FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19; program begins at 6:30 p.m. 

In September 1915, the Near East Foundation (NEF), known initially as Near East Relief (NER), spearheaded the first great mobilization of international humanitarian assistance in the United States in response to the Armenian Genocide. This was the first major effort on the part of American citizens, who really organized a massive fundraising campaign and logistics effort that led to the rescuing of 132,000 orphans, the saving of more than a million refugees—not just Armenians, but Assyrians, Greeks, and other minorities that were being affected as well.

More than a century after the organization’s establishment, NEF Board Chairman Emeritus Shant Mardirossian decided that the somewhat-forgotten story of the NER—an intrinsically American story, he believes—should be told to a wider audience. Mardirossian, inspired by his grandparents’ escape and survival during the genocide, says he produced this film “not just to remember those we lost in the genocide, but to shed light on an important chapter of American history when ordinary citizens stood together against a great injustice and saved the lives of 132,000 orphans.”

Produced by Mardirossian and award-winning director George Billard, this 53-minute documentary is not rated. Mardirossian will attend the program and lead Q&A following the film.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24; program begins at 6:30 p.m. 

Following the program, a Wright@Night SC Johnson Campus Tour will be available from 8:00-9:30 p.m. – a separate reservation is required.

Join us for an evening discussion about the restoration of our Lake Michigan rivers.

Our Root-Pike basin tributaries are some of the most impaired Lake Michigan rivers in the state. We believe we can come together to clean up these community assets. After all, our Lake Michigan provides the essential building block of life for ALL of us: water. It’s our most basic common bond. These rivers and landscapes provide a sense of place, economic benefits, recreational opportunities, habitats for diverse species and flood control. Most importantly, a healthy, well-functioning watershed helps reduce pollutants.

Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network is a 501c3 non-profit based in Racine solely devoted to cleaning up these watersheds. We do this through the initiative and networking in our name.

Dave Giordano, Executive Director, Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network, will provide an overview of the watersheds and their collaborative restoration efforts with other community collaborators, including:

• Chad Sampson, County Conservationist, Racine County
• Andrew McGuire, PhD, Lecturer – Sustainable Practices, UW-Milwaukee
• Alice Thompson, Wetland Ecologist and Owner, Thompson and Associates
• Adrian Kolski, Research Assistant, City of Racine

Come to learn about the issues, solutions and restoration work that has occurred and is planned in the Root-Pike basin.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5; program begins at 6:30 p.m. 

Local history is reflected in special historic locations and buildings which have been, and should continue to be, an important part of a community.

In Racine County, numerous areas have been officially designated as Historic Districts – as well as many individual buildings, both residential and commercial – and are listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. While we tend to think of these historic buildings as being over 100 years old, some of them are much newer, even having been built as recently as 1958, within our own or our family members’ lifetimes. Awareness of these historic designations, knowing what they mean and learning how they can be useful, are the first steps to preservation.

Jennifer Davel, a Preservation Architect from the Wisconsin Historical Society, will introduce a wealth of resources about what makes certain buildings architecturally or culturally significant, why they are placed on these lists, and what protections or responsibilities are implied by such designations.

Equally important are the financial incentives and technical information to retain and restore (rather than “remuddle”) such buildings. Jennifer will provide advice on the availability of homeowner and commercial tax credits for historic restoration, as well as resources for proper techniques to preserve a building's cultural and economic value.

This program will be enlightening to all, including historians, educators, government employees and residents, encouraging preservation and benefiting the community well into the future.

A panel discussion with local historical preservationists will follow the presentation. ________________________________________________________________________ The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, strives to increase the public's knowledge of history to provide societal, cultural, and economic benefit.

Preservation Racine, Inc. is a nonprofit organization established in 1973 to identify and encourage the preservation of places of historical, architectural, and cultural value in the Racine area.