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OLLI
E-News
#46-11 of December 9, 2011
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Issue #46-11 of Dec 9, 2011
WHETTING
YOUR APPETITE FOR THE WINTER TERM
From the executive director
WINTER-TERM OLLI CATALOGS should
be arriving in your mail this week, and many of you have already been
perusing the catalog via our website for the last couple of weeks. You
can register anytime between December 12 and January 4 to have the
greatest chance of getting your top-priority course selections.
All three of our OLLI sites have many
appealing courses that will stimulate your love of learning. Here are
just a few:
- What’s in the
Daily News (F701),
All the News That's Fit to Print (R703),
and News of the Day (L704)
provide opportunities for small-group interaction and lively sharing of
opinions on current event topics pulled from the headlines.
- A Washington
Celebration (F652)
will feature four lectures about very different aspects of our first
president.
- Movies That
Are Not Quite Musicals (R411)
– Ben Gold has selected four appealing movies that feature music as an
important part of the story.
- Windows on
the 1950s (L314)
– Eight OLLI members will be featured in this fascinating set of
memoirs.
- Tax
Preparation Simplified (F204)
– This course is always popular during the tax season.
- Verismo Opera
(R105)
– Join longtime OLLI instructor Gloria Sussman for the enjoyment of
listening and discussing features of this type of opera.
- Religions of
Asia (F601)
– We are fortunate to have these two lectures by faculty from Mason's
Religious Studies Department.
- Stem Cells (L806)
– Learn about the potential for prevention and treatment of diseases in
this very timely series of lectures.
Regardless of your background and
interests, there is surely something in our winter catalog that will
help you enjoy learning during the winter term!
Back to top
PROGRAM CORNER
Winter special events & ongoing
activities
By Kathryn Russell,
Program Committee Chair
BY NOW YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED the
beautiful winter catalog in your mailbox and been "wowed" by the wealth
of courses from which to choose. Now it's time to explore the many ways
to fill the rest of your calendar. As you can see, the Special Events
Resource Group, chaired by Florence Adler, has organized some
irresistible events to keep you busy this winter ( click
here for a complete list, or go to page 17 of your catalog).
You'll find some outstanding choices, whether
you seek to be informed or entertained. Check out Can't Scare Me, the Story of Mother Jones
( 964),
directed by Rick Davis at the GMU Theater Space, which promises to be
one of the winter highlights. And imagine singing along with " 'S
wonderful, 's marvelous: The World of George and Ira Gershwin" ( 954),
which will be a Saturday event.
Do you want to travel? Stay close to OLLI or
venture afar to distant destinations at these events:
- "The Plains
Indian Wars: 1862–1890" (965)
Bus Trip
- "Trip Tales:
Israel" (955)
- "Living in
Hungary: A New Culture, A New Language" (956)
- "Tour and
Lunch at Clyde's Willow Creek Farm" (962)
And, of course, you'll always find some
fascinating opportunities to challenge your brain. Try some of these:
- "You and the
Distant Future" (959)
- "To Read or
Not to Read: So what's the Question?" (960)
- "INOVA's
Simulation Center" (961)
If you seek a more hands-on experience, look
no farther than OLLI's ongoing activities. You'll find opportunities
for reading, walking and dining. Or hone your computer or photography
skills. Remember that OLLI clubs welcome all members to come join the
fun—no sign-up needed. Click
here for a complete list, or go to page 21 of your catalog.
Enjoy the holidays, and don't forget that
registration begins December 12 and ends January 4.
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to top
 WINTER REGISTRATION REMINDER
Don't forget your Friends of OLLI
donation
By John Woods,
Development Committee Chair
The registration
form makes it easy to contribute when you register!
REGISTRATION
FOR THE
WINTER TERM begins next week. When you register, please don't
forget to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Friends of OLLI
Fund (it's easy to add a donation when you register online or via the
paper form). Your contributions are needed to make our wonderful
Institute even better. So far contributions this year are less than
last year, but with our growing membership, our needs for the coming
year and into the future are greater.
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The Friends of OLLI Fund
provides scholarships to deserving George Mason University students
from departments that generously provided instructors and speakers for
our courses. It is used to upgrade audio-visual equipment at
our three campuses and for other important purposes not covered by the
OLLI operating budget, such as financial assistance towards dues for
needy members and support for OLLI
literary publications and the
Fall for the Book Festival. Friends of OLLI may also support OLLI's
Future Contingency Fund, established to help meet future needs for
expanded space and program offerings. |
A number of OLLI
members make tax-advantaged contributions through giving appreciated
securities, IRA charitable rollovers, gift annuities and other methods
that are described in this
link (pdf). If you have any questions on these alternative giving
methods, please feel free to contact me
(phone 703-941-4083) or Mike Johnson
at
the Mason Development Office (phone 703-993-4887).
