OLLI at SOU NEWSFLASH
August 3, 2020
Course Request Period Closes Friday, August 7
Submit your fall course requests by this Friday, August 7. Click here for the fall catalog. Course requests may be submitted online, or by contacting the OLLI office to submit by email ( [email protected] ) or by phone (541-552-6048). If someone you know would like a catalog, please email or call the OLLI office. If you have not yet renewed or joined for the year, you'll need to take care of that when you submit your lottery form.

Are you new to OLLI and want more information about how to register? Or maybe you are a returning member who needs a refresher?  Click here  to visit our How to Register webpage for more information. 
Winter Course Proposals Period Now Open
When one teaches, two learn. Have you considered teaching at OLLI? Or maybe you know someone who you think would make a great teacher for OLLI. Topics are as varied as OLLI members' backgrounds and interests, and Curriculum Committee volunteers are available to meet with potential instructors who would like to discuss a concept or get help with a proposal. Click here to learn more or submit a winter term proposal before August 31.
OLLI Annual Fund

The Annual Fund is especially important this year. Please consider making a donation now to show your support for OLLI at SOU. It is very easy to do online, especially when you sign up for membership. If you've already signed up and would like to make a donation now, please click here . And thank you!

If you are one of the 60+ OLLI members who have already donated since July 1, thank you for your generosity and support.
OLLI Office Support
Office Support Available by Phone and Email
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, the OLLI offices (Ashland and Medford) remain closed. Like nearly all SOU employees and faculty, all OLLI staff are working from home until further notice. But the good news is that help is still readily available by phone and email. OLLI staff are standing by to provide remote assistance. Email   [email protected]   or call 541-552-6048 for help with all of your OLLI needs.
Get Ready to Zoom!

Want to be ready for Fall 2020 OLLI Zoom classes AND help OLLI instructors become better at using Zoom skills? Become an OLLI Zoom Practice Partner (ZPP)! It’s easy! Here’s how:

  • Watch for weekly OLLI Newsflashes advertising for ZPP volunteers from early-August through early-September.
  • Newsflashes will include the OLLI instructor’s name, email address, the date, time and approximate length of the Zoom practice session, and the number of Zoom Practice Partners needed.
  • If you are interested and available to be a Zoom Practice Partner, click on the instructor’s email listed in the Newsflash and let the instructor know you’d like to be a ZPP.
  • The Zoom invitation link for that session will be emailed to you directly by the OLLI instructor.

Questions? Email Nancy Rhodes at [email protected].
Zoom Help for OLLI Members
To help OLLI members get ready for Fall term's online courses, OLLI has created a new webpage with lots of useful information about Zoom, the videoconferencing program that many instructors will be using to teach their Fall term classes.

Please click here to visit the Zoom Help webpage:  https://inside.sou.edu/olli/courses/zoom-for-students.html
Another Option: Learning Without Zoom
If you are not interested in taking classes that rely on Zoom, or just want to mix it up a little bit, here are four fall term courses you might want to consider. For these classes, participating via Zoom is either optional, or not used at all.

Anthro is Fun: Marriage, Family, Kinship
Instructors: Victoria Leo and Rick Baird
Primary teaching methods: Email, and an online classroom with one-click access to learning materials. Click here to learn more about this program (PDF).
More information: Click here

Classical Music in a Pandemic, Part 2
Instructor: Peggy Evans
Primary teaching methods: Email, and links to musical scores and YouTube videos
More information: Click here  

Indian Vegetarian Cooking
Instructor: Kumud Gokani
Primary teaching method: Email, and links to videos
More information: Click here    

You Can Create: Stress Relief Through Creativity
Instructors: Victoria Leo and Rick Baird
Primary teaching methods: Email, and an online classroom with one-click access to learning materials. Click here to learn more about this program (PDF).
More information: Click here  
Lifelong Learning Resources
Carlos Bracuto, certified Senior Fall Prevention Coach, is offering a free “Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls” online training.  There are 5 spots available. Low-income people will have priority. The online Zoom meetings will be every Tuesday at 11:00 am starting in mid- August. This is an 8-week structured group intervention that emphasizes practical strategies to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels. Participants will learn to view falls and fear of falling as controllable, set realistic goals to increase activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk factors, and exercise to increase strength and balance. For more information, please email Carlos at: [email protected]

The City of Ashland is continually updating resources available to residents during the pandemic. Click here for the latest.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice! Or you could just click here and go to the many free performances they are offering online.