OLLI Observer
June 16
, 2019    
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In This Issue
Buncombe Chautauqua
"It's Revolutionary"
Monday through Thursday, 
June 17-20, 7 p.m. each night
AB Tech's Ferguson Auditorium
340 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 2880

Duel wits with Alexander Hamilton. Debate democracy with Andrew Jackson. Witness the end of Camelot with Jackie Kennedy. Struggle for human rights with Malcolm X.  Meet four amazing people at the center of a revolution. Hear their stories and ask them how their world changed. 

Tickets are $7 per show. All tickets are available only at  the door . Groups that wish to be seated together must arrive by 6:30 p.m. The box office opens at 6 p.m. each show night. Cash or check only.

For more information, please contact:   buncombe2018@gmail.com



Advance Care Planning Workshop
Thursday, June 20, 7 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room

The workshop will feature a panel whose members are experienced in addressing end-of-life issues. The discussion will include communicating your treatment wishes to loved ones and to medical personnel, ethical and legal issues, and the uses of advance directives.  

Ample time will be reserved for questions. Assistance will be provided for anyone wishing to complete a legally valid advance directive, including the notarization required in North Carolina, using the NC Advance Care Planning (ACP) "Short Form." 

Preparation for you to do 
before the workshop:  
Talk to your possible "power of attorney for healthcare," the person who would make health care decisions if you are unable.    Click here for a video of a sample conversation.  If you have internet access and a printer,  click here for access to a copy of the ACP Short form.  Please print the form, study it, and bring it to the workshop along with any questions you might have for the panel. 

If you have never been admitted to Mission Hospital, but want your advanced directives added to the Mission Medical Record, click here for an Advance Directive Permission form to fill out. Also, if you have existing advance directives, you may mail the "Permission Form" along with a copy of your existing advance directive to Mission for addition to the Mission medical record (or you can get help doing this at the next ACP workshop).

This workshop is free and open to adults of all ages.  
business_conference6.jpg
  The Forum
Special Interest Group (SIG)
Friday, June 21, 1 - 3 p.m.
Reuter Center Room 207

TOPIC: How can the alienation of the white working class be ameliorated?

The weekly Forum encourages a free-flowing dialogue designed to enrich and expand participants thinking on a wide variety of topics; the group frequently focuses on current events. All OLLI members are welcome to attend.

SIG Contact: Beth Johnson johnson1ea@earthlink.net
Meditation Special Interest Group
"Sounds of the Chakras Meditation"
with Linda Go
Monday, June 24, 4:15-5:45 p.m.
Reuter Center Room 120 

This innovative educator will offer guided vocal exercises, visualization practices, and inspiring teachings to help us master four central techniques: 
* Relaxing the body to become present and honor our highest values, 
* Training the brain through meditation and mindfulness, 
* Opening the heart to foster true connection with The Field 
* Clarifying our intentions as we navigate the journey of our lives.
CDs of this workshop will be available for purchase 

Linda Go is a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher and educator, singer, musician-composer who has published recordings of her original Sanskrit mantra compositions and sound workshops.  Linda shares her Sanskrit Effect course at OLLI, bringing the mystery, science and magic of the mother of all languages for holistic health, through reciting the alphabet sounds and mantra chanting techniques.

All OLLI Members are welcome at Meditation SIG programs.

Meditation SIG Coordinator:  Sally Ekaireb
Art Bazaar Registration and Information


OLLI's Art Bazaar (to be held Friday and Saturday, November 8 and 9, 2019) is a way to showcase the talent of OLLI members. If you would like to be a part of the Art Bazaar, but need more information, contact  Sheila Murphy at: murphy.sheila.a@gmail.com 

Already know you want to participate? Great! Please print and fill out the registration form and return it to the OLLI front desk.  Slots are limited.  

Remember to familiarize yourself with a few important reminders about the bazaar. 


OLLI VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

MANNA Food Bank Team
Providing Thousands of Meals a Day to Feed Hungry People

Energy Savers Network
Helping homeowners reduce energy loss

Habitat for Humanity
Changing lives one house at a time

VOLUNTEER NOW...
Make A Difference!


Volunteer Opportunity With 
Read 2 Succeed
The Fall 2019 Training Schedule is available on the Read2Succeed website. Click here.
             
Read2Succeed   Asheville/ Buncombe  is a local  non-profit  whose mission is " to inspire and teach children to read."  The group needs caring, supportive individuals who are interested in tutoring an elementary school student one hour, one to two days a week during the school year. Training and ongoing support are provided. 

