Unity Circle invites you to join church members and friends as we gather each month to share a meal and hear speakers on a wide variety of topics throughout the year ranging from birding to architecture to water quality issues in Iowa. We meet on the 3rd Thursday of the month beginning at 12:00 PM. Bring your own table service and have a potluck meal followed by a speaker. We look forward to having you join us for an afternoon with food for mind and body.

2018 – 2019 Programs

Programs are ALWAYS at Noon on the Third Thursday

September 20, 2018: Denny Thompson from Des Moines Audubon will give a presentation on getting started with watching and identifying birds. He’ll give an overview of optics and field guides, as well as seven things to consider when trying to identify a bird. We’ll also talk about bird feeding.
Hosts: Max Bridgewater & friends

October 18, 2018: Dr. Yogi Shah, Director of Palliative Care Broadlawns, will speak to us about Broadlawns’ services in the community. His clinical interests are preventive health care, cognitive decline, and palliative care. Additionally, he is Board Certified in Geriatrics and Family Medicine.
Hosts: Sandy Johnson, Jean Tauber & Evelyn Glazebrook

November 15, 2018: Linda Krypel is a retired pharmacy professor at Drake and church member. Knowing which nonprescription drugs are effective and safe to take with your prescription medications is important. Some facts and fiction of dietary supplements and common drug interactions may surprise you.
Hosts: Bruce & Joyce Vandegrift

December 20, 2018: Sara Andre is the Architectural Historian at the State Historical Society of Iowa. She will tell us about some surprising aspects of architecture in Des Moines.
Hosts: Bob & Marianne Sobiech

January 17, 2019: Adam Schneider with the DNR: Water quality is a BIG topic these days in Iowa. You’ve seen the headlines about impaired waters, algae blooms, nutrients, e.coli, beach closures, and nitrates in drinking water (to name a few). It can be confusing to keep track of all the different water quality challenges. Join us and let’s “dive in” to learn a little more about Iowa’s water quality and what’s being done to improve and protect it.
Hosts: Nancy McDowell & Theresa Miller

February 2019: NO MEETING

March 21, 2019: Dan Kaercher, retired founding editor-in-chief of Midwest Living Magazine and host of “Iowa’s Simple Pleasures” will speak to us on Iowa’s Hidden Treasures. Come hear about Iowa’s natural wonders, quaint small towns, and eateries galore.
Hosts: Barb Martin, Mary Hays & Carolyn Spencer

April 18, 2019: Darcie Vandegrift, is a church member. She is the executive editor of PAYCE Stories, a project with the Palestinian American Youth Civic Engagement Project. She will talk about the experiences working with Palestinian and American young adults to create a podcast series about young adult civic engagement in both regions. Darcie will play us excerpts from the series. She will share her observations about the stories from Palestine that don’t get told on the news – and what this story collection tells us about young people trying to change their society.
Hosts: Sue Repplinger & Kathie Karpinen

May 16, 2019: Sol Varisco, Executive Director of Iowa Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) since Nov. 2017, will tell us about the types of immigration services available statewide from JFON, the current situation of Des Moines’ immigrants and refugees, and volunteer opportunities to further the work of this 19 year old organization.
Hosts: TBD

June 20, 2019: Lunch on the Town & Field Trip
The restaurant location will be announced. Possibly a tour of the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates will be scheduled. Details coming.

Unity Circle Officers & Committee Chairs

President: Theresa Miller
Vice President: Kathie Karpinen
Secretary: Kathie Karpinen
Treasurer: Bob Glass
Program Co-Chairs: Joyce & Bruce Vandegrift
Host Chair: Sandy Johnson
Welome & Membership: Nancee McDowell
Nominating: Jean Tauber
Publicity Co-Chairs: Evelyn Glazebrook & Pat Winters

Annual Membership Dues

Dues are payable to the treasurer at or after the first meeting in September. Dues are $10 per person per year. Unity Circle Alliance gives an annual gift to First Unitarian Church of Des Moines.