We need your help in making OLLI at Mason the
best it can be. Thank you in advance!
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A
JOLLY OLLI PARTY
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Members enjoy last Friday's annual holiday
luncheon
The festive holiday luncheon on December
2; photo by Gordon Canyock. Inset: Hospitality Chair Sandra Driesslein;
photo by Kathie West. Click above photo or click here
to view a 50-second online slideshow of photos taken by Gordon (first
two photos) and Kathie West (next 14 photos).
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| Huge
kudos go
to planner/organizer Sandra Driesslein, ably assisted by her
husband Bill (not even an OLLI member!) and her Hospitality
Subcommittee volunteers: Beverly George, Lynn Gramzow, Elaine Leonard, Rosemary Reardon, Ann Shell, Eleanor White and Maria Wilson. |
Our thanks also go to everyone else involved
who made this such a special occasion, including the Recorder Consort,
Kathie West and her OLLI Players, sing-along director Palmer McGrew and
master of ceremonies Manny Pablo.
-- By Rod Zumbro, OLLI E-News
Editor
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LEADER PROFILE
Ray Beery – former OLLI
president, prime force in bringing OLLI to Loudoun
By Barbara Kyriakakis, OLLI E-News
Associate Editor
RAY
BEERY IS AN OLLI "OLD TIMER," having
joined our Institute immediately upon his retirement in 1993. He jumped
in with both feet – teaching computer labs and classes for four years,
serving six consecutive years on the Board of Directors, volunteering
as Program Committee chair in 1996, and serving as president
(1999-2000).
Born and raised in the little town of Colby,
Kansas, Ray served 2 1/2 years in the Army and, in 1955, graduated from
the University of Kansas with an AB in Political Science and—via ROTC—a
commission in the Air Force. His post-graduate work included an MBA
from the University of Missouri while assigned to Minuteman ICBM duty
at
Whiteman AFB, Missouri, and graduation from the Industrial College of
the Armed Forces, a senior service school in Washington, DC. Ray is
most proud of his role commanding the Air Force Vietnam Refugee
Processing Center at Florida's Eglin AFB, where in the summer of 1975
some 11,000 refugees were housed and processed. Ray retired as a
colonel and then had a 15-year second career at Computer Sciences
Corporation.
He lives in Leisure World in Lansdowne, where
he and his late wife moved in 2000, giving up their OLLI memberships
due to the lengthy drive to Tallwood. After patiently waiting for OLLI
to spread its wings westward, Ray promptly answered the call in 2006
when OLLI was searching for someone to lead the project to open an OLLI
site at Mason's new Sterling campus in Loudoun County. Ray’s
outstanding performance as chair of the Steering Committee led to the
establishment of OLLI's pilot program at Loudoun in 2007, highlighted
by a course taught by Mason Provost Dr. Peter Stearns. In four years,
OLLI-Loudoun grew into a mature program of its own and was accepted –
after persuasive support from Ray – by the Board in March 2011 as part
of a uniform OLLI with a uniform dues structure.
Ray enjoys teaching at OLLI. He has taught
macroeconomics, Kenneth Clarke’s Civilisation
and the History of Western Art, and he is presently teaching about
Ancient Rome (fall 2011 and winter and spring 2012). His official OLLI
position is Loudoun co-chair of the History and Current Events Resource
Group. |
Although Ray's first love is OLLI, his
favorite pastime is researching his genealogy online. His outside
interests include exercising (walking two miles every morning) and the
McLean Bible Church. Ray has three children and six grandchildren.
Editor's note. To watch Ray's brief
reflections on his time as OLLI president, click
here.
OLLI VISIT TO
MONTANA AND WYOMING
Change in itinerary of special event 965
(bus trip)
Travelers
admire the view from
Dead Indian Overlook on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.
DUE TO
A MULTITUDE OF REASONS, your advance
planning team (Jim Anderson, Dick Cheadle, Mike Kelly) has made the
decision to make a major change in the itinerary for Thursday, June 7,
2012 of special event 965
– "The Plains Indian Wars: 1862–1890 Bus Trip."
