|
OLLI
E-News #37-09 of October 2, 2009
|
issue #37-09 of Oct 2, 2009
|
|
|
| ALERTS |
>
TODAY 4:30-6:30: CELEBRATION OF SCHOLARSHIP. Gala reception at Mason
Hall Atrium, hosted by College of Humanities and Social Sciences and
College of Science; free.
>
"FOREVER YOUNG" LUNCHEON. Mon, Oct 5, 12:30 at
Fuddruckers Restaurant, 4300 Backlick Rd., Annandale. The
OLLI Players and Readers' Theater will present "Ollie Mason and The
Great Art Heist," a spoof about aspects of OLLI by member Palmer McGrew.
>
SPIRITWEAR. Next week in class OLLI will have info and order
forms for sweatshirts, caps, totes
and long-sleeved
twill & denim shirts with our
"OLLI@George Mason University" logo.
|
ARTICLES AND NOTICES
|
> "ADVANCING" WITH THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS. From
the
executive director. By
Thom
Clement
> OLLI
WELCOMES THE CHAIRMAN. Chairman Sharon Bulova speaks at
Special Event.
> PROGRAM
CORNER: TAKE A LITTLE TIME... From the Program Committee
chair. By
Kathryn Russell
> NEW CLUB LAUNCHES.
Let's do some creative cooking. By Debbie Halverson
> HISTORY CLUB.
Topic on Wednesday: "Tonkin Gulf Incident."
> NEW
MEMBER COFFEE. Members, new and current, enjoyed Friday's
New Member Coffee.
|
| DEPARTMENTS |
> KEY
CONTACT INFORMATION.
How to contact OLLI.
> OLLI'S SPECIAL
FORCES. Profile of Lynda Hollidge, chair of
Loudoun Programs. By
Elizabeth Crawford
>
MASON ARTS AND MUSIC.
Upcoming performances at
Mason. By Jan
Bohall
>
MASON
HIGHLIGHTS. Other events at Mason.
By
Barbara Kyriakakis
> COMING
ATTRACTIONS. Non-class events at OLLI for the next two weeks.
|
"ADVANCING"
WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 From the executive
director
YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS is currently planning for an "Advance" to
be held on Friday, October 23, in lieu of its regular monthly meeting.
The purpose of this special event (usually referred to as a "retreat")
is to examine several key issues that will affect our Institute over
the coming years. The catalyst for this event is the Pathways to the Future report that
was presented to the Board by the OLLI Planning Committee last week. Pathways is available for you to
read at this page (pdf).
Although the Board is still in the process of refining topics for
discussion and decision, the framework of the Pathways report provides five basic
categories in which most issues will fall: Membership, Program,
Facilities, Finances, and Organization. What we hope will emerge from
the Advance is a clearer picture of where we are headed and what steps
we need to take to get there.
We are fortunate to have as our Advance
facilitator Mr. Dave Buczek, the founder and president of David Buczek
& Associates, Inc. He is an entrepreneurial management consultant
specializing in strategic planning, process design, eCommerce,
organization development, and change management. He is also the husband
of OLLI Registrar and Administrator Maria Buczek.
The Advance will be held at the Point of View
estate (view
pdf
brochure) operated by George Mason University's Institute for
Conflict
Analysis and Resolution.
The Advance will have negligible expenses
because Mr. Buczek has offered his services gratis and we are being
allowed to use the Point of View facility at no cost.
In future articles, I will share with you the
topics that will be discussed at the Advance and, eventually, the plans
that emerge. Stay tuned!
OLLI WELCOMES THE CHAIRMAN
Chairman Sharon Bulova speaks at Special
Event
|
From left: Executive Director Thom
Clement, Senior President Emeritus Lilyan Spero, Chairman Sharon Bulova
and President Emmett Fenlon. Photo by Tallwood Administrative Assistant
Bill Walsh.
|
ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, OLLI
members gathered for the Special Event "Greetings from the Chairman."
