A Teacher Appreciation and Student Scholarship Breakfast Program, April 14, Honoring Volunteer OLLI Instructors from Mason and Students Awarded Scholarships by Friends of OLLI
Meeting of the Board of Directors is Friday, April 28, 10:00, Tallwood, TA‑1 and Zoom. All members welcome.
Annual Meeting is Friday, May 5, 10:00, Tallwood, TA‑1; meet the candidates for the May 5‑19 Board election. Cinco de Mayo picnic begins at 1:00 following the meeting.
The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, April 28; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, April 25, at 6:00.
By Marilyn Harriman, Member OLLI Board of Directors and 2023 BOD Nominating Chair
How would you like your OLLI membership to improve? How can the organization better serve you? You’ll get to ask these questions and listen to this year’s Board of Directors candidates share their vision in a Meet the Candidates forum on May 5 from 10:00‑12:00 noon at the Tallwood Campus, TA‑1, and on Zoom.
To kick off the forum, our executive director, Jennifer Disano, and our OLLI president, Lillian Brooks, will share updates and news about programming and operations. After the annual report, this year’s Board of Directors nominating chair, Marilyn Harriman, will introduce the eight Board of Directors candidates who are running to fill five positions that become vacant in June. Voting for the five candidates opens via email after the Meet the Candidate forum; voting runs until May 19.
To meet the candidates in person at Tallwood, sign up for Event 1102 in the member portal. This Meet the Candidates forum event is your chance to get to know the people who will represent you at OLLI! Be sure to mark the event in your calendar and register, so you can participate and vote for your favorite candidates!
Following the forum, a Cinco de Mayo picnic and celebration will be held with tacos and a potluck (Event 1103).
The final day for OLLI members to run by way of signature petition for this year’s Board of Directors election is April 25.
Any OLLI active member may run for office and be added to the current slate of candidates by getting a nominating petition signed by 10% of the active membership. Petitions must be presented to the nominating chair, Marilyn Harriman, or OLLI Administrator Susan Todenhoft (Tallwood Office).
The only prerequisite to becoming a candidate for election to the board is being an active OLLI member who wants to contribute ideas and enjoys volunteering.
By Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch, Co‑Moderators
Continuing our Wednesday Conversations series, Team Bloch (Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch) will moderate a Zoom discussion on April 26 at 4:00. Our chosen topic this week is “Have you experienced subscription creep?"
During the pandemic while we were stuck at home, many of us signed up for more subscriptions such as newspapers, magazines, financial sites, paid Substack blog posts, and newsletters. Are you still able to absorb all of the additional content? Have you stepped back and listed all of the new subscriptions you added? And, added up the annual costs? If yes, have you canceled or unsubscribed to many of them? Have your favorite sources for information changed as we emerged from the pandemic?”
Check your Daily Schedule for the Zoom link on Wednesdays and plan on some social time with Team Bloch.
Please join us and tell us what your favorites are. Meeting ID and password are on the OLLI daily schedule and are identical to the chat line logins; plan on some social time with Team Bloch.
The OLLI Spanish Club will be showing the movie Volver at Tallwood on April 26 at 1:45 in TA-3, and all interested OLLI members are invited. This Spanish-language film will be shown with English subtitles, so you can enjoy it regardless of your level (or lack) of Spanish. This 2006 comedy-drama starring Penélope Cruz received 12 nominations and won five awards (best film, director, actress, original score, and supporting actress) in the 21st Goya Awards. If you are interested in a short Spanish Club handout on this film prior to seeing it, please send me an email at MarkRamage@cox.net and I’ll forward it several days in advance.
By Marilyn Harriman, OLLI Board of Directors Member and Diversions Chair
After a three-year pandemic hiatus, we can finally get back together in person and enjoy each other’s company at our annual spring picnic. This year the event falls on Friday, May 5, or Cinco de Mayo. We’ll gather at the Tallwood campus on Roberts Road (TA‑1, the annex, and outdoors) from 1:00‑2:30. Food will be tacos (meat or vegetarian) provided by our OLLI administrators and potluck contributions from attendees.
Besides enjoying each other’s company, we’ll have festive celebration including music, a free dance lesson from a professional dance company, and a chance at whacking a pinata filled with sweet treats.
If you haven’t yet signed up for the event and would like to join in the fun, you must register. It’s easy! Go to the member portal and enter Event 1103: Cinco de Mayo Celebration & Picnic. Registration for this event closes on May 1. All participants will sign in at the check-in table for this event.
Each guest is asked to bring a dish to share based on your last name in the alphabet:
A-H: Appetizer
I-R: Side Dish Taco Accompaniment
S-Z: Dessert
To mitigate germs, all potluck items must be served using tongs, serving spoons, serving forks, or toothpicks. Please bring a serving utensil for your shared dish.
This is a fun opportunity to mingle with your OLLI friends, have a delicious lunch, and enjoy Mexico’s history and heritage. Hope to see you there!
By Michele Romano, Board Member and Health Advisory Workgroup Chair
Foodborne illnesses are with us all year long but are especially prevalent in warm weather. Also known as gastroenteritis, or stomach flu, they are caused by a variety of bugs. Norovirus accounts for roughly 60% of cases in adults in the U.S. It is highly contagious. Bacteria in contaminated food can also cause gastroenteritis. Outbreaks are especially likely to occur in high density venues such as cruise ships.
The most prominent symptoms are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These usually occur within 24 hours of exposure and last 24‑72 hours. Infection is spread by direct contact or contaminated food/water.
