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MEET SENIOR PRESIDENT EMERITUS LILYAN SPERO
By Louise Richardson, OLLI E-News staff writer
LILYAN SPERO, ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE LEARNING IN RETIREMENT INSTITUTE, now Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, has a positive vision for the future of our program. After 15 years she finally has no worries about the stability, finances or permanence of OLLI. She sees it as a role model for the rest of Virginia and a vital contribution to the older, retired members of our community. Hoping OLLI will eventually acquire its own building, Lilyan looks forward to an "organization that will continue to grow even better than it is now."

A former OLLI president for two years, Lilyan was named Fairfax County Citizen of the Year in 1997.

OLLI founding member, Senior President Emeritus and Honorary Board Member for Life LILYAN SPERO Photo by Rod Zumbro

     Lilyan modestly gives the most credit for the establishment of OLLI to Kathryn Brooks who as Education Chairman for the Area Agency on Aging recognized a critical need for providing learning opportunities for the area's senior population. She had heard about the Learning in Retirement program at American University and enlisted Lilyan's help in replicating a similar program in Northern Virginia. Kathryn tried for years to find a university to sponsor the organization. Then Lilyan's husband Abe was appointed to the Board of Visitors at George Mason University and was instrumental in convincing Dr. Johnson, President of GMU, to support the program. Dr. and Mrs. Johnson immediately became avid supporters of LRI/OLLI. Eventually after some setbacks and successes, the original group of 40 to 50 members holding classes in one room on a GMU site on University Boulevard has evolved into the current enrollment of almost 700 seniors meeting at both Tallwood and Lake Anne. This past fall members could choose from more than 60 classes and special events.
     OLLI is not the only beneficiary of Lilyan's community service. She was active on the Fairfax Child Care Advisory Council and successfully led an effort to extend before- and after-school child-care services to handicapped children and eventually was appointed to the statewide Child Care Commission. While serving as Registrar for Fairfax County, Lilyan instituted a voter registration program that greatly increased the accessibility of registration facilities and the number of active voters in the county. For her work in this area, she received the 1985 Human Rights Award and the 1987 National Association of Cities and Counties National Award. She has been an active member of the Fairfax Commission for Women and instituted vital changes in the manner in which rape cases were investigated and adjudicated. In 1986 she was named to the statewide Commission on the Status of Women. In 1988, in recognition of her continuing achievements on behalf of human rights, she was named to the statewide Commission on Human Rights. Her energy, perseverance and creative thinking were ultimately honored in 1997 when she was named Fairfax County Citizen of the Year.
     Over the years Lilyan has continued to contribute her time and energy to OLLI. After serving as President of the Board for two years, she remained on the Board for several more years. She currently attends all the board meetings and has been named Senior President Emeritus as well as Honorary Board Member for Life. She is especially active in organizing classes and planning curriculum. Every time we walk into a classroom, get on a bus for a special event, or just meet and chat with a friend in the social room we have Lilyan Spero to thank.

Editor's Note. You can see and hear Lilyan talking about how LRI/OLLI was established in her video comments that are part of the movie, "The Story of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute." Watch it on your computer or borrow the DVD or videotape from the office. Also, Lilyan was the subject of an interesting article in the Guide to Retirement Living, which you may wish to read.

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INTRODUCING THE NEW STAFF
By Dr. Richard Chobot, Executive Director
THERE ARE NEW FACES AT OLLI. On January 3, Rae Schafer joined the staff as Program Assistant. Karen Nash is the new Finance Assistant. Both Rae and Karen have jumped right in to the OLLI task pool, and both have stated repeatedly, and under no duress, that the “water is fine.” They will be working in the main office.

KAREN NASH, Finance Assistant Photo by Gordon Canyock Karen has a degree in Accounting from George Mason University and has done work in individual taxation at Northern Virginia Community College.      She has worked as an accountant in support of a variety of small companies. As such Karen is experienced in all aspects of the accounting cycle.

RAE SCHAFER, Program Assistant Photo by Gordon Canyock Rae, the wife of an Air Force Officer, is a graduate of Russell Sage College and holds an MBA from Northwestern State University of Louisiana.      She has served in a number of teaching and administrative capacities, including service as Associate Academic Dean at a National University learning center. Rae also has extensive experience as a volunteer and has served on a number of community boards. Rae will be working with Dick Chobot and volunteers on program planning and implementation.

     Rae and Karen join Ann Hartmann, Diana Richards, Ann Youngren and me as the OLLI Team.

• Ann Hartmann has moved quickly and ably into the position of Office Administrator for OLLI. As such she has responsibility for the administrative oversight of the Tallwood site and serves as the OLLI Registrar. 
  
• Dependable Diana Richards will be back in her Tallwood support role. Diana is responsible for all of those little details – set-up, social room, etc. that make the program run smoothly. 
  
• Ann Youngren, who stepped in so ably last year, will perform the same functions for the Lake Anne Program. 

     All staff have been trained on operating and troubleshooting OLLI classroom computers and A/V equipment. This will ensure the elimination of some of the problems experienced last year.
     This talented staff will enable your Executive Director to spend all of his time in classes…not! In addition to general responsibility for the program, I will be working on a variety of new program initiatives, including the new Friday programs. I also will be focusing on a number of special projects to improve OLLI infrastructure and operating efficiency.
     This is your OLLI staff. We are here to assist our outstanding volunteers in providing the best program possible for OLLI members…and we are excited to be doing it!
     Here is a list for your reference of all OLLI staff employees, with their positions, phone numbers and email links.