Sharon Bulova, Chairman of Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors, spoke
about the challenges facing Fairfax County under current economic
conditions and shared her perspective on progress of the 50+ Action
Plan developed in 2006 by the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging.
Chairman Bulova described her commitment to
providing a variety of lifestyle choices for older adults who wish to
continue living in Fairfax through their retirement years. She outlined
plans for development in the Tysons Corner area and along the new
Dulles railway corridor. On a personal note, Chairman Bulova told the
audience about her 87-year-old father's memories of World War II and
his desire to stay mentally active.
PROGRAM CORNER: TAKE A LITTLE TIME...
...to check your calendar!
 By Kathryn Russell, Program Committee Chair
NOW THAT YOU'RE WELL INTO YOUR FALL COURSES,
it may be helpful to check to see
what else you've
signed up for this term. You are probably enrolled in a class or two
during the second four weeks. Or you're scheduled for a Special Event
coming up. Whatever the activity, you don't want to miss out on
anything this term. Yes, I know—life sometimes happens: a doctor
appointment, a plumbing emergency, or even a terrific vacation.
However, your diligence in attending all the
activities you're signed up for will help us diminish the problems
caused by "no-shows." Our dedicated volunteers invest untold time and
energy to recruit outstanding teachers, who, in turn, give of their
time and efforts gratis (no honoraria paid here!). When members don't
show up, we all suffer the consequences. We're embarrassed for the
small turnout, of course, and we know that without OLLI member
support, we won't be able to get that teacher to return. Also we face
real obstacles when we try to recruit other Mason professors, OLLI
member teachers, and teachers from outside venues. Word gets around.
OLLI members also pay the price for
"no-shows." Some get waitlisted for the large, oversubscribed classes
and
would like the opportunity to fill the slot of someone who doesn't plan
to attend. It's equally important to show up for the smaller classes
with limited numbers, as there is usually a waiting list.
A quick check of the calendar, then, can help
us minimize the "no-show" problem. The most important reason for doing
so, though, is that you'll be taking full advantage of the fun,
camaraderie, and learning offered by our wonderful OLLI program. Enjoy
your fall term.
Back
to top
NEW CLUB LAUNCHES
Let's do some creative cooking
 By Debbie Halverson, Membership Committee Chair
“Nothing says lovin’ like somethin’ from
the oven,” or so that old jingle would say.
My OLLI friend Doris Bloch and I are proposing
to start a new club that features, along with stuff from the oven,
stuff from the stovetop.
As some of you may recall from my previous
articles on this subject, I've taken a few OLLI members into my kitchen
to show them my ideas on how to make our tired-out cooking ideas,
especially for one or two, take on new life. Those who have joined me
have had a good time together while looking at our meal prep with new
eyes.
So, why not start something more permanent?
Our idea is that we gather a club of however many folks want to
participate and divide into groups of three people. Cook with those
three for several sessions in one of their homes and then switch around
into new groups. The group could decide what kinds of dishes to make,
costs involved, where and when to meet. Men and women can participate,
and all would operate according to a set of guidelines that the entire
club establishes. Sharing is the name of the game: each of us has ideas
that have worked for our own pared-down cooking needs.
So where does the lovin' come in? Those who cooked in
my kitchen didn't even know one another prior to entering my front
door. Between stirring and peeling, chopping and eating, we learned so
much about one another as our conversational topics moved from food to
larger issues of family and the world. Lovin' comes from sharing, and one
could measure that by the spontaneity of hugs that closed our sessions.
Contact me or Doris Bloch
(email dbloch50@hotmail.com)
if you would be interested in a club launch meeting. Let us know which
days work well for you during this busy fall term, and we will get back
to you.
HISTORY CLUB
|
 Topic on Wednesday: "Tonkin Gulf Incident"
OLLI members and guests are always welcome at
any of the club's meetings. Bring a friend.
