Thursday Evening Speaker Series

  • An in Depth Look at the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness

    An in Depth Look at the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson's Wellness

    Thursday, February 5, 2026 | 6:00-7:30pm

    Brenda Lanker, Director of Community Outreach On August 9, 2025 the Kirk Gibson Center opened its doors to usher in a new wave of Parkinson’s wellness. With state-ofthe-art facilities, and thoughtful programs based on the latest research in Parkinson’s Disease, the Kirk Gibson Center offers custom tailored strategies to each of its members. Come and learn about the cutting-edge research that is being done to support Parkinson’s wellness, and hear how the Center and programming are already changing lives! This presentation is generously sponsored by American House Stone.

  • The Collapse

    The Collapse

    Thursday, February 12, 2026 | 6:00-7:30pm

    Gus Mondalek

    What do so many ancient societies, from Rome to the Aztecs and Mayans, to the Qing dynasty have in common? Today, they are reduced to ruins that travelers visit as tourism destinations. What happened to these highly successful and advanced societies? What was behind the iconic Bronze Age collapse? And what are the implications for the modern world that we are living in? Come and explore the answers to these questions with renowned international affairs lecturer Gus Mondalek. This presentation is generously sponsored by American House Stone

  • Journey to the Amazon

    Journey to the Amazon

    Thursday, February 19, 2026 | 6:00-7:30pm

    Jill Pavlat

    Join experienced adventure traveler Jill Pavlat on a photo journey through the Amazon waterways and jungles of Peru. Jill’s once-in-a-lifetime travels will amaze and inspire as she tells her story of reaching corners of the globe that are truly off of the beaten path. As climate change threatens to change life on Earth, these green “lungs of the planet” play an ever-increasing role of importance. Come and see them as never before.

  • Russia’s War with Ukraine

    Russia's War with Ukraine

    Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 6:00-7:30pm

    Aaron Retish, Professor of Russian and Soviet History at Wayne State University

    A political and social enigma, Russia remains a mystery in so many ways. Come to Next to gain a rare understanding of this world superpower with Professor Aaron Retish, who is an author or editor of four books on 20th century Russia, and has published several articles on the Russian Revolution. This complex and mysterious country launched a war on Ukraine in February of 2022, and the conflict continues to this day. This lecture will offer an informed breakdown of Russian society, politics, economics, and conflict strategy