ASTORIA — ENCORE stands for Exploring New Concepts of Retirement Education and is for adults 50 years old and older. It is a volunteer-led organization that operates under the auspices of Clatsop Community College.

Annual membership is $50 and includes more than 20 classes offered during fall, winter and spring sessions scheduled to correspond with the college calendar as well as computer and library privileges at CCC. The beauty of ENCORE classes is there is no homework (except for reading in the book group), and there are no grades. You can sign up for one class or even for all the classes, whatever your schedule allows because there are no overlapping times for the classes. Classes are offered either in Astoria or Seaside.

The Curriculum Committee sets up the class schedule based on suggestions from ENCORE members, most of whom have the expertise and qualifications to teach, including several former professors. If you want to keep your mind active or if you are curious about a topic, consider coming to a trial class before joining.

Winter Session begins Monday Jan. 12 with Folk Dancing led by Drew Herzig. Then, Tuesday morning is Beginning Pottery; Tuesday afternoon is Pick Your Favorite Decade, where class members can talk about some personal memories. Wednesday morning is Science Exchange, where class members can bring in articles of interest or the moderators suggest topics from science-related headlines; Wednesday afternoon is The Bible: A New and Different Look, using historical events mentioned in the Bible but discussed in a historic context. Thursday morning is Philosophy of Art led by CCC Philosophy Instructor Seth Tichenor; Thursday afternoon is Memoir Writing. Friday is Book Group led by CCC U.S. History Instructor Steve Berk. The book to be discussed is “The New American Militarism” by Andrew Bacevich.

In the spring, Folk Dancing, Science Exchange and Book Group will be offered again along with several other interesting classes yet to be scheduled.

One special class called Inside the Coast Guard is being developed for the spring by Erhard Gross, an ENCORE member and former professor. He will be working with a designated U.S. Coast Guard representative to complete sub-topics of the presentation, such as history of the Coast Guard, command structure, rescue unit Cape Disappointment and more. The ENCORE Trip Committee will be working with Gross to schedule visits to various Coast Guard installations of interest.

The ENCORE Membership Committee works to recruit and retain members by organizing social events. Dec. 16 was the annual ENCORE Holiday Bash at the Riverview Buffet in Astoria, which included a buffet dinner, a holiday sing-a-long with the North Coast Ukulele Strummers, and guest speaker Sydney Stevens, who talked about holidays on the Long Beach Peninsula.

Look for a Chinese New Year’s event in February and a guest speaker social in the spring as well. This committee also organizes ENCORE’s Lunch Bunch, which meets at different locations at noon on the first Tuesday of the month.

For more information about ENCORE, visit www.encorelearn.org or contact Evy Javadi or Mary Fryling at 503-338-2408.