OLLI News from Bradley University
 
contents
October 24, 2017
Notable OLLI Dates

October November
Oct. 25: OLLI Fall Classes in the Michel Student Center
Nov. 1, 9am: Winter 2018 Registration Open House in Michel Student Center Ballrooms

Nov. 8, 15, & 29, 9am: Spring Curriculum Committee Meetings in Michel Student Center Executive Suite
Winter
Winter Brochures Are on Their Way!

Next week, registration for OLLI Winter 2018 programming will begin with the Registration Open House on Wednesday, November 1.  If you would like to view the brochure online, it is available now in PDF format: Winter 2018 Brochure

Choose your way to register:

Open House  - attend Wednesday, November 1, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. in the Michel Student Center Ballrooms.  Doors open and queue numbers distributed at 8:45 a.m.  Shuttle service from Westminster Church on Moss Avenue begins at 7:45 a.m.  Enjoy snacks and refreshments, meet new friends, or simply drop off your form for processing.  Forms received at the Open House will be processed November 1.

Online  - visit OLLI's webpage (bradley.edu/olli) to make your selections starting on Thursday, November 2 at 9:00 a.m.

Mail  - you may mail your form at any time; forms will be queued by postmark date and processed on Thursday, November 2 at 9:00 a.m.

Telephone - if you would like to speak with a staff member about your registration, please call (309) 677-3900 on Thursday, November 2 after 12:00 p.m.

Funds
Help Us Reach 50% Donor Participation!

As noted in this newsletter a couple weeks ago, our OLLI fundraising donor  levels have reached an all-time high of 40% of our membership!  We thank you so very much for your incredible support, as it's a  testament to your dedication to OLLI and our culture of giving.    

This year, we've been challenged by an anonymous donor who wants to see 50% of our membership give to OLLI.  To help us reach that 50% goal, the donor will match each and every donation up to $25,000!  

Whether you give a little or a lot, your donation is important - and will be matched!

We hope to raise a total of $50,000 this year - half of which will be used to cover our current needs (such as shuttle maintenance/replacement, student volunteer awards, AV assistance, lecture and cinema co-sponsorships, and savings), and the other half will be earmarked to develop new programming that we hope will make your OLLI experience even better!

To learn more about giving to OLLI, please visit Bradley.edu/olli/giving, or contact Michelle Riggio, Associate Director of Continuing Education, at mriggio@bradley.edu or (309) 677-3900.

Thank you again!

Readers
Attend a Special Performance by 
OLLI's Readers' Theatre Group!

Thursday, November 2, 2017
5:00 p.m.
United Presbyterian Church Sanctuary
2400 W. Northmoor Road, Peoria
FREE - registration required by 10/31

This fall, OLLI offered our second Readers' Theatre Study Group. Under the direction of Dr. Bettsey Barhorst, nine study group participants have met over six weeks and rehearsed a stage adaption of poetry written by inmates of the Douglas County Jail in Lawrence, Kansas.  For more than fifteen years, inmates at that jail have participated in a weekly poetry writing class where they share powerful and moving words that provide a glimpse into their lives and issues that touch us all, such as family, loneliness, love, longing, and self-doubt. Their poetry has been published in an anthology titled Douglas County Jail Blues .   Please note that the original language of the poems has been left as-is for the performance, and contains a small number of strong words.

The OLLI Study Group Committee invites OLLI members and their guests to a special performance of Prose & Cons  on  Thursday, November 2 at 5:00 p.m.  at United Presbyterian Church Sanctuary,  2400 W. Northmoor Road, Peoria .  Please note that if the construction on Northmoor Road is still going on at that time, you will need to access the church via Allen Road.

The performance will feature the following OLLI members: Elaine and Gary Clark, Dottie Drake, Lynn Furness, Kathleen Kowal, Tom Malone, Calista Reed, Lucretia Sturges, and Jim Wilhelm.  It will include music by Bob Drake.  

Following the 45 minute performance, the director and cast will be available for discussion about the play and their learning experience.  

The event is free to OLLI members and their guests, but please RSVP by calling the Continuing Education office at 677-3900 by  noon  on  Tuesday, October 31.

