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OLLI
E-News #22-07 of June 1, 2007
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ALERT
>
BOARD MEETING to
elect OLLI officers: Fri, Jun 15, 10:00, TA-1. Open to all members.
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REMINDERS
> NEW
DIRECTORS. See our What's New page for
photos & bios of newly elected directors.
>
FAIRFAX INK. Please return your copy to the office when finished
(see notice).
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| ARTICLES AND
NOTICES
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> MASON
HIGHLIGHTS. Other events at nearby Mason. By Nancy Ragsdale
> COMING ATTRACTIONS. Upcoming
OLLI non-class
events for the next two weeks. |
LONG LIVE THE VIVA
VIENNA FAIR!
From the president
 By Debbie Halverson, President
ONLY THE NEED WAS MADE KNOWN and
out of the woodwork they came. I’m speaking of the plea I made several
weeks ago for helpers for the Viva Vienna Fair. I am so grateful that
when I asked for help from our members, so many responded that I had to
turn a few offers down. It was truly gratifying.
Alice and Al
Roe at the OLLI
booth
After Ann Hartmann and Greg, her son, put up the canopy early on Sunday
morning, Carole Richard and I chatted with passers-by on the first
shift. We asked, "Have you heard of OLLI?" Some had but wanted to know
more; others indicated they had not, so here was a great opportunity to
suggest they browse through our catalog, and then we talked about how
important our membership is to us individually. Some folks were too
young for OLLI or still employed, but we encouraged them to share our
catalog with relatives who might be retiring or to keep us in mind when
they retire. The candy in our basket drew little children to the table
and that brought in parents and grandparents.
That level of activity must have continued
because when I returned the next morning, many catalogs were gone and
our mailing list had grown considerably.
As we all know, late Sunday evening a huge
storm blew up and fair participants were forced to close up shop early;
on Monday morning I was pleased to see that Kathleen Meyer and Sandy
Dreisslein had wisely pushed our table against our neighbor’s booth
wall, and covered everything, so that all was protected from the rain.
Other vendors were less lucky and had major reconstruction to do to get
ready for Monday’s activities. |
We dispersed plenty of catalogs, built a good
mailing list of folks requesting fall catalogs and, very important, we
had a fine time. Our special thanks go to Carole Richard, Bill Ciccolo,
Jack Underhill, Beverly George, Susan Safran, Sandy Driesslein and
Kathleen Meyer for Sunday and to Al and Alice Roe, Doris Bloch, Sherry
Hart, Cloe Ingram, Doug Hill, and especially to Benny Meyer and Joan
Axilbund for the additional job of taking down our canopy and packing
up. Good job. May you remember this Memorial Day weekend with pleasure.
TO BRING
OTHERS CHEER
About "Singing for Fun"
 By Elizabeth Crawford, OLLI
E-News staff writer
ACCORDING
TO THE OLLI CATALOG,
"Singing
for Fun" is a course, and so it is. To "OLLI's own choral group,"
however, "Singing for Fun" is a lot more. Their repertoire includes
several old tunes to which lyricist Joe Fulton has put new,
OLLI-related words. One example, "We sing for fun and to bring others
cheer," came to life recently at the Fairfax Nursing Center.
The choral group has sung at the Fairfax
Nursing Center and the Gardens several times and is always
enthusiastically received. Residents who seem detached before the
performance perk up as the music begins. Some sing along when invited
to do so while others listen but clearly remember oldies like
"Fascinatin' Rhythm" and "Side by Side." This year, a few of the
singers remained to chat with residents they know, among them an OLLI
member temporarily there for rehab.
Making this all happen are instructor Joyce
DeVoll (see Joyce's profile)
and accompanist Dolores Ecklund (photo
above right by the editor). Dolores has accompanied the singers
since the course was first offered twelve years ago. Although Dolores'
career was in government, her love has always been music, and she has
accompanied various groups throughout our area for many years. When
asked what has kept her so faithful to OLLI even amidst hand surgeries,
she replied that there is nothing better than sharing music with her
friends.
