Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Enews14-15

About OLLI E-News

OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.

Editorial Staff
Chief Editor/Technical Editor: Irene Osterman
Associate Editor:
Weekly Editorial Team: Pat Bangs, John Nash, Paul Van Hemel, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere
Proofreaders: John West, Gordon Canyock, Susan Van Hemel Backup Chief Editor: Sheri Siesseger

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 – 6:00 pm Tuesday for that week's issue (6:00 pm Monday 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.

OLLI E-News May 1, 2015
Print a condensed .pdf copy of this newsletter, two web pages per sheet of paper.
For Spring Term 2015, F806 Advances in Healthcare Series, Yuliya Jackson, Physical Therapist and Dr. Mark McMahon, Orthopedic Surgeon, Discuss Preventing and Treating Falls
 

May 1, 2015


Editor of the Week:  Leslie Vandivere
Table of Contents

Alerts & Notices

  • View the summer catalog.
  • Reminder: Sign up now to hear Delegate David Bulova talk about "Your State Government: Current Issues and How You Can be an Effective Advocate for Your Community" on Wednesday, May 13, from 2:15 to 3:40. The event will be held at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Fairfax. Go to ollidev2.earthcare.com, click on the member portal, then on View Current Offerings/Fairfax/Lectures, and sign up for Course Number 993.
  • Lord of Life Lutheran Church, whose Fairfax location is the site of many of our OLLI programs, will be hosting a golf tournament, auction, and dinner on June 8 to benefit its youth group. The church would appreciate tax-deductible donations from OLLI members for the auction. Donated items must be received by May 29 and can be sent to Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 5114 Twinbrook Road, Fairfax, VA 22032. If you prefer that someone pick the items up, please contact Lynne Saltsman, Silent Auction Chairman, at (703)323-9500 or lsaltsman@lordoflifeva.org. You will be mailed a receipt for the donated items.

Annual Meeting and Election



By Jennifer Disano, Executive Director


The Annual Membership Meeting will be held on Friday, May 1, 2015, at 10 at Tallwood. The agenda for the meeting will include the following:
  • Reports from the OLLI president and executive director.
  • Brief speeches by the candidates for election to the OLLI Board of Directors and opportunity to ask questions of the candidates, moderated by the nominating committee chair.
  • Opportunity to ask the president and executive director questions..
The election for the Board will take place from Friday, May 1, through noon, Friday, May 15, 2015.

Election Procedure

There are nine candidates for the six vacant positions on our Board. Their photos and bios are easily accessible on the Candidates page of our OLLI website.

Recognizing the accuracy, convenience, and efficiency of electronic balloting, the bylaws allow for electronic transmission and members are encouraged to use this method of voting.

How to Vote for Board Candidates

On May 1, members with an email address will receive an email with the subject line, “2015 OLLI Ballot for Board of Directors.” This email will contain a unique link to the 2015 OLLI Board ballot. The link is specific to the recipient and cannot be forwarded, transferred, or shared with another member. Clicking on the link will take you to the online ballot to cast your vote. If you do not receive this email, be sure to first check your spam/trash files, if not found there, contact the OLLI office (703-503-3384 or olli@gmu.edu).

Any OLLI member who requests a paper ballot can sign for an official ballot and envelope to be issued at any OLLI office. Use this ballot to vote for up to six candidates; you can mail the ballot to OLLI or drop it in a ballot box at Tallwood, Reston, or Loudoun. Since you do not sign the ballot or return envelope, your vote remains completely anonymous. To be counted, all ballots must be received by May 15, 2015.

Do not lose your ballot: No member having lost, damaged, or destroyed his/her official ballot may receive a second ballot. Making more than six choices will invalidate your ballot. Similarly, more than one ballot per envelope, any ballot not in the furnished official envelope, or not received by May 15 will be invalid. If you have questions about the election process, contact any member of the nominating committee: Martha Scanlon (chair), Ted Parker, Toni Acton, Russell Stone, Dave Mason, and Paul Van Hemel.

