VIRTUAL Classes

From Idea to Book: Capturing Your Life and Family Stories
Instructor: Mali Bain
Delivery: Virtual
Dates: Tuesdays, Jan 27 - Feb 10 (3 weeks)
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Online: Zoom webinar
COurse Description
Do you have a book that you’ve imagined creating? Join us for a session designed to prepare you for creating a book for yourself, family and friends, and potentially the public. We will explore reasons why people create books, sources of content, and types of editing. We’ll also walk through the overall process involved in going from ‘draft’ to finished book. You’ll leave inspired to write, record, and share your life story or family history stories in book format.
Instructor Biography
Mali Bain, BA (UBC), BEd (SFU), MA (UBC), a former high school teacher, has also worked in university, philanthropic, and non-profit settings. She is a certified guided autobiography facilitator and founder of NextGen Story: Custom Publishing.
Introduction to Canadian Immigration at Pier 21
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Instructor: ​Steven Schwinghamer
Delivery: Virtual
Dates: Tuedays, Feb 17 - Mar 3 (3 weeks)
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Online: Zoom webinar
COurse Description
This short course will consist of three sessions. The first will be a broad overview of Canadian immigration history; the second will discuss some examples of inclusion and exclusion; and the third will introduce a specific history of the immigration site at Pier 21. We will offer the discussions in the context of the galleries and collections of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 
Instructor Biography
Steven Schwinghamer is a historian at the Canadian Museum of Immigration and a PhD candidate at Carleton University. He is affiliated with the Concordia Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling and with the Carleton Centre for Public History. His main research interests are the places and policies of Canadian immigration in the early twentieth century. He is the co-author, with Jan Raska, of Pier 21: A History.

Hybrid Classes

Beyond the Numbers: A Modern Guide to Retirement Planning
Instructors: Kenneth MacQueen and associates
Delivery: Hybrid
Dates: Fridays, Jan 30 - Mar 6 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 pm
In-person: ​Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
Online: Zoom webinar
COurse Description
Retirement is about more than numbers. It’s about designing a fulfilling next chapter of life with confidence and purpose.  This course aims to blend evidence-based financial insights with real-world stories and perspectives.  Topics to be covered include: foundational pieces of retirement planning; understating the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security; strategies for charitable giving, estate planning and leaving a meaningful legacy; how to approach transitions in later life which have a financial impact, such as downsizing.
Instructor Biography
Kenneth MacQueen, CFP, CIM, MBA is the managing partner and a Portfolio Manager at SBW Wealth Management, an independent wealth advisory firm based in Dartmouth, NS.  Kenneth’s advisory work is centred on the full spectrum of retirement planning, including corporate wealth strategies, pension optimization, estate planning and charitable giving.  He works with pre-retirees and retirees seeking coordinated, comprehensive planning.
 
Roger Sinclair, founding partner of SBW Wealth Management, with 43 years of experience in the field.  Graduate of UPEI (served six years on the Board of Governors) and named a Distinguished Alumni in 2023.  Nationally recognized as the recipient of the prestigious Jack Hopwood Memorial Award, presented by Great-West Life to a financial advisor in Canada who has played an outstanding volunteer role within his community.
 
Jim Horwich builds on his experience as a professional accountant to assist clients in planning and strategizing for wealth enhancement and transfers, wealth protection, risk management and charitable giving.
 
Dakota Lund-Cornish, associate advisor, has a strong background in retail banking and is currently pursuing the Chartered Investment Manager and Certified Financial Planner designations
A User's Guide to Memory
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Instructors: ​Gail Eskes and Ryan Wilson
Delivery: Hybrid
Dates: Fridays, Jan 30 - Mar 6 (6 weeks)
Time: 1:30  - 3:30 pm
In-person: ​Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
Online: Zoom webinar
COurse Description
Memory is critical for guiding our everyday actions, for planning our future ones, as well as for knowing who we are.  It allows us to carry out incredible feats such as mentally time traveling from the past to the future, or memorizing a full deck of cards in less than one minute, but it is also imperfect and the source of many frustrations, particularly as we grow older.  This course will cover the science of memory – what are the different kinds of memories, how does memory work and why does it fail, how is memory organized in the brain and affected by aging and dementia, as well as how can we apply this knowledge to optimize memory for our daily use.  We will use didactic lectures, in-class demonstrations and opportunities for further learning at home between classes.  
Instructor Biography
Dr. Gail Eskes is a clinical neuropsychologist and Professor in the departments of Psychiatry and Psychology & Neuroscience at Dalhousie University. She is head of the Cognitive Health and Recovery Research Laboratory in the Brain Repair Centre, and her research is focused on developing interventions for cognitive changes with aging and brain diseases.   Dr. Eskes is an avid community educator with Dr. Ryan Wilson and their Memory Boot Camp series has been hosted frequently by the Halifax Public Libraries. 

