HELP GROW OLLI THIS SPRING! | |
OLLI is holding a membership drive this spring! We are holding steady at about 800 members, and we want to keep growing to keep sharing the wonderful things we do together with more people in Butte County and beyond. | |
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Our goal, beginning March 10 when the spring catalog is released, is to get 100 members in 100 days. Those 100 members can be totally new to OLLI or people who used to be OLLI members but paused their membership for a time. Adding 100 members – or more – this spring will keep us in line with our long-term goal and our path back to the Osher Foundation required minimum of 1000 members.
To get there, we need your help! Word of mouth is the most effective way to let people know about OLLI. We're asking each of you to reach out to one or more of your friends, family members, or acquaintances to share what OLLI means to you. To help with this, we've stocked each classroom at The Social Chico with our 5"x7" word of mouth cards. You can keep them in your car or bag, ready for opportunities to share the joy of OLLI. Take a few cards and hand them out as you're out and about.
And remember, when you refer someone you know and they also join OLLI, you can both register early for classes this spring. Whether you're taking all your classes together or enjoying separate parts of OLLI, registering early lets you avoid the rush on popular classes or classes with limited capacity. Contact the OLLI office at olli@csuchico.edu or 530-898-6679 by March 27 to confirm.
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OLLI PLAY FESTIVAL AUDITIONS TODAY AND TOMORROW | |
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The 2025 OLLI Play Festival has many fun roles (short and long) for men and women and a reader's theatre play for actors who would prefer to have the script in hand. No acting experience is necessary.
Auditions
Today, Thursday, February 27, 12-2:30pm
Tomorrow, Friday, February 28, 1-4pm
Gordon 1 at The Social Chico
Rehearsals: March 10-April 15
Performances: April 16-19
Email Pam Loyd at pamloyd@icloud.com for copies of the plays to choose the roles you want to audition for. No need to print the plays; scripts will be made available at the auditions. Come join the fun!
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REMINDER: THE SOCIAL CHICO CAFETERIA RULES | |
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The OLLI lunch hour at The Social Chico's main cafeteria is a great opportunity to spend time with other members. It is important to remember that we are guests at The Social, and we need to be respectful of The Social and their rules when we are there. If we are not, we can lose the privilege of using the cafeteria.
Like other buffets, The Social allows you to eat what you want while you're there, but does not allow you to take extra food with you when you leave. We appreciate you following the rules and being polite to The Social staff when they issue reminders.
If you have any questions about The Social lunch hour, you can reach the OLLI office at olli@csuchico.edu or 530-898-6679.
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GIVE THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP TODAY OR TOMORROW! | |
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There are just two days left to Donate to OLLI in February and make someone feel special! For each gift of $25 or more we receive by 11:59pm on February 28, we will mail a one-of-a-kind greeting card made by one of our talented OLLI artists to a person you designate. Look for the option to "make this gift in honor of someone" on the donation form.
Celebrate OLLI friendships and let someone know you're thinking about them!
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MEMBER BENEFIT: SOCIAL MEETUPS | |
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With just over two weeks of winter classes left, spring social meetups are just around the corner! Spring social meetups begin on Sunday, March 16.
Social meetups are an easy, casual way to get together with other OLLI members. Any member can organize a meetup, and we invite you to bring your friends to meetups to give them a taste of what OLLI is all about.
Social meetups are very easy to organize. All you have to do is pick a day, time, and place, and then fill out the form to get it on the weekly calendar. The calendar is emailed to members at 8am on Sunday mornings during the meetup session.
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WINTER COMMUNITY SPEAKER SERIES | |
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Save the date for our Winter Community Speaker Series on Wednesday, March 5, 3-4:30pm. Cathryn Carkhuff and Carolyn Nava will join us to talk about the Local Master Plan on Aging.
We all want to age with access to high-quality, affordable healthcare, housing, transportation, and support services that preserve our dignity and quality of life. The Local Master Plan for Aging is at the forefront of state and national efforts to collaboratively address the needs of older adults and people with disabilities. Join us for an up-close look at the history and development of the plan and learn ways for you to join and stay connected with local plan activities.
Cathryn Carkhuff (she/her) is the director of Home & Heart and on the Steering Committee for the Local Master Plan on Aging. Carolyn "CJ” Nava serves as the community relations director for the Disability Action Center (DAC) and chairs DAC's nine-county flagship systems change activity, the Diversability Advocacy Network (DAN), which supports the Local Master Plan for Aging Advisory Committee.
Free and open to the public!
A hybrid event – join us in Bradley 2 at The Social Chico or on Zoom. Check the OLLI website the day of the event for the Zoom link.
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TRAVEL AND LEARN WITH OLLI | |
Discover Croatia, Slovenia and the Adriatic Coast, Fall '25 | |
Newly Announced! Italy's Treasures, Spring '26 | |
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Vineyards, olive groves, and cities that float. Incredible history, indelible culture, and unforgettable cuisine. This is l’Italia at its most iconic. From medieval masterpieces to bustling piazzas, be swept away by the legendary treasures of northern Italy in this small group tour. Your 12 days and 18 meals will be guided by seasoned tour guides from Collette.
View the Italy's Treasures full itinerary (pdf) and book now for discounted rates.
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Discover Spectacular Scandinavia, Summer '25 | |
LEAVE A LEGACY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING | |
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Legacy gifts from OLLI Members help to provide a solid foundation for our thriving lifelong learning community.
Legacy gifts fund facility upgrades, scholarships, events, volunteer appreciation, and stabilized member fees for everyone.
