Elise Beckstett
"I love volunteering at OLLI because of the vibrant, interesting people who come from all walks of life and that inspires me!"
Elise teaches Pilates classes at OLLI and is a member of the Health and Fitness Committee.
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Whole Foods/Plant-based Living Special Interest Group
Friday, February 2, 3:15 p.m.
In this group we provide information and support for anyone interested in following a more plant based diet along the lines of Dean Ornish, Caldwell Esselstyn, Joel Fuhrman, Neal Barnard, John McDougall, Michael Greger, and T. Colin Campbell.
All OLLI members are invited to attend!
For more information, contact
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OLLI VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Homeward Bound's Welcome Home Center
The key to ending homelessness
Habitat for Humanity's ReStore
Changing lives one house at a time
Homework Diners
Homework help for the student and
a free meal for the family
VOLUNTEER NOW ... You can make a difference!
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WNC Historical Association Lecture
Saturday, February 3, 2 p.m.
Reuter Center's Manheimer Room
Hazel Creek: The Life and Death of an Iconic Mountain Community,
presented by Dan Pierce
UNC Asheville Department of History
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Dan Pierce
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Join Dan Pierce, National Endowment for the Humanities Distinguished Professor, UNC Asheville, as he unfolds the endearing story of Hazel Creek, North Carolina. Located within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hazel Creek experienced an extraordinary history. Home to the writer Horace Kephart, the community experienced remarkable periods of boom in their mining and lumber industries throughout the 1920s. With the construction of Fontana Dam in 1942, however, the Hazel Creek area was flooded by the dam's extensive reservoir. Promises were made by the federal government to help those displaced - promises to this day not realized. The phrase "for the public's greater good" continues to provide conflicted memories for many mountain folks.
Program sponsored by the Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA)
Tickets sold at the door: $5
WNCHA members free.
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STEM Lecture
Tuesday, February 6, 4:30p.m.
Reuter Center's Manheimer Room
"Women in Physics"
Speakers: Dr. Judy Beck, Lecturer, UNC Asheville Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dr. Ted McIrvine, OLLI
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Judy Beck
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Physics remains one of the fields in higher education and the workforce in which women are significantly underrepresented. This talk will present historical and current trends and statistics, and discuss possible causes for the low numbers of women entering physics and the barriers they
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Ted McIrvine
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may face. Achievements and stories of some remarkable women in physics will be highlighted to provide examples of some of the significant contributions women have made in the field. Finally, the current status of efforts to change the culture and to increase the diversity in physics will be discussed.
This event is free and open to everyone.
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More Than a Month Lecture
Friday, February 16, 2 p.m.
Reuter Center's Manheimer Room
"Thoughts From A Recovering Racist"
by Bruce Mulkey,
essayist & author
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Bruce Mulkey
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n an earlier incarnation, I was a hyper-masculine, self-indulgent, beer-swilling rebel (without much of a cause). Having miraculously survived that era, I am now an open-minded, relentlessly inquisitive, politically progressive essayist and author. I live with my wife Shonnie Lavender and our daughter Gracelyn (largely outside the dominant cultural paradigm) in the eclectic little city of Asheville, North Carolina.
I've dealt with topics ranging from racism (and my ongoing recovery from it), my brief encounter with Norman Mailer ("Are you still stabbing your wife?"), opposition to the Iraq War ("A few illogical arguments for the elimination of Saddam Hussein" published before the war began), Al Gore (not the stuffed shirt you might imagine) and the perils of climate change, my seventieth birthday (It's not that I mind growing old; I just don't want to be there when it happens.), spanking (and its unintended consequences), why I gave up my last handgun (after my wife asked me the simple question: "What are you afraid of, Bruce?"), trail running in the southern Appalachians, and fatherhood at sixty-seven.
This presentation is a part of the More Than A Month series created by members of OLLI's Inclusion Committee who have come together to promote and celebrate inclusion at OLLI, develop partnerships with people of all backgrounds and raise awareness among fellow OLLI members and the greater Asheville community of issues of concern to all of our communities.
This event is free and open to everyone.
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Dear OLLI Members,
We are in the midst of editing our catalog for Spring 2018.
Click here for a sneak peek of spring term classes. This spring term College for Seniors plans a theme term on race in black and white, having encouraged curriculum committees to organize courses that encourage challenging conversations about this topic. In addition to courses, College for Seniors has organized a series of "Hot Topics" lectures to enrich conversations that begin in the classroom. We have also been convening these conversations through the Inclusion Committee's "More than a Month" series that had a packed crowd in the Manheimer Room for a discussion of Confederate monuments, moderated by Dr. Darin Waters and including Deborah Miles, Sasha Mitchell, Dan Pierce and Sheneika Smith.
And remember that the deadline for submitting proposals to teach at College for Seniors in Summer 2018 is February 1. If you would like to teach or know someone who would like to share a passion or talent with OLLI members, please contact College for Seniors program manager Herb Gunn.
This week's newsletter also reminds us that there are learning opportunities at the Reuter Center almost every day. You can enjoy programming created by OLLI members, including our Fab Friday programs or STEM lectures.Special Interest Groups like the Whole Foods/Plant Based Living group, Financial Strategies in Retirement or The Forum meet to learn more about particular subjects in a way that satisfies intellectual curiosity in a social environment. We are particularly excited about our new Thriving in Community Special Interest Group and hope you will take time to read Judy LaMee's story about the group. We also have inspiring programs from our community partners, including the Astronomy Club of Asheville, the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, and the Western North Carolina Historical Alliance. And of course you can take advantage of the many lectures, performances, exhibitions and athletics events presented at UNC Asheville.