Members of the group who ended the semester
with a picnic at the DeVolls' home would echo her sentiment: whether in
a classroom, at a nursing home, or out on a deck, there is nothing
better than sharing music with friends.
OLLI GOES TO
PHILLY
The OLLI trip to Philadelphia
 By Louise Richardson, OLLI
E-News staff writer
IF
YOU WERE AT TALLWOOD TO REGISTER early
the morning of May 23rd, you may have seen a group assembling to board
a bus in the parking lot. It was a beautiful sunny morning, a harbinger
of the weather we were to enjoy for our Philadelphia art trip. We were
blessed not only with great weather but also with Kevin, our patient
and alert bus driver.
Upon arrival in Philadelphia we went directly
to the Franklin Institute to tour the exhibit "Tutankhamen and the
Golden Age of the Pharaohs." The ancient artifacts and cultural relics
were dazzling and informative about life in Egypt 3000 years ago. At
the end of the tour, Kevin ferried us to the Embassy Suites Center
City, an aptly-named hotel situated near all our scheduled
destinations. Following check-in, we fanned out to a variety of nearby
restaurants for dinner.
Contemplating
Rodin's "The
Gates of Hell." Photos by the writer.
On Thursday, after a morning exploring the
Rodin Museum with its magnificent sculptures, we lunched at the
Philadelphia Museum of Art before our tour of its impressive galleries.
Both this and the Rodin tours were led by a knowledgeable docent who
provided us with background, insight and little-known snippets about
the art works in these extensive collections. That evening we traded
restaurant tales before we set out to dine at another fine Philadelphia
restaurant.
Our destination on Friday was the Pennsylvania
Academy of the Fine Arts. Once again, our docent's charm and knowledge
were tremendous assets and greatly enhanced our appreciation and
enjoyment of the academy and its collections. A side trip to the
colorful, bustling Reading Terminal Market provided dozens of choices
for our lunch before boarding our bus for home. Ah, the joys of an
authentic Philly cheese steak!
Thanks to the leadership of Dick Chobot and
Florence Adler, we had a delightful trip. In three days we had expanded
our art and cultural horizons and had become a congenial group, getting
better acquainted with heretofore only familiar faces from classes and
renewing friendships. Keep an eye out for announcements of similar
trips to come.
 NEWLY REVISED BOARD HANDBOOK -- NOW ONLINE
New handbook for directors
By Gordon Canyock, Ad Hoc Committee member
THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED A NEW REVISION of
the old Executive Handbook submitted by the Ad Hoc Committee for the
Revision of the Executive Handbook at the April 27 Board meeting. The
new version has been titled "Board Handbook" to distinguish it from
policies and procedures established by the executive director. It
represents a compendium of all Board policies and procedures and
provides a detailed overview of how OLLI is governed.
| The handbook provides |
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one-stop
shopping for members interested in learning more about how OLLI
operates. |
The section on the Nominating Committee
guidelines was provisionally approved by the Board by an email vote
following the recent elections and, as a result, the entire Board
Handbook has
now been posted on the OLLI Website as a regular html document with
table of contents and as a pdf
document (on
the Publications page under the
Documents drop-down menu and also at the Executive Handbook link under
the same menu).
The Handbook describes the mission,
organization, membership and dues, Board structure and process,
Board-Staff relations, the committee structure, specific Board
policies, administrative decisions, and the legal framework of the
organization. It is more than a handbook for the directors; it is
designed to provide one-stop shopping for members interested in
learning more about how OLLI operates.
For example, here’s our policy on program
expenditures, which all of you who are presenting or coordinating
courses should follow:
| Each
year, OLLI budgets
funds to cover program-related costs –
Classroom Expense, Printing, and Teacher Appreciation. Guidelines for
the expenditure of these funds are established in collaboration with
the Program Review Committee. In general, OLLI covers the cost of
printing instructor handouts. Books and other consumables specified by
the instructor will be purchased by OLLI and sold to students at cost.
Instructors are expected to provide their own instructional materials.