Submitted
by Bob Persell, History Club Coordinator.
|
NEW
MEMBER COFFEE
Members, new and current, enjoyed Friday's
New Member
Coffee
| Hospitality Committee
Chair Sandra Driesslein (left, in Halloween garb) arranges the
refreshments table. Above photo and banner image at top of this
newsletter by Dan Feighery. |
NEW OLLI MEMBERS FOR THE FALL TERM
met with current members and some of OLLI's leadership last Friday
morning to enjoy conversation and goodies furnished by the Hospitality
Committee before sitting down to learn more about OLLI. After a brief
welcome by President Emmett Fenlon, Executive
Director Thom Clement spoke about our Institute and then turned the
microphone over to several key individuals who explained various
aspects of the OLLI experience. The speakers included Membership
Committee Chair Debbie Halverson, Program Committee Chair Kathryn
Russell, and Audiovisual Support Committee Chair Paul Howard. Also, OLLI E-News Editor Rod Zumbro
encouraged members to write articles such as human-interest stories
related to OLLI and submit them for publication in this newsletter.
KEY CONTACT
INFORMATION
How to contact OLLI
HERE
IS A READY REFERENCE on how to contact OLLI. For email
addresses and phone numbers not listed below, please consult the online
Membership Directory (log in to Member
Portal).
- President:
Emmett Fenlon
- Executive
Director: Thom
Clement, phone 703-503-7866
- OLLI Office, phone
703-503-3384
- Tallwood
Administrator/OLLI Registrar: Maria
Buczek, phone 703-503-3384
- Board
members: See Organization page
(to send an email to the entire Board, send it to the office or the OLLI
E-News editor, and your
message will be forwarded to all members of the Board)
- Committee
chairs, resource-group chairs: See Organization
page
- Suggestions: Online
suggestion box
- Letters to
the editor or letters to Ms. Ollie Ettakit
(etiquette
matters): OLLI
E-News Editor Rod Zumbro,
phone
703-569-2750
Back
to top
 OLLI'S
SPECIAL
FORCES
Profile of Lynda Hollidge, chair of
Loudoun Programs
By Elizabeth Crawford, OLLI
E-News Staff Writer
AMONG
THE WAYS TO INCREASE our
Institute's membership, OLLI member Roxie Sullivan chose one that all
of us might try: talking to our local relatives. Intrigued by Roxie's
enthusiasm, her son-in-law's mother, Lynda Hollidge of Round Hill, Virginia, started
taking courses at OLLI-Loudoun in 2007. Within two years she
volunteered to chair Loudoun Programs.
Lynda has been impressed with the interesting
people she has met at OLLI and at the synergy she has observed in
classes such as writing, history, and politics. This summer Lynda held
two meetings at which, she says, a "dynamite team" of Loudoun
member/volunteers agreed to chair groups modeled after OLLI
resource groups. With the help of additional member/volunteers, they
are planning future Loudoun courses in art, music, literature, history,
science, and technology.
Lynda has an Ed.D. in Curriculum Instruction
from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia. She has taught Advanced
Placement English on the high school level and also served as assistant
principal and principal. On the university level, she has taught at
George Washington, George Mason, and Shenandoah (Winchester, Virginia).
Outside of OLLI, Lynda is busy with her
elderly mother and five grandchildren who live nearby. She enjoys
volunteering in the children's schools. Also, Lynda is a world
traveler; so far, she has been to Europe, Africa, Russia, China, and
South America.
Photo of Lynda by Suzy Jampoler.
MASON ARTS AND
MUSIC
Upcoming Mason performances, Oct 2-11
By Jan Bohall, OLLI
E-News Staff Writer
FOR
TICKETS, call
1-888-945-2468 (phone orders are handled by tickets.com)
or visit the Center for the Arts Box Office, Tue-Sat, 10:00-6:00. More
info on tickets at the CFA tickets page.
|
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
Glenn
Quadar,
conductor
Jon
Manasse,
clarinet
Sat, Oct 3, 8:00
The group, under the direction of the associate conductor, Glenn
Quadar, will perform an all-classical concert that will include
Mendelssohn’s Overture to The Fair
Melusina, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, and Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 4.