The major driver in foodborne illnesses is "pilot error": (1) cooking at improper temperature; (2) maintaining food at improper temperature (not keeping it hot or cold enough); (3) contaminated equipment; (4) cross contamination; (5) food from unsafe sources; (6) poor hygiene/improper handwashing. Follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Two‑Hour Rule: Do not leave perishables out for more than two hours before refrigerating them (one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees).
What should you do if you are unfortunate enough to get gastroenteritis? Most important is to stay ahead of dehydration. See these Mayo Clinic websites for more information: (1) Dehydration – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic; (2) Gastroenteritis: First aid – Mayo Clinic. If you have underlying health problems (diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, among others), notify your health care provider as soon as you develop symptoms. You can get very sick very quickly and not know it.
A last thought: “The best comfort food will always be greens, cornbread, and fried chicken” –Maya Angelou
The April 2023 Photo of the Month theme was People You Know. We selected Edward Marion's photo "Handstand," which may also be viewed at this page. To view other photos by members of the Photography Club, visit the club's photo website. -- By John Olsen and Edward Marion, Photography Club Co-Coordinators
For I will consider my cat Blackie
For he was born in a coal yard and sent to a church rummage sale
For he was accompanied by a sibling and each sold for 25 cents
For he was Blackie because only a paw had a small spot of white
For the rest of him was coal black
For his sibling was Pinkie because he had a pink nose
For I named them both when I was six years old
For Blackie loved to eat Cheerios without milk
For he loved to stretch out near a sun-filled window
For he roamed freely outside but ran inside at night when called
For both he and Pinkie slept beside me in my bunk beds
For Blackie taught himself to ring the old-fashioned handled doorbell
For he then rejoiced in the reaction from visitors when they realized who was at the door
For he walked in with a supercilious air happily lording it over the visitors
For he did a human action and they could not do many cat actions
For they could not climb high trees or eat Cheerios from a bowl on the floor
For he loved to play chasing a string or a ball even as he aged
For he chose to sit first in the laps of people who did not like cats
For usually he sat in the laps of his family and he purred contentedly
For he once left the car when we stopped for gas traveling far from home
For when we returned in trepidation an hour later he was there and we rejoiced
For he meowed outside my empty bedroom when I had left for college
For we had each other for 14 years until one night he did not return when called
Betty Smith
Without Christopher Smart’s (1722-71) Jubilate Agno this attempt would not exist.
Current vaccination policy for the Center for the Arts and Hylton Performing Arts Center is summarized as follows:
Audience members are not currently required to show proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test result for most events except when required by the event organizer or artist. If proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result is required for a specific event, it will be indicated on the webpage with event details.
Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of interesting online performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music. If you would like to receive these bulletins, just sign up at this link to stay in touch. Also, the Center for the Arts has a website,Mason Arts at Home, which has a calendar of online events and access to many past performances. Information can also be found at CFA ticket purchase page, Center for the Arts YouTube Channel, or the Hylton ticket purchase page.
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra with George Li, piano
Sat, Apr 22, 8:00
Concert Hall
A pre-performance discussion with pianist George Li and Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Conductor Christopher Zimmerman will take place in Monson Grand Tier, on the third level of the Center for the Arts lobby, 45 minutes prior to curtain.
Admission: $65, $55, $40.
Please note: Although some physical meetings for clubs and activities are canceled, some may be meeting in person or, in a hybrid mode, both in person and online. OLLI events and activities meeting online bear the identification "Z" in their course or event number (except clubs; you may need to check the OLLI calendar and daily schedule email for location and other event information). Refer to the university's coronavirus website for official university updates.
The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office. The list is accurate as of mid-week but for the most up-to-date information, please view the latest forecast of coming events on our website (News/OLLI Calendar). Note: All OLLI members are welcome at, and encouraged to attend, meetings of the Board of Directors, committees and resource groups, kick-off coffees, etc., bolded below. The OLLI office has sent (or will send) emails with links and meeting passwords to club members; you may also log in at the member portal and click on ZOOM CLASS LINKS.
Sat Apr 22
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Apr 24
9:30 am
What’s in the Daily News?
Tue Apr 25
1:15 pm
4:30 pm
Humanities and Social Sciences/Current Events Program Planning Group Meeting
Tai Chi Club
Wed Apr 26
1:45 pm
1:45 pm
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
Bridge Club
Spanish Club
Mah Jongg Club
Theater Lovers’ Group
Thu Apr 27
4:00 pm
4:30 pm
Reston Book Club
Tai Chi Club
Fri Apr 28
9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
2:00 pm
Craft and Conversation Board of Directors Meeting
Classic Literature Club
Homer, etc.
Photography Club
Walk & Talk Club
Sat Apr 29
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon May 1
9:30 am
What’s in the Daily News?
Tue May 2
4:00 pm
4:30 pm
Spanish Club
Tai Chi Club
Wed May 3
1:45 pm
1:45 pm
2:00 pm
4:00 pm
Bridge Club
Mah Jongg Club
Memoir and More Writing Group
History Club
Thu May 4
10:00 am
4:30 pm
6:00 pm
Diversions Committee
Tai Chi Club
Ethnic Eats Club
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Associate Editor: David Gundry
Weekly Editor Team: David Gundry, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger,Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Linda Randall, Tom Appich, Jane Hassell
Submissions: Members are encouraged to submit letters to the editor, letters to Ms. Ollie Ettakit (on etiquette matters), OLLI-related news items, articles, and photos. Submit material to: ollienewseditor@gmail.com. Deadline: Tuesday, 6:00, for that week's issue (Monday, 6:00, for letters to the editor); early submissions are greatly appreciated. Please limit articles to about 250 words. Note: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News on the DocStore. To search the content of issues, use Search Our Site or put your search term in Google followed by "site:ollidev2.earthcare.com/" without the quotes.