However, OLLI will entertain requests for the acquisition of materials
(e.g., DVDs, videotapes, etc.) on a case-by-case basis. The executive
director has the authority to approve such purchases. Material so
acquired becomes the property of OLLI. |
Comments/questions/suggestions about OLLI?
Here's how to express your views--
- Publicly
(if you would like your comments published in this newsletter): Email
your "Letter
to the Editor" or "Letter to
Ms. Ollie Ettakit" to the editor.
- Privately--
- Contact any Board member
or the Executive Director;
- Send an email to the entire Board
(email the editor or the office to have your
message forwarded to all members of the Board);
- Submit a suggestion online
or in the box in the Tallwood social room or on one of the "parking
lots for ideas" in classrooms; or
- Contact the office by email
or phone (703-503-3384).
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 COMING EVENTS AT THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Arts and music at nearby Mason,
Jun 2-3
By Jan Bohall, OLLI
E-News staff writer
For tickets, call 888-945-2468 (phone orders are handled by tickets.com)
or visit the Center
for the Arts Box Office, Tue–Sat, 10:00–6:00.
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
Gala
50th Anniversary
Concert
Zuill
Bailey, cello
William
Hudson, conductor
The FSO Golden Anniversary Concert will bring the majestic fanfare of
Richard Strauss, the Cello Concerto
in B Minor by Dvorak, and some favorite music of Maestro Hudson.
Sat, Jun 2, 8:00
Admission: $60, $50, $40, $30
Concert Hall |
American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra
Sun, Jun 3, 8:00
Admission: $10 seniors/students, $14 adults
Concert Hall |
Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel
On Wings of Song
Sun, Jun 3, 7:00
Admission: $38, $30, $19
Family Friendly: Children 12 and under, half price with an adult
Concert Hall |
MASON HIGHLIGHTS
A brief listing of other events at nearby
Mason
By Nancy Ragsdale, OLLI
E-News staff writer
- Manassas Mini-Triathlon – Sun, Jun
10, 7:30 am, at Mason’s Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center, Manassas,
VA 20110. For ages 10 – 100, featuring short triathlon distances
especially for people who would like to try a multi-sport event like a
triathlon: 250-yard pool swim, 4-mile bike ride, and 1.4 mile run.
Entry fee $55. Deadline for online entry Jun 6, for mail-in entry May
29 (postmarked). For more information, see the organization's Website
or call 703-637-0370.
- Sondheim Revue – Sat, Jun 16, 8:00,
at the Northern Virginia Jewish Community Center, 8900 Little River
Turnpike. This revue is being held to benefit Mason's Theater of the
First Amendment. It features Stephen Sondheim songs from Broadway
musicals, including "Follies," "A Little Night Music," and "A Funny
Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" among others. General admission
tickets cost $20. Get tickets at www.tickets.com
or by calling 888-945-2468.
COMING
ATTRACTIONS
Non-class events at OLLI for the next two
weeks
The following
list covering the
next two weeks is extracted for your
convenience from the more
complete OLLI
Staff Forecast of Non-Class Events. Board, committee, resource-group and
'membership-type' meetings/events are highlighted
in bold. OLLI members are
welcome at all Board, committee and resource-group meetings (except
executive sessions).