These gifts are a meaningful way you can invest in a community that enriches the second half-century of our lives.
To learn more, or discuss the ins and outs of including OLLI in your legacy, contact Program Director Andrew Lavin at alavin@csuchico.edu or 530-898-3362.
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MEET A MEMBER: TRUDIE LEAP | |
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Trudie Leap, pictured, has been an OLLI member for about 25 years, since the days of Prime Timers. She was born in Fresno, and moved for a short time to LA where her father worked as a reporter and her mother worked as a nurse. They moved back to Fresno in her childhood and she learned hard work from her parents and the dust bowl transplant farmers around her.
Trudie received a scholarship to study history with a minor in French at UC Berkeley. After graduation, she worked hard to save money so she could travel. She lived in Spain for three years where she became fluent in Spanish and had her first son in Sevilla. Her husband at the time worked for USAID, so they moved around. They spent time in North Africa and Washington, D.C. before being deployed in Cameroon and Gabon. Trudie learned French in West Africa, becoming fluent in her third language. They were able also to spend some time in Cape Town before moving back to the United States. She became a French, Spanish, and music teacher for elementary schools in Southern Oregon and Southern California. In total she had two sons and a daughter.
After retirement, Trudie joined her mother and sister in Chico. She loves the park, the university, programs like OLLI, and the fact that one can get out of town and into the country with such ease. OLLI has been a "lifesaver, a mind saver" for Trudie. She tries to go every day she can, often to attend more than one class.
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OLLI TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE PUB ON MARCH 18 | |
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Bring some friends or join other OLLI members for an OLLI-sponsored British-themed trivia night. Program Director Andrew Lavin will run a game of trivia for everyone who wants to participate: OLLI members, friends, and any other pubgoers. Help spread the word by inviting some guests and showing them the fun things OLLI members get up to.
Tuesday, March 18, 6-7:30pm
The Allies Pub, 426 Broadway Suite 130, Chico (map)
No cost to participate; food and drinks on your own. Arrive at 5:30pm to order drinks and food.
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Hikes are some of the most popular classes OLLI offers. We have added an additional hike to the schedule, and there is space available on a first come, first served basis.
Hike Peregrine Point will take place on the afternoon of Friday, March 14. Join an exploration of the Peregrine Point area of Upper Park, otherwise known as the Disc Golf Course. The hike is about 2 miles total through grassy areas with uneven terrain.
Register now and go hiking with other OLLI members next month.
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Steve Herman, pictured, retired from Chico State and still wanted to teach. That brought him to OLLI.
"I love my fellow OLLI participants," he said. "We have a good time together. I've learned a lot. I am grateful. I look forward to offering many more classes from here on out."
Steve's winter class "What in The World? A Data-Based Look at Some Contemporary Global Issues" has ended, but keep an eye out for him in future terms.
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BUTTE COUNTY MUSEUM WEEKEND | |
RAMADAN BEGINS TOMORROW EVENING | |
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Ramadan is a month-long religious observance that begins this year at sundown on February 28. The observance of Ramadan through fasting, prayer, reflection, and community is one of the central practices of Islam. Ramadan fasts last from dawn to dusk each day, and are bookended by meals known as suhur and iftar.
The end of Ramadan is marked by the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which begins this year at sundown on March 30. Eid al-Fitr is marked by giving money to the poor and needy in a practice known as zakat al-Fitr, prayer, and celebration. The foods for Eid al-Fitr are often sweet leading to the day being known as "sweet Eid." Muslim communities from different parts of the world have different foods, from cambaabur from Somalia to lapis legit in Indonesia.
The greetings for your Muslim friends are "Ramadan Kareem," meaning "Have a generous Ramadan,” during Ramadan and "Eid Mubarak," meaning "Blessed Eid" on Eid al-Fitr.
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Maureen Fredrickson, founder of OLLI's "Arts & Eats" class and former OLLI instructor of Butte County history passed away on Thursday, February 20. "Maureen was very committed to OLLI, and especially 'Arts & Eats,' and she also loved the movie classes," said current "Arts & Eats" instructor Bill Houck. "My wife and I were very close to Maureen, and will miss her greatly, as will all of her many friends." Fellow member Margaret Rader remembered, "Maureen was an active member of the Gallery committee for several years. She enjoyed and appreciated the classes that OLLI had to offer over the years."
"I met Maureen when she started supervising student teachers in my department at Chico State," Debbie Vermette wrote. "She had just retired from teaching and still had much to give. Everyone in the Department of Education looked forward to seeing Maureen because she was so much fun to be around. She brought laughter to our work lives! Then I retired and we started a neighborhood book club and shared OLLI classes, and she became a very dear friend. I will miss her ever-present smile and glorious outlook on life."
Former OLLI Program Director Ann Nikolai wrote, "Maureen Fredrickson led a model life for women like me who strive to find balance in life by focusing on what matters most – other people. Her love of art, nature, and friendship inspired me to pay closer attention to my surroundings and choose family over work after hours. Her sense of style and exquisite taste also reminded me that art is wherever you are. I will miss our coffee shop letter writing campaigns, swapping family stories, and her bright smile and laughter that filled a room and our hearts. For those of us who knew Maureen, we are the lucky ones!"
Join OLLI members for a celebration of life to remember Maureen on Saturday, March 15 at 2pm in Bradley 2 at The Social Chico.
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HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE?
If you have something to say, a photo to share, or a question to pose to the editor, you can submit information using our OLLI Newsletter Submission form.
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