OLLI Promotional Flyer By Alice Slayton Clark, Communications and Program AssociateHelp OLLI spread the Word! OLLI has copies of its 3-site promotional flyer available in the Tallwood office. The colored flyer has information about OLLI, a listing of all the classes offered winter term, and contact details for those interested in signing up. Grab a few when you are at Tallwood if you would like to share them with friends or drop them at a local store/library/community center.
Board Meeting Summary, November 17 By Rita Way, SecretaryThe Board of Directors met November 17, 2017, at Tallwood. Board President Ray Beery opened the meeting stating that the main issue for the board this month is the budget for 2018. Ray stressed that although finances are vital, OLLI is not just driven by a budget but by our activity. We are a community of volunteer members who are most concerned about our intellectual and social needs and desires. We seek to employ volunteers, reach more potential members, and raise awareness about lifelong learning.
Executive Director Jennifer Disano reported that as of November 10, 2017, total membership is 1177 (annual membership is 1109 and term membership is 68). Jennifer has been actively working on building our membership base and has spoken at many organizations (e.g., institutes, community agencies) to promote OLLI. She has also placed ads in local publications, libraries, and schools, and the Cinema Arts movie theater in Fairfax will again be advertising OLLI on the screen with a wonderful video during the week of November 22-29. Jennifer also announced that we are searching for someone to be the chair of the Outreach Committee. She is working closely with the Outreach Committee members to seek new ways of marketing OLLI and, since the fall open house was successful, we will be having another one in the spring.
The Computer Club (OLLI Personal Computer User Group, or OPCUG) will meet with its partner, the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society (PATACS), Saturday, December 9th, at Tallwood. Join us at 12:30 for socializing in the Annex. Program activities begin at 1:00 in TA-1.
What's Up with Tech? Presented by Rob Pegoraro
Rob shares his insights into the always-changing and confusing world of computers, phones and gadgets – just in time for you to ask Santa for the latest must-have!
Freelance writer Rob Pegoraro is a contributor to Yahoo Tech/Yahoo Finance and a contract columnist for USA Today. “I try to make sense of computers, consumer electronics, telecom services, the Internet, software, and other things that beep or blink through my reporting, reviewing, and analysis.”
Learn in 30: Useful Handheld Apps Presented by Gabe Goldberg
Tablet or smartphone, Apple or Android, there are exactly a bazillion apps offered for your device(s). So, which are worthwhile to install, what's the best way to evaluate similar-sounding apps, what are tradeoffs between free and paid apps, how can apps be organized to avoid annoying icon clutter? Let's see if these questions and others can be answered in 30 minutes by a fast-talking ex-New Yorker.
See full details on this meeting by clicking here. For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG website. OPCUG dues of $5 for 2018 will be collected at this meeting.
Can't make the meeting in person? Dues-paid club members may attend via Zoom's cloud meeting service, beginning at 12:45. Send a message to webinarhosts@patacs.org if you plan to attend in this way. Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/2080042114.
History Club Meeting By Beth Lambert, History Club CoordinatorThe December meeting of the History Club will take place on Wednesday, December 6, at 10:00 in TA-1. (Please note off-season time.) OLLI teacher and long-time member, Pat McGinty, will give a presentation on “Civil War Prison Camps: Case Study: Camp Douglas, Illinois.” We are familiar with the brutality experienced by Union prisoners of war at the Confederate POW camp known as “Andersonville,” but what do we know of the treatment of Confederate prisoners of war in Union POW camps? Using the example of Camp Douglas, Pat will describe the treatment of Confederate prisoners in a place one source described as “a site of calculated humiliation and torture on a scale unknown in American history.” Pat’s presentations always give us something to think about; as usual, we will learn much at this one.
All OLLI members are welcome at History Club meetings. Hope to see you there!
Like Murals and Public Art? By Ruta Sevo, OLLI MemberThere’s going to be a mural arts festival at Mason April 6-7, 2018. A student team led by Jeff Yu came to OLLI to brief members on November 9th. Seven murals will decorate campus buildings using a variety of media. Prospective artists (anyone, OLLI members, people you know!) are invited to submit a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) by December 3 at https://linktr.ee/muralsatmason (as “professionals”—i.e., not “students”).
