With Eckerd's lifelong learning program, learn about Judy or go have beer and BBQ

This is the season for Eckerd's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, an amazing offering to the community of a series of informative and uplifting programs that are sure to expand your horizons or at least remind you of forgotten joy.

 If you first encountered Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz and fell in love with her while the movie was still in the black & white part, then this program is probably for you. Song and dance man Jason Fortner is the instructor for Judy Garland: Over the Rainbow, a look at the life of Judy Garland, one of Hollywood's greatest entertainers. The program takes you from her early vaudeville days as Baby Gumm through her film success and ultimate collapse. This program is offered 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, October 14 in the CEC Spoonbill Room at Eckerd. Cost is $10 for members and $25 for non members. Go ahead, click on the movie above. It'll get you in the mood.

If beer, barbecue, and road trips are your style, then you're going to love this offering in the Eckerd OLLI lineup. It's called Brews and BBQ: Gas Stations Revisited, and it's an adventure into nostalgia. If you remember old-timey gas stations, you know what we're talking about.

Here's a description of the course: "They're easy to spot once you know what to look for: small, one-story buildings with large overhangs and a could of  columns, maybe the remnants of concrete islands. Yesterday's filling stations are today's towers of takeout. Gas stations converted to restaurants are emerging all along Central Avenue, complimenting a growing craft brwery scene that has brought national attention to this revitalized area. We’ll savor local beers and learn how they are brewed from a few local brewers,  and enjoy a family style barbecue lunch at a trendy spot on Central Avenue."

Now you'll have to choose because this one overlaps with the Judy Garland program. This program is offered 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, October 14. The bus leaves from the Eckerd College Gymnasium. Cost is $60 for members and $90 for non-members. Cost includes lunch and three small beers. And OLLI asked that you arrange for appropriate transportation after the tour.