Admission: $55, $45, $35, $25
Concert Hall
Come at 7:00 for a free pre-concert lecture on Grand Tier III.
|
Studio Series #1
Fuddy Meers
by David
Lindsay-Abaire
directed by
Dannie Snyder
Thu, Fri, Sat, Oct 8, 9, 10, 8:00
Sat, Sun, Oct 10, 11, 2:00
The play is a postmodern absurdist comedy presented by the GMU Players
and the Department of Theater. Claire is a wife and mother with a rare
form of amnesia whose memory is erased whenever she falls asleep. As
she begins to reconstruct her life, she is kidnapped and her adventures
begin. The title arises as Gertie, who purports to be Claire’s mother,
pronounces the words "funny mirrors" since her stroke. The director has
received an OLLI scholarship for her artistic efforts in the community
as she studies theater and film at George Mason.
Admission: Seniors/students $3, other adults $6
Purchase
tickets at door one hour before performance
Black Box
Theater
(Lower
level of Performing Arts Bldg, next to TheaterSpace. From Level 2 of
Parking Deck take the bridge. Enter first door on left and follow
hallway; go through gray doors and down stairs).
|
Richard Alston Dance Company
Sat, Oct 10, 8:00
Richard Alston, founder and choreographer of the group, is noted for
having a close relationship with his music. He combines movement with
melody to create dance "that is simply breathtaking." This is the
group's debut at the Center.
Admission: $42, $34, $21
Concert Hall
Come at 7:15 for a free artistic discussion on Grand Tier III.
|
The Flying Karamazov Brothers
Sun, Oct 11, 4:00
Although they are not Russian—and not brothers—and cannot fly, this
four-member comedy troupe of jugglers continues to entertain us with
appearances from "Seinfeld" to Broadway. They offer a zany combination
of theater, comedy, music and juggling, with a bit of philosophy thrown
in.
Admission: $42, $34, $21
Family friendly: Youth grade 12 and under, half-price with an adult.
(Note change from "age 12 and under" last season.)
Concert Hall
Come at 7:15 for a free artistic discussion on Grand Tier III.
|
Faculty Artist Series
Piano Trio
Sun, Oct 11, at 7:00
This presentation will include performers Anna Balakerskaia, Zino
Bogachek and David Teie from George Mason University’s School of Music.
Admission: Free, no tickets required
Harris Theater
|
|
|
MASON HIGHLIGHTSOther events at Mason
 By Barbara Kyriakakis, OLLI
E-News Associate Editor
|
- Astronomy Observing Session –
Tue, Oct 6, 7:15, Research I Observatory. Attendance is open to the
public. Free. Observing session will be canceled if sky is more than
half overcast one hour before the session is scheduled to begin (check
Web site).
- Star Kid 8K Run and Walk – Sat,
Oct 10, 8:00 a.m., Patriot Circle. Benefits the Inova Pediatric Heart
Program. Registration $25; $20; $10. Check Web site for more info.
- Harry Markopolos Lecture – Come
hear Harry Markopolos, the 30-year veteran of the financial industry
who blew the whistle on Bernie Madoff and his $50 billion Ponzi scheme,
unearthing what is believed to be the largest financial fraud in
history. Concert Hall Lobby, Thu, Oct 15, 3:00 to 4:30. A reception
will follow. Free and open to the public. On the Web
site, watch a "60 Minutes" video segment about Harry Markopolos.
- Vision Series Speaker: Prof. Margo A.
Mastropieri – "How We Learn: Human Exceptionality and
Cognition." Mon, Oct 19, 7:00, Concert Hall. Free. Order tickets.
|
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 master calendar maintained by the office, with
direct Web links added when available. See Upcoming
Non-Class Events to view the real-time OLLI online calendar used by
the office. Note: Board,
committee, resource-group and 'membership-type' meetings/events below
are highlighted
in bold. OLLI members are
welcome at all Board, committee and resource-group meetings (except
during executive sessions).
