Renowned local speaker, Gayle Haas, will be in character as Corrie ten Boom as she depicts her life in words and pictures. Ten Boom's book, The Hiding Place, is the true story of a heroine who is credited with saving some 800 Jews during WWII. The presentation is based on the book and Haas portrays her down to the clothes, demeaner and accent. A question and answer period will follow the presentation.

Optional Book: The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Aurora historian, Tracy Duran, will present her research about this 22-story historic building and its important place in the memories of residents in the Fox Valley region.

Photo courtesy of Aurora Downtown Committee

Co-Facilitator: Carl Hays

Why was Charlie Chaplin, one of the most famous men in the world, exiled from America? Was it because of the post-war Red Scare, his sexual interest in young women or his politics? We will see brief Charlie Chaplin movies. Is this "cancel culture" in action?

Optional Book: Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided, by Scott Eyman

Music and politics intersect in unexpected ways. We will spend an hour reviewing the life and music of a country music legend Johnny Cash. The second hour, we’ll read the letter Cash wrote in 1974 to President Gerald Ford supporting Ford's decision to grant a pardon to President Nixon and amnesty to Viet Nam draft resisters. The rest of the period will conclude with an examination of the history around the President's controversial decisions.