Enews9-19

Inside OLLI-Mason: Time for the 2019 Board of Directors Election
By Evan Douple, Board Member and Nominating Committee Chair

The OLLI Nominating Committee has announced its seven nominees who will be candidates for the six vacancies that will be filled during the elections in May. This spring term, candidates can be spotted wearing special name tags prepared by OLLI staff; liaisons are asked to introduce any candidates in spring classes. There are two upcoming events where members will be able to meet the new slate of candidates running for the Board: April 26 and May 3. The session on April 26 will be at the super salad social at the United Christian Parish Church in Reston, and the May 3 session will be at our annual business meeting and picnic at Tallwood. These are important opportunities for members to hear from the candidates and to ask them questions. Elections will begin May 3 and will end on May 17.

Nominating Committee Members:
Evan Douple (Chair)
Bill Ackerman
Mary Coyne
Marguerite Johnson
Nancy Scheeler
Angie Talaber
David Talaber
Tom Urman

The figure below shows the nominees; brief statements follow.

Jim Dunphy has been an OLLI member since 2010, and his wide education and experience will serve him well in advancing the great work that OLLI does. He is a West Point graduate, serving for 30 years in the US Army and Army Reserves, retiring as a colonel. He holds graduate degrees in, among other fields, public administration, strategic studies, military studies, history, and education (the latter two from Mason), along with a law degree. For 20 years, Jim was a senior attorney for the veterans’ administration. After retirement, he taught middle school language arts and was the director of education for the union representing veterans’ administration workers, both of which provided experience in educational organizations. Over the past two years, Jim has brought almost two dozen classes in history, music, and sports to all three OLLI locations. He is the OLLI social events committee chair, in charge of winter and summer social events, and the annual Veterans Day commemoration, the founding chair of the Teacher Resource Initiative, a multi-pronged program providing resources for teachers to use in their classes. This varied experience inside and outside OLLI has allowed him to identify issues regarding OLLI’s core mission of teaching and to craft specific solutions.

Fred Kaiser’s goal for the Board of Directors is for OLLI to continue to provide a broad range of informative courses that will enrich members life-long learning. As an active member of OLLI over 15 years, Fred has had the opportunity to present or coordinate OLLI presentations on natural resources, including climate change, sustainable forestry, and wildlife management. Fred was employed for 38 years by U.S. Forest Service where he received the President’s Rank Award for distinguished service and the Hammer award for contributing to building a government that works better. He was recognized by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations for outstanding service for leadership concerning forest resource analysis, and published over 80 articles on forest resource management. After retiring from the U.S. Forest Service, he conducted program audits for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). Fred served as an officer in U.S. Army Field Artillery in Germany and obtained his in PhD in forest economics from Michigan State University and BS in economics and forestry from Iowa State University.

Rosemary Lubinski told Rala and Russell Stone that she was moving to Fairfax to be near her daughter, and they said, “We have just the thing for you…OLLI.” They knew that she would be attracted to the wide variety of OLLI programs, and in less than two years she has taken over 20 courses in photography, religion, politics, psychoanalysis, and China. She’s impressed by the talent of the photography club and their volunteer projects. Rosemary says that every course is not only interesting and well presented, but it’s worth going to hear the audience’s questions. A graduate of Columbia University, Rosemary retired after a 40-year career at the University at Buffalo as a professor of speech-language pathology. She specialized in the communication problems of older persons, dementia, aphasia, traumatic brain injury, and in professional issues. She has spoken on these topics nationally and internationally and has published widely including seven books. She brings expertise in the cognitive, sensory, physical, and social changes associated with aging and professional writing skills. She says, “OLLI is a treasure. Everyone in the retirement process should know about the breadth and availability of OLLI programs. Take one and you will be hooked!”

