{"id":278,"date":"2016-03-15T19:32:18","date_gmt":"2016-03-15T19:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.fau.edu\/lifelongexchange\/?p=278"},"modified":"2016-03-15T19:35:35","modified_gmt":"2016-03-15T19:35:35","slug":"the-house-that-rene-built","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.fau.edu\/lifelongexchange\/2016\/03\/15\/the-house-that-rene-built\/","title":{"rendered":"THE HOUSE THAT REN\u00c9 BUILT"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Judi Ross<\/p>\n

\"124Renee2\"

Ren\u00e9 Friedman<\/p><\/div>\n

Who of you reading this has ever been to a \u201cLove Fest\u201d?\u00a0 Not I, until a week ago, when I was privileged to attend a gathering at FAU\/LLS Jupiter to celebrate the founder of Lifelong Learning Jupiter, Ren\u00e9 Friedman, on the occasion of her retirement.\u00a0 It was an event that was inspiring, heartwarming and totally unique.<\/p>\n

Ren\u00e9\u2019s staff, colleagues and FAU officials came together to praise her perseverance, dynamism and graciousness plus her extraordinary fundraising skills in building her ideal – a house of learning for retirees and all who wanted to spend time in furthering their education.\u00a0 This would not be just an edifice of brick and mortar.\u00a0 Her vision was to build a place which would offer the opportunity to gain knowledge, make new friends, improve one\u2019s health with meaningful activity and be an attractive destination. All became a reality and we are the lucky beneficiaries!<\/p>\n

\"149Renee2\"<\/a>

Dr. Taylor Hagood, Dean Heather Coltman, Ren\u00e9 Friedman and Dr. Jeffrey Morton<\/p><\/div>\n

Most impressive was the substance of each participant\u2019s appreciative talk – how being hired by Ren\u00e9 meant having a caring \u201cBoss\u201d who made them better as teachers and better as human beings. \u00a0\u00a0Speakers (in order of appearance) included Joe Scott, who also served as Moderator for the evening; Dr. Eliah Watlington, Associate Provost of the FAU Northern Campuses; Ms. Josette Valenza, Director of the FAU Lifelong Learning Society, Jupiter; Dr. Robert Watson, FAU\/LLS Faculty, Mr. Milton Maltz, FAU\/LLS Member and Supporter; Dr. Jeffrey Morton, FAU\/LLS Faculty; Dr.Taylor Hagood, FAU\/ LLS Faculty; Dr. Heather Coltman, Dean of the FAU Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters; Mr. Richard Yorks, Past President of FAU\/LLS, Jupiter; Dr. Robert Rabil, FAU\/LLS Faculty, Ms. Myrna Goldberger, FAU\/LLS Faculty; Mr. Bill Deigan, President of FAU\/LLS Jupiter, and then Mrs. Ren\u00e9 Friedman herself.<\/p>\n

\"154Renee2\"<\/a>

Ren\u00e9 Friedman and Dr. Robert Rabil<\/p><\/div>\n

Ren\u00e9\u2019s response, at the close of the evening\u2019s program, was not only to thank everyone for making this such a memorable event, but to exclaim that now she, with all her fellow students, can awaken each morning, put her feet on the floor and say \u201cToday I am going to school<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

And to that we can all say \u201cAmen!\u201d and \u201cThank you, Ren\u00e9!\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the 19 years of Ren\u00e9 Friedman\u2019s remarkable stewardship, the Lifelong Learning Society Jupiter went from 122 students meeting in various rented quarters around town to the present-day membership of more than 8,500 students housed in the beautiful Elinor Bernon Rosenthal Lifelong Learning Complex on the FAU John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter, Florida.\u00a0 It is the largest Lifelong Learning Society in the United States with the most diverse subject matter offered.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"judi\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Judi Ross, in her 19 years at FAU\/LLS Jupiter, worked closely with Ren\u00e9 Friedman and has worn a number of hats: she served on the original Advisory\u00a0Board, wrote the LLS Jupiter newsletter for a number of years and now serves on the Curriculum Committee and is Class \u00a0Coordinator for LLS Jupiter, a position she has held for 13 years.\u00a0 It was a labor of love for her to write this post about her dear friend and colleague, Ren\u00e9 Friedman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Judi Ross Who of you reading this has ever been to a \u201cLove Fest\u201d?\u00a0 Not I, until a week ago, when I was privileged to attend a gathering at FAU\/LLS Jupiter to celebrate the founder of Lifelong Learning Jupiter,…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/a><\/div>\n

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