Current Season
Our Speakers — 2019-20 Season
Entering its 37th year, the Town Hall Lecture Series has brought engaging, insightful and informative speakers from across the world to audiences in North Platte, Nebraska. All lectures begin at 10:30 a.m. CST at the Neville Center, located at 301 East 5th Street.
Season tickets for the 2019-2020 Series are now available; to purchase, see our Membership Page.
BETH HOLLOWAY
“Victim to Victor”
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2019
Beth Holloway’s world was turned upside down in the summer of 2005. Her daughter, Natalee, disappeared on the last night of a graduation trip to Aruba, and the tragic story instantly thrust the Holloways into the spotlight. Beth has captured the world’s attention ever since with her continued search for her daughter. Through it all, Beth has had to make a choice – to spend her life in sorrow, or to take what she learned from her daughter’s disappearance and turn it into a learning experience for others.
CARA BROOKINS
“#raisemyroof”
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019
Cara Brookins is known around the world for being “the mom who built a house using YouTube tutorials.” Her story went viral in more than 75 countries and has been viewed more than 2 billion times. She has appeared on the “Today Show,” “The Hallmark Channel” and in thousands of news publications. Her story and best-selling book, “Rise,” is currently being made into a Hollywood film. When not working, Brookins can be found Googling “how to grow calming teas,” “how to hand quilt” and “how build a backyard gas grill without blowing anyone up.”
SUSAN EISENHOWER
“D-Day and its Enduring Legacy”
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2020
Susan Eisenhower is one of America’s top energy security strategists. She is an outspoken advocate for setting national priorities and advancing a civil, fact-based discourse on America’s challenges. Her presentation, “D-Day and its Enduring Legacy,” is the story of how events unfolded 75 years ago, culminating in the largest amphibious military operation in history. The presentation traces its meaning in today’s geo-politics, offering a new way to think of historic times.
LT. COL. ROBERT DARLING
“24 Hours Inside the President’s Bunker”
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020
Lt. Col. Robert Darling was part of the support team in the underground President’s Emergency Operations Center during 9-11. It was there that he witnessed unprecedented leadership and decision-making at the highest levels of government. His presentation will take the audience from the moment the attack was realized and the courageous decisions made to stop it, to the safeguards and policies our country now has in place to hopefully prevent such an attack from ever happening again.