For many, Chautauqua Institution is a stimulating gathering place for family and friends, and a community of active people investing time, talent and treasure in causes, organizations and Institution pillars they care deeply about.
For others, it is a multi-faceted educational and cultural event attended intensively and periodically.
No matter the depth, breadth or length of one’s connection to Chautauqua, or one’s qualifications, participation as a speaker in one of the various lecture series on the grounds or as an instructor in the Special Studies Program can seem out of reach or not a good fit.
At 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Chautauqua Women’s Club House, as part of its Chautauqua Speaks series, Elizabeth Hazard will moderate a Speed Share and Learn Forum for people who wish to contribute some aspect of “their unique interests and passions” for Chautauqua’s greater good.
Recently, Hazard distributed a recruiting flier asking those interested to share a “talent, passion, hobby or career” by giving a 5-minute talk and then answering questions about it for five minutes.
She said that a number of people responded positively and registered to speak. Some said that could talk about more than one topic. The slate is full and there are people who can step in if necessary.
“The people who attend Chautauqua want to learn,” Hazard said. “There are (also) so many who want to share a career or hobby. How can (they) give back to the Chautauqua community? (The forum is) about what people care about. Maybe some of these people will go on to give a larger talk at the Women’s Club.”
Hazard has served as the moderator of numerous such forums, including for small groups, the Charleston (South Carolina) Library Society, and the Jamestown (New York) Garden Club, which focuses on horticulture and requires that the topics chosen do likewise.
“It’s always been such a hit, because people want to learn,” she said.
“In Rhode Island, there was someone who wanted to give a talk about trying knots for boats,” she said. “He’s a fund manager for a major company (and) he’s giving a talk about something he’s passionate about.”
At the Charleston Library Society, someone spoke about James Audubon. Another person analyzed a poem about race in America. A third focused on how to publish a book.
Meditation “for dummies” — people who had never before tried it — involved giving audience members a chocolate kiss to hold in their mouths until it melted as a way of “teaching them about savoring and being in the moment,” Hazard said.
A talk about the math behind baking was given by a partner at Bain & Company.
“Each year, she makes 40 dozen cookies,” Hazard said. “The math is complex and she used spreadsheets. It’s an example of something that’s fun and really informative. In the questions, (one) person (was) asking about math, and someone else about, ‘What’s your favorite cookie?’ ”
This is one of the aspects of Speed Share and Learn that Hazard particularly enjoys. “You never know what you’ll hear — some (talks) are fun, some are serious, some are educational.”
Because at Chautauqua, to her knowledge “this is the first time ever that this has occurred this way,” she added, “I think this is a beautiful gift to the community.”
Hazard’s career has ranged from very early stage high-tech start-ups, to restoring and flipping historic houses, to founding the nonprofit organizations Building Charities and Swap & Shop for Charity.
Although she spends most of her summers in Jamestown; Rhode Island, where she grew up; and the academic year in Charleston, during the eight seasons she’s come to Chautauqua, she has tried to “teach or share something in order to give back to this exceptional community,” including via Chautauqua’s Special Studies Program.
“There are some really great topics (for Tuesday),” Hazard said. “They go from historical to things about interesting nonprofits.”
If for no other reason than to witness and participate in a unique and lively process for imparting and gaining knowledge, consider attending Speed Share and Learn on Tuesday morning.