Carolyn F. Wyatt grew up in the colonial town of Westfield, New Jersey. She graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, and earned an M.A. in spanish language and literature from Indiana University. After ten years as a college instructor, Air Force English trainer, and student, Carolyn signed on as a CIA open-source officer. She was privileged to spend the next decade overseas in Latin America, Asia, and Europe. Carolyn retired in 2002 and was a part-time agency contractor in the areas of training, customer service, and professional effectiveness coaching. OLLI has been a boon to Carolyn, who considers herself a continuous learner and an avid teacher. She hopes to contribute further to OLLI’s vibrant presence and help build the organization’s vital future. She would like to assist OLLI in facing its various challenges, including providing quality experiences for a demanding baby-boomer population at a competitive cost and with mostly volunteers. Carolyn lives in Herndon with husband and OLLI member Michael S. Moore, a domestic longhaired cat, and a merry little Havanese. Wild animals on the property include blue-birds and dust bunnies.

Rita Way is a retired medical/surgical nurse and long-term care consultant. She moved from Philadelphia to Fairfax almost five years ago and has been a member of OLLI ever since. During this time Rita has been an active volunteer, working on several committees, helping in the office, and serving as co-chair of the special events committee. She has taught several classes at OLLI on various subjects such as, the history of medicine, the dust bowl, and the Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites. Rita has served as secretary of the OLLI Board for three years and is now running for her second term.

Marianne Metz joined OLLI-Mason seven years ago and has been impressed by the intelligence, insights, and depth and breadth of knowledge of fellow OLLI members—and most of all by their indefatigable eagerness to learn more. This is an extraordinary community of lifelong learners. Our classes and programs are envied—and copied—by OLLIs around the country. As we now stand on the brink of change, Marianne is running for a second Board term to help us continue providing quality programs in the best way possible for a grow­ing membership. Continuing the work of the Strategic Planning Committee is part of it. While serving on the Board, Marianne has tried to take every oppor­tu­nity to elicit and listen to fellow OLLI members’ views, concerns, and frustrations, at all our campuses. Marianne also co-chairs the Art and Music Program Planning Group. In addition to bringing in some top teachers, she has offered more than 20 classes herself, at all three campuses. Outside OLLI, Marianne is one of Washington’s leading audio describers, helping enhance accessibility for visually-impaired theatergoers at the Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Arena Stage, and other venues. She also produces and hosts a weekly radio show.

Margot Marino joined OLLI 3 years ago and has been a devoted OLLI participant since the beginning. She has lived and worked in several international settings (applying her language proficiencies in German, English, and French) and enjoys participating in multicultural meetings, as well as listening to and learning from other mixed-group gatherings. She brings to the table experiences in a variety of positions which exposed her to a wide range of administrative and managerial procedures and processes, especially customer service. Margot retired from the US Department of State after 23 years of service in several bureaus with varied departmental-specific work, ending her career as team leader of the benefits and retirement section in the bureau of administration's human resources branch. Closer to home, she nurtures relationships with local organizations and her residential community, including, for example, activities such as English as a second language instructor, voting/election officer, engagements at the Fairfax City Senior Center, and pet-sitting services for neighbors and friends. She shares her living quarters with two furry companions, who ensure that she leads an ennui-free life. Service on the Board would be a great honor for Margot, and she stands ready to support the OLLI community with the goal of actively pursuing avenues to uphold and expand OLLI's standard of excellence.

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Inside OLLI-Mason: Dorsey Chescavage, OLLI Volunteer

By Dennis VanLangen, Class Liaison and Moderator for What's in the Daily News?

Monday mornin´, it was all I hoped it would be!

Dorsey Chescavage, an OLLI volunteer at Tallwood Campus for the past 10 years, loves Monday mornings. She is a volunteer moderator for the popular discussion group, ‘What’s in the Daily News?’ Dorsey has a keen interest in national and world events, along with political impacts on the news. Soon after joining class as a student, she accepted an offer to be moderator in 2009. Dorsey recalls the early days when she wrote down all discussion topics on the whiteboard before each class. She has rarely missed a Monday session and always looks forward to seeing class members and facilitating their lively and illuminating interactions on a variety of news events. (Photo by Dennis VanLangen)

Dorsey was born into a military family at West Point and is also an Army wife. She has traveled extensively with her family within the U.S. and to and from European countries over four decades. Experiences living in different countries have shaped how she perceives the world. Her exposure to different cultures, customs, and languages has enriched her interests in global news events.

