LBCC News

Zooming Classes Offered

Mary Thoits has always touted the importance of staying physically, mentally and emotionally engaged. On June 5 she celebrated her 97th birthday with friends honking in the parking lot and most stopping at Stearns Park to converse and enjoy the missed camaraderie.

Mary Thoits’ World Affairs class at the Lifetime Learning Center at Long Beach City College abruptly ended on March 16. Seniors who have attended the class for years, depended on the personal interaction and socialization provided by the program that started in 1978 with Mary Thoits and Beverly O’Neill.

Starting June 17 the class resumed on-line with the theme “Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.” It will be looking at the history, Craig Hendricks will give insight into leadership and Dr. Ginny Baxter will do a presentation on the 100th Anniversary of the Female Suffrage Amendment.

However, Mary is extremely concerned about the seniors that can’t Zoom. She said, “the Zoom class may fill a void until we can gather in person, but it doesn’t replace the human touch.” People of all ages are experiencing these feelings however seniors feel it more deeply. They no longer have their careers and have lost friends and family that have provided the human connection.

The Lifetime Learning Program is also offering Tai Chi classes with David Hennage on Tuesdays and Fridays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. For more information or to sign-up contact Theresa Brunella at (562) 938-3047 or tbrunella@lbcc.edu.

Swap Meets to Re-Open

As part of the City of Long Beach Health and Human Services Department’s revised order to transition to Stage 3 of re-opening California in the COVID-19 pandemic, two swap meets that use Long Beach City College as their venue will resume. However, Long Beach City College’s two campuses are still closed to the public.

Under the Safer-at-Home order, swap meets are permitted to re-open under specific guidelines. The Long Beach Antique Market will resume in Veterans Memorial Stadium parking lot at LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus on Sunday, June 21. The So-Cal Cycle Swap Meet will resume in the Veterans Memorial Stadium parking lot on Sunday, June 28.

Under the city’s COVID-19 guidelines, the Long Beach Antique Market and So Cal Cycle Swap Meet are responsible for: being in compliance with the city’s Retail In-Person Shopping Protocols; communicating with all attendees to use face masks; setting up queues for physical distancing; and for cleaning and sanitizing the LBCC facilities they use, including bathrooms and frequently touched surfaces. In addition, the concession stands at the Long Beach Antique Market must meet the city’s Dine-In Restaurant Protocols.

During the two swap meets, only the Veterans Memorial Stadium parking lots and parking structure J located at Clark Ave. at Lew Davis St. will be open to the public. The rest of LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus will remain closed to the public.

The operators of the swap meets are not associated with Long Beach Community College District and have been renting LBCC facilities for their prospective events for many years.

Separately, the City of Long Beach’s COVID-19 drive-through testing center hours at LBCC’s Veterans Memorial Stadium parking lot are Mondays through Fridays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.