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Cabinets of Curiosity: Retrieving Minnesota Memories in the University Archives

The University of Minnesota Archives, with its major holdings largely tucked away in two huge underground caverns along the Mississippi River under the West Bank campus, holds the essential records of our University of Minnesota’s past. University Archivist Erik Moore will explain the holdings and role of our extensive university archive and bring out a sampling of what it holds. At the end of our visit, he will conduct a tour of the literally cool caverns (Minnesota Library Access Center), revealing where these precious materials are housed, including the original tapes of KUOM, now Radio K.

Cabinet of Curiosities: Herbarium Collection

Cabinets of Curiosities will seek out the University of Minnesota Herbarium on the St Paul Campus.  Tim Whifeld, Collections Manager, will share his knowledge of that amazing collection and explain its critical importance in the twenty-first century. Botanists study these pressed plants, individually and collectively, to estsblish a history of plant life, often over centuries, because they contain compelling evidence of the ever modulating geographical distribution of plants and evidence of how climate, pests, and other factors have changed species over time. 

Taxes and Elections and Sunsets, Oh My! Tax planning for 2024 and beyond.

Presented by Andy Whitman, PhD, Licensed Attorney, Tax Preparer & Volunteer Financial Planner at Prepare + Prosper.

Choose the moves that are right for you. Everyone's tax situation is different, consult with a tax professional to come up with a financial plan well before year end.

Cabinets of Curiosity: Kerlan Collection

The Kerlan is one of the world’s leading collections of rare books, manuscripts, and original art of children’s literature. It contains the work of more the 1,700 authors and illustrators from the 19th and 20th centuries to today, and it is the founding and largest collection within the University’s Children’s Literature and Research Collections.

Life & Estate Plans: Life, Incapacity, and Gifting

Estate Planning Attorney Matt Guttman discusses trusts and other estate planning issues.

Financial Life in Retirement

Topics relevant to managing investments in retirement.  By David Foster, CFP©, CRPC©, CRPS©

Medicare Advantage (MA) and Traditional Medicare (TM): Issues & Choices

We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage.  You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.

Sept Photo Club

After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves

Cabinets of Curiosity: Andersen Library Tour at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm

The Bookbinder

Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.

William O'Brien State Park hike

Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park.  This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside.  The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks.  After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park. 

In the Garden of Beasts

Erik Larson’s non-fiction narrative recounts the struggles of middle-class University of Chicago, Professor William Dodd, was appointed as U.S. ambassador to Germany during the rise of Hitler and the Third Reich. Dodd not only had to deal with the threats to democracy, but his thriftiness was criticized by State Department officials who mainly came from wealthy elite families. In addition, Dodd’s daughter began dating Nazi officials.

How Stella Learned to Talk

Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.

Bde Maka Ska kayaking hike

Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles!  If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25.  The second hour is free if we rent before noon.  Life jackets are provided with the rental.

Edith Wharton – The Age of Innocence

Edith Wharton is best known for her stories about upper-class New York society into which she was born. Age of Innocence is her eighth novel, published in 1920 was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1921.