Adult Programs

CURRENT

PROGRAMS

Impacto! Finding Your Voice & Power Through the Arts

Impacto! is a workshop and performance project, directed by Anna de la Paz, in collaboration with Proyecto Faro and Casa de la Cultura, that introduces audiences to the variety of cultural expressions found in Hispanic music and dance. The performance marks the culmination of choreography residency where participants explore dance and art as a tool for social justice while highlighting a strong tie to tradition.

This project was made possible through a grant from ArtsWestchester and with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Governor’s office and the New York State Legislature and administered by ArtsWestchester.

Caregiver Health & Wellness

This is a free service that provides resources for individuals who are caring for an elderly spouse, grandparent, mother, father, relative or non-related relative, like a good friend. Group members receive guidance, coping strategies, and share useful resources that have helped them through the caregiving journey.

This program is sponsored by the Rockland County Office for the Aging.

Yoga Fall 2023 Session

Yoga is the union of breathing and mindful movement known to strengthen, energize, release stress and tension, and bring balance to your mind and body. All levels are welcome. Check with your healthcare provider before beginning any exercise program. Zoom joining information will be communicated to those registered and it can be shared with others. Recording is strictly prohibited. Classes will be closed and locked punctually at the start hour.

Mortgages & Home Ownership

Are you considering buying a home but not sure where to start? Our Mortgage & Home Ownership workshop takes the mystery and uncertainty out of the process, and guides first time home buyers to successfully become mortgage ready. You will learn about the importance of credit, financing options, and the many available lending programs that help home buyers purchase and move into their new homes.

This program is sponsored by M&T Bank and Rockland BOCES.

Knit & Crochet Virtual Meet-Up

The Knit & Crochet group meets weekly on Zoom to socialize, help each other with new techniques and show off their final works of art!

Halloween Monster Movie Series

Join us throughout the month of October as we present the Classic films of Halloween Horror here at the library! This program is presented by Joey Vento’s Haunted Barn Museum. Each week a different movie will be screened followed by a short seminar by Joey Vento who will share creepy artifacts from his Haunted Museum! The movie line-up is as follows:

October 3: 13 Ghosts (1960) => Film Run Time is 1 hour and 45 minutes.
October 10: Frankenstein (1931) => Film Run Time is 70 minutes.
October 17: The Thing From Another World (1951) => Film Run Time is 1 hour and 27 minutes.
October 24: The Mummy (1932) => Film Run Time is 73 minutes.
October 31: The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954) => Film Run Time is 80 minutes.

The Rebellious Life of Ms. Rosa Parks Book Talk

Meet Jeanne Theoharis, the Author of the bestselling biography: “The Rebellious Life of Ms. Rosa Parks”! Presenting a powerful corrective to the popular iconography of Rosa Parks as the quiet seamstress who with a single act birthed the modern civil rights movement, scholar Jeanne Theoharis excavates Parks’s philosophy and six decades of activism. Theoharis masterfully details the depth of a national heroine who dedicated her life to fighting American inequality and, in the process, resurrects a civil rights movement radical who has been hidden in plain sight far too long.

This event is sponsored by the Spring Valley NAACP.

A Matter of Balance:
Managing Concerns About Falls

Are you age 60 or older, community-dwelling, and able to problem solve? This program will help you learn practical coping strategies to reduce your fear of falling and increase your activity level by doing strength and balance exercises. This 8-week series is led by trained coaches and meets for two hours once a week.

Hispanic Heritage Concert

3D RHYTHM OF LIFE is a fusion of Latin and Afro-Caribbean grooves, blending a variety of genres including salsa, Latin jazz, reggae, and R&B. The group packs and abundance of funk and charisma into their exhilarating performances and creates an experience that invites music fans to the dance floor or to just get their groove on!

This program is sponsored by the Arts Council of Rockland.

Zumba Fall 2023 Session

ZUMBA Fitness classes are the most FUN way to lose weight and say healthy! Classes are simple enough for anyone to follow. There will be options for beginners as well as advanced students so you can work at your own pace. The goal is for you to have a great time and not even realize you are getting an amazing workout!

Declutter Like You Are Moving
(Even if You're Not)

Looking for a fresh start? Whether you are thinking of moving or just want to pare down, log on and learn where to begin and what to keep, sell, and donate. Bestselling author and expert organizer Jamie Novak will share steps to simplify by keeping what you use and love. During the virtual program she guides you through a short tidy-up.

Fall Culinary Series

Session 2: (October 12): Pumpkin Lasagna and Winter Squash Recipes

Warm up your fall cooking with pumpkin and winter squash recipes. With their beautiful colors and earthy flavors, they transform meals into seasonal treats. Learn how to use these versatile autumn ingredients in delicious ways including a pumpkin lasagna with some flavor twists.

Banking Basics

Get educated on financial matters and use available banking resources to save for the future, eliminate debt, plan for emergencies, and grow your money through investments. Learn how technology can simplify your life with automated services like direct deposit, bill pay, e-statements, funds transfers, and automated saving.

