OLLI at SOU NEWSFLASH
November 9, 2020
Winter Course Request Lottery Opens Today
Submit Your Top Choices for Winter 2020
The catalog is now available online, and one copy has been mailed to every member's household. Select up to three courses from the many offerings for Winter, then sign in to your account and add your requests to your shopping cart. Take your time considering course options–you have until 4:00 pm on November 20 to submit your selections for the Course Request Lottery so there's no rush. 
 
Open Enrollment Begins December 14. At that time you will be able to add as many courses as you'd like from among the dozens of courses that will have available seats at that time. A list of open courses will be available online and in the office. 

Questions? Click here to read OLLI's guide (PDF) to "Registration and Getting the Courses You Want." More help is available from the OLLI office by calling 541-552-6048 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Please note, the office will be closed on Wednesday, November 11 for the Veterans' Day holiday.

Important Dates for Winter Term
  • Winter Course Request Lottery Period: November 9–20
  • Winter Course Assignments Sent: December 7
  • Open Enrollment Registration Begins: December 14
  • Winter Term Begins: Monday, January 4
  • Winter Term Ends: Friday, March 12
Two More Conversation Connections this Term

  • Topic: A Conversation About OSF with Executive Director David Schmitz
  • Description: David Schmitz joined OSF in August 2020 and is eager to connect with OLLI members to talk about the present and future of the Festival; Paul Christy has been active in OLLI since 2016 and served as Acting OSF Executive Director in 2019 and 2020. Find out what’s been going on “behind the scenes” at OSF and join the conversation about OSF’s exciting plans for digital and in-person performances.
  • Date: Thursday, November 19
  • Time: 3:30–5:00 PM
  • Facilitator: Paul Christy
  • RSVP: Reservations are required, and honored on a first response basis. The maximum number of participants for this event is 100, OLLI members only. RSVP by 3:30 on Wednesday, November 18. Click here to RSVP.
  • Other Questions? Contact Paul Christy at [email protected]

  • Topic: Lasting Lifestyle Changes Resulting from Stay-At-Home Orders
  • Description: What have you discovered during this challenging time of suddenly being forced to adapt to the altered reality brought on by Covid-19? Let’s talk about the things you have learned about yourself, and what of those changes that you would like to keep once we return to whatever our new normal is going to be. What changes/innovations have occurred in our society that may have been good for us. A bit of grumbling is allowed but let’s explore silver linings.
  • Date: Thursday, November 12
  • Time: 3:00–4:30 PM
  • Facilitator: Colet Allen
  • Zoom Host: Sue Sorem (Sue Sorem will be the Zoom Host. Look for her name on the email you receive confirming your participation in this Zoom conversation.)
  • RSVP: Reservations are required, and honored on a first response basis. The maximum number of participants for this event is 15, OLLI members only. RSVP by 3:30 on Wednesday, November 11. Click here to RSVP.
  • Other Questions? Contact Colet Allen ([email protected]).
If you have a topic you'd like to talk over with other OLLI members, you may want to consider holding your own Conversation Connection. Contact Rob Joseph, Social Team Lead, at [email protected] for facilitator guidelines and more information. You don't have to be an expert or an instructor to facilitate a Conversation Connection. They are are one-time meetings on a specific topic of discussion held on Zoom, and are designed to encourage OLLI members to meet other members in a small group setting.

SOU and the OLLI office will be closed in observance of Veteran's Day this Wednesday, November 11.
Member-to-Member Remote Tech Support
Member-to-member tech support is available thanks to OLLI volunteers. If you would like help with getting up to speed online, click here to submit a request for tech support. and we will connect you with a Tech Support volunteer.
Online Peer Support Groups For Those Affected By Fire: Rising From The Ashes
OLLI volunteer instructor Nando Raynolds is sponsoring free drop-in online support groups for all those affected by the recent fires, facilitated by a team of Rogue Valley mental health professionals:
Monday evenings 6:30 – 8:00 PM PST
Thursday mornings 9:30 – 11:00 AM PST

Meet all attendees and connect in smaller groups using “breakout rooms” on Zoom.
Drop into any meeting at the same Zoom link: http://bit.ly/9-20Fires
Sponsored by Nando Raynolds (541-821-6623) and The Community Counseling Center of Ashland (541-708-5436). Hosted by Megan O’Melia and Emily Strong.
Thanksgiving and Top 10 Tips on Smart Giving
Did you know that, this year only, you can deduct $300 of charitable gifts to OLLI at SOU, or another nonprofit, without itemizing? Also, that you can deduct up to 100% of your adjusted gross income when you support OLLI's mission to offer a diverse repertoire of courses and programs designed to foster lifelong learning, encourage social interaction, and provide cultural enrichment?
Dr. Russell James, a leading national scholar on planned giving, offers these and other tax-smart giving tips in a recent letter shared with the Southern Oregon University Foundation (SOUF) and affiliated organizations, such as OLLI at SOU. Please click here for more information that you may want to discuss with your tax advisor.
Lifelong Learning Opportunities
Join AARP Oregon for the Vital Aging 2020 Conference featuring thought-provoking keynotes from leaders working to shape the future of aging.
November 10 - November 12 • This is a FREE virtual event. All are welcome. To register and learn more about sessions, speakers, and fun activities, visit: https://aarp.cvent.com/vitalaging2020

The Longevity Project invites you to a free conversation about the challenges people over 50 have faced in 2020 with Ashton Applewhite and Elizabeth White, two authors who are esteemed Influencers in Aging. Advance registration is required. Thursday, November 19, at 2:30 pm ET (11:30 am PT). Click here for more information and to register.