What to do with ourselves upon retirement? This is a question pondered by so many of us, whether in the past, present, or future. Our January meeting speakers are ASK members, Jeanne and Mel Church, who will share their approach to the retirement conundrum. Learn how they got started on a photo adventure after completing fulfilling professional lives. In addition to demonstrating some of the equipment that makes this adventure possible, they will share the pictures themselves. We will see stunning bird photos, as well as images of butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, and mammals. While these nature photographers travel all over the United States as well as abroad, this presentation will focus on their observations from preserves in the greater Kalamazoo area.
Jeanne Church is a retired Special Education teacher with a lifelong interest in the out-of-doors. At age 68, she and her husband, Mel, hiked 1,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Over the last several years, she and Mel have also gone on numerous long distance hikes in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Within the last four years Jeanne has become an avid nature photographer, taking well over 100,000 pictures just in the last two years alone.
Mel Church is a retired nurse with a wide variety of interests including photography, biking, fishing, gardening, and hiking. He has backpacked the entire 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail twice and, four years ago, hiked 1,000 miles of the trail with his wife. At age 59, he spent three months biking solo across the United States. His other adventures include hiking in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
We hope you’ll join us on Monday, January 27, at People’s Church, 1758 North 10th Street, Kalamazoo. Our program starts at 7:30 PM and is preceded by a social time with light refreshments at 7:00 PM. Guests and the general public are encouraged to attend. Handicap parking and access is at either the front or rear entrance of the building. Please remember to bring your own coffee mug to reduce our dishwashing.