  Email:  julie.claywell@r2sasheville.org
Phone: 910-619-4313

Creativity Project Workshop
 Friday, July 26, 
10 a.m. - noon
Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Carl Nordgren has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and creative professionals, scientists and engineers, military leaders and college students be and become their most creative and entrepreneurial selves for nearly 20 years now. He wants to help you next.

Recently he learned of neurological research that discovered changes in an aging brain that invite a creative renewal and he's writing a book and building programs that will help Boomers and our older friends leverage those biological changes so we can recover our natural born creative genius.
This two- hour event is part workshop, where he will share with you what he has learned about the 55+ brain, and part focus group for participants to share their thoughts about being creative. 

Your participation is free and a ll participants will receive a free electronic version of Nordgren's book 'Becoming a Creative Genius (again)'.



Living Solo

OLLI's Living Solo group has grown to more than 100 members. The group is comprised of OLLI members living independently and seeking connections. This is not a dating group, but is made up of individuals who want to do activities and make connections here in Asheville with OLLI members.  This is a self-identifying group. If you have a significant other but feel solo, feel free to join. Please come join us and meet new people!

Join Living Solo for OLLI members through a Meetup app!  We started a group in Meetup called OLLI UNC Asheville Living Solo. It is a private group with only OLLI members included. 

How to join! 
  • Join Meetup using your preferred email address; enter a password (your favorite or one unique to Meetup)! 
  • Search Groups using key word: OLLI or look around; we are there!
  • Click the yellow OLLI UNC Asheville Living Solo image! 
  • Click the red Request to Join button
Any questions? 
Contact Barbara Rapchak

Dear OLLI Members,
We were happy to have College for Seniors courses underway for the summer.  In this newsletter, you can also find information about programming sponsored by other university departments and community groups, including the Buncombe Chautauqua series that will take place this week, with the theme "It's Revolutionary." Leadership Asheville's Buzz Breakfast, begins this week to explore the theme "How Do We Build a Connected Community?" Next week our university's Concerts on the Quad series begins. The Wilma Dykeman Legacy will sponsor a series of programs that will encourage you to explore the French Broad. Right here at the Reuter Center this week you can enjoy a performance by students of Brevard Music Center's Janiec Opera, an Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society program on jaguars and the birds of the Pantanal by Cherie Pitillo, and a program on Anarctica by College for Seniors instructor Roger Helm. Don't forget that this week we will offer one of our quarterly Advance Care Planning Workshops where you can have your advance care plan notarized and filed in the Mission Medical Records system.

While staff and volunteers collaborate to make all of these programs available, we are inviting our members to take on the work of maintaining the OLLITalk list if they want it to continue.  The process of screening takes some time, given the number of people who need some coaching using the service, the number of people who write personal messages to the group, and a variety of other issues. When we polled our members we could not come to a consensus on what people wanted to include (what items are appropriate to sell, what services seemed inappropriate to promote, whether negative reviews should be included), and we have had a couple of instances where posts (most likely because of compromised emails) have engaged members in scams.  Given time and liability, we came to the difficult conclusion that we can no longer continue this service as a staff function.  We know many people enjoy the community and information that forms through this service and will be happy to schedule meeting time for anyone interested in working to continue the service.

Remember that this is your community. If you have questions or suggestions or would like to serve on a committee or volunteer, please let us know by responding to this email,
Catherine Frank
Executive Director


 Check the links here to see OLLI and UNC Asheville current events:
 
calendar

Brevard Opera at OLLI
Tuesday, June 18, 4 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room

The College for Seniors Performing Arts Curriculum  Committee collaborates with the Brevard Music Festival to  bring to OLLI this summer a taste of three operas:
Carlisle Floyd's Susannah,  Charles Gounod's Romeo et Juliette and  Johann Strauss Jr.'s Die Fledermaus. 

On June  18, July 2 and 16, 4-5 p.m. come to experience live performances by the young artists of the Janiec Opera  at Brevard performing parts of these three operas as well as other musical selections.  A period of questions and answers with the Janiec performers will follow these  performances.

Do you want to help OLLITalk make a transition to being member-driven and member-led?

OLLITalk users now have an opportunity to create, own and manage their own online forum of provider referrals. Effective August 1, 2019, OLLI staff will no longer maintain OLLITalk. Because of liability issues and the amount of staff time required to support the program, OLLI will cease operation of this forum. Recognizing that an enthusiastic number of our members value the service and may wish to take it on as a project, you may choose to get together to devise your own replacement system, completely separate and apart from any connection to OLLI and UNC Asheville. If there is sufficient interest among the user group, our facilities and communications manager Jacqueline Lowe can help you schedule a meeting onsite for this purpose. You may contact her at
jdlowe@unca.edu . We can share what we have learned in the process of creating and maintaining this Google group.

Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society (EMAS)
Jaguars and Birds of the Pantanal by Cherie Pittillo
Tuesday, June 18, 7 p.m. 
  Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Cherie Pittillo
Covering over 70,000 square miles, South America's Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland.  A biodiversity hotspot, it boasts  the highest concentration of wildlife on the continent. From macaws and spoonbills, to anteaters and anacondas, the Pantanal is home to an incredible array of fascinating species. 

The EMAS June program will focus on the birds of the Pantanal and on one of the most charismatic species found there, the jaguar. Illustrated by incredible photographs, this presentation will touch on new research and common behaviors of jaguars. Pantanal bird species and their behaviors will also be featured. Join us for this virtual wildlife trip to one of the world's most incredible places.
 
 Cherie Pittillo is  an author and award-winning photographer whose photographic publications vary from BBC books, Incredible Journeys, to the African and US editions of Reader's Digest. Her  monthly column, "Backyard Birding in Merida, Yucatan and Beyond," appears in three online Mexican newspapers . Cherie  earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in biology with an emphasis on zoology.   She's an avid, traveling birder and a former EMAS board member. 

All EMAS programs are free and open to the public.
Leadership Asheville Buzz Breakfast
"What is a Connected Community?"
Thursday, June 20, 8 a.m. Breakfast and Networking; 8:30 a.m. program
Crowne Plaza Expo Center, 1 Resort Drive, Asheville


This program is the first of three programs this summer addressing the question "How do we build a connected community?" This first program will include  Kimberlee Archie, Equity and Inclusion Office Director, City of Asheville,    Amy Cantrell, BeLoved Asheville,    Keynon Lake, Founder, My Daddy Taught Me That,    Stephanie Monson Dahl, Interim Assistant Director of Planning and Urban Design, City of Asheville and  Darin Waters, Executive Director of the Office of Community Engagement and Associate History Professor, UNC Asheville.

Individual tickets are $25 for each event or buy a series ticket (one ticket to each breakfast) for just $60. Consider purchasing an equity seat in addition to your regular purchase. All equity seats sold will be offered to community organizations who would like to join in the discussion. 

Save the Date! Legacy Planning Information Session
Dave Smith
Tuesday, July 23, 11:30 a.m. 
  Reuter Center Room 207

Watch the OLLI Observer to find out more about this lunch and learn to learn more about the options for legacy planning.  Dave Smith of the Heaton Smith Group has been working with the UNC Asheville Advancement Department and will offer a brief presentation about different options for legacy planning. Registration will be limited and lunch will be served.   Click here to let us know of your interest in the information session.


  Travel Special Interest Group 
Friday, June 21, 2 - 4 p.m.
Reuter Center, Manheimer Room

 "Antarctica: 
  Photographs and Presentation on the Amazing 7th Continent"
by Roger C. Helm, 
Marine Ecologist 

OLLI member and College for Seniors instructor Roger Helm worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for nearly 25 years.  He focused on assessing the impact of oil and other contaminants on wildlife and pursuing restoration claims against companies that harmed plants and animals or their habitats. He says,   "To me, Antarctica is the most raw, primal, exciting, stunning, and awe-inspiring place on earth.  It's the highest, coldest, windiest, and driest continent and, surprisingly, it's quite different from its cousin on the opposite pole.  Please come and see for yourself why so many travelers interested in nature rank this trip at the top of their list. "

Western North Carolina Bridge Foundation
(Formerly CarePartners Foundation)  Needs Volunteers

The WNC Bridge Foundation provides funds to assist in meeting the health challenges of people in the communities of Western North Carolina and to empower nonprofits to have an impact on individual and community wellness in those communities. The group particularly needs volunteers to help with their thrift store and estate sales and needs volunteers for their Drums and Dragons annual dragon boat fundraiser, June 22, at Lake Julian in Arden. 


UNC Asheville Concerts on the Quad
Mondays, June 24, July 8 and 15, 7 p.m. each night
UNC Asheville Quad
The 2019 season of Concerts on the Quad, UNC Asheville's free, outdoor Monday evening concert series, will  feature  music that spans many genres. Concerts on the Quad are family-friendly and informal, with lawn chairs, blankets and picnics welcome. Free parking is readily available on campus for these concerts; alcoholic beverages and pets are prohibited. For more information, call UNC Asheville's Highsmith Student Union at 828.251.6990.

