Road Scholar recently welcomed Ambassador Andrew Young as the keynote speaker for the annual Taste of Road Scholar event at historic Shearer Cottage in Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard.
Ambassador Young addressed a standing-room only audience of more than 300 people who came from across the U.S.
The evening included introductions by Amanda Davis, Emmy award-winning co-anchor for FOX5 News in Atlanta, GA, and Dr. Louis Sullivan, founding dean of Morehouse Medical School and former Secretary of Health and Human Services in President George H.W. Bush’s administration.
“I’ve faced down police and barking dogs. I’m not afraid of many things in life. I’m not scared of breaking my leg or breaking my arm, but I am scared of Alzheimer’s,” Ambassador Young said to the crowd.
The comment resonated
strongly with the audience, as the focus of Road Scholar’s programs is to offer opportunities to keep mentally engaged through learning and travel.
In his one-hour discussion, Ambassador Young provided a thought-provoking analysis of a range of topics — from the power of economics in the Civil Rights movement to the influential policy makers in President Obama’s administration to the recent collapse of the world’s financial markets.
“It was such an honor to have Ambassador Young with us for this year’s Taste of Road Scholar,” says Kathy Taylor, associate vice president of community development for Elderhostel and Road Scholar.
“His insight is always thought-provoking no matter what the topic and was particularly meaningful to those who attended our program.”