Elbows Up! Canada Conversation

The Kump Education Center will be hosting a presentation on Canada and comedy at the historic Kump House Wednesday, April 30, at 7 p.m. The interactive lecture titled "Elbows Up, Eh?!? A Conversation on Canada," will focus on comedy and culture, as well as some key historical moments linking Canada and the U.S. (think: Dan Ackroyd, John Candy, Andrea Martin, Mike Myers, the War of 1812, etc.).  

Randolph County-born West Virginian and Fulbright Scholar Deborah Stiles will give the talk on Canadian culture and history. Stiles, a poet and farmer now iving in Tucker County, spent most of her career in Canada, and became a Canadian citizen in 2004. She is excited to share her experience and will provide Canadian snacks. Come prepared to laugh and learn!

The Kump Education Center is located at 401 Randolph Ave., Elkins (across from Kroger). Parking is located behind the Kump House with easy access off Seneca Road. The event is free and open to the public.  

Final Tree Talk Deals With Tree Stress

ELKINS-The Tree Talks Lecture Series sponsored by the Elkins Tree Board and Kump Education Center, Elkins, continues Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. This series gathers experts to explore the vital role of trees in West Virginia’s changing environment.

This final lecture will feature Ken Beezley, Instructor of Sustainable Resource Management, Davis and Elkins College, discussing “Stress, Strain, and Trees.” His presentation will highlight external stresses placed on trees and how that strain can increase the likelihood of tree failure and the potential damage to people and property.

“From the single tree in your backyard, to street trees in an urban setting and trees found in a campground, a basic understanding of tree risk assessment can assist tree owners and managers,” Beezley said.

This informal and interactive presentation will cover topics related to how trees manage stress from climate change, pruning, and land development while considering acceptable levels of human risk and mitigation.

All lectures in the series are free and open to the public and take place in the historic Kump House located at 401 Randolph Ave., Elkins (across from Kroger). Parking is available in the back accessible by Seneca Road.

For more information about the event, visit kumpeducationcenter.org. For information about the Elkins Tree Board, visit cityofelkinswv.com/city-government/boards-commissions/tree-board/.

KUMP CENTER TO HOST LECTURE ON SOUTH AFRICA

ELKINS—The Kump Education Center will host an international lecture on South Africa Thursday, July 25, at 7 p.m. at the Kump House in Elkins. The presentation titled “South Africa, A World Between Two Oceans” will be offered by Nasra Adan, a visiting lecturer from Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Adan has traveled extensively worldwide, having lived in her home country of Canada, China, India, Korea, Japan, Kenya, and currently, Saudi Arabia. She can speak seven languages besides her native English: Chinese, Korean, Somali, Arabic, French, Swahili, and Spanish. Her language arts specialization has resulted in a career of teaching essay writing at the college level, and she has taught reading, listening, and speaking as a second language.

Adan’s lecture will feature a power-point presentation and time for questions. She is married to Jacob Zuboy, formerly of Elkins.

The Kump Education Center is located at 401 Randolph Ave., Elkins (across from Kroger). Parking is available behind the Kump House with easy access on Seneca Road. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit kumpeducationcenter.com or the Kump Education Center Facebook page.