|
Ann Strong, chairwoman for the local Chautauqua committee, said committee members have been hard at work setting up programming for this summer. The basis of any Chautauqua program is that it has four pillars: art, education, recreation and religion.
There are a number of Chautauqua programs around the country and each one selects programs and activities for each pillar. Strong emphasized each community determines how that is done. For example, some are residential such as what is planned for Oakwood when it reopens while others meet for a week or a weekend or focus on just one pillar.
Strong said the Chautauqua Institute in New York has been helpful. The institute oversees a website with links to other Chautauqua programs in the country including Oakwood. Those searching the Internet can also Google Chautauqua Trail linking all the sites. Oakwood also has a page on this site, but Strong said it needs to be updated.
Plans are in development for this summer, even though the hotel won't be open to the public. Strong said events are being planned for each pillar.
For the arts pillar Kathy Boytz of Creative Fish and George Rapp of the Indiana Plein Aire Painters Association will offer four nights of painters presentations. The evenings will be held for two weeks in July and two weeks in August.
For the recreation pillar, members of the Chautauqua committee are working with the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce and Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary Club to offer the Tour de Lakes bike ride during the Liberty Bike Ride. Tour de Lakes will be a family oriented event with two loops, one around Syracuse Lake and the other around Lake Wawasee. Strong pointed out serious bike riders could participate in the Liberty Bike Ride while families who want something a bit more relaxed can participate in Tour de Lakes.
Rev. Kent Maynard, a recently retired Methodist minister, will present "Neighbors in our World" with the Syracuse-Wawasee Area Ministerial Association. This lecture series along with boat-in worship will be the activities for the religious pillar. Maynard's presentation will take place on four early Sunday afternoons, two in July and two in August. These will be discussions with someone not of the Christian faith. The idea is to create a dialogue to see what can be learned from each other.
For the educational pillar, Jane Modisett is working with local historians to hold discussions on the history of the area. Strong said the topics will be loosely based on Eli Lilly's book on the area. Discussion topics will start with the geology of the area and move into the arrival of Native Americans and early settlers. Discussions will be held two Saturday mornings in July and August.
Once again Chautauqua will be a sponsor for the Wawasee Flotilla and the road race will go through the Oakwood Park area, like it did last year. Strong said the committee hopes to have the Fort Wayne Philharmonic come for an outdoor concert sometime in July.
Chautauqua committee has recently incorporated and is currently filing for 501(c)3 rating so donations can be accepted. In the meantime, Arts United in Fort Wayne is allowing donations for the group to be given to AUFW so the Chautauqua committee can receive funds. "It's really quite exciting. It seems to satisfy a need not only for the property's use, but people's interest," Strong said.
State Rep. Rebecca Kubacki has also been an advocate for the committee's work, as well. Strong said she wants to see Oakwood become "an oasis of hope," and she's glad to see so many who want to share and cooperate in the committee's work.
|
