Special to the
Opelika Observer

Emily Blejwas, author of “The Story of Alabama in Fourteen Foods,” is the featured speaker at OLLI’s Alabama Bicentennial Brown Bag Lunch & Lecture Series on Sept. 25.
Each chapter in Blejwas’ book uses a different food to tell the story of a particular culture, movement, or point in time in Alabama history. The geographically and culturally diverse book tells the story of Alabama from multiple perspectives. She includes lesser-known stories about the Mobile banana docks, food activist Georgia Gilmore and north Alabama chicken stew sales. The author’s presentation will include examples of such stories, as well as thoughts about the “story finding” and writing process.
Blejwas is director of the Gulf States Health Policy Center in Bayou La Batre and has also worked in community development and victim advocacy. She holds degrees from Auburn University and Kenyon College.
Blejwas lives in Mobile with her husband and four children.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) hosts its Alabama Bicentennial Brown Bag Lunch & Lecture Series at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities commonly known as Pebble Hill which is located at 101 S. Debardeleben St. in Auburn.
Bring your own lunch and we will provide beverages. Lunch begins at 11:45 a.m. and the program runs from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.
The series is made possible by a grant from the Alabama Bicentennial Commission and is open to the public at no charge.
OLLI at Auburn is a program of the Office of the Vice President for University Outreach at Auburn University. OLLI administrative offices and select classes are located at the historic Sunny Slope property located at 1031 S. College St. 
For more information regarding this event or to learn about becoming a volunteer faculty member, volunteer service assistant, or sponsor, please contact Shawnee McKee, OLLI Administrative Support, at 334-844-3146, email olli@auburn.edu or visit their website www.olliatauburn.org.