Dr. Ryan Wilson completed his PhD in Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie University. His clinical and research training focused on Neuropsychology - (assessing and treating attention, memory and decision making difficulties) and somatic symptom disorders (physical symptoms resulting from psychological difficulties). He currently splits his time between private practice and working with his mentor and friend Dr. Gail Eskes to help community members find ways to make the most of their memory.

HAlifax Regional Municipality

Topics in Cybersecurity​
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Instructor: James Farmer
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays, Jan 27 - Mar 3 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: ​Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
COurse Description
95% of Canadians use the internet.  Have you ever wondered what information about you and how it is gathered as you use the internet?  It has become common to read about the loss of our personal information via security breaches in organizations such as Nova Scotia Power as well as the Provincial and Federal Governments.  Would you like to explore the world of cyber security and learn some methods and tools to protect yourself?  Then this course is for you!
Instructor Biography
Jim Farmer recently retired from Dalhousie University where he was Deputy Chief Information Officer, as well as holding other positions including Director of Infrastructure and Systems, Managing Director of the Atlantic Canada Organization of Research Networks and member of the Governing Committee of Canarie, Canada’s National Research and Education Network.  Jim is a graduate from the Royal Military College with a degree in Electrical Engineering with an MBA from University of New Brunswick. He has over 40 years of experience in the Information Technology field.  
Popular Music in the Age of Rock, Part 3: the 1980s
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Instructor: ​Steven Baur
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays, Jan 27 - Mar 3 (6 weeks)
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Location: Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
COurse Description
This course covers a range of popular music styles from the late 1970s and into the 1980s, including disco, punk, new wave, MTV, megastars, and hip hop. Course lectures will investigate the historical circumstance, social conditions, technological developments, and cultural contexts that have influenced the production and reception of popular music during the 1980s, and will explore how popular music provides an arena in which social issues, identities, and relationships can be defined, negotiated, and contested.
Instructor Biography
Steven Baur is an Associate Professor of Music in the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University. He has published widely on topics in the nineteenth- and twentieth-century music including both “classical” and “popular” traditions, from Maurice Ravel to Ringo Starr, and from Felix Mendelssohn to the mambo. His work appears in leading international musicology journals, and he has co-edited two books. He is currently working on a book investigating drum kit performance practice since the dawn of recording, illuminating the musical effects and social meanings created by drummers on record over the last 150 years. Baur is also an accomplished drummer with dozens of recordings and hundreds of live performances in Canada, the United States, and Great Britain to his credit.
From Big Data to Artificial Intelligence: How Analytics has Changed Your World
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Instructors: Tony Schellinck and Jennifer Schellinck
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Wednesdays, Jan 28 - Mar 4 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: ​Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
COurse Description
In the early seventies large corporations began to discover the potential value in the “legacy” data that they had always collected about their customers for the purpose of running their businesses. Retailers, utilities, government agencies, and health related organizations could also make use of these large data sets to improve their offerings and services to consumers. Simultaneously, analysts were developing new techniques to process this “big data” to achieve organization goals. These advances allowed the organizations to custom fit their offerings to the needs and preferences of individual consumers. As the capacity to collect, store and analyze consumer data advanced, so did the ability to interact with consumers in real time. The first four weeks of the course will expose the students to the changes that organizations went through in their marketing and how they use machine learning today.
In the final two sessions of this course Jen Schellinck will talk about how these algorithms led to the “Age of AI.” She will talk about what AI is currently good for and which aspects of the technology are still a work in progress. She and the class will discuss how current AI technologies can be used in practical, everyday situations and what to watch out for when using AI. She will also provide some hands-on demos of popular and available AI services like ChatGPT.
Instructor Biography
Dr. Tony Schellinck was the F.C. Manning Chair in Economics and Business for eighteen years at Dalhousie University. During that time, he also was Management Informatics Chair Associate and ran the Marketing Informatics Program at the undergraduate, master’s and PhD levels. During those years he and his students worked with large and small organizations to explore the potential for big data analysis in their operations and marketing. Corporations and organizations they worked with include large grocery retailers, financial institutions, life and auto insurance, telephone companies, pharmacies, and non-profits. As a consultant Tony worked with several large organizations designing algorithms and analytics for their use, and in responsible gambling (RG) for which his firm, Focal Research Consultants Limited won the best RG technology Provider Worldwide in 2024. Tony enjoys making the complex easy to understand and anyone who takes his class should learn something they can use for the rest of their lives.