Long-term volunteer activities were not new to Dorsey when she became an OLLI volunteer. She volunteered for 11 years in the 1980s-90s for the National Military Family Association (NMFA). Her specialty was access to military health care for active-duty and retired military and their families. In her advocacy, she testified many times before Senate and House Armed Services and Defense Appropriations Committees.

With her outgoing and easy-going nature, Dorsey is a skilled moderator, encouraging full class participation, asking thought-provoking questions, and keeping discussions moving with smooth transitions from topic to topic.

As a class moderator, Dorsey says her most significant reward is learning from class participants, many of whom are retired military officers, former government officials, and professionals from all walks of life. They bring a wealth and breadth of knowledge and passion to every class and share their career and life experiences as they relate to the news. The class always has some light-hearted humor thrown in for good measure.

Outside of OLLI volunteering, Dorsey stays very active. She has led a group of lady golfers for many years and still plays golf regularly. She and her husband are constantly on the go, meeting several friends for lunches and social events. She closely follows the news every day, and for a decade she has moderated a class that provides a rich learning experience. OLLI is proud to have Dorsey on our team of dedicated volunteers!

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OLLI Member Publishes New Book

By Elizabeth Ticknor, OLLI Member

I just published my fifth book since joining OLLI. This one, Vengeance, a mystery, is available at Amazon (click here) and Barnes and Noble (at this link). Here’s a bit about it: amateur detectives, Ruth, her husband, Ted, and their neighbors, retired CIA operatives Lil and David, are back to solve another murder. Their neighbor’s nineteen-year-old granddaughter, a troubled young woman with a recurring drug habit, is dead. The police conclude that she died of an accidental drug overdose. Her grandmother is convinced she has been murdered. She enlists the help of her four neighbors who begin to look for likely suspects. Our intrepid team is put to the test after a second murder occurs. Leads take them from Delaware, to Arizona, to Virginia.

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Aquila Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Sun, Mar 31, 7:00
A pre-performance discussion with a member of the company begins 45 minutes prior to the performance.
Concert Hall
Admission: $44, $37, $26.

Russian National Ballet: Giselle
Sat, Apr 6, 8:00
A pre-performance discussion with a member of the company begins 45 minutes prior to the performance.
Concert Hall
Admission: $56, $48, $34.

Russian National Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty
Sun, Apr 7, 2:00
A pre-performance discussion with a member of the company begins 45 minutes prior to the performance.
Concert Hall
Admission: $56, $48, $34.

(see music.gmu.edu for additional student recitals)

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Gallery Exhibit: David Barr
Apr 2 – May 18
Gallery Reception: Thu, April 11, 6:00.
Gallery receptions are free and open to the public. Please RSVP to smeyer3@gmu.edu.
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
Sat, Mar 30, 2:00 and 4:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $15, Adult; $10, children.

Mason Dance Company Gala
Sun, Mar 31, 4:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $28, Adult; $15, senior.

Matinee Idylls: Thomas Pandolfi
Tue, Apr 2, Lunch, 12:30; Concert, 1:30
Gregory Family Theater
Admission:
Lunch/Concert/Dessert Reception: $47
Concert/Dessert Reception: $27.

Russian National Ballet: Swan Lake
Fri, Apr 5, 8:00
A pre-performance discussion with a member of the company begins 45 minutes prior to the performance.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $56, $48, $34.

American Roots Series: The Seldom Scene
Sat, Apr 6, 8:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $25, in advance; $30, day of performance.

Washington National Opera’s Young Artists and Mason Opera: Raising Voices
Sun, Apr 7, 4:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $20.

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