OLLI Observer
May 7, 2017 
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In This Issue


The first College for Seniors Digital Art Show runs this week at the Reuter Center. Check out the digital display boards for   Creating a Junk Journal.

The course was taught by Sheila May in the Fall 2016 term, and a similar   Accordion Art Book  course will be offered in the summer term.  Click here to read more about the course.
 
Tom Plaut, co-chair of the Current Events & Regional Studies Curriculum Committee and the Appalachian Sampler series. 
 
"I love volunteering at OLLI because it keeps my brain from going dormant, which is very cool for a muscle in its 80th year!"
 
Click here to visit the OLLI Volunteering webpage and learn about volunteering opportunities 
Meditation Special Interest Group Meeting 
Monday, May 8, 4:15 p.m.
Reuter Center Room 120

The Meditation SIG meets on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the months, 4:15- 6 p.m. 
at the Reuter Center
Programs for May and June 
are as follows:

May 8
Yoga for Stress Management
Lydia Michaels, OLLI instructor and certified yoga therapist (Asheville YogaTherapy), will discuss how yoga's breathing techniques, progressive relaxation and guided imagery affect the mind's thought patterns.  Lydia will lead a guided relaxation meditation for the group.

May 22
Devotional Chanting of the Sacred Feminine 
Dr. Azra and Seren Bertrand

June 12
The Relationship between Meditation and 
Therapeutic Yoga 
Jenne Sluder

June 26
QiGong and the Art of Breathing
Bill Meurdter

All OLLI members are welcome.  For more information, contact 
Sally Ekaireb
Documentary on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - Disturbing the Peace
Thursday, May 11, 7 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Two recent documentary films on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
Disturbing the Peace and
The Occupation of the American Mind, will be screened at 7 p.m. on consecutive Thursdays, May 11 and 18, at UNC Asheville's Reuter Center. The film showings, which will be followed by discussions of the issues raised, are free and open to everyone.

  Special Interest Group: The Forum
 Friday, May 12, 1 p.m. 
Reuter Center, Room 205 

"The End of Democracy
 As We Know It" 

  The Forum provides 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] 

Thriving in Community Special Interest Group
Friday, May 12, 3:30 p.m., 
Reuter Center, Room 206 
Come to hear representatives of Eco Village, an inter-generational village focused on service, sustainability, and wellness, planned for a location near Asheville.

In addition to this presentation we will continue to discuss, "How will you thrive in 'life's second half'?" examining not only alternative options for housing, but also: how to find services you need to manage your life, what local networks exist and are emerging, how to stay engaged in the community, and how other OLLI members are thriving in community. 
OLLI Member Book Swap

graphic-bookstore-people.jpg  
The bookshelves are getting empty!

Bring your gently used books to the OLLI Member Book Swap shelf located at the far end of the upper lobby.  When you drop off your books, check out the books on the shelf for a good read!  This is a member-driven lending library for members-only.  The books are there for you to borrow and return.   Enjoy! 
 
Volunteer Opportunity:
Exam Proctors Needed 

 
Asheville Middle School (AMS) needs proctors for end of the year testing. 


Proctor responsibilities include helping to supervise students, walking students down the hall and back for needed restroom breaks and making sure that the tests are given fairly. Proctors do not have to actually administer the tests. There is a required training beforehand (about 30 minutes) and there are several days and times to choose from for the training.

The time frame for testing is May 26 through June 2. Each day begins around 8:15 a.m. and finishes around 1 p.m. or earlier.


If you have questions, email the volunteer coordinator, Nicole Salevitz: [email protected]  
or the testing coordinator, 
Rebecca Cobbledick: rebecca.cobbledick@acsgmail.net

Special Thanks 
OLLI would like to thank Creative Retirement Exploration Weekend  
Sponsor, Deerfield for their longstanding support!

1617 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 274-1531
 
CREW helps those considering relocation in retirement examine all their options carefully and make an informed decision about this major life transition.
Dear OLLI Members,

A little later today we will send out instructions for our Summer 2017 College for Seniors registration, which will begin Wednesday, May 10, 10 a.m. and continue until Tuesday, May 16, noon.  Click here to read the Summer 2017 catalog,  Thanks so much to the College for Seniors curriculum committees for putting together such a stimulating array of courses.

We hope you will take advantage of the many learning opportunities at the Reuter Center in coming weeks, including opportunities provided by special interest groups (SIGs), instructor support workshops, community partners including NC Stage, the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, the Astronomy Club of Asheville, the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society, Democracy North Carolina, and UNC Asheville departments. 

Thanks so much for the ways you invest in our community,
Catherine Frank
Executive Director


Check calendarthe links here to see OLLI and UNC Asheville current events:
 
UNCA Bulldog unca
UNC Asheville Baseball
Friday, May 12, 2017, 6 p.m.
UNC Asheville vs Longwood 
Greenwood Baseball Field
   
Saturday, May 13, 2017, 6 p.m.
UNC Asheville vs Longwood 
Greenwood Baseball Field
(Senior Recognition Day) 
 
Special Interest Group Français Facile
Monday, May 8, 2017, 2 p.m.
Reuter Center Room 120

The Easy French SIG (français facile) this Monday, May 8 will feature the French film, "Bon Voyage," with English subtitles and the legendary actor Gérard Depardieu.  
We will be in Rm. 120 from 2-4 p.m. 
  Bring your friends & popcorn!