BookDrive
Donate Your Gently Used Children's Books 

With the fall season just starting, the Lewis J. Burger Center for Leadership and Service in the Student Activities Office at Bradley is sponsoring the "Fall in Love with Reading" books drive until Wednesday, October 25, for Trewyn K-8 School.  

They are collecting gently used books for children ages 5 to 15 to enhance the school's library.  With nearly 97% of Trewyn students reading below grade level, your donation of books is critically needed to change the direction of these children's futures.  Together, the Bradley and OLLI communities can help Trewyn students by providing them with the resources needed to succeed in school and in life. 

If you have age-appropriate books to donate, please bring them to OLLI classes or drop them off at the Continuing Education office (corner of Main and University Streets) by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 25.  

Thank you to everyone who generously donated children's books last week at classes!  In just one day, OLLI collected over 420 books to donate!!
  Hilltop
Hilltop Happenings
 
3rd Annual  Charley Steiner Symposium on 
Sports Communication

Some big names in sports communication will gather at Bradley University for the 3rd annual Charley Steiner Symposium on Sports Communication on Tuesday, November 7.
 
The event's namesake, Charley  Steiner ( four-time Emmy Award winner, National Radio Hall of Fame inductee, LA Dodgers play-by-play announcer, and Bradley alumnus) will headline the event.  Participants include  Larry King, Matt Savoie (Bradley alumnus, Olympian and  former competitive figure skater)  and Rick Telander ( senior sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times)  and many more .  

The program includes multiple sessions  covering topics of The Rise and Fall of ESPN, New Media Challenges and Opportunities, Perspectives of the Olympics and Paralympics, and others.  All are  open to the public.
 
For more information and to view the full symposium schedule, click here.
To view a flyer for the event, click here.

Symposium on Restoring America's Democracy

Restoring America's Democracy: Inspiring a New Generation of Civic Engagement
Friday, November 10
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Peplow Pavilion, Hayden-Clark Alumni Center, Bradley University

OLLI members are invited to attend the symposium "Restoring America's Democracy: Inspiring a New Generation of Civic Engagement" on Friday, November 10, on the third floor of the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center.  Sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center in partnership with the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service at Bradley University, a variety of speakers will discuss topics related to civic engagement on local and national levels.  Featured speakers will include Congressman Darin LaHood, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, State Representative Mike Unes, and more.

To view a complete listing of speakers and topics, click here.

This event is free and open to the public; advance registration is requested.  Please call (309) 677-2820 to register over the phone, or click here to register online.
Bradley Theatre Presents: Little Women, The Musical

Little Women, The Musical
Thursday, October 26 - Sunday, October 29
7:30 p.m. (all performances)
Cost per ticket: Adults: $18; Seniors: $12; Bradley Students: $5

Louisa May Alcott's beloved classic comes to life in this acclaimed musical.  Meet the March sisters - Beth, Meg, Amy, and the fiery Jo, who chronicles their struggles and triumphs as they come of age in Civil War-era Massachusetts.  A timeless story and a soaring score fuel this uplifting musical about a young America finding its voice.  

To order tickets, call the Cultural Events Box Office at (309) 677-3650 or order online at www.theatre.bradley.edu.

Back to Contents
 Beyond
Beyond the Hilltop
 
Peoria Riverfront Museum Artist Lecture Series:
Emergence: The National Arts of Central Illinois

Emergence: The National Arts of Central Illinois Exhibit
September 30, 2017 - January 14, 2018
International Gallery, Peoria Riverfront Museum, 222 SW Washington St, Peoria
The Emergence exhibition is a collaboration between the Peoria Riverfront Museum and nationally recognized artists and institutions to showcase work, share ideas, build strong community relationships, and continue to develop the national identity of the arts in Central Illinois.

Emergence Artist Lecture Series
Peoria Riverfront Museum Auditorium
Free and open the the public
The Artist Lecture Series features artists from the Emergence exhibition.  Artists from the exhibition share their knowledge and experiences about what it takes to be an artist - their inspirations and the opportunities that led them to where they are today.  Lectures are free and open to the public.

