January 2026 Out to Lunch Series

The Bell is excited to offer a series of lunches and lectures to senior citizens, 55 and over. Once a month a lively lecture will be given by a local speaker (on a wide range of topics) to be followed by a light lunch, a sandwich, drink, and cookies. We’ve set the price for this at an affordable $15.00, so that as many people can take advantage of this entertaining opportunity- ‘To Lunch and to Learn’.

The Writing of Audubon’s Sparrow

He Flew the Nest, While She Stayed to Feather it…

Poet and author, Juditha Dowd, shares her insights on the writing of her book, Audubon’s Sparrow, a biography in poems of Lucy Bakewell Audubon. 

‘How is a marriage sustained through bankruptcy, distance, the loss of children, and one partner’s single-minded focus on what, for many years, seems to be a pipe dream? In Audubon’s Sparrow, Juditha Dowd delves deep into both historical archives and her own imagination to craft a compelling portrait of Lucy Audubon, the unsung hero of her more famous husband’s story. If, as Lucy laments,” he is husband to his birds now, and I am…I am what?” then Dowd skillfully answers this question. In time traveling verses, she brings the reader into the world of the Audubons - a world of birds and mammals, muddy feet, and tender years too.’ From Irene Mathieu author of Grand Marriage. 

Juditha Dowd lives in Easton, PA. Her most recent book is Audubon’s Sparrow, a lyric biography in the voice of Lucy Bakewell Audubon (Rose Metal Press). Her poetry, fiction, essays and reviews have been widely published in literary journals and anthologies and her work supported by residency fellowships at Vermont Studio Center and Virginia Center for the Creative Art.

A light lunch will follow in our lower Level. Limited Seating. Must Pre-register. $15.00 includeds all reservations fees

The Bell is excited to offer a series of lunches and lectures to senior citizens, 55 and over. Once a month a lively lecture will be given by a local speaker (on a wide range of topics) to be followed by a light lunch, a sandwich, drink, and cookies. We’ve set the price for this at an affordable $15.00, so that as many people can take advantage of this entertaining opportunity- ‘To Lunch and to Learn’.

Local author, Jeff Finegan was always curious about our first president. Come listen as he explains how that curiosity led him to research and then write his four books for young readers known as the I Knew George Washington Series. These books are written from the perspective of people who knew George Washington well, including a slave, his grandson, and the Marquis de Lafayette.

Jeff, a skilled storyteller, offers a fascinating look at how an author is inspired to research and imagine historical fiction for children. Jeff's books will be available for purchase, and he will be glad to autograph them for you. A light lunch will follow in our Lower Level. 

All of his books are available for purchase through Amazon.com, the author’s website www.iknewgeorgewashington.com 

A light lunch will follow in our lower Level. Limited Seating. Must Pre-register. $15.00 includeds all reservations fees

The Bell is excited to offer a series of lunches and lectures to senior citizens, 55 and over. Once a month a lively lecture will be given by a local speaker (on a wide range of topics) to be followed by a light lunch, a sandwich, drink, and cookies. We’ve set the price for this at an affordable $15.00, so that as many people can take advantage of this entertaining opportunity- ‘To Lunch and to Learn’.

As we look at the ground breaking work of photographer Doretha Lange

Dorothea Lange’s desperate and beautiful pictures of migrant workers in California, the Dust Bowl in the Midwest, and her heartbreaking photographs of Japanese Americans interned during World War II put human faces on some of the darkest episodes in America’s history. From the review of Restless Spirit, the Life of Doretha Lange.

Former teacher, Patti Dewitski will take a closer look at the woman behind the lens.

A light lunch will follow in our lower Level. Limited Seating. Must Pre-register. $15.00 includeds all reservations fees

The Bell is excited to offer a series of lunches and lectures to senior citizens, 55 and over. Once a month a lively lecture will be given by a local speaker (on a wide range of topics) to be followed by a light lunch, a sandwich, drink, and cookies. We’ve set the price for this at an affordable $12.50, so that as many people can take advantage of this entertaining opportunity- ‘To Lunch and to Learn’.

