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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260504T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260504T150000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260320T162338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260320T162420Z
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SUMMARY:Red Cross Blood Drive
DESCRIPTION:Give the Gift of Life at Gorton’s Monthly Blood Drive\nJoin us at the Gorton Center for our monthly blood drive\, proudly hosted in partnership with the American Red Cross. Your donation can help save lives – and it only takes a little of your time to make a big difference. \n How to Participate\nPre-registration is required and takes just a few minutes. Click the link below to reserve your spot – walk-ins cannot be accommodated. \nBefore You Donate\n\nEat a healthy meal.\nDrink an extra 16 oz. of water and fluids beforehand.\nBring a photo ID\, your blood donor card\, or two other forms of identification.\n\nSave Time with RapidPass\nYou can speed up your visit by completing a RapidPass on the day of your donation. This allows you to complete the pre-donation reading and health history ahead of time. \nVisit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass for details. \nWe’re so grateful for your generosity. Thank you for supporting the Gorton community and helping the American Red Cross save lives through the power of blood donation.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/red-cross-blood-drive-19/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Community,Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260505T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260505T100000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260224T200538Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260224T201508Z
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SUMMARY:Yoga with Areta
DESCRIPTION:Yoga With Areta \nJoin Areta for a traditional Vinyasa Flow yoga class. This one-hour\, bi-weekly practice blends poses\, breathwork\, and meditation. Each session helps release tension\, restore balance\, and strengthen the body. At the same time\, you’ll open and lengthen your muscles. \nWhether you’re new to yoga or have years of experience\, this mindful flow will leave you feeling refreshed and energized. Just bring a mat and a water bottle\, and you’re ready to go. \nVinyasa Flow is a dynamic style of yoga. It links breath with movement as you move smoothly from pose to pose. This practice combines ancient traditions with a modern\, fluid rhythm. Its creative sequences encourage you to explore your body\, breath\, and mind in harmony. \nYoga offers powerful benefits. Physically\, it supports heart health\, flexibility\, and strength. Mentally\, it reduces stress and tension. Emotionally\, it boosts energy and leaves you feeling grounded and revitalized. \nAreta has been teaching yoga in Lake Forest and in yoga studios along the North Shore for 10 years and is E-RYT 500 Certified. Areta’s passion is bringing yoga to EVERY BODY\, and has additional certifications in Meditation\, Adaptive Yoga for Disabilities\, Senior Yoga\, Love Your Brain for traumatic brain injury\, Yoga for Eating Disorder Recovery\, Yin Yoga\, and Yoga for 12 Step Recovery. Areta teaches yoga to inspire and empower physical well-being\, spiritual balance and awakening for everyday life. She is a long-time resident of Lake Forest and a disability advocate and volunteer yoga coach for the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA).
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/yoga-areta-may-5/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Classes,Wellness
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260506T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260506T173000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260427T192646Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260427T192646Z
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SUMMARY:Teen Draw & Paint with Joalida Smit
DESCRIPTION:Sign Up Your Teen to Draw & Paint with Joalida\nCome hang out in a space where creativity comes alive. Artist and educator Joalida Smit invites teens to join her ongoing art class at the Gorton Center. This class is all about exploring\, experimenting\, and finding your own artistic voice. From the start\, the studio feels welcoming\, inspiring\, and full of possibility. \nFirst\, students ages 11 to 17 get to try out a wide mix of materials. They might begin with drawing or painting\, and then move on to mixed media. As they experiment\, they gain confidence. Little by little\, they start developing a style that feels uniquely their own. \nOn top of that\, Joalida’s teaching style makes this class stand out. Instead of rigid\, step-by-step lessons\, her approach is flexible and student-focused. She meets each young artist right where they are. Maybe your teen sketches all the time. Maybe they’ve never touched a paintbrush before. Either way\, Joalida gives encouragement and guidance to help them grow. \nHands-On Experience\nNext\, comes hands-on practice. Students work with graphite\, charcoal\, acrylics\, watercolor\, ink – you name it. They mix materials\, test new techniques\, and see what happens. Because of this\, every class feels fresh and exciting. \nAnd here’s the best part: the goal isn’t to finish identical projects. Instead\, the focus is on exploration\, creativity\, and storytelling. Students learn how to express themselves\, share their ideas\, and bring imagination to life. As a result\, they walk away with more than just artwork. They leave with stronger skills\, bigger confidence\, and a deeper connection to their creativity. \nFinally\, this class gives teens a safe\, supportive space to take risks\, try new things\, and grow as artists. Step by step\, they discover the joy of creating something that’s truly their own. \nSo\, why not join Joalida in the studio? It’s a place where individuality is celebrated\, creativity flows\, and every teen has a chance to shine. \nAll materials are provided\, so students can fully immerse themselves in the process without the need to bring supplies. Ages: 11 – 17 \nSkill Level: Intermediate to advanced – Prior art experience and a sincere interest in art are required. \nNote: This is an art development class\, not a recreational after-school club. Students are expected to take their art practice seriously and to respect the shared studio space. Teens who cannot adhere to the expectations of the class may be asked to leave. \nJoalida Smit is a Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist who lived and worked in London (UK) and Cape Town (SA) for the past 20 years. She pivoted to full time artist during COVID and now runs an art studio at The Gorton Center working on large scale canvases. Currently she is exploring innovative ways to incorporate art in the psychology work of personal transformation.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/teen-draw-paint-with-joalida-smit-may/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Art,Classes,Youth
