Twenty-six Members on a Winery Trip in Loudoun County, October 13; After Lunch at the Grandale Vintner's Table Restaurant, a Bus Breakdown Left Them Walking (Uphill!) the Last Mile
Members are encouraged to bring a guest to the OLLI Annual Veterans Day Celebration. The event takes place Friday, November 10, 1:00-2:30 in TA-1. The film Fly Girls, the story of female pilots during WWII, will be featured. Register for special event 989.
Reminder: Chances to win the OLLI membership raffle sponsored by the Friends of OLLI will be sold now through December 1. Look for members of the Development Committee selling tickets at OLLI classes and events. Ticket prices are one for $5, three for $10, and seven for $20.
Program planning for the summer 2018 term will soon be underway. Please be thinking about course ideas, and watch next week's E-News for more details.
Do you know the most frequently-cited source of information that leads people to become members of OLLI? You may not be surprised that it is other members who want to share their enjoyment of the OLLI experience.
We encourage you to let your friends and acquaintances know about the types of OLLI classes and events that you find engaging, and about how much you appreciate your interaction with other members in volunteering or other activities. You can help our membership grow and sustain the OLLI programs that you find stimulating.
An important part of your reaching out to your contacts is to give them something printed to tell them about OLLI and remind them of the opportunity. Specifically, you can pick up OLLI business cards and brochures, in classrooms, social areas, or the office. We try to keep these supplies available for you, but if you find they need replenishing, please let us know.
While you are picking up cards or brochures, you might want to take several. A great way to spread the word about OLLI is to ask, when you visit a doctor or dentist, if you might leave some cards and brochures in the waiting room. That can give you a chance to tell the doctor or dentist about OLLI and increase awareness of opportunities he or she might want to note to other patients. Thanks for helping keep OLLI on people's radar in the community!
The US Capitol tour deserves to become one of our more popular events. On October 27, tour guide Walter Todenhoft skillfully reviewed the history of the building's construction for 43 OLLI members. He also explained how the use of the Capitol’s many chambers evolved over time, interspersing amusing facts and anecdotal vignettes about famous persons.
We stood inside the basement "crypt," surrounded by massive sandstone foundation columns supporting the floors and huge dome above. We visited the original Supreme Court chamber. We explored the rotunda, occasionally used as a ceremonial space, with its walls and ceiling embellished with many colorful scenes.
The tour concluded in the National Statuary Hall, originally called the "Old Hall of the House."
Special thanks to OLLI coordinator Ann Youngren for organizing this special event on such a pleasant fall morning.
On Friday, October 20, 22 OLLI members boarded a bus and headed out to Luray Caverns and Luray Valley Museum, with lunch at the Mimslyn Inn. At the Caverns, we were greeted by Rod Graves, owner and senior vice president of Luray Caverns Corp. Those who have visited Luray Caverns in the past did not likely have the in-depth tour that we enjoyed that day. He gave us a deluxe 90-minute tour that detailed the history of the Caverns, including fascinating geological information and personal stories about the Caverns and his family’s involvement for nearly 110 years. He truly has a passion for the preservation of this place.
Next we paused for lunch at the Mimslyn Inn’s Circa ’31 Room. Open since May 1931, the inn has changed ownership since those early days and was renovated in 2008. Our tasty buffet lunch included soup, salads, entrees, sides, and desserts.
Our third stop was the Luray Valley Museum, where Rod Graves treated us to a 90-minute tour of the site. He and his wife arrange, assemble, and label the stunning displays. The museum is a treasure trove of artifacts that celebrate the Shenandoah Valley, its early inhabitants, and their culture. The museum is indeed a wonderful legacy.
Yes, it was quite a busy day, but one full of learning experiences, fellowship, and fun. And isn’t that what OLLI is all about?
Each year over one million wreaths are placed on veterans’ graves at military cemeteries around the country by volunteers with Wreaths Across America (WAA). Please watch this brief video to learn what WAA is all about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC6BtKwKaUY.
