Life Enrichment to host speakers from Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, Humanities Kansas

Butler Community College’s Life Enrichment will host Trisha McMullen and Diana Staresinic-Deane on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 9 a.m. in the R. D. Hubbard Welcome Center on the college’s El Dorado campus. 

McMullen, director of Friends of Maxwell at the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge in Canton will talk about the Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, upcoming and annual events at the refuge, and how to volunteer. 

Staresinic-Deane, executive director of Franklin County Historical Society and Old Depot Museum in Ottawa, will present “Researching Your Home and the People Who Lived There,” at 10 a.m. Researching a property, be it an old home, a new business, or a section of pastureland, can do more than tell us the history of a space. It can also build a human connection to the people who came before us and the times in which they lived. This talk, which can be customized to highlight local resources, shares creative ways to study documents and assemble relevant narratives from maps, deeds, newspapers, and often unsought or unknown resources. This is ideal for those new to seeking out family and community stories, and helpful for those stymied by a dead end. 

Staresinic-Deane’s presentation is part of Humanities Kansas’s Speakers Bureau, featuring humanities-based presentations designed to share stories that inspire, spark conversations that inform, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement. 

Life Enrichment meets on the first Tuesday morning of the month during the school year. Area adults enjoy high-quality speakers and performers, along with a light breakfast and coffee during each regular meeting. Meetings take place in the Clifford/Stone Community Room at the Hubbard Welcome Center on the El Dorado campus. Meetings are open to everyone and there is no charge to attend. Regular attendees are encouraged to register so they receive monthly newsletters announcing the programs. New members are always welcome. 

For more information about Life Enrichment or the upcoming program, please contact Trisha Walls at 316-323-6355 or [email protected].