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260507T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260507T200000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260429T142337Z
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SUMMARY:HOW TO START: DISCOVERING YOUR LIFE'S WORK
DESCRIPTION:Before Jodi Kantor became a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose reporting toppled media magnates and sparked reform worldwide\, she was kicked off her college newspaper. \nThat early stumble is central to her new book\, How to Start: Discovering Your Life’s Work\, a guide for young people navigating political upheaval\, skyrocketing costs of living\, and the unsettling unknowns of AI. Kantor has spent her career anticipating uncomfortable truths about the changing workplace. Now she turns that same unflinching eye toward the question facing a generation: how is anyone supposed to find and start their life’s work? \nKantor sets aside platitudes and false hope in favor of something more useful. Work\, she argues\, is not just how we spend our time. It’s our engine of progress: how cancer therapies get invented\, political campaigns get won\, thrilling art gets made and finds its audience. Against that backdrop\, she offers two organizing principles to help young people discover their calling: craft and need. Paired together\, they provide a framework for the hardest early-career decisions: how to think about money\, how much risk to take on\, when to push back against conventional wisdom. \nPowerful and provocative\, How to Start is a statement of faith for uncertain times\, offering wisdom\, strategy\, and a set of aspirations built to launch careers and sustain them for a lifetime. \nIn addition to her 2017 Pulitzer\, which she shared with Megan Twohey (FAN ’19) for their reporting on Harvey Weinstein\, Kantor has been the recipient of many awards and honors\, including the Columbia Alumni medal\, the George Polk Award\, and Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people of the year. In 2025 she joined the New York Times‘ Washington bureau’s Supreme Court team full-time. \nKantor will be in conversation with Jennifer Breheny Wallace (FAN ’23\, ’26)\, an award-winning journalist and bestselling author of Mattering and Never Enough. She is the founder of The Mattering Institute and co-founder of The Mattering Movement\, a nonprofit whose mission is to create cultures of mattering in schools and educational spaces. \nBook Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of How to Start to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/how-to-start-discovering-your-lifes-work/
LOCATION:On Zoom
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260507T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260507T210000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260414T184445Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260501T162341Z
UID:20007198-1778180400-1778187600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Hamnet
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a screening of The 2026 Oscar Nominee for Best Picture and Director\nExperience the powerful story of Hamnet\, a moving drama inspired by the life of William Shakespeare’s family. This emotional film blends history\, love\, and loss in a deeply human story. \nFollow Agnes and her family as they face grief and find strength in each other. Set in a rich\, historic world\, the film brings the past to life with beauty and care. \nSee Hamnet on the big screen and discover a story full of heart and meaning. It’s a perfect choice for fans of drama\, history\, and unforgettable storytelling. \nRated: PG-13 \nRun Time: 2 hrs. 5 mins. \nDirector: Chloe’ Zhao \nWritten by: Chloe’ Zhao\, Maggie O’Farrell \nWe are especially grateful to the Sheffield Foundation for sponsoring this screening.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/hamnet/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Classics,Film
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260508T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260508T120000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260409T192711Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T194036Z
UID:20007183-1778234400-1778241600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Open Play Mahjong
DESCRIPTION:Please plan to arrive early\, play starts promptly at 10am!\nCalling all Mahjong enthusiasts. Join us for Open Play Mahjong\, a relaxed and social way to enjoy the game you love. These sessions are for intermediate to advanced players who already know the rules. No instruction is offered. \nBring your strategy and a little friendly competition. Connect with other experienced players. Open Play is a great way to practice\, stay sharp\, and enjoy the challenge of Mahjong. \nWe provide all Mahjong sets. Please bring your own Mahjong card. \nPre-registration is required. Drop-ins can’t be accommodated\, so be sure to register early to save your spot. \nWe look forward to seeing you at the table.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/open-play-mahjong-may-8/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Classes,Games
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260508T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260508T203000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260429T142925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T142925Z
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SUMMARY:BACKTALKER: AN AMERICAN MEMOIR