Dr. Jen Schellinck has a PhD in Cognitive Science, is an adjunct professor in the Cognitive Science Department at Carleton University and is the CEO of Sysabee, an Ottawa-based data science consulting company. Jen has been active in the data science and artificial intelligence fields since 2009.  She helps organizations understand the value that data technologies bring to their work, and uses her knowledge of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science to help people and organizations achieve their greater potential. She regularly holds workshops for people who want to learn about AI and has worked with government, not-for-profits and industry.
Genetics: The Study of Heredity and the Fascinating Molecules that Influence the Traits of Every Living Thing
Instructor: ​Gerry Johnston
Delivery: In-person
Dates: ​Wednesdays, Jan 28 - Mar 4 (6 weeks)
Time: ​1:30 - 3:30 pm
Location: Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
COurse Description
The area of genetics is much more than a description of pedigrees and how traits are passed down through generations. The field of genetics has seen unprecedented and spectacular advances over the past few decades. We now understand in detail the nature of the genetic material (termed DNA) that controls every aspect of biology, including humans. Amazing new technologies have revealed the universality of life. Only two decades ago, a major international research effort (termed the Human Genome Project) was able to catalog every gene (or ‘unit of information’ within DNA) involved in human development, function, and health. Although we still do not know the actual role of every gene (a bit like having a dictionary of all the words in a foreign language but with only some of the meanings), we are rapidly learning about gene function and what can go wrong to cause disease or abnormal development. Those participating in the course will learn how DNA works, the impact of changes to DNA, and implications for prevention, detection, and treatment of diseases (such as cancer). Throughout the course, you will hear the stories of individuals involved in advancing our understanding of genetics, the technical advances yielding new insights, and how seemingly unrelated discoveries (often studying non-human organisms) have created these new insights. I hope that this course will allow a more general understanding of how science works, the world of biology, and the amazing revelations of modern genetics.
Instructor Biography
Dr. Gerry Johnston is a Professor in the Dalhousie Medical School. Gerry’s research program has spanned 40 years using genetics to explore regulation of cell division. After receiving his PhD in 1973 at York University (Toronto), Gerry obtained his early training in genetics with Dr. Leland H. Hartwell in the Department of Genetics at the University of Washington (Seattle) before taking up his position at Dalhousie University. Gerry has played roles within several cancer-related organizations, notably the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), The National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) in which he served as National President, and the Terry Fox Research Institute. In 1992, Gerry was appointed as a Terry Fox Cancer Research Scientist of the NCIC. He was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and has been inducted as a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Over his years with Dalhousie University, he has served as the Head of Microbiology & Immunology, Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Medicine and most recently he has completed a term as Scientific Director of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute
Shakespeare and the Language of Love
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Instructor: John Baxter
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Thursdays, Jan 29 - Mar 5 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: ​Cameron Hall, Parkland Clayton Park, 114 Fairfax Drive, Halifax​
COurse Description
“If it be love indeed, tell me how much,” says Cleopatra, challenging her lover to a very public declaration. Antony wisely skirts the question: “There’s beggary in the love that can be reckoned.” But within seconds he attempts an answer, which she immediately declares is an “excellent falsehood.” Why does he cave in? Why doesn’t she believe him? What sort of reckoning does Shakespeare give to those who would speak the language of love? We will explore these and a series of related questions in Shakespeare’s drama of old lovers in Antony and Cleopatra, in his archetypal exploration of young love in Romeo and Juliet, and in his personal meditation on the art of love in a sampling of his sonnets. Is Shakespeare’s view of love idealistic, as in “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” Or cynical, as in “When my love says that she is made of truth, / I do believe her, though I know she lies”? Or something in between, or altogether different? Is his language of love modern—or outmoded?