College for Seniors Instructor Support
Spring Workshops teacher

A Workshop on Presentation Skills
Wednesdays, May 24 and May 31,10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
at the Reuter Center

A Workshop on Beginning PowerPoint
Thursdays, May 25 and June 1,9 a.m. to noon
at the Reuter Center.

To READ MORE and REGISTER for either, click on workshop title listed above.



Why Redistricting is Important to North Carolina 
Wednesday, May 10, 4:30 p.m. 
Reuter Center Manheimer Room
Learn more about why redistricting (sometimes known as gerrymandering) is important and how it impacts elections.

Take advantage of this opportunity to better understand the topic.  There will be a 15 minute Q&A period at the end.  

Behind the Scenes at NC Stage
Friday, May 12, 1:30 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Join NC Stage Artistic Director and co-founder, Charlie Flynn-McIver as he takes you behind the scenes of the final production of NC Stage for this season, Matt and Ben.
This play, written by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers, explores a theory behind the writing of the award-wining screenplay Good Will Hunting, by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who are played by two women in the production.
NC Stage Behind the Scenes is free and open to the public.

Symphony Talk with Daniel Myer
Friday, May 12, 3 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room

The best way to enjoy the Asheville Symphony Orchestra's Masterworks concerts is to attend Symphony Talk for the inside scoop on the music, composers and soloists. Daniel Meyer, Asheville Symphony Orchestra's music director and conductor, shares information on the upcoming performance, local music aficionado Chip Kaufmann offers insights into the music and composers. 

The final Masterworks concert for 2017-18 will feature Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 and Mahler's Symphony No. 1, "Titan." Yevgeny Kutik, violinist, is the soloist for the concert. 
 For more information about the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, or to find out how to purchase tickets for performances at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, visit ashevillesymphony.org


Volunteer Opportunity
Buncombe County Schools Provides a
 Summer Free Lunch Program
Volunteers Are Needed

In 2016 Buncombe County Schools Summer Food Service Program served 72,309 free and healthy meals to children ages 2-18.
 
Let's keep our most precious commodity healthy and ready to learn when they come back to school in August! This is a fun, rewarding and important experience! Join us.

Get involved. 
Become engaged. 
Receive satisfaction. 
Volunteer Opportunity   

The Workshop Committee at OLLI is growing, expanding, and looking for new members to serve on our committee. We are venturing out into the community with experiential learning opportunities and adventures, which will build upon what we and the College for Seniors programs already do. These are exciting times!  Bring your ideas and share the fun as we evolve.
If you wish to learn more Laurel Jernigan (staff liaison) and Ian Rudick, (committee co-chair) would love to meet with you! Email Ian [email protected], or call 828-505-8175.  
Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society Meeting
Tuesday, May 16, 7 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Nicaragua: Birds, Coffee, and People
by John Gerwin
May's Birdathon fundraiser program will feature John Gerwin speaking on birds and coffee-growing in Nicaragua. An amazing total of 706 bird species occur in Nicaragua. Habitat deforestation in the country, mainly for coffee-growing and other agricultural purposes, poses the most significant threat to resident and migratory birds. In his program, John will discuss the coffee-growing/harvesting process and the various certifications involved for shade-grown and bird-friendly coffee. He will also highlight birds and other wildlife found among coffee farms.

John Gerwin is a research curator of ornithology with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, where he has worked since 1988. 
EMAS programs are free and open to the public. A $5 or donation of your choice is requested only at our May Birdathon fundraiser program. Thank you for your support.

The Great American Total Solar Eclipse Lecture
Wednesday, May 17, 6:30 p.m.   

A total solar eclipse is a wonderful and magical event and, for most folks, a once in a lifetime experience. Where will you be when the Sun fades out on August 21, 2017? This first total solar eclipse in our region since 1970 (when it occurred near the coastline of the Carolinas) will pass very close to Asheville. Bernie Arghiere, an observer of other total solar eclipses, will share his experiences, including why you should travel the short distance out of Asheville to see the total eclipse. He will discuss how and where to best observe the eclipse safely, what to expect during the brief 2½ minutes of totality, the Sun's chromosphere and corona (both visible during a total solar eclipse) and the celestial mechanics of how and why total solar eclipses occur.
This event is free and open to everyone. 
Did someone say Twitter?  
 
Follow us on Twitter  OLLI Asheville has begun to use Twitter to send out announcements of events and happenings.  We hope you join the fun.  Here are some links that might help you get started:

Instructions for how to create an account
 
Twitter FAQ sheet

Click on the box below to follow OLLI Asheville on Twitter  
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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