DESCRIPTION:In 2026\, Critical Race Theory and intersectionality are among the most talked about and most misunderstood topics of the day. To truly understand where these ideas came from\, you must start with the woman who founded them: Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw. \nDistinguished Professor of Law at UCLA and Columbia Law Schools\, Crenshaw is widely recognized for coining and developing both CRT and intersectionality. Her new book\, Backtalker: An American Memoir\, is the powerful and intimate story of how a spunky little girl from Canton\, OH came up with a new way to look at the world and forever changed the way we talk about race\, gender\, and social justice. The examples from her own life\, recounted with warmth\, humor\, and insight\, illuminate how intersectionality emerged not from abstract ideas\, but from lived experience. \nEvoking each time and place like a gifted novelist\, Backtalker takes readers from a Canton elementary school classroom to the back door of a Harvard club\, and behind the scenes of some of the most consequential moments in race and gender over the last half century: the Anita Hill hearings\, the launch of My Brother’s Keeper\, the movement against police violence. \nIn a moment when her life’s work faces erasure and disinformation\, Crenshaw’s story is both a call to action and a lesson in how understanding the past charts a course for the future. \nCrenshaw will be in conversation with Beth E. Richie\, Ph.D.\, Distinguished Professor of Criminology\, Law\, and Justice and Black Studies and the Inaugural Chair in Social Sciences and the Humanities at The University of Illinois at Chicago. The emphasis of her scholarly and activist work has been on the ways that race/ethnicity and social position affect the experience of violence and criminalization\, focusing on the experiences of Black women and gender non-conforming people. \nBook Giveaway: FAN is giving away copies of Backtalker to attendees\, while supplies last. \nThis event is suitable for youth ages 12 and up. It will be recorded but not live streamed and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/backtalker-an-american-memoir/
LOCATION:Evanston Township High School Auditorium\, 1600 Dodge Ave\, Evanston\, IL\, 60201\, United States
CATEGORIES:Events,Family Action Network
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260509T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260509T120000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260504T162740Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260504T162740Z
UID:20007232-1778324400-1778328000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Tai Chi
DESCRIPTION:Tai Chi is an inclusive form of exercise that anyone can do\, whether you are in peak shape\, or have limited mobility. Despite its slow pace\, it is a valuable exercise for all ages\, read about the health benefits below. Dress comfortably and be prepared to have fun in Ken’s class. \nHealth Benefits \nTai Chi has numerous health benefits. It is good for balance\, flexibility\, and stress – regular Tai Chi practice can improve overall physical health and well-being. In fact\, Harvard Health suggests Tai Chi might be “…the perfect activity for the rest of your life.” \nAs a form of exercise\, researchers in Toronto found it is equivalent to brisk walking. So\, instead of worrying about your steps (how boring)\, join Ken’s class and have some more fun while you exercise. \nUnlike other forms of exercise\, Tai Chi movements are performed with relaxed muscles and a focus on deep breathing. Slow and gentle\, Tai Chi can improve blood flow\, balance\, and relaxation. Each Tai Chi pose flows into the next with circular\, continuous movements. This helps improve your balance and flexibility without putting strain on muscles and joints. \nTai Chi is also a very social activity\, commonly practiced in groups that rhythmically synchronize slow movements with deep breathing. Like meditation\, Tai Chi creates a calm and focused mind and can create a state of mindfulness. \nTai Chi also benefits emotional well-being and mental health. Regular Tai Chi practice can improve concentration\, physical self-awareness\, and create a sense of inner peace. Tai chi is a great exercise for relieving stress and has been shown to benefit hypertension and high blood pressure. \nWhat is Tai Chi? \nIt is a Chinese traditional exercise that blends martial arts’ movement with meditation. Dating back a thousand years\, Tai Chi remains a popular activity in China and around the world. \nTai Chi is a series of slow\, choreographed martial arts movements and poses. Tai Chi poses are circular and continuous\, with an emphasis on smooth transitions and maintaining a centered and grounded posture. Tai Chi poses mimic the movements of animals or nature\, such as flowing water or a bird in flight.  \nKen has been practicing martial arts for 27 years\, and started Tai Chi training in 1996 with Sifu Dale Washington\, Sifu Ban Toy in 2000 and Grand Master Yang Jun in 2006. He has been practicing Tai Chi for 21 years and teaching Tai Chi for 12 years. In 2016\, he received a Gold Eagle certificate from Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association. certificate. Ken is also one of Grand Master Yang Jun’s Disciples for the Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan. He teaches Kickboxing and Full-contact Martial Arts teacher and is certified by Ng Family Martial Arts Association.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/tai-chi-may-9/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Classes,Wellness
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260509T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260509T163000
DTSTAMP:20260713T181714
CREATED:20260403T165140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260410T154939Z
UID:20007167-1778338800-1778344200@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Mother's Day Sips: Petite Wine Tasting
DESCRIPTION:A Mother’s Day Wine Tasting\nCelebrate Mother’s Day with light\, joyful pours at a delightful afternoon tasting designed to sip\, savor\, and enjoy. This petite tasting experience features a curated flight of sparkling wines\, a refreshing rosé\, a crisp white\, and a light red\, perfect for a bright and joyful celebration. Guests will enjoy a guided tasting highlighting expressive\, easy-drinking wines ideal for spring and early summer. Whether you’re toasting with family or gathering with friends\, this experience offers a relaxed yet elevated way to celebrate the occasion. The tasting will include tasting materials\, along with a selection of petite bites and sweet treats to complement the wines. Wines presented and provided by Oakwood Vines\, Lake Forest\, IL.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/mothers-day-sips-petite-wine-tasting/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Classes,Cooking
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