Editor’s note: Listed below are three years of speakers and topics covered at The Whiteside Forum events.
The Whiteside Forum will host an open meeting/business meeting/powwow/brainstorming session, on Sunday, July 7, 2024, in the City of Morrison Community Room, at Odell Public Library. The library is located at 307 S. Madison Street, in Morrison, IL. We will gather from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Members of the public are most welcome to join us, as we to prepare for our upcoming 2024-2025 Discussion Season. Send your ideas for topics or speakers (or other suggestions) to us by text or email at any time. Contact Marc Adami at 815-718-5347 or marcadami53@gmail.com.
The Whiteside Forum, established in 1985, is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit community group which sponsors presentations and discussions of issues of importance and interest to the public. Issues chosen for conferences have an International dimension as well as local interest and importance. The organization is supported entirely by individual, special, and business contributions. All events are free and open to the public.
Speakers and topics discussed as recommended by the public.
2021-2022 Season
Mike Challand, “Morrison Rockwood State Park and Public Lands Management”
Ambassador Robert Ford and Ambassador Ronald Neumann.
“Reflections on Intervention: Looking Backward and Thinking Forward from the Experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq.” (Held at Bradley University, Peoria Illinois and sponsored by the Peoria Area World Affairs Council)
Fr. James Brzezinski, “My Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain: a Physical and Spiritual Journey”
Norm Moline, “Binding Our State Together: 200 Years of Canals, Railroads, Postal Service, Interurbans, and Roads”
Victor Selmon, “Adventure Travel: Destination Iceland”
Jacob Campbell, “Humans and the Environment”
Book discussion “Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism” by Anne Applebaum
Dave Boyles, Red Cross volunteer. “Red Cross Disaster Relief.”
Larry J. Weber, “Water Quality and Quantity Issues in the Midwest.”
2022-2023 Season
Dr. Stephen Hicks, “Ethics and Current Ideological Movements”
Paula Schares and Paula Purcell, “Ukraine: How You Can Help”
Victor Selmon, “The World of SCUBA: Commercial and Sport Diving”
Marc Adami, “My Life at Sea: Pirates, Icebergs, Blowouts and Other Disasters.”
Ralph Kennedy, “Preservation, Conservation, and Restoration Discussed and Defined: with Selected Graphic Case Studies.”
Panel Discussion: Kevin Larsen, Rachel Eissens, Ron Lawfer, and Don Temple: “Farm Life, Feeding the World, and Future Farmers”
Paul R. Edleman, “Democratic Values and the Political Process: Elections, Redistricting, and Gerrymandering”
2023-2024 Season
Wolf Koch, “Energy Today 2023 – Facts & Fiction”
Brian Ritter, “Conservation: Nahant Marsh, the Mississippi River, and Beyond”
Bob Vaughn, “My Vietnam War”
Andrew Stutzke, “Meteorology, Storm Chasing, Storm Preparedness, Weather Patterns, Models, and Climate.”
Book Discussion – “I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique” by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzik
Norm Moline, “Why Taiwan Matters: Small Island, Important Place”
Rev. Violet Johnicker, “Unity Beyond Labels: Building a Respected, Strong Community Together.”