Instructor Biography
John Baxter is Professor Emeritus of English at Dalhousie University. He is the author of Shakespeare’s Poetic Styles (1980; rpr. Routledge, 2005) and co-editor of Aristotle’s Poetics by George Whalley (McGill-Queen’s, 1997) Selected recent articles include: “George Herbert’s ’The Church-porch’ and the Native Plain Style,” George Herbert Journal, Volume. 46 (2025): 55-76; “Learning to Spell: George Herbert and the Art of Reading,” George Herbert Journal, Vol. 44 (2023): 63-83; and “The Grammar of Faith in Twelfth Night: Richard Hooker’s Gift to Shakespeare,” in Faith and Reason in the Reformations, ed. Terence J. Kleven (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2022), 57-74.
Healthy, Happy and Thriving: Practical Tools for Senior Wellness
Instructor: Laura Lundquist
Delivery: In-person
Dates: ​Thursdays, Jan 29 - Mar 5 - no class Feb 12 (5 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
COurse Description
This course will provide seniors with essential knowledge and hands-on strategies to maintain strength, balance, mobility, and heart health. Through a mix of engaging discussions and practical assessments, participants will explore key habits for aging well, injury prevention, and staying safe at home. We'll introduce simple strength and balance exercises, along with tools to help manage both acute and chronic conditions. By combining theory with real-world application, this session will empower seniors to take charge of their well-being and continue living active, fulfilling, independent lives.
Instructor Biography
Laura Lundquist is a passionate physiotherapist dedicated to helping seniors stay active, independent, and pain-free. With expertise in balance, mobility, and injury prevention, she provides practical strategies to support healthy aging. Laura believes in a hands-on, holistic approach—combining movement, strength training, and simple lifestyle changes to improve overall well-being. As an experienced speaker, she enjoys sharing easy-to-follow tips to help seniors stay strong, steady, and confident in their daily lives.
In 2018, Laura opened Zoomers Physiotherapy and Health Solutions in Halifax, NS to bring her treatment approach to a wider community.  They expanded their reach in 2021 with the launch of the online Club Z Fitness Program for adults aged 55+.
A Writing Life, Louisbourg and Grand Pré
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Instructor: AJB (John) Johnston
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Thursdays, Jan 29 - Feb 12 (3 weeks)
Time: ​1:30 - 3:30 pm
Location: ​Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
COurse Description
In three well-illustrated presentations, historian and novelist A.J.B (John) Johnston will speak about his life and times writing about a wide variety of Maritime topics.  The end result so far has been 16 books on different aspects of Maritime history and six novels.  In addition, John has written for an eclectic mix of museum exhibits.  The first presentation will offer a behind-the-scenes overview of John’s career; the second will highlight some of the many stories connected with Louisbourg history; and the third will focus on aspects relating to Grand-Pre, in both its Acadian and UNESCO contexts.
Instructor Biography
John Johnston was born and raised in Truro, and was for many years a historian with Parks Canada. Since 2009 he has worked independently, contributing storylines and texts to different Maritime museums and historic sites. For his body of work on the French presence in Atlantic Canada, the government of France named him a chevalier of its Ordre des Palmes académiques (Order of Academic Laurels). John has a PhD from the Université Laval and has authored or co-authored 21 books so far. Sixteen are history books and five are novels.
The Northwest Passage: Tracing One Warm Line through a Land So Wild and Savage​
Instructor: ​​Syd Dumaresq
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Thursdays, Feb 19 - Mar 5 (3 weeks)
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Location: Church Hall - Hope United Church, 3055 Connaught Avenue, Halifax
COurse Description
The story of the Northwest Passage. Starting with the Inuit and how they thrived in a land so wild and savage, discussing how the Europeans learned (or did not learn) from the Inuit and leading into the history of the discovery of this fabled Passage. The course looks at what was known in 1845 when Sir John Frankiln set sail, what was not known, the many failed rescue missions and the first two successful passages: one by the Norwegian Roald Amundsen, and two back-to-back passages by the Canadian RCMP officer Henry Larsen on the St Roch.
Instructor Biography
Syd Dumaresq FRAIC, is a passionate sailor who supports his habit by practicing Architecture in Halifax and Chester. Syd is a fourth generation Architect, who is delighted to be practicing Architecture with his son Dean and Frank Harrington's grandson Jon Carmichael. Syd's other passions are community and history.
 