Sunday, October 15, 2:00 p.m.
Series Kick-off Lecture, meet the co-curators of the exhibition!
Joe Richey:  Co-Founder of the Prairie Center of the Arts
Michele Richey:  Co-Founder of the Prairie Center of the Arts
Susan Czechowski:  Associate Professor of Art, Western Illinois University
John Miller:  Associate Professor of Art, Glass, Illinois State University
Anita Tuccillo:  Professor of Art, Drawing, Illinois Central College

Sunday, October 29, 2:00 p.m.
Margaret LeJeune: Associate Professor of Art, Photography, Bradley University
Lynette Lombard: Associate Professor of Art, Painting, Knox College

Tuesday, November 7, 6:30 p.m.
Ken Hoffman: Emeritus Professor of Art, Painting, Bradley University
Jennifer Costa: Professor of Art & Chair, Illinois Central College

Sunday, November 19, 2:00 p.m.
Fisher Stolz: Associate Professor of Art, Sculpture, Bradley University

Tuesday, December 5, 6:30 p.m.
Michael Godsil: Associate Professor of Art, Photography, Knox College
Fred Jones: Emeritus Professor of Art, Western Illinois University

Sunday, December 17, 2:00 p.m.
Andrea Ferrigno: Assistant Professor of Art, Knox College
Mark Holmes: Associate Professor of Art and Chair, Knox College

Sunday, January 7, 2018, 2:00 p.m.
Jaci Willis: MFA, Sculpture, Bradley University
Doug & Eileen Leunig: Purpose Driven Art

For additional information, call (309) 686-7000 or visit RiverfrontMuseum.org

Vietnam War Presentation at Peoria Public Library

The Vietnam War: The Big Picture
Thursday, October 26
6:00 p.m.
Peoria Public Library North Branch
Cost: FREE!

On Thursday, October 26 at Peoria Public Library North Branch at 6:00 p.m., Dr. Sharon MacDonald will present "The Vietnam War: The Big Picture." This program will give an overview of why and how we fought the Vietnam War, and why we lost, to help viewers gain a broader understanding as they watch individual episodes on PBS or on DVD. Dr. MacDonald is retired from the Department of History, Illinois State University and received her PhD from the University of Minnesota.

Peoria Public Library was one of 50 U.S. public libraries selected to receive the kit through a peer-reviewed competitive application process. The Peoria Public Library has received a copy of the 18-hour documentary series on DVD, with public performance rights; the companion book, The Vietnam War: An Intimate History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns (Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House, 2017); a programming guide, promotional resources, partnership opportunities and more. The kit is designed to help libraries participate in a national conversation about one of the most consequential, divisive and controversial events in American history. Peoria Public Library has purchased additional copies of the DVD and book, available for checkout.

Watch for more programs on this topic and visit the 22VA Art Show during November and December in the Main Library Gallery. This show exhibits the work of veterans, many of the Vietnam era. 

The project is offered by the ALA Public Programs Office in partnership with WETA Washington, DC.


Presentation by Award-Winning Author Theodore Gray

Theodore Gray
Thursday, October 26
6:30 p.m.
Chillicothe Public Library, 430 N Bradley Ave, Chillicothe
Cost: FREE!

Explore the amazing world of chemical reactions with award-winning author Theodore Gray at the Chillicothe Public Library.

Gray will talk about his new book, Reactions: An Illustrated Exploration of Elements, Molecules, and Change in the Universe, the third and final volume in a best-selling trilogy, which also includes The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe and Molecules: The Elements and the Architecture of Everything.  Together, these books tell the story of chemistry in an engaging and visually stunning way.  Program attendees will see an array of photos and videos of beautiful and unexpected chemical reactions and hear the stories behind those images.  

Theodore Gray is a BAFTA and IgNobel winning author of several books, Founder of Touchpress (an App publishing company), stitchcoder at PaleGray Labs (an embroidery automation company/art project), and co-founder of Wolfram Research, Inc. (makers of Mathematica and Wolfram|Alpha).

For more information, please visit chillipld.org or call 309-274-2719.
KeepUp
Keep Up with OLLI!

Stay up-to-date with the latest in OLLI news on any of our social media platforms.

Find out what OLLI members are up to-- follow us on our Learning Trips and stay informed on class information.

Like us on Facebook
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Twitter
View our videos on YouTube
Watch us on YouTube