NELL Fall 2026 lineup
Northern Exposure to Lifelong Learning (NELL) is excited to announce its Fall 2026 lineup, offering one of its most diverse seasons yet. This year’s programming will take participants around the world, back in time, and into deeply personal stories of resilience, innovation, and imagination.
Among the featured presentations is a journey to several international destinations, giving audiences a chance to experience global cultures and histories from a local setting. Another program will travel back to the Viking Age, exploring a recreated grave site in Sweden that offers insight into ancient life, burial traditions, and archaeological discovery.
History and creativity also take center stage in a presentation about a once nearly forgotten schoolhouse building that has been brought back to life through one man’s vision and determination. In another story of transformation, attendees will hear how a single plant project grew from one man’s idea into a full-fledged farm now producing goods sold around the world.
A familiar NELL presenter, Doug Ohman, will return with a new program highlighting additional stories of America’s First Ladies, continuing his popular series that blends history, photography, and storytelling.
The lineup also includes a look at the reimagining of two long-vacant school buildings in Clearbrook and Gonvick. Once empty, these structures have been transformed into community hubs serving a variety of local needs and activities.
Rounding out the season is a powerful and emotional personal story of survival and resilience. It follows a woman who was born into turmoil and faced unimaginable challenges in childhood, including a moment that nearly ended in tragedy. Now an adult, she reflects on a life marked by hardship, survival, and the will to keep going even when she was not ready to give up.
September 2: “Becoming that Elderberry Guy”, speaker Ben Machlit (Good Shephard Lutheran Church-Clearbrook)
September 9: “CWLC; Building Lives, Growing Relationships, & Imparting Hope”, speaker Darien Northup (Gonvick Community Center-Gonvick)
September 16: “America’s First Ladies, pt 2”, speaker Doug Ohman (Bagley American Legion-Bagley)
September 23: “Archeologist Recreation of a Viking Age Grave Bj. 619(in Sweden), speaker Steph Anderson (McIntosh Community Center-McIntosh)
September 30: “Montreal to Shevlin: New Beginnings”, speaker Izzy Harmon(Bagley Public Library-Bagley)
October 7: “Cruising the Danube and Ports in Between, speaker Linda Nordland (Good Shephard Lutheran Church-Clearbrook)
October 14: “A Life Born in Flame:I died 3x’s in ICU-I wasn’t done living - speaker Joni DeSchane (Bagley American Legion-Bagley)
October 21: “Saving an Old Schoolhouse: Creating a Home for Art, History and Community - Speaker Mike McColl (Lengby Community Center-Lengby)
NELL organizers say the Fall 2026 season reflects their ongoing mission to educate, inspire, and connect the community through lifelong learning opportunities that span history, culture, innovation, and human experience.