Speaker's Bureau 2025 Spring Lineup Winds Down!! Stay Tuned For Potential 2025 Speakers To Come!

Speakers Bureau Coordinator Mary Burritt Announces New Programming Opportunities From AZ Humanities

As many of you who attend Encore's Speaker Bureau throughout the year are aware that many of the representers are found through the AZ Humanities Speakers Program. As a result, the AZ Humanities has asked Mary to spread the word about a new program circulating through rural communities across America called SPARK! PLACES OF INNOVATION starting June 14, 2025 through March 28, 2026.

Rural Americans are creating new products, taking risks, meeting challenges together, and seizing upon exciting opportunities that change local life and sometimes reach far beyond.

Come explore a Smithsonian exhibition! Travel to innovative communities across the state. Spark! Places of Innovation explores stories of towns that tapped into existing strengths to confront challenges and create opportunities. The dates at Camp Verde, AZ are between June 14-July 26. Inspired by an exhibition by the National Museum of American History, the exhibition features stories gathered from diverse communities across the nation. Photographs, engaging interactives, objects, videos, and augmented reality bring a multilayered experience to reveal the leaders, challenges, successes, and future of innovation in each town.

This exhibition will explore questions such as:

What is the role of creative thinkers and inventors in a town?

What resources do towns have for innovation and invention?

How important is the role of self-expression and openness to change?

How does a place encourage risk-taking?

How can diversity spark innovation?

For more information check out the poster to the right provided by the Smithsonian.

Programs You've Missed.....

Register Now For March 19th's Program "Arizona's Cosmic Connections"

As our own International Dark Sky Discovery Center begins going vertical in the John Cutillo Civic Plaza adjacent to the museum, March's presentation by Marshall Shore exploring "Arizona's Cosmic Connections" is a very timely topic.

Shore promises to take attendees on a journey through Arizona's rich heritage and innovative strides showcasing how our state continues to illuminate our understanding of the stars and beyond.

Speaker Marshall Shore's passion for uncovering the weird, the wonderful, and the obscure treasures from our past including the semi-forgotten people, places, and events that have made us who we are today, combined with his storytelling magic are sure to provide an entertaining afternoon.

Please see the flyer for more details. As always, the program is free and open to the public but does require pre-registration through the Community Center.

Back By Popular Demand!! Carleen Watts Returns With More Travel Survival Tips On April 2nd!

Some of you may have heard Carleen's presentation last fall regarding the hidden dangers that await unsuspecting travelers and her easy, savvy tips to avoid these devasting pitfalls that can quickly derail an often expensive and what should have been an enjoyable trip.

There was such a positive response to Carleen's insightful and entertaining program, she has agreed to return for a special Speakers Bureau program on April 2nd at 1:00 pm, just in time for travelers planning summer trips at home and abroad.

Encore is also pleased to share that Carleen has recently joined our Board and we look forward to the benefits her vast experience and energy will be to Encore's efforts to serve our senior community.

Please see the flyer for more details. As always, the program is free and open to the public but does require pre-registration through the Community Center.

February 19th Speakers Bureau Presents More of Arizona's "Back Story" With "Arizona Colonists, Pioneers and Immigrants: A Multicultural History"

This presentation by Arizona Historical Society's Jim Turner describes some of our history's notables and notorious characters from common folk to public heroes. Find out more about the everyday people like you and me that helped settle our pioneer state long before indoor plumbing, electricity and of course, air conditioning!

Jim Turner has worked with more than 70 local museums and authored numerous books about our region and state. He has been teaching Arizona history for 47 years.

Please see the flyer for more details. As always, the program is free and open to the public but does require pre-registration through the Community Center.

Ring In 2025 With The Speaker Bureau's January 15th Presentation Of "Cochise, Geronimo, And The Apache Wars

The names Cochise and Geronimo are well known as their stories, legends and lore have been told and depicted in history books, movies and even TV westerns. But how much has been based on fact as opposed to the creative minds of Hollywood writers and fictional novelists?

Encore invites you to join writer/research fellow Gregory McNamee on Wednesday, January 15th as he unravels the tangled history that surrounds the Apache Wars, the notable warriors, the US Army and the other players who had roles in a terrible guerrilla conflict that lasted more than 25 years.

Speaker Gregory McNamee, who has written about the Apache Wars for Encyclopedia Britannica and other publications, is well versed in the complex story of this conflict and the decades of uneasy peace that followed. You won't want to miss this program as he shares his well researched knowledge and insights into this significant piece of Southwest history.

Please see the flyer for more details. As always, the program is free and open to the public but does require pre-registration through the Community Center.

Speaker's Bureau Returns October 9th With An Exciting New Season!

Imagine yourself planning your dream vacation abroad, anticipating all the exciting and memorable sights you'll soon be experiencing for yourself. Now imagine yourself arriving at the first destination on your itinerary, navigating through the airport and proceeding beyond to embark on your carefully planned to do and see list only to find that somewhere along the way, two-legged predators had relieved you of your essential travel items.....money, credit cards and more. What would you do?

This very scenario is the topic of October 9th's program "Travel Safety - Conquering the Hidden Predators Lurking Within the Travel Wilderness".

Join presenter Carleen Watts to learn how to heighten your awareness to this threat and learn some basic but routinely ignored travel tips for safeguarding your most important personal items. And if the worst case scenario still occurs, she'll share the steps to take to make the remainder of the trip less stressful and hopefully salvage some of the anticipated enjoyment.

As a former US Special Agent (Criminal Investigator) for over 32 years, Carleen's unique career path has prepared her to speak on this topic in depth. Please refer to the flyer for additional details on her impressive credentials and experience.

Be sure to pre-register with the Community Center prior to October 9th for this interesting program that starts promptly at 1:00 pm.