Hybrid

Do you feel overwhelmed by social media posts, online news, and digital media? Do you feel distracted, scattered, or irritable after scrolling on your phone? Welcome to the Attention Economy - a digital commerce initiative paid for with your focus, time, and attention. Let’s explore how social media companies, digital marketing, and even news media outlets have hijacked your mind and created reflexive behavior to keep you connected, enraged, and engaged.

Part One will provide an overview of psychological, visual, and social tactics that have been implemented to continually increase smart device use and boost company revenue. From social media apps, online shopping, and news outlet comment sections, we will explore the methods used to keep you clicking, tapping, scrolling, and engaging.

Part Two will explore resistance to engagement tactics and attention hacking. We will review various habits and alternatives to endless scrolling and learn how to develop a more cohesive and healthy relationship with technology and digital media.

These presentations will be a combination of lecture and group discussion. Participants are encouraged to come with questions and an eagerness to engage in conversation and education.

Dates: Part 1, June 12, 2026; Part 2, June 26, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Location: Education Center, room 112

Tyler Provencher is the Program Coordinator for Greater Franklin Digital Literacy - a free community tech support program across Franklin County. Tyler's background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology from the University of Maine at Farmington. He has hands-on experience with smartphones, laptops, tablets, and desktop computers, as well as participation in virtual software and hardware events and conferences.

Through his work at Greater Franklin Digital Literacy, Tyler aims to provide practical, actionable, and rational technology education to the broader Franklin County community.

Online

This discussion group is held on the first and third Fridays of each month. It covers local, national, and world news. The discussion provides an opportunity to share observations and opinions on the news and to learn from other participants.

Articles of interest are distributed among the group by email in the week before each meeting, and discussion topics are selected by the group at the beginning of each meeting.

June 19, 2026

July 3, 17, 2026

August 7, 21, 2026

September 4, 18, 2026

October 2, 2026

10 am - 11:30 am

Paul Mullin is the facilitator for this discussion group.

Online

Please join us for a monthly Zoom get-together for coffee, conversation, and crafts.  Settle in with your favorite craft and beverage, and visit with Gold LEAF friends.  Crafts are not essential, and guys are welcome! The goal is to get together and spend an hour or more talking with friends.

NOTE:  The summer term begins June 1, 2026. Please register if you wish to continue or are new to the class.

Dates: 

July 13

August 10

September 14

October 12

Time: 10:00 am-11:30 am 

In Person 

The Book Discussion Group continues a long Gold LEAF tradition and will meet four times during the summer term to discuss works of fiction and non-fiction. Our sessions are open, casual, yet stimulating and informative, allowing us to learn from one another. The summer term meetings will be held at Orange Cat cafe in Farmington.

The group meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month.

July 14: Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach

August 11: Sourdough: A Novel by Robin Sloan

September 8: Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel by Marie Semple

October 13: Theo of Golden: A Novel by Allen Levi

Cathy Wimett and Nadine Marchand organize the book discussions. Any group member is welcome to facilitate a session. Both newcomers and past participants are encouraged to join us for this Summer Term.

Hybrid

Let’s meet and share tales about our mutual experiences in health care. At our ages, it seems like a prudent thing to do. I have stories to tell (the good, the bad, the amusing) that may also provide some education in how to navigate the health care system. 

Date: August 17 and 31, 2026

Time: 1:00 pm-2:30 pm

Location: Ed Ctr, room 114

John Henkel is a nurse who has been lucky to ride the wave of the nursing revolution from the days of starched nursing caps to color-coded scrubs.

John is eternally grateful for his time as a nurse. He can’t imagine having done anything else. He has worked as a nurse in a variety of roles and locations before ending up in Wilton.