - Ancient Inca and Hiking the Inca Trail with Longtime Knowledge Exchange Presenter Myras Osman. 

Join world traveler/historian Myras Osman as he shares the unique equatorial climate and geography of Peru experienced during his 4 day, 26 mile hike on the Inca Trail to the architectural wonder, Machu Picchu. Myras will also discuss the history and culture of the remarkable Inca Empire that once ruled this land and the incredible architecture and road system that were built with amazing precision using stone age tools.

February 27 - The Beatles' Somnambulant Adventure: An Alternate History with Longtime Knowledge Exchange presenter and musician/Beatles aficionado Jerome Julian. 

The Paul-Is-Dead rumor captivated the public during the autumn of 1969, and persists to this day in online media. The rumor postulated that Beatle Paul McCartney had been killed in a car crash three years earlier, in 1966, and was secretly replaced in the band by a double, who is still posing as Paul McCartney today. What if the rumor was true? How would the history of the band play out under this scenario? Enjoy this time with Jerome for a "what-if" scenario akin to a 'nonfiction' novel.

March 6 - Japan! With GovState's Akiko Ota

NOTE: When choosing the All 8 option, you qualify for the second course discount if choosing an additional afternoon course.