This year OLLI has established its own WAA effort with an eye toward increasing the number of wreaths placed at Quantico National Cemetery. Arlington has more than adequate coverage, but Quantico struggles—and we can make a difference. Your $15 donation sponsors one wreath, and for every two wreaths OLLI sponsors, WAA will donate a third wreath. On Friday, November 10, at our Veterans Day event, we will be accepting donations by cash or check (payable to Wreaths Across America) from 12:00–12:45 in TA-1 and after the event ends at 3:00. Your check would also be welcome at the OLLI office anytime through the cut-off date, Friday, November 17 at NOON. (Please keep in mind that the office is only open from 9:00–12:00 after the fall term ends.)
A group of OLLI members will place wreaths at Quantico on Saturday, December 16, and you are welcome to join us. We have permission to place wreaths donated by OLLI members at specific Quantico graves upon request. For more details about OLLI’s WAA program, please email Martha Powers at marthapowers@verizon.net.
Performances, November 3 through November 13By 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.
At the Fairfax Campus Venues
The Martial Artists and Acrobats of Tianjin: China Soul
Fri, Nov 3, and Sat, Nov 4, 8:00
Sat, Nov 4, 2:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.Michael Burgos: The Eulogy
Fri, Nov 3, 8:00
TheaterSpace
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $10.Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: A French Musical Feast!
Sun, Nov 5, 7:00
Concert Hall
Admission: $42, $36, $25.Aquila Theatre: Hamlet
Sun, Nov 12, 7:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $44, $37, $26.
Gallery Exhibit: War and Recovery Works by Martin J. Cervantez
Continues through Dec 2
The Gallery is open to the public Tue-Sat, 10:00 - 6:00, Thu, 10:00 - 8:00, and two hours before performances.
For more information, visit https://cvpa.gmu.edu/gands.
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
American Roots Series: Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons
Thu, Nov 9, 8:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $25, $30 day of performance.
Mason School of Music: Jazz 4 Justice
Fri, Nov 10, 8:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $15.
American Festival Pops: Salute to Veterans: A Concert for All Ages
Sat, Nov 11, 4:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $15; veterans, free.
The Martial Artists and Acrobats of Tianjin
Sun, Nov 12, 2:00
Merchant Hall
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Admission: $50, $43, $30.
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 Nov 4
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Wed Nov 8
1:30pm
1:45pm
1:45pm
Tallwood Book Club–TA-1
Bridge Club–TA-3
Spanish Club–TA-2
Thu Nov 9
2:15pm
Reston Book Club–UCP
Fri Nov 10
9:15am
9:30am
9:30am
11:00am
11:00am
1:00pm
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex
Photography Club–TA-1
Classic Literature Club–TA-2
Homer, etc.–Annex
Dr. Who Club–TA-2
Sat Nov 11
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Mon Nov 13
10:00am
What’s in the Daily News, cont’d–TA-1
Tue Nov 14
9:30am
10:00am
Annex Art–Annex Loudoun Program Planning Group Meeting
Wed Nov 15
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
10:30am
12:00pm
1:00pm
Bridge Club–TA-3
Mah Jongg Club–TA-2 Social Events Committee–Annex
Tom Crooker Investment Forum–TA-1 Program Committee–TA-1 A/V Committee–TA-3
Fri Nov 17
9:15am
9:30am
10:00am
11:00am
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex Board of Directors Meeting–TA-1
Homer, etc.–Annex
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: Sheri Siesseger
Weekly Editor Team: Jean Boltz, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere,
Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Polly Johnsen, Shirley Springfloat
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.
interspersing amusing facts and anecdotal vignettes about famous persons.
Caverns in the past did not likely have the in-depth tour that we enjoyed that day. He gave us a deluxe 90-minute tour that detailed the history of the Caverns, including fascinating geological information and personal stories about the Caverns and his family’s involvement for nearly 110 years. He truly has a passion for the preservation of this place.
By Martha Powers, Board Member