Volunteers are welcome to help for any aspect of the event. Get the buzz on https://fb.me/MuralsatMason or Twitter or Instagram. At this time, suggestions for SPONSORS to contact are extremely helpful. Companies? Organizations? Art collectors? GMU Alumni? The project is based in the Provisions Center for Art and Social Change, under Director Don Russell. Contact Fionnuala Fisk at 804-665-8131 or ffisk@gmu.edu for more information.
Photo Club Members Take Military Portraits By John Nash, Member of Photo Club and E-News TeamOn Sunday, November 19, six members of the OLLI Photo Club again teamed up with the United Service Organizations (USO) Warrior-Family Center at Fort Belvoir to provide portraits for military members and families. This year, there were 19 portrait sessions of military personnel and families . . . and two dogs! This is the fifth year the Photo Club members have volunteered their services.
After having their portraits taken, each family or individual received a flash drive of all their photos and one printed portrait on professional photo paper (donated by Red River Paper Company). “This is really a special project,” said Ashy Palliparambil, USO program coordinator. “Many of the families have not had professional-quality portraits taken in many years. Several send the photographs to family members serving overseas. We are so appreciative of the Photo Club’s members for their time and effort in making this a great holiday project.”
Angie Talaber, Photo Club coordinator, summed up the mutual feeling of the club members who participated by saying, “While this was a wonderful way to support our military people, at the end of the day, we all had learned and improved our skills as photographers. This was definitely a ‘win-win’ situation!”
Remember a Veteran This Holiday Season By Martha Powers, Board MemberGreat news! Wreaths Across America (WAA) has extended its deadline until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (Friday, December 1). OLLI members can visit this link and sponsor a wreath for $15.
For every TWO wreaths OLLI members sponsor, a THIRD wreath will be donated by WAA. OLLI members will place wreaths at Quantico National Cemetery on Saturday, December 16. Contact Martha Powers (marthapowers@verizon.net) if you’d like to join us.
Day of the Dead Celebration By Ligia Glass, Instructor of Basic Spanish and ConversationThe Spanish intermediate class, ¡Hablemos Espanol!, ended the fall term on October 30 with a very informative presentation about Colombia given by Tom Black. A party followed with an assortment of different dishes brought by members of the class to celebrate Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), a two-day festival derived from ancient Aztec rituals held to honor those who had died. Attendees enjoyed dishes including chicken salad, fruit and bean salad, chips and guacamole, roast beef mini-sandwiches, and cupcakes in the spirit of the festival.
I remember the chants of, “Peace, man, peace!”
And, “Hey, hey, make love, not war.”
Lord, we’d heard it all before We redeployed. But hard again to ignore, Here, here, on our own home shore. Or
When in uniform, when told to leave a barroom, now and then,
By those, our own, own countrymen.
Things, it seems, do change, sometimes for the good.
Now here, stateside, a welcome, something: new
sincerities in our neighborhood,
Now said by more than a passing few.
“Thank you for your service,” is welcome and sincere,
Replacing the banners and catcalls of decades ago,
That offended the eye and assaulted the ear—
Bringing morale and some leadership low.
Yet this somehow fails to recognize
Those that kept their domestic oath.
All those who stayed to organize the
Home, and support our soldiers both;
The families: wives, children, those that care,
Who lived each moment of that long, long war
In fear that something unwanted and unfair
Was somehow coming to their front door.
Courage in war comes from family where it’s bred,
And those who stayed deserve honor, soon or late,
For what, three centuries ago, John Milton said,
“They also serve who only stand and wait.”
Thank you for your service. Mike Mc Namara
(Poem read at the OLLI Veterans Day
celebration on November 10th)
Performances, December 1 through December 18By 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 Virginia Opera: The Girl of the Golden West
Sat, Dec 2, 8:00
Sun, Dec 3, 2:00
Pre-performance discussion: Dr. Glenn Winter.
