May 2026 Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to open as a Webpage.

Spring is a season of renewal – and at OLLI, it’s a time to build on the momentum we’ve created together.

We’re now in the final phase of our Annual Fundraising Campaign, and thanks to you, we're already more than halfway to our $35,000 goal. We’re close – but we need your help to finish strong.

Your gift – at any level – has a direct and meaningful impact:

• $5 monthly sustaining support for a year pays for one class meeting at OLLI’s primary classroom
• $15 helps move us closer to our goal when every member participates
• $50-$300 helps fund a membership scholarship
• $500 helps maintain classroom technology
• $1,000 supports one OLLI Class Preview
• $5,000 pays for printing the OLLI Class Catalog for one term

If you’ve already given, thank you. If not, now is the time.

Pictured: OLLI members and instructors at an OLLI Class Preview, one of the events supported by your donations. Photo by Matt Bates, Chico State.

Save the date for our Spring Community Speaker Series on Thursday, May 21.

Chico Fire Marshal Paul Ricketts will join us to draw from his wealth of real-world experiences and insight to the always relevant topic of fire management in Northern California. He will talk about fire risk management, including topics ranging from wildfire risk management, fire hazard areas in Chico, and home and office fire safety. He will also cover emerging fire safety topics, like the increasing numbers of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, mandatory home fire sprinkler systems for newly built homes, and new Zone Zero regulations.

Paul Ricketts has served as the Fire Prevention Bureau chief and fire marshal for the Chico Fire Department for the past three years. In this role, he oversees the Fire Prevention Bureau, which enforces fire codes, conducts plan reviews for new construction, inspects existing businesses, and issues fire-related permits within the city. Chief Ricketts also leads the department's fire investigation team and serves as the primary fire investigator for most fires occurring in Chico, including the Bidwell Mansion fire.

Thursday, May 21, 3-4pm

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.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday that grew out of the holiday Decoration Day, when people would decorate soldiers' graves. The holiday takes place on the fourth Monday in May. On the day before Memorial Day, PBS broadcasts the National Memorial Day Concert, which is also livestreamed on their website, to commemorate the occasion.

The OLLI office will be closed and there will be no classes on Monday, May 25 to observe the holiday.

Memorial Day is also the traditional signal of the start of summer. With this change in schedule, The Social Chico's dining hall will close for the summer on May 29.

Patricia Light, pictured, grew up in a military family, living in Japan, Germany, and 12 different states. One of the things she likes best about OLLI is that it offers opportunities of "enrichment and expansion." For example, the OLLI class on the art and people of Japan allowed her to build on her previous experiences in the country.

Classes like Garden Gourmands and Arts & Eats also allow her to enjoy the company of people with similar interests. Patricia has always gardened, although her current apartment life allows her only indoor plants and "one rosemary on my deck." If she were to consider teaching an OLLI class (which she emphasizes she is not!) it might be something related to herbs. Perhaps aromatherapy, or using herbs in cooking.

Taking advantage of partnerships with other OLLIs is also a benefit she appreciates. Recently, she enjoyed OLLI at Rochester Institute of Technology's class on music. For upcoming terms, she's considering turning her eyes to the sky and studying astronomy. Definitely expanding the scope of her interests – leaving Earth for outer space!

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:

1. Email the OLLI office at olli@csuchico.edu or call us at 530-898-6679.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Located at the corner of Fifth and Salem Streets, the Stansbury Home was built by Dr. Oscar Stansbury, a local physician, in 1883. Owned by the City of Chico since 1976, it is operated by the Stansbury Home Preservation Association as a historic house museum.

Museum docent Elizabeth Carillo leads tours of the museum. The upcoming OLLI-exclusive tour in June still has space available. The tour includes Dr. Stansbury's office, with its display of the tools used in his practice, as well as rooms used by the Stansbury family with original interiors and furnishings intact.

Register now for Stansbury Home Tour: Section 2 and see this historic Chico home with other OLLI members.

Pictured: OLLI members on a tour of the Stansbury Home.

