WALLA FAQs
Board | History | General FAQs | Help Wanted! VolunteerWhat is WALLA?
The Wabash Area Lifetime Learning Association is a non-profit educational association located in West Lafayette, Indiana. WALLA is affiliated with the Elderhostel Institute Network and Purdue University’s Continuing Education. A volunteer Board of Directors and Committee members plan and coordinate the classes and special events. Classes are held during 4-week sessions each Fall and Spring.
Who can participate in WALLA?
We welcome anyone 50 and older, living in Tippecanoe County or in neighboring counties who enjoys learning in a non-threatening, fun, and stimulating environment. The informal classroom environment invites participation, discussion, and fellowship.
If I live outside the Tippecanoe County area, may I still join WALLA classes?
We don’t exclude anyone who chooses to commute to our classes from other areas.
What kinds of classes are offered?
Classes in the Fall and Spring sessions are as varied as the interests of the participants. Subjects may range from history, biography, nature, global issues, foreign languages, and poetry to mysteries, film studies, chocolate, nutrition, wine, gardening, exercise, and building model airplanes. Click on CLASSES (in the menu above) to see the most recent and upcoming curriculum.
Who decides which classes will be on the curriculum?
All participants are encouraged to submit ideas and attend discussion groups to explore future course topics. Course coordinators and the Curriculum Committee finalize the class list. Presenters include Purdue University faculty and staff, community leaders, and WALLA participants.
How much does it cost to participate in WALLA?
For $60 per session a participant may enroll in as many classes as scheduling allows during the four-week class period. A few classes have additional fees for materials.
How do I sign up for classes?
The brochures for the Fall class session are introduced at the annual picnic at Columbian Park and the brochures for the Spring session are introduced at the annual pizza party. Course coordinators give a brief description of their classes at these well-attended events. Afterwards people often register for the class session to secure enrollment in courses with limited space. Persons who are unable to attend these yearly "kick-off" events will receive brochures in the mail as long as they remain on the mailing list. Anyone who has registered for classes during the previous four sessions is included on the mailing list. Address changes should be reported to the WALLA office.
After the curriculum brochure is introduced at the annual picnic or pizza party, an online version is made available on the website. Click on CLASSES (in the menu above) to print out the brochure. Mail in the completed registration form found in the center of the brochure.
How do I get on the mailing list to receive the newsletter?
Your name and address is added to the current participant database when you register for classes. The newsletters will be mailed to you as long as you have registered for a class during the previous four sessions. Also you may click on NEWSLETTERS (in the menu above) to read the online version of the newsletter.
Does WALLA have other activities in addition to the classes?
WALLA organizes bus trips, luncheons with speakers, dinner theater trips, picnics, pizza parties, and frozen custard socials. The trips and special events are priced individually. In addition, WALLA co-sponsors free film series and lectures with the West Lafayette Public Library. Click on CALENDAR or EVENTS (in the menu above) to read about scheduled activities.
How do I get on the WALLA mailing list to receive the newsletter?
Your name and address is added to the current participant database when you register for classes or special events. The newsletters will be mailed to you as long as you continue to participate on a yearly basis. Also you may click on NEWSLETTERS (in the menu above) to see the online version of the newsletter.
How do I find out about joining WALLA committees?
The volunteers who staff the WALLA office most mornings at the Morton Community Center will answer your questions about WALLA and the work of the committees. The office phone number is 765-746-2006.
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WALLA Board of Directors | |
 Front row, left to right: Jim Moore, Judy Wright, Pat Spears, Virginia Carter, Sallie Cooke, Margery Ismail, Gail Beck
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Board of Directors
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Members at Large
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WALLA Coordinator, Purdue University |
WALLA Office |
| Board Meetings | ||
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| All meetings take place on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. in Room 209, Morton Community Center. The only exception will be the October meeting which takes place during WALLA fall session and is held still on the 4th Wednesday, but at noon. |
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History of WALLA
The Wabash Area Lifetime Learning Association, Inc. (WALLA) offered its first classes in the spring of 1993 and has been providing learning opportunities for mature students ever since. WALLA, an affiliate of the Elderhostel Institute Network, is one of approximately 1000 North American organizations that offer stimulating learning opportunities for older adults. There are no educational prerequisites and no tests. WALLA classes are held in an informal classroom environment which invites participation, discussion, and fellowship.
Classes are offered in a variety of subjects for a period of four weeks each spring and fall. Currently, there are 240 members enjoying these learning experiences. WALLA membership is open to anyone over age 50 in Tippecanoe County and the surrounding counties.
Classes and activities are planned and coordinated by an area-wide, 21-member, volunteer Board of Directors. The Curriculum Committee plans each session of classes. Presenters, drawn from Purdue University and the surrounding communities, volunteer their time and expertise. Several classes are peer-led.
WALLA now has an office at the Morton Community Center. It is staffed most mornings by volunteers. The phone is 746-2006.
Purdue University coordinates the WALLA program through the Center for Lifelong Learning.
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