Syd is Chair of the Friends of Nature Conservation Society and a board member of the Mahone Islands Conservation Association (MICA). Syd and his wife Sandy live in Chester and are the proud parents of five children and nine grandchildren.

MAHONE BAY

TBA​
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Delivery: In-person
Dates: 
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: ​Mahone Bay Centre, 45 School Street, Mahone Bay
COurse Description
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Delivery: In-person
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Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Mahone Bay Centre, 45 School Street, Mahone Bay
COurse Description
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LIVERPOOL

Queens: A History in Twelve Stories, Part Two
Instructor: Kathleen Stitt
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Mondays Jan 26 - Mar 2 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: ​Trinity Anglican Church Hall, 196 Church Street, Liverpool
COurse Description
Step into the stories that shaped our community. Participants don’t have to attended the first course; each session stands on its own, and this course promises plenty of surprises!
 
Some of the stories covered in this course include: Law and Order~1816 Style: Justice in a very different time; The Lives of the Lumbermen: Hard work, tall tales, and timber; The Day the Swindler Came to Town: A con that shook the community; Tuna Tournaments & Outdoor Adventures: Hunting, fishing, and the guides who made it happen; Around the World in a Year: A honeymoon at sea like no other. And much more!
 
Whether you’re a lifelong resident or new to Queens by choice, this is your chance to learn, laugh, and connect with the stories that make our region unique. And yes: I promise it will be worth getting up on those cold winter mornings!
Instructor Biography
Kathleen Stitt brings over 30 years of experience in heritage preservation through her work at the Queens County Museum and Perkins House. A passionate advocate for local history, Kathleen has dedicated her career to sharing the stories of Liverpool Township’s early settlers and preserving the rich heritage of Queens County.
 
Her expertise extends beyond archival work. Kathleen is a gifted storyteller who makes history come alive for audiences of all ages. Through monthly heritage talks, engaging cemetery tours, and dynamic public presentations, she has inspired countless residents and visitors to connect with the past. Her commitment to education and community engagement has made her an invaluable resource for understanding and celebrating Queens County’s unique history.

TRURO

Authors Rooted in Truro
Instructors: Multiple presenters
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays, Jan 27 - Mar 3 (6 weeks)
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Location: Douglas Street Recreation Centre, Room A, 40 Douglas Street, Truro
COurse Description
During this course the class will hear from 8 different authors that have an association with Truro. Some grew up in Truro and will share with us how that influenced their life and works as an author. Others came to Truro as practising authors and will speak about their subject matter and how their environment influences them as an author.
  
Course Schedule for the Tuesday classes:
January 27
1:30 – 2:25 Joe Ballard- Historic Truro in Three Books
2:35 - 3:30 Danny Joseph – author of numerous newspaper articles and a book

February 3
AJB (John) Johnston – historian and author of fiction

February 10
Kathleen Kevany – will offer a focus on sustainable diets and bringing research results to the public

February 17
Chad Norman – a published poet based in Truro

February 24
1:30 -2:25 Lucy Falcone – children’s author
2:35 -3:30 Jockie Loomer-Kruger – fiction and memories

March 3
1:30 – 2:25 Marjorie Simmins – author of non-fiction and journalist
2:35     TBA
Instructor Biography
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Delivery: In-person
Dates: 
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Location: Douglas Street Recreation Centre, Room A, 40 Douglas Street, Truro
COurse Description
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Images generated by ChatGPT (OpenAI)