June 24: METAL!
July 8: Brody Hunt and the Handfulls (honky tonk)
July 15: Che Apalache (Latingrass)

Wilma Dykeman Riverway
2019 Summer Series

Wilman Dykeman, RiverLink and the Wilma Dykeman Riverway
Saturday, June 22,  10 a.m. - Noon
Smoky Park Supper Club
Boathouse, 350 Riverside Drive

This event includes food and drink tastings and  illustrated presentations. To register contact Garrett Artz, Executive  Director, RiverLink, 828-252-8474, or  Jim Stokely, President, Wilma  Dykeman Legac,y 828-458-5813

Paddling the French Broad River with Asheville GreenWorks
Saturday, July 27, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Asheville GreenWorks Riverside O ffice, 318 Riverside Drive
Participants will take a shuttle to Hominy Creek River Park,  220 Hominy Creek Road and board canoes,  kayaks and dories, then paddle down the  river. Asheville GreenWorks will share their  history and current activities. To register contact   Dawn Chávez, GreenWorks Executive Director  or Eric Bradford, Director of Operations,  Asheville GreenWorks, 828-254-1776.  Participation is limited to 20 persons.

The Woodfin Greenway / Blueway and a Creekside Train Ride
Saturday, August 17, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Craggy Mountain  Line, 11 Woodfin Avenue
or meet at French Broad River Academy for Boys, 1990 Riverside Drive

The afternoon will include a train ride (which starts at 1:30 p.m., with participation limited to 35 people) and illustrated presentations,  followed by a short tour of the French Broad  River Academy's sustainable facility. To register contact  Jason Young, Woodfin  Town Administrator 828-253-4887


 
Mamie Hilliard and Kim Hayes
Thursday, June 27, 5 p.m.
Reuter Center, Room 206

When Mamie Hilliard first began writing poetry and discovered she had ideas to share, both her grandmothers appeared as her muses, encouraging her to work on reclaiming her own soul through writing.  Writing poetry draws her deeper into wonder and surprise. An ordained Disciples of Christ minister, she holds a bachelor's and Master of Divinity degrees. She was a long-time army wife, is the mother of three, a grandmother and great-grandmother. She has taken many classes at OLLI and the Great Smokies Writing Program.  Her recent book, ". . . and to see takes time . . ."  is the result of her discovery of herself as a poet, contemplative spirit, and narrator of stories covering the arc of her life journey.

Born and raised in central Florida, Kim spent her early years fishing with her dad, going to Sunday school, swimming, reading, and playing the piano. Her teenage years were spent a little farther north in Tallahassee, where she eventually graduated from Florida State University with a major in English and creative writing and a minor in mass communication. Kim's minor came into play when, after graduating, she moved to Asheville and worked as a radio copywriter and creative services director for over two decades. During that time, she met and married Rick, and they became the parents of a daughter, Rachael. Writing continued to play an important role for Kim professionally in positions she later held as marketing director for a local credit union and at a religious conference center. Crafting words has been a passion for Kim since childhood. In retirement, she has found fresh energy and the gift of time for writing. She cherishes
the new community of poetry friends she now enjoys at OLLI.
    Weaverville Gardens Galore Tour
Saturday, June 29,  10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
 Depart from Weaverville Town Parking Lot: 25 Main Street


Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to see some of Weaverville's most inspirational, diverse and beautiful private gardens!

The Garden Club of Weaverville presents the Weaverville Gardens Galore Tour, which will feature seven private gardens and the Weaverville Main Street Nature Park. The gardens on the tour include the English Cottage Garden, Laughing Crow Ornamental Garden, Whimsical Fantasy Garden, Stone Fire Pit and Garden, Urban Food Garden, Kaleidoscope Garden and a Meandering Mediterranean Garden. 

 Suggested Adult Donation: $20. Supervised children 12 years and under are admitted free.
 
 
Michael Reno Harrell

Stories on Asheville's Front Porch
Saturdays, July 6, 13, 20 and 27, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Jubilee!, 46 Wall Street, Downtown Asheville

July 6: Michael Reno Harrell
July 13: Ray Christian
July 20: Bob Falls and Lillian Chase Band
July 27: Catherine Yael Serota, Uncle Ted White, and Mike Sena

This event is free and open to everyone.
Click here for an event poster for Stories on Asheville's Front Porch. 

Christine Westfeldt
  Healing Stories
Thursday, July 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Jubilee Community, 46 Wall Street, Downtown Asheville

Interested in, drawn to, or curious about  Healing Stories ? Hear European and Asian folktales braided with hope and gratitude and grit. Enjoy  powerful stories expressively   told by  Christine Westfeldt  and  DARCY . Co-create with guided interactive components: Talk. Draw. Write. Open to all ages with longish attention spans. PWIW: Pay What It's Worth. 


Contact:  Trailwoman@hotmail.com  t reserve your s eat. 

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute | 828-251-6140 | olli@unca.edu | http://www.olliasheville.com
Reuter Center, CPO #5000
UNC Asheville
One University Heights
Asheville, NC 28804