Fauna and Flora of New Zealand

In this class presented by the Morleys and Rugaards, ALL members, we learned of the unique place New Zealand has in the world with regard to its geography, geology, and plant and animal life. The beautiful flora and fauna were on full display during their trip there. We also discussed the geology of the area and the effects of modern agriculture.

You can view their presentation here.

Fire and Life Safety for Seniors

We welcomed Sr. Inspector Tom Petty and his dog Cinder of the Harris County Fire Marshalls Office to share with us some very important safety tips. We learned about several things to look for around the house to prevent falls, to do our fire escape planning, and in general making conscious decisions to do everyday tasks safely. Tom answered our questions and provided great insights.

One takeaway was if you have a fire extinguisher in your house, learn how to use it by actually using it; take a class somewhere. If not, call 911. You need to answer Yes to each one of these questions before trying to put out a fire yourself with an extinguisher:

1. Is it the right type of extinguisher?
2. Has '911' been called?
3. Are people leaving the building?
4. Is extinguisher charged and in good working order?
5. Are you confident in fighting the fire?
6. Is fire small enough to use the extinguisher?
7. Do you have an exit behind you to get out?

Meet Tom Petty and Cinder.

Sweet & Spicy Baked Shrimp Tacos

Donna Smith and Larry Hill shared one of their favorite recipes with us, Sweet & Spicy Baked Shrimp Tacos. This recipe is quick and easy and you can dress it any way you like.

You can see the recipe here.

A Drone for ALL Ages

Buck Buchanan, Geography Professor at CyFair, shared with us how we can program and use a very small and affordable drone that is rich in features. Buck discussed with us some of the ways he is using drones in student projects around the world; mangrove destruction in Belize, 3-D imaging of villas in Italy, and mapping cemeteries for a UNESCO project.

We learned about the Tello drone, about $100, you can control with your smart phone or tablet. It is designed to fly indoors. Program using Scratch/Python or through Droneblocks App. Great for learning how to program for yourself and the grandkids.

Tello Drone Review here.

Milk Money: From Cow to Classroom

After learning some background information about Heifer International, Joyce Sarahan, volunteer with Heifer, talked about the Milk program and how the value chain is being set up in the country of Tanzania. From the cow, to the milk, to the dairy, on to trucks to the cities or schools, the milk program is providing jobs and nutrition to the community.

You can view Joyce's presentation here.

Also, below, are some videos we saw in class:
From Farm to Market: The Dairy Hub
Tanzania Milk Program
Heifer International: 12 Stones

Android 101

Lee Swords presented some great information for all of that own or are thinking about owning an Android device. Lee talked about apps, battery life, alarms, etc. So what do you want to do with your phone?

You can view Lee's presentation here.

Human Trafficking 101

United Against Human Trafficking is an organization based in Houston. Sarah Koransky from UAHT discussed what is human trafficking, the various forms it takes and how it affects men, women and children. Based on some real-world examples, we learned that we could not tell the trafficker from the victim just by looking. Sarah also made us aware of red flags to look for.

"We believe that no human life should be for sale. Children and teenagers, men and women are exploited for sex and labor in our city every day. We exist to change that."

Please look at their website to learn more; UAHT

Intro to ALL

Welcome new and returning members of ALL. Cheryl LeJune, ALL Advisory Committee Chairman, gave an overview of the CyFair Campus including many of the things to do here as well as volunteer opportunities. We also talked about what ALL offers its members including classes, bus trips, parties, Open Houses and various college student opportunities.

You can view Cheryl's presentation here.

Disc Golf - 1st Session

Five seriously committed ALLers braved the heat to attend the first Disc Golf session at Zube Park.  We were able to keep most of the instruction in the shade but we are all looking forward for an Oct class with less heat. Sign up or come on out October 10th at 1pm if you are interested in learning about this sport.