Fighting Hunger in Turbulent Times

September 10, 2025

Marcia Kasieta, Business Director, Badger Prairie Needs Network

Food insecurity is real. Nearly 12% of Dane County residents are struggling. This September, during Hunger Action Month, Marcia Kasieta of the Badger Prairie Needs Network highlights how the facility fights poverty and tackles hunger and nutrition. Discover how you can be part of the solution.

You’ll learn:

• What the Network does and the people it supports
• The real impact of hunger in our community
• Easy, meaningful ways to get involved

Recommended Resources

• MIT AgeLab
• Innovation and Leadership in Healthy Aging, AARP
• Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging
• Healthy Aging, Medical News Today

Healing the Whole Person Through Acupuncture

July 9, 2025

Joseph Zirneskie, MD

Discover how acupuncture goes beyond symptom relief to support whole-person healing, promoting balance in the body, mind, and spirit. You’ll explore treatment details, acupuncture’s holistic health integration, and its power in managing stress, pain, fatigue, and other issues.

 What you’ll take away:

• A clear, easy-to-understand explanation of how acupuncture works and what it feels like
• Insight into how acupuncture can support your body’s natural healing
• An introduction to the mind-body connection
• Simple, practical techniques you can try at home—like acupressure points and breathing exercises—to support your own wellness

Proactive Wellness: Detox, Decompress, and De-stress

June 11, 2025

Linda Gorchels

• Basic skills to improve postural alignment
• Simple lymphatic massage techniques
• Ways to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system

5-Minute Guided Meditation for Mindfulness

Global Connections through Local Hosts both Domestic and International: The Power of Friendship Force

June 11, 2025

Jan Barbone, Outreach Coordinator

Discover how Friendship Force International transforms travel into a powerful tool for cultural education through its unique model of reciprocally hosted homestays. In this inspiring talk, you’ll learn how the organization connects people from different countries, not as tourists, but as guests in each other’s homes—breaking down stereotypes, building lifelong friendships, and fostering true global understanding. Whether you’re passionate about intercultural exchange or curious about meaningful ways to explore the world, this speech will show how hospitality can be a bridge to peace.

You will:

• Learn how homestays create authentic cultural immersion beyond traditional tourism.
• Embrace the concept of reciprocal hosting and its impact on mutual respect and empathy.
• Discover how you can participate in or host an international exchange.
• Walk away with a renewed sense of how grassroots connection can shape global citizenship.

Realistic Wild Fowl Sculpture by Greg Curless

May 14, 2025

Greg Curless, Sculptor

Are you a bird enthusiast? An artist? Or perhaps an avid learner curious about wildlife and nature? Anyone in these categories will love Greg’s incredibly detailed bird sculptures, which bridge the gap between art and ornithology.

• Learn about the techniques and tools used to achieve striking realism in sculpture.
• Discover the inspirations and artistic journey of Greg Curless.
• Explore the ways that sculpture can enrich your appreciation of wildlife
• Leave with practical tips for starting or refining your own nature-inspired art.

Andrew Jackson Bovee and the Battle of the Wilderness

April 9, 2025

Rich Fronek, President of the Madison History Roundtable

Could your family tree contain branches linked to the Civil War? Rich Fronek, President of the Madison History Roundtable, traced his Civil War lineage back to his great-grandfather, Andrew Jackson Bovee. His great grandfather’s narrative includes:

• The state of America at the time of Bovee’s birth
• His journey from birthplace, to Wisconsin farming, to enlisting in the U.S. Army
• Bovee’s involvement in the Civil War’s Battle of the Wilderness and links to Madison
• His great-grandfather’s return to Wisconsin farming and logging, and the connection to Antigo
• The end of his story in Washington state

Handout from the presentation:

Fitchburg Economic Development Update

February 12, 2025

• State of Fitchburg today
• Forward Fitchburg City in Motion, a place-based economic development strategy, including upcoming projects and areas of long-term development
• Fitchburg’s economic development toolkit to enhance infrastructure, foster small business growth, and attract investments
• Success stories of innovative partnerships
• Alignment of Dane County’s Regional Housing Strategies with Fitchburg’s Housing Plan, Initiatives, and Programs
• Fitchburg’s evolution to a full-service City

Here is a link to Mike’s presentation materials.

Nervous System Dysregulation: Common Signs & Solutions

January 8, 2025

Dr. Laura Konopacki, Body Wave Chiropractic

Understanding your nervous system is key to managing stress, anxiety, sleep disruptions, and chronic fatigue. In this enlightening session, Dr. Laura Konopacki will guide you through the subtle yet powerful indicators of an overactive nervous system, and how it can affect your daily life. She’ll share practical tips and proven strategies to help restore balance to your neurological health, providing you with the tools you need to thrive.

This session will help you:

• Spot the common signs of nervous system imbalance
• Discover 3 powerful exercises to help your nerves relax naturally
• Understand how your daily habits may be locking you in stress