Instead of driving the entire length of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway
and the Beartooth All-American Road, the day will start with a side
trip to the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center (6 miles west of Cody,
Wyoming), return to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center for a second
session, then travel north to Red Lodge, Montana with a side trip to
the Dead Indian Overlook on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway en route
before returning to Billings, Montana.
The itinerary of the
OLLI Visit to Montana and Wyoming, June 4-8, 2012 has been updated and
is available on DocStore ( click
here); it will soon be available in the OLLI office.
To request a space on
this OLLI bus trip, be sure to register for special event 965 during
the upcoming winter 2012 registration period.
--
Submitted by Dick
Cheadle
 BOOK CLUB
Wed, Dec 14 – Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
THE OLLI BOOK CLUB will
meet at 10:00 on Wednesday, December 14 at Tallwood. The book for
discussion is Helen Simonson's first novel,
Major
Pettigrew's Last Stand.
It is the story of a retired British Army major living in a
quaint rural English village.
All OLLI members are
welcome.
-- By Ceda
McGrew, Book
Club Coordinator. Read a summary and reviews at BookBrowse.
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top
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OLLI
SPIRITWEAR
Click image or here to shop
Order
sweatshirts,
shirts, caps and tote bags with the OLLI/Mason logo
at any time directly from the vendor for delivery to your home. At the
store, click "OLLI-GMU Store" to see the pictures, then click on each
item
to see details. Note: The
pictures do not show our logo but it
will be embroidered on items that you order.
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OLLI FACEBOOK GROUP
Click
icon or here to
join
OLLI
members are
encouraged to join the OLLI Facebook group as
a means
of enhancing intra-OLLI communications. Recent articles: how to join;
how to post
photos. (The icon is also under the Quick
Links table
on our Home page and What's New page.) Note: Once you join the OLLI group,
you can access the group from your personal Facebook page by clicking
on "Groups" or "More" in the left-side navigation area. |
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Selected by the OLLI Poetry
Workshop
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 Walking
in Savannah
All in bronze, made to be gazed upon,
William Jasper strides above the square.
According to the guidebook, he died young,
having wrested his unit's flag from the other side.
Now, directing his own gaze high, the young man's eyes
skim the topmost heights of the live oaks,
flag grasped, eyes raised and riveted to the horizon
where he sees or seeks the thing that drove
him to fling his life at the bayonets,
to fling his blazing heart at the bayonets.
Down here it's all azaleas, variegated brick,
stone pathways, silence. The vastly branching oaks
fill up the square, shadow the benches, dense.
Caroline
McNeil
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to top
MASON ARTS AND
MUSIC
Upcoming Fairfax performances, Dec 9 - 18
 By Jan Bohall, OLLI
E-News Staff Writer
FOR
TICKETS, call
1-888-945-2468 or buy online
(phone and online orders are handled by
tickets.com; a service charge applies) or visit the Center for the Arts
Box Office, Tue-Sat,
10:00-6:00. More info on tickets is at the CFA tickets page.
American Festival Pops Orchestra
Holiday
Pops
Anthony Maiello, conductor
Fri, Dec 9, 8:00
Maestro Maiello will lead
the orchestra, made up of 60 area musicians, in a program of Christmas
carols and holiday tunes, including Irving Berlin's "White Christmas,"
"The Holly and the Ivy" and "O Holy Night." He will also lead the
audience in a rousing sing-along.
Admission: $46, $38, $23
Family friendly: Youth grade 12 and under, half price with an adult
Concert Hall
Come at 7:15 for an artistic discussion on Grand Tier III. |
Mason Dance Company
December
Concert
Fri, Dec 9 & Sat, Dec 10, 8:00
Students from the Mason School of Dance will perform contemporary
dances with choreography.
Admission: $10 seniors, $15 other
adults
Harris Theatre |
George Winston
The
Winter Show
Sat, Dec 10, 8:00
His impressionistic style,
which he dubs "rural folk piano," grew from his early life in Montana
and was influenced by the New Orleans rhythm and blues. Best known as a
pianist, he is also skilled on solo guitar and harmonica.
Admission: $48, $40, $24
Concert Hall
Come at 7:15 for an artistic discussion on Grand Tier III.
For
this performance, please support a local Washington area food bank by
bringing a donation of canned food to the concert. Mr. Winston will
also donate a portion of proceeds from his CD sales to the food bank.
