ACE Ed-Ventures Silver Seminars

designed for knowledge-seekers age 55+

Would you enjoy learning about the environment from guest experts sharing their passion for nature through a variety of topics, followed by a delicious lunch? Join our Environmental Educators at Camp Agapé for ACE Ed-Ventures Silver Seminars, a specialty indoor program designed for knowledge-seekers age 55+.

2022 Spring Events:

March 23 – “Salamanders of the North Carolina Piedmont” with Jeff Hall
Hired in 2007 by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Jeff Hall is the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) Biologist. As PARC Biologist, Jeff works with landowners to promote habitat management that benefits reptiles and amphibians as well as other wildlife species. He coordinates the North Carolina chapter of PARC helping to bring public and private partners together to further conservation efforts for reptiles and amphibians. Jeff also participates in field work on a variety of projects including rare amphibian monitoring and habitat restoration, upland snake conservation, and Project Bog Turtle. In addition, Hall manages the Calling Amphibian Survey Program (CASP) which is designed to monitor long-term trends of frog and toad populations across the state. Jeff, his wife Shannon, and two boys live in Greenville, NC.

April 20 – “Common Insects of North Carolina” with Dr. Ken Ahlstrom, NCSU professor emeritus
Dr. Ahlstrom is originally from Connecticut.  He earned his Master’s and Ph.D. in Entomology at NCSU.  Dr. Ahlstrom’s specialty is parasitic wasps.  From there, he spent 41 years until retirement in 2013 with the NC Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  He now works part-time as Staff Entomologist for a local exterminator.  He is always ready to answer any entomological questions we have here at Agapé.

September 28 (CLOSED) – “A Brief Geologic History of North Carolina” with Amy Pitts 
Amy Pitts is the Education and Outreach Geologist with the NC Geological Survey, Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources, NC Department of Environmental Quality. She has a BS in Environmental Resource Management from Penn State University and her Master’s in Geology from the University of Florida. She has taught Earth Science and Environmental Geography at North Central Michigan College, and has worked as a professional geologist in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina. Specialty areas include hydrogeology and groundwater.

October 26 (CLOSED) – “The Virtues of Vultures” with Kyra Bartow
Join ornithologist Kyra Bartow to delve into the natural history of vultures around the world, the challenges they are currently facing, and how we can be conservation heroes for these important scavengers.

Kyra has a degree in Environmental Education from Catawba College and has since worked in the ornithology field at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and the Greenville Zoo – South Carolina. While at the Greenville Zoo, she became involved in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) initiative to save vulture species through SAFE: African Vultures (Saving Animals from Extinction) by creating educational materials for zoos and aquariums across the country. Ever since, education about vultures and advocating for them is one of her passions.

Deadline for registration is one week prior to the scheduled event.

When are the ACE Ed-Ventures Silver Seminar Events?

  • 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Cost for program & lunch

  • $45.00 per person
    Lunch provided by Agapé's talented Food Service Staff

Minimum number of participants: 14
Maximum number of participants: 40

Special Considerations

We are covid-cautious and safety conscious. Staff members are fully vaccinated. We wear masks indoors (restrooms) and when distancing isn’t possible outdoors. We encourage participants to do the same. Hand sanitizers and soap/water are readily available as well.

Several photos for Silver and Silver Seminars provided by:

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