Lamoille Valley OLLI

Lynn P. Altadonna – Author and Local Historian

Stowe born Ira Dutton is in process for canonization by the Catholic Church for his 44 years of service to the Hawaiian people afflicted with Hansen’s disease (Leprosy). The Stowe Catholic Church’s artwork connects Stowe with Molokai and Dutton’s worthy service. Altadonna will explain how Dutton was led to serve others and how Maria von Trapp had a role in building the church in 1948 that is dedicated to Dutton. Could we have a Vermont born, St. Joseph Dutton? After the illustrated talk, attendees can tour the artwork at Blessed Sacrament Church, a brief distance from the Stowe Cinema. The outside walls have twelve scenes depicting life at the leper colony. (The walk is on a flat, paved surface and accessible to people with walkers or wheelchairs.) 

Phyllis Rubenstein – Adventurer and Amateur Naturalist

An avid outdoorsperson and amateur naturalist, Phyllis Rubenstein will guide us along her “flip-flop” thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Beginning on April 15 on Springer Mountain, Georgia, she followed spring and then summer wildflowers to central Pennsylvania. In mid-July, she flipped north, summited Mount Katahdin, Maine, and then followed summer wildflowers and fall foliage south to central Pennsylvania, completing her hike of 2,198 miles on November 7. Throughout the trip, she posted blogs on www.thetrek.co under her trail name “GMG” (Green Mountain Girl). Rubenstein will share photographs and stories about flora and fauna, trail life, gear and food, the hiking community, and the joys and challenges she encountered on her epic journey.

Dr. Elizabeth Sherman – Emerita Professor of Biology

How is it that there are giraffes and mushrooms and sunflowers and E. coli and humans? Evolution is the mechanism that explains the diversity of life on earth. It enables us to understand the history of our planet and the history of ourselves. It also helps us predict the consequences of ongoing environmental degradation. Evolution is a simple idea, yet it is poorly understood by many. Misconceptions abound: “It’s only a theory,” “Evolution says that humans evolved from chimpanzees,” “Evolution goes against the Bible,” “Evolution goes against the second law of thermodynamics.” These misconceptions are so prevalent that 40-50% of Americans don’t accept it. The assault against evolution began in this country with the Scopes trial of 1925, (immortalized by the play “Inherit the Wind,” which is being presented by the Lamoille County Players this December) and continues to this day. In this presentation we will discuss what evolution is and the consequences of ignoring it. 

Ryna Ferlatte – Forensic Accountant

Howard Dean – International Legal Consultant

How do foreign fraud and corruption help fuel global crises and undermine institutions, and what can international organizations do about it? Foreign fraud and corruption may not feel relevant to our day-to-day lives, but they can have far reaching effects. Taxpayer dollars being lost and supply chains being impacted are just a couple of the effects. So, what is being done about it? In this session, we’ll discuss our experience investigating fraud and corruption in international development, the impact international organizations’ investigations have on global corruption, and why the fight against corruption is worth fighting. 

Robert Wyatt – American Music Specialist

Robert Wyatt will travel through Porter’s life on Broadway and in Hollywood—40 years that produced 33 stage works and the music for 23 films. Rare archival film clips and recordings of original cast members, including Ethel Merman, Fred Astaire, Louis Armstrong, and Bing Crosby are featured, along with Porter himself singing and playing “You’re the Top”—which he was. 

Karen Akins – Local Independent Filmmaker

What has happened historically, technologically, and politically to create such a noisy world? Akins will talk about how she became interested in answering this question and will share clips from her latest film, The Quietest Year.  She will also address some of the challenges faced while producing and directing the feature-length documentary, which premiered at the Global Health Film Festival in London in December 2023 and is currently on a community screening tour throughout Vermont. 

Dr. Carrie Brown – History Curator

Carrie Brown explores the technological triumph that helped save the Union and then transformed the nation. During the Civil War, northern industry produced 10.5 million rifles, along with tens of thousands of pistols and carbines. How did the North produce all those weapons? The answer lies in new machinery and methods for producing guns with interchangeable parts. Once the system of mass production had been tested and perfected, what happened after the war? In the period from 1870 to 1910 new factory technology and new print media fueled the development of mass consumerism. While this program tells a broad, national story, it focuses on the critical and somewhat surprising role of Vermont and New Hampshire in producing industrial technology that won the war and changed American life. 

Dr. Ali Kosiba – Forest Ecophysiologist

Learn all about forests and the carbon they sequester and store. Kosiba will showcase the complex forest carbon cycle, from living trees down to the soil. She will also provide insights into the role that Vermont’s forests play in helping us mitigate impacts of climate change. However, because forests themselves face many challenges, she will offer options we can use to help forests sustain this critical benefit.