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The Member Portal Update


By Jennifer Disano, Executive Director,
and Alice Slayton Clark, Communications Associate/Registrar



Many thanks for your patience as we all learn and adjust to the new OLLI registration system. As is the case with anything new, it will take time for all of us to get comfortable using this tool and with the change. Many of you provided very constructive feedback on your experience with spring registration and have given advice on ways to make the new system better. Based on your input, we are working with the programmers to make adjustments to the system and improvements in our processes that should address many of the concerns members have brought forward.

Here are some outcomes:
  • Class Confirmation Notices. The new system sends out multiple emails to confirm registration. We are working to simplify and clarify confirmation emails for summer term so each email you receive is relevant and useful. Beyond emails, a sure-fire way to view and verify your enrollments is through your dashboard on the member portal. There you will find clearly labeled tabs to view all your registered classes, “pay-now” classes with fees, and your waitlist.
  • Personal Calendar View. We are working to synchronize our new registration system with Google calendar so members can, once again, get their classes listed in calendar format. In the meantime, if you click “print view” when looking at current registration, you can get a lot of the same information in an easy-to-read printable document. Check it out!
  • OLLI Calendar One wonderful new feature of the registration system is the OLLI Calendar which shows every OLLI offering for the term on a single calendar. Here you will find information on every class, event, and trip at all three campuses with date, time, and the most up-to-date location information. A link to the OLLI Calendar can be found on the registration homepage or at the following address: http://bit.ly/1DWgtpq
  • Payments for Events with Fee. We have relaxed our payment policy for classes with a fee. You will still pay for classes/events after you have been accepted for enrollment, but you will have one week to pay to complete enrollment (not 48 hours). When you receive an email asking you to “pay now” for these courses, please do so immediately so we can finalize rosters. If there is no payment within a week, OLLI staff will make calls to collect payment. If no payment is made before classes start, we will be compelled to give your place to someone from the waitlist in order to fill the roster.
  • Pay Ahead. If you know you will be out of town or otherwise unavailable to make “pay-now” payments once classes are assigned, please bring a separate check for each class with a fee to the Tallwood office during registration. This allows OLLI to finalize your registration if you are accepted into a class requiring payment. If you are not accepted into a class, the office will shred your check/s.
  • All Events Registered in Member Portal. All events will be on the member portal for registration. This includes not only classes and special events during term, but socials and gatherings that occur throughout the year. Please register yourself online to facilitate administration of the event. If you cannot register online, you can always sign up by filling out an add/drop form in the office.
To help members continue to learn how to use the registration system, the OLLI office will again offer computer help at the Tallwood, Reston, and Loudoun sites during the summer and subsequent registration periods. In the event that you have no computer, your system is down, or you just hate electronic devices, you are always welcome to submit a paper registration or add/drop form at the office.

Your feedback is important and we welcome all comments, concerns, and suggestions to improve the system. Please feel free to email olli@gmu.edu if you would like to add your thoughts.
 
Staff Writers Needed for E-News

By Sheri Siesseger, E-News Editorial Team Member

The list of volunteer E-News writers has shrunk, and we are seeking new staff writers to contribute articles on an occasional basis. The E-News editorial staff often originates the topic, though ideas from members are always welcome. Articles are often people focused—a profile of a new staff or Board member, committee chair, or perhaps an instructor. Writing about a person and his/her OLLI-Mason job or volunteer activity is a great way to get to know someone or to know him/her better. It is also a great way to become more familiar with how OLLI works.

If a person is the subject, interviews can be conducted by phone or face to face. A writer can manage his/her time and amount of involvement—anything from a one-time article to several per year. If you are interested, please contact us at ollienewseditor@gmail.com or speak to us when you see us at the OLLI-Mason campuses.
 

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OLLI What???


By Carolyn Sanders, Member, OLLI Players



Who and what the heck are OLLI Players?

Surely, by now, you’ve seen folks wearing tee shirts that shout “OLLI Player!” If not, take a look around because we players like to show off and be seen and heard. We’re basically “hams,” that is, theatrical types who love to be in the spotlight and noticed.

Some of us actually have professional acting experience and some have backgrounds in amateur venues such as school, church, or neighborhood theaters. The rest of us just decided it could be a fun thing to be involved with and, guess what, it is!

Each year, under the awesome direction of Kathie West, we develop a show that we put on at senior centers, retirement homes, and wherever we get an invitation. Of course, the first show is always at OLLI’s Tallwood campus in TA-1.

