The Fine Print:

1) Release Waiver

LLI will list your name, address, email and telephone number in the LLI directory. Photographs and videotape may be taken of participants during meetings, courses and special events. Please be aware the photos/videotape are for LLI use and may be published in various LLI promotional materials. If you do not want your name and information publicized in the directory, or you do not want to be photographed, you must give us written notice by sending an email to LLI@waubonsee.edu 

2) Refund Policy

The Membership fee ($25) and Course fees ($10) are nonrefundable. If a course is cancelled by LLI, only payments made by credit card will be reimbursed. Outing and trip fees (priced individually) are refundable if cancellation occurs by the stated registration deadline.

3) Holiday Luncheon Refund Policy

Because we have a contractual agreement with our vendor regarding minimum attendance, any individual cancellation request is non-refundable.

In the event that the Holiday Luncheon is cancelled by LLI, all registrations will be refunded regardless of the method of payment.

 4) Membership

Membership is required to attend classes at LLI.  Membership is also required to register for the Holiday Luncheon and to bring guests. Guests are NOT required to have membership.

5) To Withdraw from a Class or for General Information

Please call: 630-466-2593 and a volunteer will return your call.

If you haven't already signed up for your annual membership, valid from September 1, 2025 - August 31, 2026, now is the time to sign up below. 

Proceeding to register indicates that you have read the above information.

The annual membership fee of $25.00 covers 9/1/25 - 8/31/26.

Membership is open to adults ages 50 and older who are actively engaged in the pursuit of knowledge. Your membership provides the opportunity to register for courses, trips, and social events.

The membership fee ($25) and individual course fees ($10) are nonrefundable except in the case of a course cancellation by LLI. (Payments by check cannot be refunded) Outing and trip fees (priced individually) are refundable if cancellation occurs by the stated registration deadline.

Luncheon fees are nonrefundable except in the event that LLI cancels the luncheon, in which case, all registrations will be refunded.

Wine & Dine experience at Acquaviva Winery, 47W614 Route 38, Maple Park, IL. Discover the winery's home-grown grapes, production process, and award-winning wines. Then, indulge in a sampling of six exquisite wines that have earned top honors! Tour & Tasting: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Cost: $25 plus optional lunch. Want to keep the fun going? Let Ann Butcher (butch5@comcast.net) know if you'd like to join the group for lunch at 12:30 PM (lunch cost not included). Shop & Sip: Take home your favorite wines with exclusive purchase opportunities after the tour. Activity Level - On your feet

Reservation Deadline: August 22, 2025

Co-facilitator: Llona Steele

For the first time in 175 years the Bureau of Indian Affairs has recognized a Native American reservation in the state of Illinois. Being our new neighbors, participants will learn about the history of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and why the Shabbona area in DeKalb County is where the new reservation is located. And we will review the process that led to the State of Illinois giving the Shabbona Lake State Park to that tribe. We will also learn about the 21st Century Potawatomi and their plans for the future here in our area.

Co-Facilitator: Susan Foody

In this hands-on Lab activity, participants will explore green chemistry by creating a biodegradable plastic using common kitchen ingredients. This course will introduce the concept of bioplastics (plastics made from renewable resources like plants, instead of petroleum) and encourage discussion on how chemistry can support sustainability. Location: SciTech in Batavia

The land on which we live (geography) has always shaped us...the wars, the power, politics and social development (history) of the peoples that now inhabit nearly every part of the earth. Geopolitics looks at the ways in which international affairs can be understood through geographic features...terrain, climate, demography, cultural regions and access to natural resources.

Tim Marshall's 2nd book, Power of Geography, includes maps and topics covering 10 new regions including Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, The United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey, the Sahel, Ethiopia, Spain, and Space. These Countries and Regions are defined through geography, history and geopolitics for future generations. This course is a continuation of Part 1, "the Prisoners of Geography". Part 1 is not a prerequisite for this course.

Book: The Power of Geography by Tim Marshall ISBN 978-1-9821-7863-5 REQUIRED

Participants will read one book per month and join in lively discussion with your peers. Discussion leaders may differ each month. (Class will be the second Thursday of each month) Topics include: An Inspirational Salem Witch Trials and Edwardian-Era Time-Travel Historical Romance, a 500-mile pilgrimage along the Way of St. James in Northwestern Spain, a 1907 automobile trip from Rhode Island to New Hampshire, and finally a humorous telling by chickens of world-wide Christmas traditions.

Sept. 11: For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer

Oct. 9: Two Million Steps: BAND-AIDS, COCKTAILS, AND FINDING PEACE ALONG SPAIN'S CAMINO DE SANTIAGO by Patrick Devaney

Nov. 13: Katharine's Remarkable Road Trip by Gail Ward Olmsted

Dec. 11: A Chicken Was There at Christmas: Throughout History and Around the World, When the Sun Rose on Christmas Morning, A Chicken Was There by A. A. Davenport 

ALL BOOKS ARE REQUIRED

Facilitator: Carl Hays

Peggy Noonan wrote Ronald Reagan's speeches. Her new book is a celebration of what America has been, is, and what it can be. For 25 years she has been thinking aloud about America in her column. You do not have to agree with her all the time to admire her writing.

Book: A Certain Idea of America: Selected Writings by Peggy Noonan - NOT REQUIRED