This program is sponsored by M&T Bank and Rockland BOCES.

Urban Renewal

What Happened to Jackson Avenue, offers a rare, real-life account of the human impact of urban renewal in Nyack. Through interviews with people who experienced urban renewal first-hand, the film tells the story of how the intended revitalization ultimately resulted in the destruction of an entire community. Bill Batson, whose family was displaced by the misguided policy and is interviewed in the film will participate in a discussion following the screening.

This program is sponsored by the Spring Valley & Nyack NAACP.

Medicare & Medicaid 2024

A HIICAP counselor from Rockland County Office for the Aging will present on Medicare plan options for ’24. Staff will be on-site to assist with applications such as Medicaid, Medicare Savings Program, and EPIC.

This program is sponsored by the Rockland County Office for the Aging.

Halloween: A Haunted History

Ever wonder why we carve pumpkins, dress up in costumes, or decorate our homes with skeletons and ghosts every October?

Author and photographer Kevin Woyce explores the strange history of Halloween, from Old World harvest festivals to our modern family holiday, with an eerie slideshow filled with original photographs and antique Halloween cards, advertisements, artwork, and movie posters. Discover the origins of seasonal traditions including jack-o’lanterns and trick or treating, revisit Orson Welles’ 1938 “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast and the first monster movies, and so much more.

Do It Yourself Wood Signs

Learn how to use stencils, wood stain, and paint to create your own wood sign that can be used to decorate your living space. Participants will distress, stain, apply a stencil, then paint in the design to create a finished sign to take home with them. Please wear clothes that can get dirty as we will be dealing with materials that will stain. This is a Makerspace program.

This class will be offered each month during the fall season and each session will be open for attendees that have not yet participated.

Ruddigore Opera Performance

Ruddigore, or, The Witch’s Curse, originally called Ruddygore, is a comic opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas and the tenth of fourteen comic operas written together by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Identity Theft & Fraud

Millions of Americans fall victim to identity theft or fraudulent activity each year. Using real world scenarios, we will explore the financial risks associated with identity theft and fraud. You will learn how to recognize the different types of identity theft and fraud, and the strategies that you can use to protect yourself and your information.

This program is sponsored by M&T Bank and Rockland BOCES.

Spooky Halloween Magic Show

Join us, if you dare, for an evening of spine-tingling enchantment that will linger in your thoughts long after the Halloween moon sets. Prepare to have your mind read, your beliefs shattered, and your imagination pushed to its limits. Welcome to the Haunting Halls of Mind, where the whispers of the paranormal become a symphony of wonder.

Our spirit guide for the evening is magician and mind reader Gregg Dwyer. Gregg Dwyer has been performing magic since the 70’s. The highlight of his career was when he worked backstage for the Doug Henning’s The Magic Show on Broadway. He was also seen by 6 million people on The Late Show with David Letterman and has traveled the world bringing magic and mystery to those that need a bit of wonder in their lives.

Whether you are a skeptic or a believer, this Halloween Magic-Mind Reading Show will leave an indelible mark on your psyche. It is a night where the impossible becomes plausible, where minds intertwine in a dance of illusion, and where reality is shattered before your very eyes.

The Extraordinary Story of
The Tuskegee Airmen

We are proud to present, The Extraordinary Story of the Tuskegee Airmen with Jeffrey Urbin, Education Specialist and Director of the Pare Lorentz Film Center at the Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. This special session tells the story of how a group of black men, who were once considered of little value to the war effort, proved they could take down enemy aircraft abroad and racial barriers at home.

This event is sponsored by the African American Historical Society of Rockland County.

American Red Cross Blood Drive

Make your appointment to donate blood and give hope to others. The need is constant and the nation is facing a blood shortage. When you donate, you are part of a lifesaving cause!

This event is sponsored by Assemblyman John McGowan.

Retirement Planning

We will examine the factors that everyone should consider when planning for retirement. Learn how to estimate your retirement expenses, identify savings strategies to maximize savings, compare the types of retirement plans available to you, and set goals for your own retirement.

This program is sponsored by M&T Bank and Rockland BOCES.

Defensive Driving

As a New York Safety Council class, patrons will be able to get an insurance reduction and/or points off of your license. This program is offered in two parts. YOU MUST ATTEND BOTH SESSIONS IN ORDER TO QUALIFY AND BE ON TIME. The class fee is $35 payable by cash or check (made out to Diane Mendez) and must be given to her either at the FIRST class session by, Wed. Nov. 1, 2023. Finkelstein Library will not take money. Registration is first come, first serve.

Making Budgets Work

A budget is a financial plan that outlines what money you expect to earn or receive and how you will save it or spend it over a given period; it is also called a spending plan. Learn how to create your personal financial plan, cut expenses, and set savings goals.

This program is sponsored by M&T Bank and Rockland BOCES.

Knit & Crochet Virtual Meet-Up

The Knit & Crochet group meets weekly on Zoom to socialize, help each other with new techniques and show off their final works of art!