Fri Oct
2
9am Recorder Lessons - TA-3
10am Drama Club - TA-3
10am Recorder Consort - TA-2
11am Homer Group - Social
Room Annex
1pm Special Event -
F955, Native
Plants
- Tallwood
Tue Oct 6
11am
Knitting and Needlework Club
Wed Oct 7 1:45pm
Bridge Club -
TA-3
2pm Special
Events
Resource Group Mtg - TA-2
2pm History Club - TA-1
Fri Oct 9
9am Recorder Lessons - TA-3
10am Drama Club - TA-3
10am Recorder Consort
- TA-2
10am Travel Club - TA-1
11am Homer Group -
Social Room Annex
1pm Special Event
-
F956, Defeating
Cancer
- Tallwood
Tue Oct 13 11am
Knitting and Needlework Club
Wed Oct 14
1:45pm Book Club at Tallwood - TA-2
1:45pm Bridge Club -
TA-3
2pm Special Event
-
F957, Speak
Up for a Child - Tallwood
Thu Oct 15
11am Fiction Writers' Club - OL-TBA
Fri Oct 16 9am
Recorder Lessons - TA-3
10am Drama Club - TA-3
10am Recorder Consort
- TA-2
11am Homer Group -
Social Room Annex
1pm Special Event
-
F958, The
World’s 10 Greatest Ocean Liners - Tallwood
1pm Flu Shot Clinic -
TA-1 and Annex
Sat Oct 17
1pm
OLLI
PC Users Group
(OPCUG) - Tallwood
|
About OLLI E-News and the
member/volunteers who
produce it
Rod
Zumbro
Editor |
John West
Deputy
Editor |
Barbara Kyriakakis
Associate
Editor |
|
|
Review Team: Gordon Canyock,
Michael Coyne, Barbara Kyriakakis, John West, Susanne Zumbro
Database
Manager: Barbara
Kyriakakis; Photo
Editor: Michael Coyne
|
- About
this newsletter. OLLI's
weekly newsletter, OLLI E-News,
is emailed to current
OLLI
members with email addresses on Fridays. When classes are in
session, printed copies of this newsletter are distributed in
classrooms. Comments,
suggestions or complaints? Please contact Editor Rod
Zumbro or Communications Committee Chair Gordon
Canyock.
- Submissions. We
encourage members
to submit news items, articles and photos for this newsletter. The deadline
to
the editor is 7:00 pm Wed (7:00 pm Mon for letters to the editor
for which an
OLLI response is appropriate) for that
week's issue; submissions earlier in
the week are strongly encouraged and greatly appreciated. Please
limit
articles to about 250 words. Submit material via email to Editor Rod
Zumbro
(email rzumbro@gmu.edu).
- Read the latest
issue early. The
new weekly issue of OLLI E-News
is posted to the OLLI Web site Thursday evening. Read it by visiting http://www.olli.gmu.edu/pubs.htm#enews,
where you will find a list of the last 12
issues; click the latest issue listed.
- Viewing or searching past
issues. Your options for finding items in past issues of OLLI E-News include viewing the last 12
issues; searching the content of
ALL issues for any word or words; and searching our
archive of all past issues by date or issue number.
|
|
Updated: October 2, 2009
Copyright © 2009 Osher
Lifelong Learning Institute at
George Mason University. Materials in this publication subject to
OLLI-Mason copyright may be reproduced for noncommercial educational
purposes as long as credit is given to OLLI-Mason.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George
Mason University, 4210 Roberts Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032-1028
Phone: (703) 503-3384; Email: olli@gmu.edu;
Fax: (703) 503-2832
Original site design and construction by OLLI-Mason member Rod Zumbro. |
|