November 2025's Out To Lunch Series presents the making of the book, Letters from the Homefront Magazine, A Love Story Between A Community and Its WWII Soldiers, presented by co-author, Marc Blau. 

Retired history teacher, Marc Blau shares his experience of researching and writing the book that took three years to complete. Homefront Magazine was written and published in the Slate Belt and a copy was mailed to every Slate Belt soldier wherever they were stationed througout the world. The authors from the Slate Belt Heritage Center came together to complete this original one of a kind project sharing letters from WWII soldiers writing back to family and friends in the Slate Belt. Come learn how this uplifting piece of history was preserved and presented in a book.

A light lunch will follow in our lower Level. Limited Seating. Must Pre-register. $12.50

The Bell is excited to offer a series of lunches and lectures to senior citizens, 55 and over. Once a month a lively lecture will be given by a local speaker (on a wide range of topics) to be followed by a light lunch, a sandwich, drink, and cookies. We’ve set the price for this at an affordable $7.00, so that as many people can take advantage of this entertaining opportunity- ‘To Lunch and to Learn’.

 Sally is a graduate of David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies, completing both the two-year and graduate programs (2008, 2009). She earned her Integrative Nutrition Health Coach certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (2019) and, in 2024, became certified as a Plant-Based Coach through the Food Revolution Network. Her commitment to environmental sustainability led her to complete Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Steward program.  

The Bell is excited to offer a series of lunches and lectures to senior citizens, 55 and over. Once a month a lively lecture will be given by a local speaker (on a wide range of topics) to be followed by a light lunch, a sandwich, drink, and cookies. We’ve set the price for this at an affordable $7.00, so that as many people can take advantage of this entertaining opportunity- ‘To Lunch and to Learn’.

 Sally is a graduate of David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies, completing both the two-year and graduate programs (2008, 2009). She earned her Integrative Nutrition Health Coach certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (2019) and, in 2024, became certified as a Plant-Based Coach through the Food Revolution Network. Her commitment to environmental sustainability led her to complete Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Steward program.  

The Bell is excited to offer a series of lunches and lectures to senior citizens, 55 and over. Once a month a lively lecture will be given by a local speaker (on a wide range of topics) to be followed by a light lunch, a sandwich, drink, and cookies. We’ve set the price for this at an affordable $7.00, so that as many people can take advantage of this entertaining opportunity- ‘To Lunch and to Learn’.

Our speaker  is author, Michael Steiner. 

His topic, Two Powerhouses in Chicago’s Black Renaissance is a fascinating look at the groundbreaking poetry of Langston Hughes and the equally powerful photography of Gordon Parks. We’ll look at both of their contributions to the Black Renaissance of the 1930’s and 40’s and their renewed relevance today.

After teaching American Studies for forty years at California State University, Michael Steiner has moved to Easton along with his longtime partner, Lucy, to live near their children and grandchildren.

He has been a Fullbright Scholar in Hungry and Poland and has published five books and more than thirty articles on subjects ranging from Walt Disney’s vision of the mythic West to novelist Richard Wright’s love- hate relationship with Chicago. 

The Bell is excited to offer a series of lunches and lectures to senior citizens, 55 and over. Once a month a lively lecture will be given by a local speaker (on a wide range of topics) to be followed by a light lunch, a sandwich, drink, and cookies. We’ve set the price for this at an affordable $7.00, so that as many people can take advantage of this entertaining opportunity- ‘To Lunch and to Learn’.

Our speaker  is author, Elvira Woodruff. 

Just Who planted Thomas Jefferson's Garden?   

Thomas Jefferson’s garden at Monticello is one of America’s most important gardens. In terms of  seed variety, it stands out as one of the boldest horticultural experiments in its time.

        For years any talk of the garden was focused on Jefferson - the garden’s designer and owner. But visitors to Monticello today will come away with a deeper if not more disturbing look at just who planted and labored to maintain this horticultural wonder.

           In this presentation we’ll travel  to 18th century Virginia to take a closer look at one of America’s most historic gardens.