History Matters
A Supreme Court Journey to Law School

On February 26, 1946, Heman Marion Sweatt began a journey of admission to The University of Texas at Austin Law School. Despite being academically qualified and a taxpayer, he was denied the opportunity for education at his home state university because of the color of his skin. Heman Sweatt’s admission was eventually realized through a United States Supreme Court ruling. Like several other “separate but equal” education cases, his journey provided a Supreme Court decision that paved the road to equitable education for all.

This multimedia presentation shares insights into an individual’s public fight, victory, and the personal costs of acquiring liberty, justice, and equal education.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

A comprehensive 8 hour training that enable participants to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use crises among youth. Similar to medical First Aid, participants learn an action plan to help individuals connect to support and treatment.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is a groundbreaking public education program that helps the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. The program has gotten national attention since the Newtown tragedy, and has been promoted by the President, Vice President, Congress, Senate, Mental Health America, and MHA of New York State. To date, more than 100,000 people have been trained nationwide. This program is designed for non-mental health professionals. We are hoping to get a wide array of attendees including teachers, students, clergy, librarians, first responders, business owners, human resource professionals, and caring citizens.

Credit Scores & Reports

Have you wondered what exactly is a credit report? Or how does credit affect your finances? What can you do to maintain or improve your credit score?

You will learn about the information that is found in a credit report, how it is used, and the ways in which it can affect you financially. We will discuss the 3 major credit reporting agencies, and what factors they use to determine your credit risk.

This program is sponsored by M&T Bank and Rockland BOCES.

Black Hollywood

This lecture is a portrait of the black film community during Hollywood’s formative years. Film was recognized early on as a powerful medium with which to shape perceptions. There was a conscious attempt to categorize African Americans using negative stereotypes at a time when they were calling for their full rights as citizens. They came to be cast primarily as servants, “mammy” or plantation figures. Not until the 1950’s would Hollywood cast a black actor in a leading role. This poignant account will feature black film legends and lesser known artists of the period whose talent is an important part of Hollywood’s legacy. These artists paved the way for future generations of African American actors who would claim their rightful position as leading stars of the silver screen.

This program is sponsored by The Gordon Center for Black Culture and Arts.

Do It Yourself Wood Signs

This class will be offered each month during the fall season and each session will be open for attendees that have not yet participated.

Fall Culinary Series

Session 3: (November 16): Cranberry Linzer Torte and Thanksgiving Preparation

With Thanksgiving approaching, learn to make a festive linzer torte filled with a cranberry filling (or your favorite filling) that is perfect for the entire holiday season. This will include the technique for a lattice-top pastry crust that can be used on all your holiday pies. Along the way, we will explore additional dessert ideas and preparation tips for the holiday.

Citizen Preparedness Seminar

With severe weather events becoming more frequent and more extreme, it is more important than ever that New Yorkers are prepared for disasters. The NY Citizen Preparedness Training Program teaches residents to have the tools and resources to prepare for any type of disaster, respond accordingly and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions. The training course will provide an introduction to responding to a natural or manmade disaster. Participants will be advised on how to properly prepare for any disaster, including developing a family emergency plan and stocking up on emergency supplies.

This program is sponsored by Senator Bill Weber.

Physical Challenges and
Creative Opportunities

How can an artist paint without eyesight or make huge works of art from bed? Guided by Joyce Raimondo, Education Coordinator, this Zoom event will highlight Lee Krasner and other famous artists such as Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo, Chuck Close, and others whose physical challenges sparked creativity and innovative adaptive processes leading to the creation of masterpieces. Then visitors will go on a live Zoom tour of Pollock and Krasner’s barn studio.

ADULT PROGRAMS

CURRENT

PROGRAMS

Impacto! Finding Your Voice & Power Through the Arts

Caregiver Health & Wellness

Yoga Fall 2023 Session

Mortgages & Home Ownership

Knit & Crochet Virtual Meet-Up

Halloween Monster Movie Series

The Rebellious Life of Ms. Rosa Parks Book Talk

A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls

Hispanic Heritage Concert

Zumba Fall 2023 Session

Declutter Like You Are Moving (Even if You're Not)

Fall Culinary Series

Banking Basics

Urban Renewal

Medicare & Medicaid 2024

Halloween: A Haunted History

Do It Yourself Wood Signs

Ruddigore Opera Performance

Identity Theft & Fraud

Spooky Halloween Magic Show

The Extraordinary Story of The Tuskegee Airmen

American Red Cross Blood Drive

Retirement Planning

Defensive Driving

Making Budgets Work

Knit & Crochet Virtual Meet-Up

History Matters A Supreme Court Journey to Law School

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

Credit Scores & Reports

Black Hollywood

Do It Yourself Wood Signs

Fall Culinary Series

Citizen Preparedness Seminar

Physical Challenges and Creative Opportunities

PAST

PROGRAMS

A Matter of Balance:
Managing Concerns About Falls

Declutter Like You Are Moving
(Even if You're Not)

The Extraordinary Story of
The Tuskegee Airmen

History Matters
A Supreme Court Journey to Law School

Physical Challenges and
Creative Opportunities