This year’s premier performance of The Changing Seasons of Life will be on Friday, May 15, at 1:00 in TA-1, of course. It includes music and is definitely a winner.

Come see for yourselves what OLLI Players are and can do!
 

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Ms. Ollie Ettakit

Answers to your pressing questions about OLLI etiquette

 By Ms. Ollie Ettakit, 
 OLLI E-News Manners Expert



I have long been a fan of the OLLI Book Exchange at the Tallwood location. However, I am concerned that the spirit of take one and leave one has resulted in a rather seedy situation with regard to the nonfiction section. Old magazines on the lowest shelf, an outdated 2011 Almanac and other so-so books on the sparse second lowest shelf and a high proportion of somewhat uninteresting books and paperbacks on the upper shelves do not seem to reflect well on OLLI’s normal high standards.
 
Perhaps it is time for a gentle reminder that donations of more recent and higher quality nonfiction would be well received. Bringing one or two topical tomes in exchange for taking a recent nonfiction volume or as a donation would enhance the shelves. Perhaps an OLLI volunteer would be willing to screen older material as a starter. Here’s to fine reading over the spring and summer months.
 
With Best Regards,
 
Mr. Anonymous.
 

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History Club



By Beth Lambert, History Club Coordinator




The last meeting of the History Club for this season will be on Wednesday, May 5, at 2:15 in TA-1. Our speaker will be none other than Bob Persell, and he will discuss Bevin Alexander’s book, How the South Could Have Won the Civil War. Now we know playing “what if” in terms of historical events is a dangerous game, but Bevin Alexander is an acclaimed historian, not given to random flights of fancy. And Bob tells me he takes issue with some of Alexander’s conclusions; so, as usual, the meeting will be a stimulating one.

All OLLI members and their guests are welcome. Please join us.
 

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Poet's Corner
Courtesy of the Poetry Workshop

Through Binoculars                                                                                  
                                                                                                               
Always amid the fluttering at the feeder,
the quick darts and hops and momentary perches,
I catch a glimpse of eye ring or throat patch
and think to myself the name—nuthatch
or titmouse or towhee; one of the
sparrows—chipping, English or song;
chickadee, junco. But with these, said the man
who sold me the binoculars, you may forget
to name them. You will just be with the bird. 
So I’ve let go of naming for a while
and through the lens comes bird unspoken,
the intricate stripings and brushings of color,
a small secret marking, the rush of brown wings. 
I am a mute watcher.  Or is it voyeur? 
Not keeping my distance, not being polite.
Don’t worry, don’t worry I want to assure them,

for now, in exchange, I am naming no names.

                                           Caroline McNeil

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Arts & Music at George Mason

Performances, next ten days

By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff Writer

For tickets for either CFA or Hylton, call 1-888-945-2468, buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links below), or visit the venue's box office. For more information see the CFA ticket page or the Hylton ticket purchase page.
At the Fairfax Campus Venues

MOMIX: Alchemia
Fri, May 1, 2015 and Sat, May 2, 8:00
Pre-Performance Discussion: Dan Joyce; GMU School of Dance professor.
Concert Hall
Admission: $48, $41, $29.

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
Sat, May 9, 8:00
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24
Stanislav Khristenko, piano
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5
Concert Hall
Admission: $55, $45, $27.
 
Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Rachmaninoff and Friends
Sun, May 10, 7:00
Concert Hall
Admission: $40, $34, $24.
 

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Mason Student & Faculty Performances
(see music.gmu.edu for additional student recitals)

Scholarship Benefit Concert: Concerto Winner Soloists with Mason Symphony Orchestra
Sun, May 3, 7:00
Concert Hall
Admission: $20.
 
A Tribute to Cultural Heritage: A Black History and Asian-American Concert Celebration
Mon, May 4, 7:30
Concert Hall
Admission: Free.
 
Mason Jazz Vocal Night
Mon, May 4, 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free.

Dean Reeder's Celebration
Tue, May 5, 3:30
deLaski 3001
Admission: Free.
 
Dr. Balakerskaia Piano Studio Recital
Tue, May 5, 7:40
deLaski Choral Room
Admission: Free.
 
