SUNDAY MAY 10, 1-3 PM

THE BIOLOGY OF AGING
HOBBY BUILDING EVENTS ROOM

 

Don’t we all wonder as we get older why our bodies just aren’t cooperating? On Sunday, May 10, Freethinker Glenn Cohen will help shed some light on this mystery with his presentation on The Biology of Aging. A professor emeritus at Troy University, Glenn will rely on his expertise and research as a biologist to unravel some mysteries, as well as to help us understand what to expect from our bodies as we age.

 

 

SUNDAY MAY 21, 1–3PM

SOCRATES CAFE'
HOBBY BUILDING EVENTS ROOM

 

We talk a lot about happiness—but do we really understand where it comes from? We often chase it through achievement, comfort, or independence, yet the strongest evidence points somewhere much simpler: other people. If relationships are the most reliable path to happiness, why do we so often treat them as secondary? Can people be truly happy on their own, or does happiness depend on connection with others? From an evolutionary perspective, are we shaped to seek connection because it supports survival and cooperation? Are we going about happiness the wrong way—pursuing it individually when it may be fundamentally social? Come explore whether “it’s people” really holds up.

SUNDAY MAY 24, 1–3 PM

IS THE FIRST AMENDMENT ALIVE AND WELL IN FLORIDA?

HOBBY BUILDING EVENTS ROOM

 

Freethinkers Florida welcomes Rabbi Merrill Shapiro of Jacksonville, FL who will be speaking on behalf of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State where he serves on the AU National Board of Trustees and is a former board chair. Americans United is at the forefront of filing litigation to compel local, state, and federal government entities to respect our constitutional right to freedom of and from religion. Recent political interventions have focused on limiting the rights of citizens and supporting religious groups over maintaining a secular approach. Come join us for Is the First Amendment alive and well in Florida? And bring your questions for this interactive presentation.

 

 

 

 

DOING GOOD FOR GOOD’S SAKE

 

Freethinkers Florida has been supporting two of our members, Debby Levy and Roland Campbell, in their work with Ocala’s homeless population, especially those living rough on the streets or in the forest. They, along with some other dedicated folks, provide a hot meal to anyone who needs it on Monday nights, rain or shine, outdoors in a space downtown which a business allows them to use. Donations of camping equipment, clothes and shoes, and unopened hygiene products and toiletries are most welcome for distribution, as well as towels and bedding which we are focusing on for the month of May. Please bring donations to any Sunday meeting or text/call Debby at 561-346-7401 or email DL72588@gmail.com if you have a significant amount of clothing or camping gear to arrange a pickup or meetup.

 

And thanks to Freethinker Karen Henkel-Reeves and Karen’s Mat Makers who continue to produce water resistant sleeping mats for the homeless which are crocheted from recycled grocery bags. While Karen has a large stock of bags, she could use help in cutting the bags into strips or crocheting the mats. Call her at 352-854-9954 (no text).

 

 

 

The Freethinkers Florida Club at On Top of the World meets twice a month in the Hobby Building Event Room for presentations, discussions, and social time. If you are coming from outside On Top of the World, please email  FreethinkersFlorida@gmail.com for information on entry through the gate.

 

 

 

LOOKING BACK AT APRIL

Who doesn’t like to hear stories about the FBI? On April 12th R. Lee Walters, a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and president of Excalibur Investigations regaled us with stories of deceit and lying in today’s society. While it might not be encouraging to hear that all that trickery and underhandedness is happening, it is good to know that there are folks on the job to investigate and help demand accountability.

 

In a richly illustrated presentation, fellow freethinker Domenica Genovese explored the profound influence photographs have on our understanding of historical events. Her presentation, Photographer as Witness: Photography's Power to Reveal and Transform, featured photographers who documented both the human stories and defining events across nearly two centuries of history.

 

 

 

LOOKING AHEAD TO JUNE

 

BANNED & WOKE BOOK CLUB On Monday evening, June 8, our Banned & Woke Book Club will be discussing American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. This controversial novel follows Lydia, a Mexican book store owner and her eight-year-old son as they flee for the U.S. border after a cartel murders their family. The author sparked intense controversy over accusations of cultural appropriation, harmful stereotyping of Mexican migrants, and unnecessary focus on trauma by Jeanine Cummins who, though of Puerto Rican ancestry, identifies as white. Can a mostly Caucasian woman tell this story? Read the book and let’s talk about it. Even if you haven’t read the book, you are welcome to join in on the discussion! We meet from 6:30-8 pm in the Hobby Building Event Room.

 

SPECIAL EVENT! It’s Donut Day!  On Sunday, June 14, as we approach Freethinkers' third anniversary in July, members will have a chance to let their choices for favorite topics and activities be known. We’ll have listings of topics and activities for you to discuss with other members and register your favorites and not so favorites.  We will use this information to decide on activities and topics for the upcoming year. If you like what the club presents you can let us know. If you want more or less of something, again, this is your chance to let us know. The format we will be using allows for discussion and voting for what you like. If there was one meeting you should attend all year, this is it, since it will help determine what you see for the rest of the year. And to make it even more special, Freethinkers Florida will be providing donuts for your enjoyment. That alone is a good enough reason to be there!

 

SOCRATES CAFE´ Our third Thursday Socrates Café will meet on June 18 from 6:30-8 pm in the Hobby Building Event Room. Topic to be announced. Watch this space!

 

WIKIPEDIA COMES TO FREETHINKERS FLORIDA! On Sunday, June 28, our meeting will feature Pacita Rudder, Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation, who is based in New York City. She will speak to us about the ins and outs of the very popular website, Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a free, multilingual online encyclopedia operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. It is written and maintained by a community of volunteers who create and edit articles which are often cited in academic work. Wikipedia is the largest and most read reference work in history featuring over 67 million articles in over 300 languages, all run as a not-for-profit free resource for everyone. Often if you google someone or something in the news, Wikipedia will be one of the first articles you see. Come learn how reliability and accuracy are maintained within this crowdsourced model.

oy University, Glenn will rely on his expertise and research as a biologist to unravel some mysteries, as well as to help us understand what to expect from our bodies as we age.

 

 

 

APRIL SUGGESTION: 

 

“Please ask golf cart drivers to park in golf cart spaces (on the Rec Center side of the Hobby Building.”) We will remind golf cart drivers that there is a designated golf cart lot and will check with the Rec Office to see if there is any official requirement limiting golf carts from parking in regular spaces. We know parking is at a premium around the Hobby Building.

 

We had a suggestion about suggestions! That is, could suggestions be listed in the newsletter along with their disposition, a yea or nay or maybe? We think that is a great idea. So, here’s what was in the box in March.

 

 

 

If you have a suggestion, please drop a card in the Suggestion Box at any regular Sunday meeting or email us at FreethinkersFlorida@gmail.com.

 

 

 

The Freethinkers Florida Club at On Top of the World meets twice a month in the Hobby Building Event Room for presentations, discussions, and social time. If you are coming from outside On Top of the World, please email  FreethinkersFlorida@gmail.com for information on entry through the gate.