There are no classes at the United Christian Parish from July 9–12. All other OLLI classes will be held as scheduled.
The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published July 13; regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, July 10, at 6:00.
Reminder: There is a presentation Wednesday, July 11, at 9:40 on climate change and weather prediction by Bob Ryan, retired chief meteorologist for WJLA Channel 7. Note that the location will be Church of the Good Shepherd.
OLLI President's Message, July 6, 2018 By Bill Taylor, PresidentGovernor Northam has announced his appointment of our Executive Director, Jennifer Disano, to the Commonwealth Council on Aging. Please join me in congratulating her on this remarkable achievement. Click here to see the announcement (scroll to Commonwealth Council on Aging).
More than 16 OLLI members toured the National Air and Space Museum's Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport on Friday, June 29. Mark Weinstein, an OLLI member and National Air and Space Museum docent, arranged the tour as the second part of his two-part presentation on the Center. His first presentation as one of the Loudoun OLLI summer programs gave a virtual tour of the Center. With more than 10 years as a museum docent under his belt, Mark guided OLLI members through the Center, giving background facts and stories relating to the exhibits.
The 760,000-square-foot center is one of the largest museum exhibition spaces currently providing two levels of aircraft exhibits. A third level will be developed as aircraft artifacts are added. The facility was made possible by a $65 million gift in October 1999 to the Smithsonian Institution by Steven F. Udvar-Házy, an immigrant from Hungary.
Attendees were especially intrigued by stories of the Enola Gay, the aircraft that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima; the SR-71, a reconnaissance aircraft that still holds the speed record; and the space shuttle, the design of which is one of the most complex undertakings in aviation history.
When asked why she came on the tour, OLLI member Diane Kazuba said when she retired, she promised herself she would enjoy having more fun, learning, volunteering, and meeting new people. Being an OLLI member with wonderful classes and trips like this “fills the bill.”
This is just one example of the many terrific classes and tours offered by OLLI during four terms each year at the Tallwood, Loudoun, and Reston locations.
(Pictured above: Mark Weinstein explains an exhibit; OLLI members gather for photograph. Photos by John Nash.)
Two weeks ago, a survey was sent to all members requesting their input on social events at OLLI. We need everyone’s input so that we can provide the type of social events you want and will participate in.
If you didn’t complete the survey the first time, you have another chance! Just click on the link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2CM7VJB. It will take you only a few minutes to complete the survey and will help OLLI provide the best socials ever.
Tallwood Book Club By Ceda McGrew, Tallwood Book Club CoordinatorThe Tallwood Book Club will meet on Monday, July 9, at 10 in TA‑2. The book for discussion is Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. The book follows the lives of three women during World War II: a New York socialite, a Polish teenager, and a young German doctor. All OLLI members are welcome.
The Tallwood Book Club does not meet in August.
The reading selection for September 12 is Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders.
Answers to your pressing questions about OLLI etiquette
By Ms. Ollie Ettakit,
OLLI E-News Manners Expert
Dear Ms. Ettakit,
We have had a formal request from OLLI that students in classes defer asking questions to instructors until the end of class to allow teachers to complete their presentations and end on time. Yet on multiple occasions, class participants have been observed to ignore this request and rudely ask and pursue questions at some length, despite evident discomfort on the part of fellow classmates who would prefer that instructors be allowed to finish before a question period.
The questioners seem to think that the formal request imposes on their right to express themselves, even without instructor acquiescence. Although I recognize that the value of the varied and lengthy experience of our members may lend some weight to this view, shouldn’t the preferences of instructors and of most class participants have a higher priority? I believe that the default should be to hold questions to the end of class, except when an instructor has specifically expressed a different preference.
-- Disgruntled
Dear Disgruntled,
Ms. Ettakit thanks you for your letter with a reminder of an issue that frequently arises concerning OLLI classroom etiquette. You are correct that the wording of the request could have been better. The intention of the notice was not to mandate behavior for the usual discourse in classes. In fact, instructors sometimes encourage questions during a presentation. We simply want members to be mindful of the shared experience, and to hold questions unless the instructor welcomes them during the presentation.
We’ll find a better way to express this without specifying an overall policy or intruding on an instructor’s methods. It is important to stress that members be considerate of fellow class participants, and to remember that our Instructors are volunteering their time and should be treated with respect.
Performances, July 7 through July 14By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff WriterFor tickets for either Center for the Arts (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 pageor the Hyltonticket purchase page.
Gallery Exhibit: Vivid Transmissions Jun 5 - Jul 21
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
The Buchanan Partners Art Gallery is open to the public Tue-Sat, 10:00-6:00, and two hours before each performance.
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 any time 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 Jul 7
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Mon Jul 9
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
11:00am
What’s in the Daily News–TA-1
Tallwood Book Club–TA-2
Bridge Club–TA-3
Spanish Club–TA-3
Fri Jul 13
9:15am
9:30am
9:30am
11:00am
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex
Photography Club–TA-1
Homer, etc.–Annex
Sat Jul 14
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Mon Jul 16
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
What’s in the Daily News–TA-1
Mah Jongg Club–TA-2
Bridge Club–TA-3
Tue Jul 17
11:00am
Loudoun Program Planning–Rm 208
Wed Jul 18
1:00pm
1:45pm
A/V Committee–TA-1 Special Events Committee–Annex
Fri Jul 20
9:15am
9:30am
10:00am
11:00am
1:00pm
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex Board of Directors Meeting–TA-1
Homer, etc.–Annex
Dr. Who Club–TA-3
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Technical Editor: Irene Osterman
Associate Editor: David Gundry
Weekly Editor Team: Jean Boltz, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere,
Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Shirley Springfloat, Linda Randall,
Gerry Ann Strube
Backup Chief Editor: Alice Slayton Clark
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 Tuesday for that week's issue (6:00 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.
More than 16 OLLI members toured the National Air and Space Museum's Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport on Friday, June 29. Mark Weinstein, an OLLI member and National Air and Space Museum docent, arranged the tour as the second part of his two-part presentation on the Center. His first presentation as one of the Loudoun OLLI summer programs gave a virtual tour of the Center. With more than 10 years as a museum docent under his belt, Mark guided OLLI members through the Center, giving background facts and stories relating to the exhibits.
This is just one example of the many terrific classes and tours offered by OLLI during four terms each year at the Tallwood, Loudoun, and Reston locations.
By Ceda McGrew, Tallwood Book Club CoordinatorThe Tallwood Book Club will meet on Monday, July 9, at 10 in TA‑2. The book for discussion is Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. The book follows the lives of three women during World War II: a New York socialite, a Polish teenager, and a young German doctor. All OLLI members are welcome.
