Our spring term, with over 90 classes to choose from in the classroom, outdoors, and online is underway! We hope you're enjoying your classes.

The three-class limit has been lifted! You can now register for any class that still has space available.

We are thrilled by how many of you have registered for classes! Some of our most popular classes are full with waiting lists. If you want to drop a class, please contact us at [email protected] or 530-898-6679 so we can offer the space to someone else.

Do you have a passion, interest, or expertise you'd like to share with the OLLI community? OLLI is looking for volunteers to lead a class for the Summer '23 term. You could offer a single presentation in an area of interest or expertise, or facilitate up to 4 weeks of discussion, activities, and lectures.

With a shorter term, this summer is a great time to dip your toe into teaching a class for OLLI. Our learning environment is fun, interactive, and varied, with in-person and online classes ranging from birds to Shakespeare, movies to farm tours – without exams or grades. We are accepting class proposals now through February 20, and we hope you'll join us!

Want to teach online but don’t have a Zoom account or a teaching space? No problem! We can start your Zoom meetings for you, get you a Zoom account at no cost, or provide you with space and a computer in the OLLI office to teach your class.

Submit a Summer '23 Class Proposal now or contact us for more information at [email protected] or 530-898-6679.

Pictured: Carol Burr and Roger Lederer leading a class. Photo by Jason Halley.

OLLI members get a special discounted lunch price of $7.50 at The Social Chico's main cafeteria when you buy a 10-meal card from the cashier for $75. Single meals for everyone, including OLLI members, are $11.99.

The OLLI lunch hour, 11:30am-12:30pm, Monday-Friday is a great opportunity to spend time with other members and get something to eat between classes without having to go anywhere. And these prices still beat most downtown eateries!

Debit/credit cards only. The Social Chico cannot accept cash.

Donate to OLLI in February and make someone feel special! For each gift of $25 or more, 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.

Each card will contain a standard message:

Celebrate OLLI friendships the entire month of February and let someone you know you’re thinking about them!

OLLI is expanding its programming to include more day trips, as well as our first overseas adventure!

A few weeks ago, Collette Representative Jay Fehan visited us to talk about the upcoming fully-guided tour to Ireland in Fall 2023. He provided more details about this OLLI-exclusive adventure, with captivating slides of the areas we'll be visiting. Watch the recording, view the Shades of Ireland full itinerary (pdf), and book now for discounted rates.

We know how much OLLI members love socializing – and we love seeing you too! OLLI will be holding a potluck picnic on Wednesday, March 1, 11:30am-1pm at Wildwood Park. This is a chance to get together, eat some delicious food, and even play a few rounds of bingo – all in the lunch break between classes.

The picnic will be Irish-themed to celebrate OLLI's first overseas trip, the upcoming Shades of Ireland fully guided, in-person tour. We welcome you to join us for the picnic whether you're going on the trip or not.

The picnic area is covered, so the event will happen rain or shine. No alcohol, no glass containers.

In partnership with Chico Area Recreation & Park District (CARD) and Capay Rancho Women’s Club, OLLI is offering day trips! Visit the Trips and Tours page on our website to see all of the upcoming trips.

Filoli is located on the ancestral lands of the Ramaytush Ohlone, in Woodside. The property is considered one of the finest remaining country estates of the 20th century, featuring a 54,000+ square-foot Georgian revival-style mansion, 16 acres of exquisite English Renaissance gardens, 6.8 acre Gentleman’s Orchard and hundreds of acres of Natural Lands with 5 distinct ecosystems and a 1-mile Estate trail. No host lunch available at the Quail Café on site. Trip includes transportation and admission to Filoli.

If you’ve been in the Bradley 1 classroom this week, you might have noticed a few changes. Last month, members of the OLLI Facilities Team volunteered more than 100 hours over three days to upgrade the classroom with new equipment made possible through an anonymous donation last fall. A ceiling-mounted projector allows for better placement of the audiovisual cart, which is a plus for instructors and members using that space. Over the same three days, a group of volunteers hung the spring exhibition in the Bradley 2 Art Gallery. OLLI asked these volunteers why they do it.

Gary Hedlind: When you focus on the right task, time flies. Plus, it’s fun and rewarding to work with people you really like.