Last month, OLLI wrapped up the first-ever outdoor intersession with a women's Bidwell Park hike. Led by Vickie Stoll and Lorraine Smith, 12 OLLI hikers spent the day on the Annie Bidwell Trail in Upper Bidwell Park, hiking over 5 miles of the out-and-back trail. Nancy Bill captured the included photo of canyon dudleya during the hike and noted that, "when you go on a hike with Vickie and Lorraine, they take the time to open your eyes to the natural world, rather than just passing right through it."

The pilot outdoor intersession offered 13 outdoor classes between OLLI's winter and spring terms. Over 100 OLLI members participated, taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the unique flora and fauna of spring in Northern California.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month became an official heritage month in 1990. While its federal recognition was officially rescinded in 2025, the federal government has continued to issue proclamations for the month and it is still a valuable opportunity to celebrate and learn about Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and their place in American history and culture.

Here are some ways you can learn more this May:

• Explore a collection of historical images from the Library of Congress touching on the experiences and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders while living in the United States.
• Visit the California Museum's exhibit on Chinese Californian stories at the museum in Sacramento or online.
• Register for a livestream of a conversation with George Takei about They Called Us Enemy, a graphic memoir about his childhood in American concentration camps during World War II.

TRAVEL AND LEARN WITH OLLI

Wonders of Thailand, Winter '27

Delve into a land where bustling modern cities, ornate ancient temples, and stunning jungle beaches coexist. Uncover the beautifully balanced mosaic of old and new, metropolitan, rural, and coastal in Thailand. Your 16 days and 24 meals of this small group tour will be guided by seasoned tour guides from Collette.

View the Wonders of Thailand full itinerary (pdf) and book now to reserve your space.

France Magnifique Discovery, Spring '27

From the royal Palace of Versailles to the enchanting streets of Paris, grab a baguette and rendezvous with the best of France. Bask in the rich history, culture, and romance of these celebrated cities and charming towns. Your 12 days and 16 meals will be guided by seasoned tour guides from Collette.

View the France Magnifique Discovery full itinerary (pdf) and book now for discounted rates.

Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, is one of the two main Islamic holidays. The holiday commemorates the story of Prophet Ibrahim's readiness to sacrifice his son Ismail and Allah stepping in at the last moment to replace Ismail with a ram. This year, the holiday begins at sunset on May 26.

Where Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, is often known as "Sweet Eid," Eid al-Adha, with a focus on the meat from the holiday sacrifice, is known as "Salty Eid." If you'd like to try making your own dish for the occasion, the BBC has a collection of Eid al-Adha recipes, including several from The Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain.

The greeting for your Muslim friends on Eid al-Adha is "Eid Mubarak," meaning "blessed Eid."

Chico State faculty members Matthew Teague Miller and Jami D. Miller will be the featured speakers at the Chico Friends of the Library Annual Meeting. They will be discussing The Tempest. The play, one of the last Shakespeare wrote, will be performed this June at Legacy Stage's Shakespeare in the Park in Cedar Grove Meadow in Bidwell Park.

May 19, 6:30pm

Chico Library Conference Room, 1108 Sherman Avenue, Chico (map)

Free and open to the public!

Terry Matthews

OLLI member Terry Matthews passed away on April 8 at age 77. Terry was born in San Francisco, and met her husband Joe in high school. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in biology. She managed Joe's colorectal and general surgery practice in Chico before retiring in 2013. Terry was a cancer survivor and author who taught OLLI classes on end-of-life planning and living deliberately. "Terry was a lovely, intelligent, and sensitive person who wrote extensively about her own experience of living with cancer," fellow OLLI member Gayle Womack said. "As a two-time cancer survivor and a 32-year patient, she dedicated her life to helping others struggle through their own diagnoses, and focusing on practical advice rather than just statistics. She taught several OLLI classes where she shared her personal story and encouraged others to share as well. We will miss her."

May 20

May 25

June 3

June 19

June 26

June 28

Brown Bag Luncheon for New Members

Memorial Day (No Classes, OLLI Closed)

Brown Bag Luncheon for New Members

Juneteenth (No Classes, OLLI Closed)

Last Day of Spring Classes

First Day of Summer Social Meetups