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Mason Symphony Orchestra and Combined Choirs
Handel's
Messiah
with
sing-along
Sun, Dec 11, 7:00
The Symphony Orchestra, led by Dr. Dennis Leyendecker, director of the
School of Music, will join the University Chorale, the University
Singers and the Women's Chorale in this program. Scores for the
sing-along will be available for $10 in the Concert Hall lobby.
Admission: $5 seniors, $10 other
adults
Concert Hall
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 Moscow
Ballet’s
The
Great Russian
Nutcracker
Tue, Dec 13 & Wed, Dec 14, 7:30
With Tchaikovsky's famous score, 40 Russian dancers bring the
well-loved story of the girl who falls in love with a Nutcracker Prince
to life. Magical toys, battles with an evil Mouse King and a glittering
Snow Forest will be featured, and Russian folk characters Father
Christmas and the Snow Maiden escort Masha (Clara) to the land of Peace
and Harmony.
Admission: $88 - $28
Concert Hall
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Mason Brass Ensemble Concert
Tue, Dec 13, 8:00
The Brass Ensemble, directed by Phil Snedecor, will perform selections
of chamber music.
Admission: Free, non-ticketed
de Laski Bldg, Rm 3001
Potomac Arts Academy
Winter
Student Recital
Sat, Dec 17, 2:30 & Sun, Dec
18, 4:00
Potomac Arts Academy is affiliated with George Mason, offering private
music lessons, weekly group arts classes and summer camps in music,
taught by Mason faculty members.
Admission: Free, non-ticketed
de Laski Bldg, Rm 3001
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2011 World
Mission Youth Orchestra Concert
Sat, Dec 17, 7:30
The purpose of the World Mission Youth Orchestra is to engage youth in
the Washington area and to foster music awareness by creating symphony
orchestras, concert groups and ensembles. They will perform both
spiritual works and classical music.
Admission: $50, $30, $15 students
ages 7 – 18
Group discount of 20% at CFA Box Office only
Harris Theatre
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Natalie MacMaster
Christmas in Cape Breton
Sat, Dec 17, 8:00
This virtuoso fiddler returns with music of Nova Scotia, traditional
and contemporary Celtic melodies and Christmas carols. Her signature
sound combines Celtic, bluegrass, folk and acoustics with jazz, rock
and classical music. For more info and a video, click here.
Admission: $50, $42, $25
Family friendly: Youth grade 12 and under, half price with an adult
Concert Hall
Come at 7:15 for an artistic discussion on Grand Tier III.
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Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano
Fiesta
Navidad
Sun, Dec 18, 4:00
Cultural traditions of Mexico come alive in this performance by the
Grammy-award-winning ensemble. It has recorded nine albums and appeared
with Johnny Carson and in the film "Sex and the City." The program
mixes Mexican and American holiday songs, energetic dancing, authentic
costumes and an audience sing-along. For more info and a video, click here.
Admission: $46, $38, $23
Family friendly: Youth grade 12 and under, half price with an adult
Concert Hall
Come at 3:15 for an artistic discussion on Grand Tier III.
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Other Mason events, next two weeks
 By Helen Ackerman, OLLI
E-News Staff Writer
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> Film: Elf. Buddy was a baby in an
orphanage who stowed away in Santa's sack and ended up at the North
Pole. Later, as an adult human who happened to be raised by elves,
Santa allows him to go to New York City to find his birth father. Fri,
Dec 9, 6:00 and 9:00, Sat, Dec 10, 6:00 and 9:00, and
Sun, Dec 11, 6:00. Johnson Center, Cinema.
>Seminar: Dr. Carlos E. Sluzki, Mason
Professor of Global and Community Health, discusses "Shame, Humiliation
and Violence." Negative social emotions such as shame and humiliation,
when intense, may trigger extreme behaviors in individuals such as
interpersonal violence or suicide. When collective, they may foment
political violence and wars. He explores approaches toward their
transformation. Tue, Dec 13, noon to 1:00, Johnson Center, Gold Room.
Free. |
 HYLTON ARTS AND MUSICUpcoming Manassas performances, Dec 9 - 18
By Sheri
Siesseger, OLLI
E-News Staff Writer
FOR
TICKETS, call
1-888-945-2468 or click "Buy Tickets" at the event listing in the calendar
(phone and
online orders are handled by
tickets.com; a service charge applies) – or visit the box office in the
lobby of the Hylton
Performing
Arts Center on Mason's Prince William Campus in Manassas, Wed-Sat,
noon to 6:00. More info on tickets is at the ticket
purchase page. Note: Two OLLI
members have advised E-News that tickets for events at the Hylton
Performing
Arts Center in Manassas are also routinely available at the Center for
the Arts box office on the Fairfax campus, open Tue-Sat, 10:00-6:00.