Myron Flindt: I had so much fun working on both tasks in B1 and B2. It was just fun hanging out together and feeling like we were really making a positive contribution to the overall OLLI experience.

Debbie Vermette: I love brightening the classroom with such beautiful art and brainstorming with the other volunteers on the best way to showcase it. It’s such a satisfying experience!

Lynn Cannon: I feel like I can really make a difference in a positive way when I volunteer my time in the classroom. And I always feel like my contribution is appreciated. Plus it’s fun to go to lunch and get to know each other better.

William Tefteller: The B1 upgrade was long overdue. Putting OLLI donation dollars to work in such a productive way felt really rewarding.

Please thank these tireless volunteers when you see them: Lynn Cannon, Carla Dunham, Jerry Dunham, Myron Flindt, Gary Hedlind, Joe Matthews, Lois Olson, Dave Price, Margaret Rader, William Tefteller, and Debbie Vermette all contributed their time and skills to the major upgrade in Bradley 1 and the beautiful art gallery in Bradley 2.

Pictured: AV team members updating equipment in Bradley 1; Debbie Vermette with a piece of art at the Art Gallery Reception; AV team members updating the Bradley 1 AV cart.

Memo Keswick is a longtime world dance teacher and musician. This spring, he’ll be teaching OLLI members a variety of fun social dances from around the world, including Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Greece, Israel, Scotland, and the United States in his World Dance class. No partner is required to learn these line, circle, and couple dances.

When you join Memo’s class, you’ll have a chance to have some fun dancing with other OLLI members on Friday mornings. Once you know some of the dances, you’ll be ready to join Memo and the rest of the Chico World Dancers at their monthly dance parties.

Pictured: A Chico World Dancers dance party in December 2021.

Join the African American Family & Cultural Center and Stonewall Alliance of Chico for the 2nd Annual Black History Month Pop-Up!

The event, in the Stonewall Alliance parking lot at Orient and 6th Street in Downtown Chico, will feature a wildly talented lineup of local Black vendors, chefs, artists, performers, and speakers.

Stonewall Alliance Parking Lot (map)

Frederick Douglass, the abolitionist, writer, and orator, was born in slavery, which is why he was never sure exactly when his birthday was. He chose to celebrate it on February 14, Valentine’s Day. In the 1890s, segregated schools for Black children began celebrating Douglass Day on February 14.

Over the past few years, growing out of the Colored Conventions Project, Douglass Day has become "a collective act of radical love for Black history." One of the key activities for Douglass Day is a transcribe-a-thon that brings people together to transcribe Black history documents. This year’s Douglass Day transcription project features the papers of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, who was one of the earliest Black women to edit a newspaper, serve as a Civil War recruiter, attend law school, and so much more.

Register for Douglass Day and join in the celebration!

OLLI at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) invites OLLI members from across the country to attend their weekly Pfaudler Lecture Series.

Nina Can, RN, BSN and Megan Crowe, LMSW

Understanding hospice and palliative care before it is needed can prepare participants to make confident healthcare decisions for themselves and their loved ones when the time arises.

Marc Badain

Well-timed with the decision to build a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills in Western New York, just one hour away from Rochester, Osher welcomes Marc Badain, a nationally recognized "stadium builder."

The lecture series continues weekly through March 23. View the full schedule (pdf) and register for one or more lectures.

Former OLLI member John Bollinger died on December 31, 2022 at the age of 80. John was a State Park ranger for 33 years, managed the Donner Lake Property Owners Beach association for 5 years, and had a thriving Income Tax practice for 20 years. He was an avid hiker and enjoyed long distance cycling which took him on adventures in North America and Australia. John always took the effort to give a helping hand and to make other people feel welcomed.

Former OLLI member Billy Heron died on December 4, 2022 surrounded by generations of family at home. Billy served in the U.S. Marine Corps, earned a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and completed a specialty in veterinary epidemiology. He was an epidemiologist for the State of California and the liaison for California and Mexico, and went to consult in several countries in South America. Billy and his wife Barbara helped found The Chico Area Council on Aging in 1968 and Billy, as the first president of the program, helped establish funding for the Chico Meals on Wheels program.

Spring Break (No Classes)

Cesar Chavez Day (OLLI Closed, No Classes)

Community Speaker Series

Last Day of Spring Classes

Memorial Day (OLLI Closed)

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.