N-W adult ed to cater to many interests

by Susan Mikula Campbell

He's b-a-a-a-ck!

Anyone interested in finding out more about things that go bump in the night can hear stories from local paranormal investigator Steve Richards this October.

Richards, who also happens to be the Town of Niagara supervisor, for the third year in a row will be part of the Niagara-Wheatfield Adult Education Program. Richards said his presentation already is No. 1 in early registration for the adult education programs.

"It's a subject everybody is basically fascinated with," Richards said. "Everybody has had that feeling of being alone someplace and feeling like someone is looking at you."

Richards' Dark Starr group continues to investigate local sites, including a trip to the old Magaddino Funeral Home this weekend, so he promises to have a lot of new stories for his Oct. 26 presentation.

"People want to talk about their own experiences, so we also give them the chance to tell their stories," he said.

Other eerie programs this year include one on the Mayan doomsday prophecy, one on how the ancient goddess from oral tradition has become the Halloween witch, and one on alien encounters.

There are plenty of other new, lively and educational programs this year in the adult education program offerings at various N-W schools, as well as a chance to take to the road on various day tours to places such as New York City, Watkins Glen, the Letchworth Arts and Crafts Show and Middlefield, Ohio, Amish territory.

"We are very excited about our program," said Director of Community Education Resources Anita Muzzi. "We are offering about 95 classes, and almost one-half of those are new ones that we have never offered before. We designed some classes based on past participants' suggestions."

Classes in health and wellness, language, lectures, finance, gardening, music, cooking, computer training and arts and crafts are offered. You can learn to reduce your car insurance, cook Italian or belly dance.

Some of the classes highlighted for the month of September are: Red Cross CPR/AED and standard first aid, beginner to intermediate country western line dancing, beginner East Coast swing and jitterbug class, Zumba, total body conditioning, yoga, massage, meditation, emotional release for inner peace, tai chi, self-defense, bulb planting, dividing perennials, seven steps to spiritual consciousness, golf for beginners, beginning conversational Italian, basic home brewing, beginner piano, introduction to computers for senior citizens, "Making Your Money Work for You," Social Security, basic knitting, origami, basketry, mosaics, decoupage, sewing fall leaves, reversible place mats, quilting a holiday table runner, painting for beginners, making pizza, canning and cake decorating.

For more information, go to the Niagara-Wheatfield website at www.nwcsd.k12.ny.us and look at the "Adult Education" quick link on the main page or contact Muzzi at 215-3010. Registration is going on now. Classes fill up quickly, so register early.