Mason Film Festival
Thu, May 7, 5:00 and 7:15
Fri, May 8, 5:30 and 7:15
Sat, May 9, 12:00, 2:30, 4:45 and 7:00
Johnson Center Cinema
Admission: Free.
 
School of Music Honors Recital
Sat, May 9, 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free.
 

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At the Hylton Center

Manassas Senior Center Art Exhibit
Tue, Apr 21 - May 10
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
Gallery Reception: Thu, May 7 from 6:00 to 8:00. RSVP to Hylton@gmu.edu.
Admission: Free.
 
NOVA Youth Ballet: Sleeping Beauty
Fri, May 1, 8:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $35; seniors, $25.
 
Arts Alive 2015!
Sat, May 2, 12:00 - 4:00
32 indoor and outdoor performances.
Hylton Center
Admission: Free.
 
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble
Sun, May 3, 4:00
Brahms: Sextet in G-Major, Op. 36
Shostakovich: Prelude and Scherzo for String Octet, Op. 11
Mendelssohn: Octet for Strings in E-flat Major, Op. 20
Pre-Performance Discussion: Violinist, Harvey de Souza.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.

Manassas Symphony Orchestra: Sonus
Sat, May 9, 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $14.
 
Swing Machine: Big Band Goes to the Movies!
Sat, May 9, 7:30
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: Adults, $29; seniors, $20.
 

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For further details on any of the above events, please see the CFA event calendar and the Hylton Center event calendar

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Mason Highlights

Other Mason events, next two weeks

By Helen Ackerman, OLLI E-News Staff Writer

Lecture. New Horizons: Mission to Pluto. Dr Michael Summers will give an update on the progress of the New Horizons’ mission, which reaches Pluto in July. He will show the latest available photos of Pluto, from closer to the dwarf planet than ever before. Following the talk, and weather permitting, a tour of the observing facilities including a look through the primary telescope will be available. Popular targets this season are Venus, Jupiter, and the moon. In the event of inclement weather, which may be as mild as 20 mph wind or 50% cloud cover, the observatory may postpone the event until the following Monday. If the event is rescheduled, an announcement will be posted at https://cos.gmu.edu/observatory/calendar/ by 3:00 the day of the event. Research Hall, Showcase and Observatory. Mon, May 4, 8:00 to 10:00. Free.

Art Project. Temple of Transformance. The Temple of Transformance is a 20-foot handcrafted pagoda being constructed on Mason Pond, which has become a canvas for people’s stories of remembrance, loss and healing. The project will culminate in setting fire to the temple, allowing those stories and struggles to be let go. It will burn as it floats on Mason Pond. Fri, May 8, 8:00. Mason Pond. Free.
 

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Meetings & Clubs


The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office, with direct web links added when available. The list is accurate as of mid-week but to check anytime for the latest information, please view the latest forecast of upcoming 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, Kickoff Coffees, etc. (bolded below).
Sat May 2 10:30am Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Tue May 5 10:00am Knitting and Needlework Club–Panera, Herndon
Wed May 6  1:30pm
 1:45pm
 1:45pm
 2:15pm		 Mah Jongg Club–TA-2
Bridge Club–TA-3
Special Events Committee–Annex
History Club–TA-1
Fri May 8  9:00am
 9:30pm
10:00am
11:00am
11:00am
 2:00pm		 Recorder Consort–TA-3
Photography Club–TA-1
Craft and Conversation–Cottage
Classic Literature Club–TA-2
Homer, etc–Annex
Member Services Committee–TA-1
Sat May 9 10:30am Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Tue May 12 10:00am Knitting and Needlework Club–Panera, Herndon
Wed May 13  1:30pm
 1:45pm
 2:00pm		 Book Club–TA-2
Bridge Club–TA-3
Art & Music Program Planning Group–Annex
Thu May 14 11:05am Loudoun Program Planning–Rm 209
Fri May 15  9:00am
10:00am
11:00am
11:00am		 Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Cottage
Classic Literature Club–TA-2
Homer, etc–Annex

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OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE
AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

4210 Roberts Rd. Fairfax, VA 22032-1028
Phone: (703) 503-3384
Email: olli@gmu.edu

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