PLATO Weekly Update

March 4, 2025

THE AGORA
The Agora, PLATO’s literary and arts journal, 
celebrates members’ creativity and diversity of thought.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The Agora, Volume 9 deadline is next Friday, March 14, 2025

PLATO members are invited to submit original works for the 2025 edition of The Agora in the following categories: Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction (including essays) and Visual Arts (painting, sculpture, drawing and photography). 

Learn more about The Agora and the submission process here. The Agora Board looks forward to sharing the talents of PLATO members through this journal!

To view highlights from this past season, visit The Agora Features.

CURRICULUM

SPRING COURSES
Have a question about a Spring Course? Find the answer on the Courses webpage. The Curriculum Committee hopes you are enjoying the opportunity to participate in one or more Spring courses!

COURSE COORDINATOR TOOLKIT
Have an idea for a course you would like to lead? PLATO's Curriculum Committee is here to help you get started. Whether you're a new or existing coordinator, find what you need in the Coordinator Toolkit.

SPECIAL EVENTS

FIELD TRIPS

REGISTER TODAY – only a few spots remain for the Spring into Spring Tour in the Janesville area on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Flower and nature enthusiasts will enjoy the expansive Rotary Botanical Gardens and the K&W Greenery and their gift shops! We'll also tour the Milton House – Wisconsin's only certified Underground Railroad site. And there will be a group lunch at an Italian restaurant and a surprise stop. The registration deadline is next Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Learn more and register here.

NEW! Linden Cohousing Tour on Saturday April 5, 2025, at 10:00am. There are about 200 cohousing communities across the United States and Madison is home to four of them! Come learn how cooperative living can facilitate interaction among neighbors to provide social, practical, economic, and environmental benefits. This is a complimentary tour for PLATO members and their guests and registration is required. Learn more and register here.

LECTURES

NEW! Slavery in "Free" Wisconsin Territory, 1800-1850 on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 1:30-3:00pm. Using documentation gathered in the writing of her latest book Enslaved, Indentured, Free: Five Black Women on the Upper Mississippi 1800-1850, historian and author Mary Elise Antoine will discuss the history of slavery in Wisconsin. Registration is not required, parking is free, and guests are welcome. Learn more here.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR with this upcoming lecture:

– Thursday, April 17, A Conversation with Chloe Benjamin!

Also, recorded PLATO Lectures are available 24/7 for your learning pleasure.

BREAKFAST GATHERINGS

NEW! Announcing... First Friday Breakfasts on the West Side!

Join fellow PLATO members and guests for breakfast and conversation at the Pancake Café on Gammon Road. Held the first Friday of each month from 9:00-11:00am, the first event will be on Friday, April 4, 2025. This venue provides the comfort of a private dining room and the convenience of a large parking lot. Bring a friend! Like other Breakfast and Coffee Gatherings, everyone is responsible for their own tab. Learn more and RSVP here.

NEXT WEEK! Second Friday Breakfast – enjoy conversation, coffee and breakfast snacks with fellow members on Friday, March 14 at 9:30-11:30am at Lakeside Street Coffee House. A prominent stairway leads to the lower level where our group meets. Guests are welcome, so feel free to bring a friend who may be interested in PLATO! Learn more and RSVP here.

WEBINAR

NEW! The Benefits of Strength Training for Life's Journey by Vivo on Friday, April 4 at 2:00pm. This one-hour webinar features a presentation by Dr. Katie Starr, PhD, RD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, followed by an interactive demo and Q&A session. This complimentary event requires registration to receive the Zoom link – the deadline is Thursday, April 3. Learn more and register here. 

MEMBER APPRECIATION ANNUAL MEETING 

Registration for this complimentary event will open on April 1! Local Broadcast Legend John Stofflet, a 26-time Emmy winner, will give the keynote presentation titled Anecdotes & Challenges from My Career as a Newscaster on Wednesday, May 14 from 2:00-4:00pm at the East Side Club on Monona Drive.