OLLI Observer
August 20, 2017  
 
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In This Issue
 
 
The Reuter Center is closed on  Monday, August 28 for an OLLI staff retreat. Thank you!
 

We Remember
Candle burning
 Mary L. Shulruff
August 12, 2017

Willem J. deGroot
August 15, 2017
 
TODAY
The Autumn Players
Sunday, August 20, 2:30 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room
   
The Hollow by Agatha Christie, directed by Marianne Lyon.  These performances are open to the public. Tickets are $6 at the door.  To learn more about The Autumn Players,


Volunteer Opportunity
Visual Arts Curriculum Committee
    
The Visual Art Curriculum Committee is looking for members to help connect with instructors to teach College for Seniors courses in art, craft and art history. 
If you would like to help, 
please contact Sheila Murphy at  [email protected]

  Special Interest Group: 
The Forum
Reuter Center, Room 205 
Friday, August 25, 1 p.m.
 
Topic:  "Political Correctness and the Google Controversy"

  The Forum offers a free-flowing dialogue designed to enrich and expand participants' thinking on topics ranging from changing demographics of retirees to nuclear disarmament.
SIG contact: Eugene Jaroslaw, 828.255.9925, [email protected] 
World Affairs Council
Tuesday, September 19, 7:30 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room

"Conflicting Headlines: The Politics of Foreign Policy & Diplomacy in the News" 
by 
Elizabeth Colton, Ph.D. 
Colton is an award-winning journalist, diplomat, educator, author, adventurer, and anthropologist, who grew up in Asheville and later covered diplomacy, politics and conflict worldwide. A visiting research scholar at UNC-Asheville currently completing several books, she lectures worldwide and serves as a moderator/trainer for diplomacy courses by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Colton is a retired U.S. Foreign Service officer, United Nations development planner and Peace Corps volunteer.

Come to the Reuter Center for these fascinating lectures and discussions that aim to advance international awareness and foster Western North Carolina's global ties. OLLI members receive a discount on WAC annual membership fee. The fee to attend individual lectures is $10.  The World Affairs Council meetings offer a lively line up of topics and compelling presenters.


OLLI Reflection
by Matthew Crump, UNC Asheville senior
AVID* upperclassmen: Interested in a partnership with an OLLI member? Pair with a mentor based around your major field and personal interests! Reply now.
 
That notice on my phone last September grabbed my attention. Not giving it a second thought, I hit "reply." This could only be a positive opportunity!
 
From my first meeting with Jacob Cohen, I knew I had made a winning decision. He approached me with an open hand, broad smile and the same strong Philly accent that runs in my father's side of the family. We met every two weeks for breakfast and "no-pressure" conversation that landed wherever the wind decided to take us.
 

Special Thanks 
OLLI would like to thank Creative Retirement Exploration Weekend 
 (CREW) tour leaders and organizers for their many contributions to the program:  

CREW helps those considering relocation in retirement examine all their options carefully and make an informed decision about this major life transition.

The Council on Aging of Buncombe County is getting 'geared up' for a unique, new, and exciting event coming to downtown Asheville on Saturday, September 23, 2017, the last
day of the annual Active Aging Week. Rappelling down 29 N. Market Street, a 100-foot (7 story) building to the cheers of friends and onlookers, ninety-two (92) individuals will be given the unique opportunity to go Over the Edge
for the Council on Aging of Buncombe County.

To secure a place in the rappel line, each participant must raise a minimum of $1,000. Participants create their own unique fundraising page, and then rally friends, family, and colleagues to "sponsor" their rappel. Costumes are encouraged, and you are sure to see some local celebrities making their way down.
Over The Edge is the perfect opportunity to have fun - and the only event of its kind in WNC. Earn your bragging rights and maybe even face your fear of heights.