OLLI MANAGEMENT AND STAFF EMPLOYEES

Dr. Richard Chobot, Executive Director, 703-503-7866

Ann Hartmann, Office Administrator/Registrar, 703-503-3384

Karen Nash, Finance Assistant, 703-503-3384

Diana Richards, Administrative Assistant, 703-503-3384

Rae Schafer, Program Assistant, 703-503-3384

Ann Youngren, Administrative Assistant at Lake Anne, 703-865-3588 (Telephone number for use only during class periods at Lake Anne when OLLI is in session)

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GETTING TO KNOW YOU
By Debbie Halverson, Membership Committee chair
ONE OF THE GREATEST DELIGHTS FOR OLLI FOLKS at the start of a new term is the arrival in classes of our new members. We feel certain, as we look forward to exciting classes, some new, some old favorites, that they--our new members--will be enthusiastic as well. And we look forward to meeting them in a more relaxed setting.

OLD AND NEW MEMBERS WILL MINGLE OVER COFFEE AND GOODIES...

at 10:30 on Fri, Jan 27.

     Tradition has it that, on the first Friday of the term, we greet you, our new members, at the New Member Coffee. Next Friday, January 27th, at 10:30 at Tallwood, old and new members will mingle over coffee and goodies, the like of which it is impossible to describe, prepared by the Hospitality Committee. The red dot on your name tag will identify you as new to Board members, committee chairs, and many members, all of whom have been new at one time and who will want to be there to welcome you to OLLI.
     Members: Toss on your name tag and come on over to Tallwood to meet and greet your colleagues and new friends. We're looking forward to seeing you all.

AT THE SUGGESTION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DICK CHOBOT, we will be videotaping brief comments of a few OLLI members about why they joined OLLI and what they are getting out of the organization.      Each set of comments will be edited into a 30-60 second video clip and displayed as part of a future installment of OLLI Video News. This is a marketing idea, and our target audience will be prospective OLLI members and donors, but current OLLI members, and friends and family of the participants, might also enjoy watching these short videos.      Naturally, we are looking for members who are enthusiastic about our wonderful institute and everything it has to offer. If you're interested in participating, email OLLI E-News editor Rod Zumbro, who will be doing the taping during the winter term.

OLLI VIDEO NEWS      The first installment of OLLI Video News is a 3-minute video of the OLLI Holiday Party.      WATCH NOW

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MS. OLLIE ETTAKIT

By Ms. Ollie Ettakit, OLLI News staff manners expert Dear Ms. Ettakit:
During the fall term, a reader suggested that late arrivals in class sign in, go to the back of the room, and cross over to find an empty seat. You agreed that the reader's advice might help. Would you please comment on the part about "signing in" as the first thing to do? The inevitable distraction caused by a late arrival is exacerbated by that person taking the time to sign in before taking a seat, instead of simply signing in after class.
-- Anonymous

My Dear Anonymous: You are so right! What was I thinking? It's obvious, dear reader, that many of us have taken to heart the class liaisons' repeated advice about signing it. Perhaps we are carrying things to an extreme in our effort to do the right thing. After all, while it IS important that we do sign in, it is NOT important that we sign in as soon as we enter the classroom. When we arrive in class late, we are already distracting other attendees; we should exercise common courtesy and minimize that distraction by waiting until after class to sign in.

Email your OLLI etiquette questions to Ms. Ollie Ettakit (who is distraught that she cannot reply personally) via the Publications Committee chair, Gordon Canyock or OLLI E-News editor, Rod Zumbro.

THE EDITORIAL STAFF WILL PUBLISH your brief letters commenting on OLLI activities and will try to include follow-up information from the relevant committee or staff member, in the same or a subsequent issue. Submit your letters via email to Rod Zumbro, OLLI E-News editor or to me, or submit them (please indicate that it is a 'letter to the editor') via the online suggestion box or the suggestion box in the Tallwood Social Room.
-- Gordon Canyock, Publications Committee chair

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EDITORIAL -- CLASS LIAISONS
OLLI's winter term starts on Monday. The first class of each course is important because that's when we meet our instructor and find out what will be covered during the course.
     This is when our class liaisons get their chance to shine. Unless you are a brand-new OLLI member, you already know by rote the things that the class liaison will remind you about at the beginning of each class: wear your name tag; sign in; put your coffee cups in the trash after class; and -- VERY important these days -- turn off or silence your cell phone, pager and watch alarm.
     But on the first day of each class, the MOST IMPORTANT job of the class liaison is to tell attendees about the instructor's background and experience. After all, we are seniors, and we've long since forgotten the instructor biographies we read in the catalog five weeks ago, when we made our course selections. Now that we're in class and ready to learn, we want to know about the instructor's background and experience; we rely on the class liaison to brief us. If asked, Ms. Ollie Ettakit would say that it is basic classroom courtesy and good manners to introduce the speaker.
     Many of you have been class liaisons in the past, and many of you will volunteer as class liaisons in the future. So let us take this time to express our appreciation to our dedicated class liaisons. WE THANK YOU for volunteering to do this extra work on our behalf at every meeting of the class. And please don't forget -- help us out (and be courteous to the instructor) by telling us about the instructor's background and experience at the first class meeting.
-- Rod Zumbro, OLLI E-News editor

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LETTERS

Kudos about OLLI E-News "Wow!! The OLLI e-newsletter is fantastic." "Awesome newsletter! The layout makes the news easy and fun to read." "Mr. Editor: Just wanted to register my positive feedback on your excellent issue of the OLLI E-newsletter of December 23, 2005. I found it to be easy to navigate, colorful, exciting, informative, interesting, and, of course, well-edited." The above are unsolicited comments that we received recently from three non-OLLI members. (We occasionally send information copies of OLLI E-News to a few individuals outside the OLLI community.)