Concert Hall
Admission: $110, $90, $54.Six Appeal Vocal Band Holiday Show
Tue, Dec 5, 7:30
Center for the Arts
Admission: $20.Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy: A Celtic Family Christmas
Fri, Dec 8, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $55, $47, $33.
American Festival Pops Orchestra: Songs of the Season
Sat, Dec 9, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Bryan Kidd, arranger in residence.
Concert Hall
Admission: $55, $47, $33.
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra and Fairfax Ballet: The Nutcracker
Sat, Dec 16, 4:00
Concert Hall
Admission: $65, $53, $39.
Vienna Boys Choir: Christmas in Vienna
Sun, Dec 17, 2:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $55, $47, $33.
Gallery Exhibit: Ephemeral Treasures
Dec 5 – Jan 20
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.
(Gallery reception (Dec 6) is open only to Friends of the Hylton Center. Contact Jacque Connor at 703-993-7150 or jconnor8@gmu.edu for more information.)
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
Admission free.
Paul Anka
Fri, Dec 1, 9:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $100, $80, $60.
Manassas Symphony Orchestra: Silver Passport
Sat, Dec 2, 4:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $16.
Asaph Dance Ensemble: Clara’s Christmas
Sun, Dec 3, 3:30 and 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $30; seniors, $20.
Osbourn Park High School: Annual Messiah Sing-A-Long
Wed, Dec 6, 7:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $15; seniors, $10.
American Festival Pops Orchestra: Songs of the Season
Fri, Dec 8, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Bryan Kidd, arranger in residence.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $55, $47, $33.
Prince William Little Theatre: A Christmas Chaos
Fri, Dec 15 and Sat, Dec 16, 8:00
Sat, Dec 16 and Sun, Dec 17, 2:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $17.
Manassas Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker
Thu, Dec 14 – Sun, Dec 17, 7:30
Sat, Dec 16 and Sun, Dec 17, 3:00
Tue, Dec 19, 2017 – Fri, Dec 22, 7:30
Fri, Dec 22, 2017 and Sat, Dec 23, 3:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $75, $65, $55, $45, $35.
It’s the last week to sign up for some of our Mason Cultural Tours. CHINA! Travel for 11 days to China including airfare and hotels for only $2795. More details here.
You will visit Beijing, The Great Wall, Hangzhou and Suzhou the silk capitals and Shanghai!
ECUADOR-Visit Quito and the Galapagos Islands! Spend time visiting turtles and other marine creatures this March. Find out all about this exciting program here.
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 Dec 2
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Mon Dec 4
10:00am
What’s in the Daily News–TA-1
Tue Dec 5
9:30am
Annex Art–Annex
Wed Dec 6
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
10:30am
Bridge Club–TA-3
Mah Jongg Club–Annex
History Club–TA-1
Tom Crooker Investment Forum–TA-1
Fri Dec 8
9:15am
9:30am
9:30am
11:00am
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Photography Club–TA-1
Craft and Conversation–TA-2
Homer, etc.–TA-2
Sat Dec 9
10:30am
1:00pm
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Computer Club–TA-1
Mon Dec 11
10:00am
What’s in the Daily News–TA-1
Tue Dec 12
9:30am
10:00am
10:00am
Annex Art–Annex Loudoun Program PlanningMeeting–Loudoun
Spanish Club–TA-2
Wed Dec 13
10:00am
10:00am
10:30am
Bridge Club–TA-3
Tallwood Book Club–Annex
Tom Crooker Investment Forum–TA-1
Fri Dec 15
9:15am
9:30am
11:00am
1:00pm
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex
Homer, etc.–Annex
Dr. Who Club–TA-3
Are you a person who is good at details and can spare an hour a week to help ensure the quality of the OLLI E-News? We have an opening for a proofreader who can review draft issues of the E‑News most weeks between Wednesday evening and 10:00 on Thursday morning. It is usually a brief effort to review the issue and then email comments to the weekly editor.
If you are interested in this low-pressure volunteer opportunity, we’d love to hear from you. Please respond to ollienewseditor@gmail.com. Thanks!
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, 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.
Great news! Wreaths Across America (WAA) has extended its deadline until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (Friday, December 1). OLLI members can 
