Author Archives: Ruth Bumgarner

Senior Planet Tech Classes

Winfield Public Library Posted on by

The Arkansas City and Winfield Public Libraries are launching a new program to help older adults in Cowley County learn new skills, save money, get in shape, and make new friends. In partnership with Senior Planet, a national nonprofit which harnesses technology to change the way older Americans age, the Arkansas City and Winfield Public Libraries will be offering classes and workshops about technology, health and wellness, and socialization.

Older adults across the country are utilizing technology more than ever before. Through partnering with Senior Planet’s licensing program, the public libraries will begin to offer Senior Planet’s proprietary curriculum this fall.

Classes will be held weekly at Winfield Public Library on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. and at Arkansas City Public Library on Wednesday afternoons from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

Each hands-on session will use the libraries’ newly upgraded computer systems, so there’s no need to bring your own device. November’s topics include Exploring Online Health Resources and Getting Started with Zoom, while December will focus on Staying Safe Online.

The classes will be facilitated by Breanna Dittert, a member of the American Connection Corps who is hosted by both libraries. Breanna specializes in helping community members build confidence with technology and also offers one-on-one Tech Help for those with specific questions or personal devices.

Teresa Grana to present at WPL

Winfield Public Library Posted on by

Winfield Public Library, in partnership with Winfield Arts and Humanities and the USD 465 Foundation, is excited to host Teresa Covacevich Grana for Impressions of Mexico:  the Journey of Sue Jean Covacevich at 10:00am on Saturday, November 8. The presentation traces Covacevich’s creative journey, her marriage to businessman Nicolas Salazar Covacevich, and her community projects which involved the children of Winfield. The program will also explore the rich traditions of Mexican art and how it infused Sue Jean’s own artwork. Special consideration will be given to the influence of artists Francisco Cornejo, Gerald Murilo, Diego Rivera, and Birger Sandzen. Sandzen visited Covacevich during her time in Mexico, and was a lifelong friend and mentor.

Teresa Covacevich Grana is the daughter of the artist and a cultural historian.  A collection of Covacevich’s art, Mexican Impressions, is on loan from the USD 465 Foundation and will be on display at the library through November 15.

The USD 465 Foundation has a collection of over 200 works of art that have been graciously given to our Winfield School District for the purpose of education through exposure to quality works of art. The collection began in 1933 with a gift of a print from Birger Sandzen, as a prize for the winning Winfield student and their school, through a state-wide contest. With over 80 artists currently represented, much can be learned from art principles and design, from various techniques, and as expressions of human creativity that apply to cross-curricular learning.