A Memorable Trip to The Chautauqua Institution
July 31, 2017
By Pearce Landry-Wegener
For the past 14 years, our president Liz Miller has spent a few weeks of her summer teaching courses at The Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York. Equal parts education, performing arts appreciation and interfaith worship, this unique nonprofit community, founded in 1874, is both hard to describe and like nowhere else. A nine-week celebration dedicated to learning and discussion, each week at Chautauqua centers around topical theme of our time. It also features a variety of guest speakers, lectures, performances, and religious services. In addition to the featured theme of the week, guests are invited to enroll in additional courses that cover an array of topics. In recent years, Liz and I taught classes entitled “Family Legacy Planning” and “Where to Invest Today” – the format allows for both teaching and a sharing of experiences and ideas, attracting a wide variety of participants.
I’ve joined Liz for the past four years and gain something new with each trip. This summer, during the two weeks we taught at The Chautauqua Institution, we reconnected with old friends and formed new relationships. We also took the opportunity to consider the world and economy with a fresh perspective. While on site, Liz interviewed with Matt Warren of WJTN: a local radio station eager to inform their listeners about how to plan their legacy and where to invest in the stock market. Given the opportunity for us to discuss important topics with such a connected community, I continue to look forward to this journey year after year.