Continuing Education’s Spring Courses Now Open For Registration

By Eliza Hallabeck

Checklists, Jean Leonard says, help women cope with widowhood, but checklists are only part of her comprehensive “Widowhood Survival Kit.”

“I’m trying to empower people to make informed decisions and feel comfortable with those decisions,” said Ms Leonard recently.

As a financial adviser for Ameriprise Financial in Newtown, Ms Leonard is now preparing for her upcoming “Widowhood and Women” continuing education course on Wednesday, March 16, from 6 to 8 pm.

The one-night course fee is $29, and will help women prepare for the staggering financial effects widowhood can entail. Ms Leonard has offered financial courses through continuing education before, but said this will be her first directed toward widows.

While men are also welcome to attend the course, Ms Leonard said it is directed at women, because men statistically handle financial matters more often. Even for Ms Leonard, who says she “luckily follows my own advice,” becoming a widow in 2008 came with surprises.

“What I found for myself, knowing what I know, and having followed a solid financial plan, it is still overwhelming,” said Ms Leonard.

After her husband, Michael, died in May 2008, following a motorcycle accident in April 2007, Ms Leonard attended support groups and found many women were afraid to ask questions, out of fear of sounding stupid.

“I was getting a lot of questions, and I thought it would be great to do a formal information class,” Ms Leonard said, “for people to get answers in a formal, nonthreatening environment.”

Newtown Continuing Education Director Elissa Gellis said the course offers information on an important issue, because, “People should be aware of what they have and where it is.”

“Even though it isn’t something we want to address, you have to address it,” said Ms Gellis.

Responding to the common thread she heard at support group meetings, Ms Leonard said she wanted to address the fact that, “No one knew where to turn or who to trust.”

Ms Leonard said the course will shed light on the many issues that instantly hit a single parent and a grieving spouse. She would love for as many people as possible to take the course, to learn, to prepare, to share experiences. The course will also offer a question and answer session at the end of the evening, according to Ms Leonard.

The average age of widowhood, Ms Leonard said, is 55 years old.

“If you look at the papers, unfortunately the growing age of widowhood is getting younger and younger,” she said. “It’s mind-boggling. Now that I’m in that category, that club, when reading the obituaries you see it. It’s more common than we know.”

Anyone who cannot attend the Widowhood and Women course on March 16 can contact Ms Leonard for more information about her Widowhood Survival Kit and more by e-mailing jean.a.Leonard@amps.com or calling 203-436-8294.

More Spring Courses

Other upcoming courses being offered by Continuing Education include “Life Energies,” taught by Bruce Zboray. For $39 the one-night course will show people how “test life energy of foods, books, places, thoughts, and more through the technique of kinesiology, which uses a simple muscle test.” Mr Zboray is also offering a one night “Living The Life of Wonder” course for $39, that will show how to experience daily wonders. “Use the power of thoughts and emotions, living in the moment, being heart-centered versus mind-centered,” the course description reads.

A range of recreational courses are also offered, like the “Fencing For Everyone,” “Yoga Stretch,” and the “Cardio Calorie Blast” courses. Recreational courses also range in cost and in the duration of the course.

Courses on computers, art, gardening, personal growth, and even more financial courses are also being offered this spring by Continuing Education. Bus trips and online courses are also available.

For a full PDF catalog visit www.newtownbee.com, or go to Continuing Education’s website off of www.newtown.k12.ct.us for course listings.