JUNE
1 Friday End
of Summer Registration
9:30 AM
Drama Club TA-3
10:30 AM Homer
Book Club Annex
5 Tuesday 8:15 AM
Walking Group - Reston Lake Anne
6 Wednesday 10:00
AM Bridge
Club TA-3
1:30
PM Special Events Resource Group Mtg
7 Thursday 10:00
AM Watercolor Makeup Class
Annex
8 Friday 10:00 AM
Recorder Group TA-2
10:30 AM Homer
Book Club Annex
12 Tuesday 8:15
AM Walking Group - Reston Lake
Anne
13 Wednesday 10:00
AM Tallwood Book Club TA-2
10:00 AM Bridge
Club TA-3
12:00 Noon Let's Do
Lunch at Jasmine Café
Reston
14 Thursday 10:00
AM Watercolor Makeup Class Annex
12:00 Noon Luncheon
for GMU Service/Physical Plant Employees
TA-1
15 Friday 9:30 AM
Drama Club TA-3
10:00
AM Board of Directors Meeting TA-1
10:00 AM
Recorder Group TA-2
10:30 AM Homer
Book Club Annex |
Back to top
Rod
Zumbro
Editor
Karen
Hamilton
Deputy
Editor
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About OLLI
E-News. OLLI
E-News, OLLI's weekly newsletter, is emailed to OLLI
members with email addresses on Fridays. When classes are in
session, printed copies of this newsletter are distributed in
classrooms, primarily for members without email. We encourage OLLI
members and
staff employees to submit news items and write articles; deadline to
the editor is 7:00 PM Wed (Mon for letters to the editor) for that
week's issue. Comments,
suggestions or complaints? Please contact the OLLI
E-News editor or the
Publications Committee chair, Gordon
Canyock.
Note
about HTML graphics. If
you do NOT see
photos and
clickable links in this message, you might want to ask a teenaged
grandchild or a neighborhood teenager or college student to fix things
for you. Or you could change your
email settings yourself. Here's how to view html-formatted messages
like this newsletter in
three popular email systems:
- Microsoft
Outlook
Express.
Click Tools; select Options; in the Read tab, uncheck "Read all
messages in plain text."
- Mozilla
Thunderbird.
Click Tools; select Options and click the Privacy icon; click the
General tab. Uncheck "Block loading of remote images" and uncheck
"Block Javascript." Click OK. Now click View; select "Message Body As
... Original HTML" (not Plain Text). Also in View, select "Display
Attachments Inline" so that selection is checked.
- Yahoo
Mail.
Click Mail Options/General Preferences; under Security, uncheck "Block
HTML graphics in email messages from being downloaded."
- AOL.
Upgrade,
if possible, to an AOL version above 5.0.
GMU Webmail.
If OLLI E-News is being sent
to your gmu.edu email address, we recommend against
using GMU Webmail
(i.e., iPlanet "Messenger Express") to read this newsletter
because it
is normally impossible to view the newsletter in GMU
Webmail
as a single
integrated
document, with text and accompanying images. You could forward the
newsletter to your alternate Web-based email account such as Yahoo Mail
or
Hotmail and read it there ... or just read it online at
the OLLI
Website after it is posted
each week.
Perhaps the easiest solution for those of you with GMU email accounts
is to configure your desktop email system such
as Microsoft Outlook Express or Mozilla Thunderbird to retrieve mail
sent to your gmu.edu address. To do this, see these
instructions.
Finding
the Latest
Issue Online. The
new weekly issue of OLLI E-News
is
usually posted Thursday evening. Here's how to read the online version
right after
it is posted:
- It is identified by
the next number in
sequence for that year -- e.g., if last week's issue number were
enews1-07, the next issue number would be enews2-07 and could be found
at www.olli.gmu.edu/enews2-07.htm.
- Thus, go to the list of the last 12
issues, click the most recent issue (probably last week's), change
(in the address field of your browser) the enews number to the next
number, and then press Enter.
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OLLI
E-News Editorial Staff
Assistant
Editor, Database Manager
Barbara Kyriakakis
Assistant
Editor
Arleen Richman
Photo
Editor
Michael Coyne |
| Copyright
©
2007 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University.
Materials in this publication subject to OLLI-GMU copyright may be
reproduced for noncommercial educational purposes as long as credit is
given to OLLI-GMU. |
|
Updated:
June 1, 2007
Copyright © 2007 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at
George Mason University. Materials in this publication subject to
OLLI-GMU copyright may be reproduced for noncommercial educational
purposes as long as credit is given to OLLI-GMU.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University
4210 Roberts Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032-1028
Phone: (703) 503-3384; E-mail: olli@gmu.edu;
Fax: (703) 503-2832
Original site design and construction by OLLI-GMU member Rod Zumbro. |
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