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Salon: Past Events
Salon Information
Thu, 05/09/2024 - 12:00am — Daniel.CurtisSalon Program
Jefferson Center Salons present topics of interest to our community, and provide a forum for lively discussion afterward. Topics are selected by a committee of members. We serve refreshments contributed by volunteers and have a brief social time before the start of the program. Salons are typically held on the third Sunday of each month at 4pm at The Jefferson Center, 208 Oak Street, Suite 101 in Ashland. Guests of members and interested visitors are always welcome to join us. See the Future Salons list for information about upcoming events.
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| 02/15/2026 - 4:00pm | Precarity - A Roundtable Discussion |
One can be living well and suddenly find oneself in a very precarious state (due to an accident and resulting enormous medical expenses, for example). Apparently, this situation is widespread, even in an ostensibly prosperous society such as ours. How can this happen? We'll consider various issues surrounding precarity in our typical roundtable format. We will go around the room to share some personal experiences or other insights as we grapple with the complexities of current economic circumstances. We'll address a number of questions including: How might people experiencing precarity escape from it? |
| 01/18/2026 - 4:00pm | Independent Businesses in Ashland |
Have you wondered what it's like to run an independent business in a small town like Ashland these days? Travis Marshall of Funagain Games and Megan Isser of Bloomsbury Books will join us as we consider what makes Ashland a good (or difficult) place to do business, and how the future of downtown might shape the enterprises there. How are these businesses engaged in the community, beyond just selling things? What stake do we have in supporting local businesses, and how can we best do that? Please join us as we consider these issues and other related topics. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Contact Tony Davis (tonydavis0@gmail.com) with questions or for more information. |
| 12/21/2025 - 5:00pm | Jefferson Center Winter Solstice Social Gathering |
Our traditional winter solstice gathering will be held on Sunday, December 21 at 5 pm in The Jefferson Center, Suite 101 of the Historic Ashland Armory, Oak and B Streets. Please bring a potluck dish to share (main dish, side dish, or dessert along with any serving implements needed), a beverage: wine, beer, soft drinks, etc. for yourselves and to share, and a place setting (a reusable plate, flatware, beverage glass, napkin, whatever). |
| 11/16/2025 - 4:00pm | Roundtable Discussion: Accentuate the Positive, What’s Good in Our Lives? |
Are you feeling overwhelmed by all that is wrong with the world at this time? Do we risk losing sight of all the good that is happening to the detriment of our physical and mental health? As we approach Thanksgiving, would you rather, as the song says, “accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and latch on to the affirmative” and “Bring gloom down to the minimum.” Join members and friends of The Jefferson Center as we share with each other those experiences, large or small, local or global, that have brought joy to our hearts recently. Light refreshments will be available; also, we would welcome any additional snacks or beverages you would like to share. Contact Joseph Graf (graf@sou.edu) with questions or for more information. |
| 10/19/2025 - 4:00pm | Promoting Love of Science in Ashland: ScienceWorks |
Please join us as we mutually consider the many issues and challenges of science education in our time. ScienceWorks has been a fixture in Ashland since 2002. Since its founding, it has served over one million visitors, with a mission of “Inspiring curiosity and wonder through scientific exploration and interactive experiences”, and a vision “To be a launch pad for the next generation of creative thinkers and problem solvers.” Over the years, ScienceWorks has confronted and overcome many challenges, and seen staff and board turnover. However, the mission and vision have stayed the same, and more exciting things are yet to come. We will be joined by Dr. Gabriela Chavarria, who was appointed Executive Director of ScienceWorks in 2025. She aspires to advance the museum’s mission and to serve visitors of all ages. Together, we will explore the ways in which ScienceWorks hopes to advance its mission, and grow and prosper in our community. |
| 06/15/2025 - 5:00pm | Summer Solstice Social Gathering |
Please join us for our traditional Jefferson Center Summer Solstice Social Gathering on June 15 at 5 pm at the home of Tony and Martha Davis. Expect good company, good food, and good discussions. Please bring: Please RSVP to Tony Davis tonydavis0@gmail.com to let us know what you'll bring, so that we can ensure a varied culinary spread, and how many to plan for. |
| 05/18/2025 - 4:00pm | Partisanship Then and Now |
Barry Kraft, former OSF actor and lecturer, current Rogue Theater Company gadfly and Shakespeare scholar, as well as Jefferson Center member, will explore with us his thoughts on human divisiveness — especially that abrasiveness seemingly interwoven into the very fabric of party politics. Our discussion will include the creation of the Declaration of Independence, almost 250 years ago, and the letters exchanged between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams from the time of their reconciliation in 1812 until they both died in extreme old age, on the same day, the 4th of July, 1826. What might those of us living through our current political situation learn from them? |
| 04/27/2025 - 4:00pm | Never Touch the Money Question |
We all have to know something about money to function in modern society. But what is money, and what is the source of its value? Is money a matter of belief, even faith? Tom Woosnam will start off the discussion with a brief history of why we have money, its multifaceted forms and purpose, what makes money legitimate, and how banks fit into the picture. We'll consider analogies between household budgets and Federal Government budgets. Tom's interest in these issues stems from his desire to apply logical reasoning and primary source evidence to problems, skills sharpened over 45 years of teaching high school physics and math. He holds a BSc from Imperial College, London, and an MA from Stanford, and is currently teaching an OLLI course on the key ideas of Modern Monetary Theory. Please Contact Tony Davis (tonydavis0@gmail.com) with your questions about this event. |
| 03/30/2025 - 5:00pm | Spring Equinox Potluck (with Discussion) |
Are you done with winter? Snow, snow drifts, shoveling show? Ready for change? Is your garden ready? Join us for the second, Annual Spring Equinox Potluck (with Discussion) on Sunday, March 30th, 2025, beginning at 5:00 p.m. We’ll gather in the friendly confines of The Jefferson Center, Suite 101, Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak Street, Ashland. Please note that this is the fourth Sunday of the month and that the starting time is 5 pm, both different from a regular salon. Please RSVP to Tony Davis tonydavis0@gmail.com to let us know what you'll bring, so we can spot any culinary imbalance (or maybe having all desserts would not be so bad after all?) Like our salons, this event is open to all friends of The Jefferson Center, so feel free to invite others who might like to find out about The Center or just hang out with us. |
| 03/02/2025 - 4:00pm | Past, Present, and Future of The Jefferson Center |
The Jefferson Center was founded some 20 years ago and has gone through much growth and change since then. Our program will consider who the founders and early leaders were, what programs and events we had, membership size, and budget over time. We’ll talk about more recent ups and downs and where we should go from here. What programs and activities should we plan for 2025 and beyond? What should change and what should stay the same given our changing world? Equally important, how can we keep the Center sustainable for the next 20 years? |