Volunteer Opportunity

Old Time Radio Enthusiasts and Hams Needed To Volunteer For The Asheville Radio Museum
 
Help keep the story of amateur radio alive, not to mention the story broadcast radio as
well!  Join us as a volunteer.  Experience the satisfaction of preserving the equipment you
lusted after many years ago, the pleasure of listening to AM radio when it was all there was and the interest of helping the younger generation understand the fun of amateur radio.

No experience necessary, other than fond memories of your ham radio adventures, nights listening to the radio and a willingness to work a mere two hours each month as a museum guide.

Don't miss this opportunity to spend quality time with other radio enthusiasts-some of whom were there when a lot of it was happening.  Click here to visit our web site www.avlradiomuseum.org to learn more about the museum. 

Then call Steve Carter at 323-326- 4718 or Stuart Smolkin 504 256-5796 for further information or to join up.

"The Crowin' Hen" Opens in September at the Folk Art Center

  "The Crowin' Hen" is a mountain comedy with mountain music written by Tom Godleski.

         "A whistlin' girl, and a crowin' hen," will never come to any good end," is an old mountain saying, that inspired Tom to write the play.
"The Crowin' Hen" made its world premier in May of 2015, at The Folk Art Center in Asheville. That first staging was very well attended and got rave reviews.

The Folk Art Center will also host the 2017 performances of the play as follows:

Friday September 8, 7:30 p.m.;  
Saturday, September 9, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 10, 2:30 p.m.   
Tickets and additional information can be found at buncombeturnpike.com or text/call 828 778 9534

Click here to read more about the play.
Dear OLLI Members,
We are all looking forward to tomorrow's historic solar eclipse.  Please be aware that OLLI will be operating with a limited staff and that everyone will want to step away from our phones to experience this phenomenon. We also want to announce the the Reuter Center will be closed on Monday, August 28 for an OLLI staff retreat.

We are pleased that 1586 people purchased OLLI Annual Membership and that 1211 members took part in the initial phase of allocation registration.  We will send schedules on Thursday, August 31 in the late afternoon and Add/Drop will begin on Friday, September 1, 10 a.m. We will send complete instructions closer to the date.

We are just completing an engaging session of our Paths to Creative Retirement workshop.  Thanks to our excellent facilitators Dan Beerman, Bill Carpenter, Carla Greenfield, Dave Greenfield, Deborah Grey, Rebecca Heartz, Ken Macfarlane, Marc Miller, Terry Peters, Lori Postal, Arnold Willen and Judith Young and to program manager Laurel Jernigan for their work to make this weekend a success for the participants who come from around the country to explore ways to make the transition from work to retirement.

We hope you will take time to read two excellent articles in this newsletter about the work of OLLI members to mentor UNC Asheville students. Jan Meriwether of the OLLI marketing committee has written about the programs initiated by Jim Lenburg and Dick Murray, and UNC Asheville student Matthew Crump has written about his enriching experience with OLLI member Jacob Cohen as his mentor.  We hear daily about the rewards of serving as a mentor and volunteer, and we appreciate hearing from a student about yjr impact OLLI members are having on the next generation of lifelong learners.

With respect for all that you do to model creative retirement,
Catherine Frank
Executive Director


Check calendarthe links here to see OLLI and UNC Asheville current events:
 
UNCA Bulldog unca
    
August 20-29, 2017 Athletic Events 

Sunday, A ugust 20 , 1 p.m. 
Greenwood Soccer Field, Women's Soccer
     UNC Asheville vs. Wofford

Friday, August 25, 7 p.m. 
Greenwood Soccer Field, Women's Soccer
     UNC Asheville vs. North Florida

Monday and Tuesday, August 28-29, 2017  
Bulldog Athletic Association Scholarship Golf Classic
Country Club of Asheville

(Click here to view Golf Classic flier)

https://www.dineoncampus.com/unca/
 
OLLI partners with UNC Asheville undergrads:  mentoring through life experiences
by Jan Meriwether
 
Initiated by longtime OLLI leaders Dick Murray and Jim Lenburg, a mentoring program was created, pairing OLLI members with UNC Asheville undergraduates. The program has developed along two tracks: 1) for AVID* (first generation college) students at UNC Asheville and 2) for student athletes, with the sponsorship of Athletic Director Janet Cone and Rebecca Nelms. These parallel efforts tap into OLLI members' life experiences as they provide collegial support to the undergrads and are heartily endorsed by Provost for Academic Affairs Joe Urgo as well as Deaver Traywick and Tracy Rizzo, sponsors of the AVID program.
 

