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Institute for Continuing Learning

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You must be an ICL member to enroll in a class.

Annual membership fees are due in December/January and are valid from January through the fall quarter.


To join just click "Join ICl" on the bar below.


ICL Winter quarter starts January 16, 2024 and ends March 11, 2024

You may start signing up for the courses on December 4th.


Current Courses

    • January 16, 2024
    • March 05, 2024
    • 8 sessions
    • Young Harris Mountain Regional Library - 698 Miller Street
    • 12
    Registration is closed


    Course Instructor Ann Powell

    Course Fee $30

    Mah-Jongg is a game that originated in China and is similar to the Western card game rummy. It is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation and involves a degree of chance. The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. Three or four players play the game using numbered tiles. During those first years after its introduction a real craze developed around Mah-Jongg, but like all fashions it came and went. However, recently a growing number of people are realizing the intellectual challenge Mah-Jongg possesses and the beauty and excitement of the game itself. This class will lead you step by step into the wonderful world of Mah-Jongg.  Come learn and play.


    After living in various places: Pittsburgh, PA; Spartanburg, SC; Upper Saddle River, NJ; Chicago, IL; Charleston, SC and Franklin, NC, Ann made the retirement decision to live in Blairsville, GA in 2017. Ann learned how to play Mahjongg 12 years ago. While growing up in the Pittsburgh area, Ann did see and hear the tiles “clickity, clickity” on the tables while her friend’s parents played Mah-jongg. Never did she ever think she would one day learn to play and teach Mahjongg.


    • January 16, 2024
    • February 06, 2024
    • 4 sessions
    • ICL Classroom
    Registration is closed

    Course Instructor Jacob Williams

    Course Fee $25


    This course will talk about gardening. Whether you are an experienced gardener or want to learn more about gardening in the mountains, there’s always something new to learn in the plant world. We will learn about growing vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals. We will also talk about insect pests and beneficials, how to control the former and encourage the latter. Plant disease control will be discussed with organic and conventional methods. We’ll also talk about wildlife and how you can manage their impact on your garden. If you want to learn how to prune fruit trees, or what types of plants to put in the ground come join us! No green thumb required.

    Jacob is the Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Agent for Towns and Union counties. He started working for UGA Extension back in June of 2018. Before working for Extension, he worked at Speedling Inc. Blairsville as Lead Grower. Jacob earned his Bachelors and Masters in Agronomy from Auburn University graduating in December of 2016. He is married to Morgan Owenby Williams of Blairsville, GA and they have two children. He works with farmers and homeowners to help them address agriculture and natural resource related challenges that they are facing in rural Georgia.


    • January 17, 2024
    • February 21, 2024
    • 6 sessions
    • ICL Classroom
    • 30
    Registration is closed

    Course Instructor Rabbi Yonatan Hambourger

    Course Fee $25.00


    ICL veteran Course Instructor, Rabbi Yonatan Hambourger is presenting an exciting new, six-week course for the Winter session!

    The Rabbi will facilitate the application of mind-bending, brain-twisting, hair-splitting Talmudic reasoning to solve real-life modern dilemmas—situations that actually happened yet seem impossible to solve. What do you do when your gut tells you one thing, and your brain tells you another? Prepare for a mental expedition to mind-wrestle with situations that force us to choose between two reasonable truths.

    The Talmud is a record of the rabbinic debates in the 2nd-5th Century on the teachings of the Torah (Old Testament), both trying to understand how they apply and seeking answers for situations they themselves were encountering.

    This course is designed to appeal to people at all levels of knowledge, including those without any background in Jewish learning. A student workbook The Dilemma is required and may be purchased on Amazon or elsewhere, new or used.  You are welcome to view this YouTube video the Dilemma.


    Rabbi Hambourger has taught extensively on all aspects of Judaism over many years, including three previous courses for ICL. “Now more than ever, we need to focus on our emotional and spiritual health,” he said. “There is no better way to do that than through authentic Torah (Old Testament) based study and learning. I encourage everyone to give it a try and see what it can do for you.”

    • January 18, 2024
    • February 22, 2024
    • 6 sessions
    • 2125 Meyers Chapel Rd, Hayesville, NC
    • 8
    Registration is closed

    Course Instructor Ray Anderson

    Course Fee $ $35.00

    Materials Fee $120.00


    This class is 6 sessions.  In the first 5 classes you will make a different hook each week - 5 classes with 5 hooks.  Each hook will be very unique in design.  At the last class there will be a special project.  The materials fee will be collected on the first day of class.