Manassas Ballet Theatre
The
Nutcracker
Fri, Dec 9, 7:30
Sat, Dec 10 & Sun, Dec 11, 3:00
MBT presents Tchaikovsky's Christmas classic with live music by the
Manassas Ballet Theatre Orchestra.
Admission: $35, $45, $55
Merchant Hall |
Vpstart Crow
The
Best Christmas
Pageant Ever
Fri, Dec 9 & Sat, Dec 10, 8:00
Sat, Dec 10 & Sun, Dec 11, 2:00
Thu, Dec 15 – Sat, Dec 17, 8:00
Sat, Dec 17 & Sun, Dec 18, 2:00
A town's traditional
Christmas pageant faces challenges from participation by six unruly
siblings. The production is family friendly.
Admission: Adults, $20; students
& seniors, $15
Gregory Family Theater |
Vienna Boys Choir
Christmas
in Vienna
Thu, Dec 15, 8:00
The choir, with more than
500 years of tradition, presents seasonal music, including Gregorian
chants and holiday favorites.
Limited
tickets remain for
this performance.
Pre-performance discussion at 7:00.
Admission: $32, $40, $48
Merchant Hall |
Manassas Chorale
Tidings
of Joy
Sat, Dec 17, 5:00 & 8:00
The more-than-100 voice chorus presents Christmas carols from around
the world as well as secular Christmas music.
Admission: $12, $15, $18; free for
children 12 &
under and holders of GMU student ID
Merchant Hall |
Manassas Symphony
Celebrations
Around the World
Sun, Dec 18, 3:30
The Symphony presents its annual Family Concert celebrating Christmas,
Hanukkah and other seasonal festivals. The program features a new work
by Jonathan Kolm, a local composer and professor at Northern Virginia
Community College. The concert includes selections from Russia,
Ireland, Italy, Romania and Korea.
Admission: Adults, $15; educators,
$12; seniors,
$10; children and students, free
Merchant Hall
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COMING
ATTRACTIONS
Upcoming non-class events at
OLLI
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. OLLI members are welcome at all
Board, committee and resource group meetings. For more activities
specifically related to the Loudoun
site, see Roberta Sherman's latest Loudoun
Notes (pdf). For
more activities
specifically related to the Reston
site, see Sharon Gilman's latest Eye on Reston (Word
document).
Note:
The below list is accurate as of mid-week but for the very latest
information, please see Upcoming
Non-Class Events to view the
real-time OLLI online
calendar maintained by
the office.
Fri Dec
9, 2011 9:30am Photography
Club - TA-1
10:00am Recorder
Consort - TA-2
10:00am Planning Committee
Meeting - Cottage
11:00am Homer
Club - Annex
Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:00pm OLLI
Personal Computer User
Group - TA-1
Mon Dec 12, 2011 Registration Opens for Winter Term
- Tallwood, Reston, Loudoun
10:00am What's
in the Daily News (cont'd) - Annex
Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:00am Knitting
and Needlework Club - Lake Anne Coffee Shop
10:30am Hospitality
Subcommittee Meeting - Annex
Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:00am Book
Club at Tallwood - TA-2
10:00am The
Tom Crooker Investment Forum - TA-1
10:00am Tallwood
Bridge Club - TA-3
1:00pm Tai Chi - Cascades Library,
Room B
Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:00am Recorder
Consort - TA-2
10:00am Reston/Loudoun Investment
Club Planning Meeting - Loudoun
11:00am Homer
Club - Annex
Mon Dec 19, 2011 OLLI Closed for winter break -
Reopens Tue, Jan 3
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Back
to top
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).
About OLLI E-News
and the
member/volunteers who
produce it
Rod
Zumbro
Editor |
Barbara Kyriakakis
Associate
Editor |
Ernestine Meyer
Backup
Editor
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|
|
Review Team: Gordon
Canyock,
Barbara Kyriakakis, John West
Database
Manager: Barbara
Kyriakakis
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- 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 website 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 the
DocStore archive of all past issues by date or issue number.
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Updated:
December 9, 2011
Copyright © 2011 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. |
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By 
