Alpena-area lifelong learners have a full schedule of presentations, tours and social activities next week, with programs ranging from safe group travel and local industrial history to Lake Huron shipwrecks and the effects of exercise on the aging body.
The Association of Lifelong Learners, or ALL, released the schedule. Most of the presentations will take place at Alpena Community College’s Madeline Briggs Center, while other activities will take participants outdoors, onto the water or to a local restaurant.
Travel and local history programs
On Monday, the group will hold its Tour and Travel program from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the ACC Madeline Briggs Center 140. MJ (Mark) Kraft-Strong will discuss the advantages of group travel, travel safety and the do’s and don’ts of planning a trip.
The presentation also will provide an overview of tour and travel options, including motorcoach trips, domestic and international travel, flights, day trips and travel-agent services that connect customers with tour partners.
Kraft-Strong is an Alpena native who started Beyond Horizons Tour & Travel from his college dorm room in 2005. The company has since grown into a travel-industry business serving Michigan and the United States, according to the schedule.
Tuesday’s program, also scheduled for 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Madeline Briggs Center 140, will focus on the history of Rockport Quarry and Stone Plant. Historian Don La Barre of the Michigan History Center will discuss the quarry’s development from the early to mid-20th century, including the technology, machinery and methods used to extract and process limestone.
The presentation will also examine the innovations that improved production efficiency during the quarry’s busiest decades. Participants can attend in person or watch through Zoom. The meeting ID is 845 3009 9315 and the passcode is 605480.
Boat tour, group meal and aging discussion
On Wednesday, ALL members will board the Lady Michigan for a shipwreck and shoreline tour. The excursion runs from 10 a.m. to noon and begins at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. A guide and crew will lead the glass-bottom boat trip, which will feature Lake Huron shipwrecks, shoreline views and open-water scenery.
The cost is $43, and participants must purchase their own tickets in advance through NOAA or the Alpena Shipwreck Tours website. Questions can be directed to 989-340-0067.
The schedule also includes the October Moveable Feast from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Oct. 1 at The Sand Bar and Grill on Long Lake Road in Alpena. ALL members may attend with friends or come to meet others. Reservations are requested so the restaurant and coordinator can plan; participants can call the ALL office at 989-358-7207, email [email protected] or register online.
The restaurant is described as being on Long Lake, with a warm atmosphere and varied menu. The schedule also notes that it does not charge a 3% credit-card fee.
On Oct. 2, from 12:30 to 2 p.m., the group will host “Aging in Motion: How Exercise Changes the Body” at Madeline Briggs Center 143. Katherine Finley, a third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Grand Valley State University, will explain how activity and inactivity affect the brain, heart, muscles, bones and overall function.
The discussion will consider how regular activity may support strength, independence and quality of life as people age. Finley earned a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health from Grand Valley State University in 2024.