LAST DAYS TO SOW THE SEEDS OF LEARNING WITH OLLI | | |
There are just 4 days left to sow the seeds of learning this spring, and we still need 35 people to make a gift to OLLI in any amount by June 30. Why 35 people? That increases to 15% the number of OLLI members who contribute to our program. Plus that will bring us up to 100 new donors this year and give everyone who donated of any amount one additional entry into our prize drawing.
Don't know about our drawing? Everyone who donates to OLLI between now and June 30 gets one entry per $25 donated – donate $250 and you get 10 entries! And if 35 more people who haven't donated since July 1, 2024 give any amount, every donor gets one additional entry.
The Details: Prizes include an original Janet Turner print donated by Marcia Moore, original artwork and art cards from OLLI members, photography sessions, and gift cards from local businesses like Beatniks, Upper Crust, The Social Chico, and Mountain Sports. Donations must be received by 11:59pm June 30 to be eligible for the drawing. Winners will be randomly selected and contacted directly in early July. One prize per person. Winners will be announced in our newsletter with permission. No purchase necessary; entries available upon request via phone call to OLLI at 530-898-6679.
| | OLLI IS CLOSED FOR FOURTH OF JULY NEXT WEEK | | | | |
The Declaration of Independence was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Independence Day celebrations to commemorate the event have been held on July 4 since 1777.
A few ways to celebrate the holiday this year:
| | In honor of the holiday, the OLLI office will be closed June 30-July 4. Due to the closure, the deadline to submit a social meetup for the week of July 6-12 is noon on Friday, June 27. | | MEMBER BENEFIT: CHICO STATE LIBRARY CARD | | |
Did you know that OLLI members are eligible to receive a Meriam Library courtesy card? A courtesy card allows you to check out books and nonprint media from Meriam Library at Chico State.
How to get a card:
- Email the OLLI office at olli@csuchico.edu or call us at 530-898-6679.
- We will confirm that we have received your request and let you know when you can visit the Meriam Library to get a card. Requests will be processed within two business days.
- At the Meriam Library, you will need to show a valid California driver’s license or DMV identification card, provide your social security number, and have your picture taken for your card.
View Meriam Library on the Campus Map.
| | OLLI SPONSOR BRINGS THEIR EXPERTISE TO US AGAIN | | |
The doctors from OLLI sponsor Chico Eye Center will once again bring their expertise to our program in the fall. The Aging Eye is a class that looks at age-related changes to our eyes. With plenty of expertise and technical knowledge, Dr. Benjamin Gilbert and other doctors from the center will explore common changes, as well as more serious age-related eye diseases. The fall catalog, with the exact schedule for the class, comes out on July 1, and you can register for the class when registration opens on August 21.
Chico Eye Center's team of doctors has recently expanded their ability to serve people across the lifespan with the addition of Dr. Jaskiran Grewal, pictured. Dr. Grewal will see patients for annual exams and contacts, and she will be co-managing pediatric patients with Dr. Kristiane Ransbarger. If you have grandchildren who see Dr. Ransbarger, you may already know that her schedule is very full. The addition of Dr. Grewal will open up more availability for pediatric care.
| | INTRODUCING THE 2025-2026 ADVISORY COUNCIL | | |
One of the goals for OLLI this year was to return to a more formal Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is a group of OLLI members who are the first point of contact for the program director and the staff team when it comes to policy changes, financial decisions, and strategic planning for the future.
This spring, Program Director Andrew Lavin has appointed 11 members to the Advisory Council for 2025-26. Here is your new Advisory Council:
Membership Team Leads: Debbie Vermette and Gayle Womack
AV and Facilities Team Lead: William Tefteller
Curriculum Team Lead: Janet Rechtman
Outdoor Experiences Team Leads: Lorraine Smith and Vickie Stoll
Social Meetups Team Lead: Myron Flindt
Fundraising Team Lead: Marcia Moore
Members-At-Large: Lynda Klein, Lois Olson, and David Price
Events/Hospitality Team Lead: Open
All of our volunteer teams have openings for additional members. If you'd like to join a team, contact OLLI at 530-898-6679 or olli@csuchico.edu.