Many OLLI members are gifted poets and writers.  Their published books are clear evidence of the success of OLLI's mission in promoting lifelong creativity and learning.
 
We would like to compile a list of those published books for the benefit of all OLLI members. If you have authored or illustrated a book of poems or prose, fiction or non-fiction, while an OLLI member, please let us know. We are only interested in those works published while an OLLI member, not those published during one's active career.  
 
Once this list is compiled, it will be posted on the OLLI website. Then at the end of each coming year we would hope to add new books published that year.
 
So if you have published a book while an OLLl member, email the following information to Nelson Sartoris   [email protected] - - include the author(s), title, publisher, ISBN number, date of publication, and link or location where it may be purchased, e.g., Malaprop's, Amazon, etc., should others wish to buy a copy.
 
Thriving in Community Special Interest Group (SIG) Meeting
September 15, 2:30-4pm
Reuter Center Room 206

Join Us For The New & Improved SIG - "Thriving in Community"

Our SIG seeks to build capacity to sustain independence within neighborhoods through community connections.  We will explore creative options to live as we choose throughout life transitions.

Building individual Resilience...Creating Community Support... Aging in Place...Facing our Future

 
Annual Successful Aging Event 
Wednesday, September 6, opens at 9 a.m.
 Reuter Center
 Click here to register online  
Brochures are mailed to past attendees; to request a mailed brochure, contact Zoe Trout at the Council on Aging at (828) 277-8288 or email [email protected]
 
The day kicks off with keynote speaker, Dr. Shannon South, "Ignite! Turn off the Chaos ~ Turn on the Joy"
 
Registration is $20/person and includes morning coffee and tea and a boxed lunch. The Major Sponsor for Successful Aging 2017 is Elder Law Carolina. Supporting Sponsors include Moore Funeral Home at Forest Lawn, SanStone Health & Rehabilitation and Four Seasons. Multiple nonprofits and businesses who serve older adults will have information tables at the event.

Sierra Club Meeting
Wednesday, September 6, 7 pm
  Location Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, corner of Charlotte  and Edwin

"Electric Vehicles: Local Movement, 
Global Impact"
 
Presented by Dave Erb, automotive engineer at the University of North Carolina Asheville, and Pana Columbus, film director.  The discussion will focus on transforming transportation in Western North Carolina and beyond.
 
Contact: Judy Mattox, 828-683-2716 [email protected]   
 Free and open to the public.

NY Times Columnist David Brooks
Founders Day Lecture
Tuesday, September 12, 7 p.m.
Kimmel Arena
   
This Founders Day lecture is sponsored by the generosity of the David and Lin Brown Visionary Lecture Series and the Van Winkle Law Firm Public Policy Lectures.

Advance tickets are now available. Please    click here to register online to reserve your free tickets to the lecture. A password is required to access the online registration. Simply type DavidBrooks (one word with two capitalized letters) to access the online registration. If you have an Eventbrite password you should type it in when prompted.  Otherwise, you may set a new password.    
Please contact the Conferences and Events Office at  [email protected] or  828-251-6853 for more information.

 
UNC Asheville's Farm-to-Table Dinner
Thursday September 14, 6 - 9 p.m.
   

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute | 828-251-6140 | [email protected] | http://www.olliasheville.com
Reuter Center, CPO #5000
UNC Asheville
One University Heights
Asheville, NC 28804