Lunch & Learns

The treatment of prisoners of war is historically a very sad subject. Of all the Americans who have been held as POWs, few have had such bad treatment as those patriots held during the American Revolution. An estimated 25,000 Americans were captured as prisoners of war, with around 18,000 dying in captivity due to neglect and poor conditions. As we commemorate our 250th anniversary, it is important to understand these historical contexts that shed light on the broader implications of warfare and treatment of captured soldiers. The experiences of these POWs remain a poignant chapter in American history. Fred Boyles’ extensive knowledge of this part of the revolution will expand your understanding of our country’s history.

Fred Boyles
Fred Boyles served as a Superintendent of four different National Park Service areas. In those jobs, he “fought the Civil War” for 19 years, cared for a battlefield of the American Revolution and the home of a President. Fred also served in the Navy Reserve for 29 years, retiring in 2016 as captain after a two-year deployment to Seoul, Korea. A graduate of UGA and Clemson, he and wife Debbie are proudest of their three rambunctious grandsons and one very sweet granddaughter.

In this captivating talk with visuals to match, we are invited to meander along Georgia’s back roads and turn back the clock. The Chairman, CEO and Co-founder of Historic Rural Churches of Georgia will discuss researching, documenting and preserving the history of 18th and 19th century Georgia rural churches and reveal their broader role in history.

Sonny Seals
Sonny Seals is the Chairman, CEO and co-founder of Historic Rural Churches of Georgia LLC whose mission is Researching, Documenting and Preserving the history of 18th and 19th century Georgia Rural Churches. He is a graduate of Georgia Tech with an industry background in textile, apparel and executive search consulting. Sonny is active in the Atlanta arts community, having served on the Alliance Theater executive committee and board of directors for a number of years. At Georgia Tech, he has served on the Alumni Association Board of Trustees, has served as Chair of the Ferst Center for the Performing Arts and was a co-founder and board chair of the External Arts Advisory Board. His first book (co-authored with George Hart) is now in its 4th printing.

Popular OLLI presenter Janice Simon will transport us back in time to a major art brouhaha: when Whistler (1834-1903) took British critic John Ruskin to trial for those damning words about his painting “Nocturne in Black and Gold: Falling Rocket” of 1875; he won his libel suit but was only granted one farthing. What made Whistler’s nocturnes, portraits like that of his mother Anna, which he titled “Arrangement in Grey and Black no.1″ (1871), and his “Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room” (1876-77) so radical will be examined in this lecture. Whistler’s art-for-art’s sake aesthetic, incorporating musical references, established him as a sought-out portraitist and highly influential painter for contemporaries and future artists. The acclaimed retrospective of Whistler’s art at Tate Modern in September will further inform this presentation.

Janice Simon
Janice Simon is Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor of Art History Emerita at UGA. She taught courses in American art from the 18-20th centuries for 35 years in the Lamar Dodd School of Art. She is a specialist on American art, especially landscape painting and photography, and their connections with transcendentalism and environmentalism.

As many Southerners do, Rebecca has loved pimento cheese her entire life. Learn how this quintessential Southern food is weaved into Georgia’s history and allure. You’ll now know the answers to how pimento cheese started in New York but became a quintessential food of the South. Rebecca will share how she came to learn first-hand the most fascinating chapters of pimento cheese history at the Masters. And you’ll walk away with ideas to work pimento cheese into your fall entertaining. Everyone has a pimento cheese story and Rebecca would love to hear yours. We’ll have time for questions and sharing. Rebecca’s new book, Pimento Cheese, will be on sale after the talk and Rebecca will be available for signing.

Rebecca Lang
Rebecca Lang is the author of nine cookbooks and has appeared on the Food Network as a judge for Chopped Junior. She has cooked at the James Beard House and has been featured in Parade Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and The Los Angeles Times.

With over a half century reporting on UGA football from the sideline and in print, Loran Smith is a wealth of knowledge and anecdotes on what it’s like to be inside the game and interacting with decades of notable Bulldogs. Smith will regale attendees with highlights of his long association with UGA athletics and share insights and perspectives that only someone with long-term first-hand experience can provide.

Loran Smith
Loran Smith is a legendary UGA football broadcaster, sports journalist, and Bulldog athletics ambassador whose career spans over six decades. A former UGA track captain, Smith served in numerous key roles with the UGA Athletic Association and became Georgia’s first football sideline reporter alongside Larry Munson. Their on-air exchange – “Whaddaya got, Loran?” became one of the most iconic lines in college football history. A prolific author of over 17 books and a long-time newspaper columnist, he was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Though he retired from full-time duties in 2025, Smith remains active hosting the Tailgate Show, writing, and supporting the Bulldogs.