PLATO Weekly Update

April 14, 2026

ELECTION FOR PLATO BOARD 2026-27
Read the biographies for the nominees!

NEXT WEEK! PLATO's Board of Directors Election for 2026-27 will run from April 22 – May 6, 2026. Read about the nominees so you are ready to vote. The Nominating Committee thanks the members who agreed to be listed! Watch for a PLATO email next week, Wednesday, April 22, with your link to the Ballot. Voting will close on Wednesday, May 6, at midnight.

CURRICULUM

SPRING COURSES
Have a question about a Spring Course? Find the full Spring 2026 Course Schedule on the Courses page.

SUMMER COURSES 
NEXT MONTH! Registration for Summer Courses will open on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Most Summer Courses will begin the week of June 8. 

SPECIAL EVENTS

FIELD TRIPS
View the Field Trip Schedule with day trips to interesting sites around Wisconsin through Fall 2026. More will be announced as details are finalized.

Join us for the Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot Tour on Wednesday, June 3, 2026! Ten Chimneys is the estate lovingly created by Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Yes, there really are ten chimneys (and oodles of beautiful, historic rooms). Trip includes a group lunch and a surprise stop. Note that PLATO is partnering with the Verona Senior Center and UW Retirement Association on this travel opportunity so pick-up locations are different from PLATO's usual trips. Registration deadline is Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Learn more and register here.

Join us for Adventures in Dubuque on Wednesday, May 13, 2026! Highlights of this trip will include a visit to St. Luke's United Methodist Church which housesthe fifth largest collection of Tiffany-stained glass windows in the world and a ride on the Fenelon Place Elevator which is a narrow-gauge funicular railway. Experience a Progressive Lunch (no, it’s not political) and enjoy time for shopping in the charming downtown area. Note that PLATO is partnering with the Verona Senior Center and UW Retirement Association on this travel opportunity so pick-up locations are different from PLATO's usual trips. Registration deadline is Monday, April 27, 2026. Learn more and register here.

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LECTURES

NEXT WEEK! Healthy Grown – Sustainable produce from Wisconsin! Join us on Thursday, April 23, 2026 from 1:30-3:00pm at Oakwood Village University Woods Arts and Education Center for this lecture with Dr. Deana Knuteson who will present the history and requirements of the Healthy Grown program, its acceptance by Wisconsin farmers, and how the purchase of Healthy Grown vegetables benefits the consumers. Registration for this lecture is not required, guests are welcome, and parking is free. Learn more here.

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NATURE WALKS

NEXT MONTH! On Wednesday, May 6 at 10am, enjoy a leisurely one-hour walk through the Oakwood Nature Preserve lead by Barb Littlewood followed by a social hour with lemonade and cookies in the Oaks Community Room. Listening devices will be provided for all participants. Unfortunately, the trail is not accessible to people with disabilities. Registration is required and limited to 15 people. Learn more and register here.

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NOON ZOOMS
PLATO will begin to offer occasional virtual conversations with newsmakers and guest experts that are based on issues in the news and which offer extra time for participants to ask questions and make comments. As the name implies, these one-hour events will be held via the Zoom platform on various days of the week.

NEXT WEEK! Hop online for Talking Earth Day Politics with Spencer Black on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from 12pm – 1:00pm. This first Noon Zoom features Joy Cardin, retired Wisconsin Public Radio talk show host, who will interview Spencer Black, former state legislator and Sierra Club vice president, about how we can make a difference on environmental issues during this era of deregulation and climate change denial. Registration is open to members only and is required to receive the Zoom link. Learn more and register here.

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BREAKFAST, LUNCH & COFFEE GATHERINGS
These social events offer members and their guests opportunities to share conversation over coffee or breakfast and lunch options.

THIS WEEK! Third Friday Lunch Gathering at the Great Dane Pub on the East Side on April 17, from 11:30am-1:30pm. Learn more and RSVP here.

Register today for this complimentary member event on Wednesday, May 13 from 2:00-4:00pm at the East Side Club on Monona Drive. Enjoy light refreshments, social opportunities, committee updates, door prizes, and a keynote presentation by Dr. Henrik Schatzinger titled Hidden Money, Visible Power: Super PACs and Dark Money in Wisconsin Politics. Dr. Schatzinger is the Director of the Center for Politics and the People at Ripon College, which is dedicated to the promotion of constructive political debate and informed citizens concerned with good governance. Registration is required and members may bring a guest. Learn more and register here.