Pictured: Curriculum Team Lead Janet Rechtman.
| | YOU HELPED OLLI GROW THIS SPRING! | | |
The goal of OLLI's spring membership drive was to get 100 members in 100 days.
We asked for your help, and you gave it! You let your friends, family members, and acquaintances know about OLLI. With your help, we got 101 members in just 91 days!
Thank you for helping us reach our goal, and we hope you'll continue to tell your friends, family, and acquaintances about what OLLI means to you. The fall catalog will be out on July 1 for you to share with anyone you know who might want to join and take classes.
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Popular OLLI instructor Dolores Mitchell, pictured, will be back to teach a new art history class on Zoom this fall. "I credit OLLI Operational Coordinator Michele Desmond and Program Assistant Meg Vieg, as well as other OLLI helpers, with making my OLLI art history courses possible for several years now," Dolores said. "I am not quick at mastering – or even at achieving adequacy – at giving Zoom lectures. I use between 50 and 70 slides per class, and often get a midnight impulse to add a few new ones. So far my OLLI helpers have never gotten cross with me which encourages me to make those last-minute changes that can truly improve a class."
| | TRAVEL AND LEARN WITH OLLI | | |
Travel Information Session
Want to know more about our upcoming trips? Have questions about what Collette does? Join us for a travel information session to learn more, complete with captivating slides of the areas we'll be visiting and information about our first small group tour.
Thursday, July 31, 10-11am
A hybrid event – join us in Bradley 2 at The Social Chico or on Zoom. Check the OLLI website closer to the event for the Zoom link.
| | Italy's Treasures, Spring '26 | | |
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.
| | Discover Scotland, Spring '26 | | |
From its rugged sea-sprayed islands to its stately castles layered in history, Scotland awaits. Learn how the bagpipes are played, take a cruise on famed Loch Ness, and marvel at stunning scenery. Discover a land of rolling green Highlands, friendly sheepdogs, and historic castles. Your 10 days and 15 meals will be guided by seasoned tour guides from Collette.
View the Discover Scotland full itinerary (pdf) and book now for discounted rates.
| | Newly Announced! Discover the Best of Eastern Canadian Cities, Fall '26 | | |
From the old-world style of Quebec City to the power of Niagara Falls, say bienvenue to Eastern Canada. Visit charming Canadian cities, learn about maple syrup making, and walk cobblestone streets. An unforgettable experience awaits as you venture along picturesque countryside and glistening skyscrapers. Your 9 days and 12 meals will be guided by seasoned tour guides from Collette.
View the Discover the Best of Eastern Canadian Cities full itinerary (pdf) and book now for discounted rates.
| | LEAVE A LEGACY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING | | |
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 OLLI at olli@csuchico.edu or 530-898-6679.
| | CREATE IN THE ZONE WITH OTHER OLLI MEMBERS | | |
Do you draw, write novels, knit, paint, collage, hook rugs, embroider, or make any other art or craft? Do you need an impulse to get you going? Creation Zone is a class for you.
The instructors set up tables (with plastic sheets covering them to allow for messiness) and chairs. You bring yourself, your ideas, and your materials. There is no instruction, no demands, just a group of people creating in comradery.
Creation Zone will continue this summer as a social meetup and meet again as a class in the fall.
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Anne Osborn
OLLI member Anne Osborn passed away on June 3. When she was a child, her family moved several times across the country between Massachusetts, Florida, and California. During these trips, her father taught her to speak with and take a real interest in the people they met on stops along the way. She earned a master's in clinical psychology and spent 35 years as a psychotherapist. She taught at Chico State, led workshops, and was an active OLLI member. She wrote a book, Coping With Ocular Melanoma (OM), a Toolbox, and was an annual speaker at Eye Am Not Alone Conferences
"Ann was a wonderful teammate and not only thoughtful, but very capable of providing constructive criticism that kept me on my toes," said her co-instructor Leonard Matheson. "She had an open-minded way of looking at issues that expanded my consideration of them; a skill that is in short supply some days. She made me a better teacher and will be sorely missed." Co-instructor Terry Matthews agreed. "Her passion was listening closely and with an open heart, especially to people who disagreed with her. She firmly believed in the intrinsic value of each person. She was a role model for all the volunteer instructors, always coming well prepared with slides and research, and, again, that listening ear. Her presence is already missed."
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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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