Thank you for recognizing the value of being part of a community of teachers and learners,
Catherine Frank
Executive Director
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Check the links here to see OLLI and UNC Asheville current events:
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Upcoming UNC Asheville Athletic Events
January 28-February 10, 2018
- Saturday, February 3, 2 p.m., Women's Basketball UNC Asheville vs. Winthrop, Kimmel Arena
- Saturday, February 3, 4:30 p.m., Men's Basketball UNC Asheville vs. Presbyterian, Kimmel Arena
- Sunday, February 4, 3 p.m., Men's Tennis UNC Ashevile vs. Tennessee Tech, Asheville Racquet Club Downtown
- Tuesday, February 6, 7 p.m., Women's Basketball UNC Asheville vs. Radford, Kimmel Arena
- Friday, February 9, 12:15 p.m., Women's Tennis UNC Asheville vs. Lenoir-Rhyne, Asheville Racquet Club Downtown
- Saturday, February 10, 2 p.m., Men's Basketball UNC Asheville vs. Radford, Kimmel Arena
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Astronomy Club of Asheville
Thursday, February 1, 7 p.m., Reuter Center Manheimer Room
"Women in Astronomy: Holding Up Half the Sky"
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Britt Lundgren
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by Britt Lundgren, UNC Asheville, Physics Department Faculty
Women have been making major contributions to the progress of astronomical knowledge in Western science since at least the days of Caroline Herschel (1750-1848), though they have historically enjoyed limited professional recognition.
Dr. Lundgren will highlight some of the most prominent early advances in astronomy that were made possible through the efforts of female astronomers. The social progress in recent decades will also be discussed, as well as the persistent barriers facing women and other marginalized groups in astronomy, and the ongoing efforts to improve diversity and inclusion in the field.
The Astronomy Club of Asheville meets the first Thursday of each month, from 7-9 p.m., with an interesting lineup of speakers and topics. OLLI members may attend the club meetings and star gazes, with club members on hand to advise and assist them in the basics of astronomy and the techniques of observing celestial phenomena.
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Fab Friday Lunch and Learn Lecture
Friday, February 2, 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m., Manheimer Room
Purchase lunch in our Reuter Café or bring your own brown bag. Don't miss these great programs. Free and open to everyone.
Asheville Race Relations, Black-White, Past and Present
This panel presentation will focus on black and white race relations in Asheville from the days when schools and public accommodations were integrated, to what is happening today. Panelists include Al Whitesides, Buncombe County Commissioner, and Marvin Chambers, both instrumental in the desegregation of Asheville as part of ASCORE (Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality); Keynon Lake, founder of My Daddy Taught Me That; and Lewis Isaac, retired, VA Medical Center human resources.
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The Strategy Behind OLLI's Strategic Plan
by Jim Lenburg
Ever wonder what OLLI will look like five years down the road? Or what it will take to get us there? To give form to that vision OLLI leaders engaged nearly 400 members and the OLLI staff over the past year+ to create the vision and goals. The next step was to craft a framework for systematically reaching those goals.
Click here to read the story on how OLLI's 2017-2022 plan was created.
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Special Interest Group The Forum
Friday, February 2, 1 p.m., Room 205
 Mark your calendar to attend this free-flowing dialogue designed to enrich and expand participants' thinking on topics ranging from changing demographics of retirees to nuclear disarmament. All OLLI members are invited and welcome!
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You're Invited! OLLI's Newest Special Interest Group:
Thriving in Community
by Judy LaMée
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There's a new OLLI Special Interest Group (SIG) in town, one that could hold interest for many of our members - and you're invited. Called Thriving in Community, the new group deals with a topic most of us will face, unless we already have: how can I continue to live in my own home on my own terms when age or illness force me to rethink the way I've always done things?
Consider joining this SIG's monthly discussions to determine whether this journey is right for you. Speakers and their topics for the next three months, all on Friday afternoons at the Reuter Center are:
- February 23, 3 p.m., Room 102: Meridith Miller, Village-to-Village network concept
- Mar 9, 3:30 p.m., Room 206: Sharon Willen, Structural accommodations to live safely in one's home
- Apr 13, 3:30 p.m., Room 206: Jacquie Wollins, A physical therapist's tips to help individuals compensate for physical limitations and chronic health problems
Click here to read more.
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Financial Strategies in Retirement Special Interest Group
Friday, February 2, 1:30 p.m. , Room 205
"Investor Roundtable: Investment Questions for 2018"
- What sectors are poised for growth in 2018?
- We are nearly nine years into a bull market. Can it continue? Will it?
- How much should you expect to spend on medical care in retirement?
- What companies will benefit if infrastructure spending actually gets off the ground?
- Personal finance: Buying vs. leasing? Considerations when you buy your next car.
Join us and bring your additional questions and comments. The meeting is open to all OLLI members. Contact for more information, Kate Beatty 828.231.7710 kkbmom@yahoo.com
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Sierra Club Meeting
Thursday, February 1, 7 p.m., Location Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, corner of Charlotte and Edwin.
 "Hiking the Himalayas" by Bill (Skywalker) Walker
Walker has through-hiked the great trails of the world Including the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest. Now he shares his experiences hiking in the Himalayas. Note that this meeting will take place on Thursday.
Contact: Judy Mattox, judymattox@sbcglobal.net, (828) 683-2716
Free and open to everyone.
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World Affairs Council
Tuesday, February 6, 2018, 7:30 p.m., Reuter Center Manheimer Room
 Turkey: A Partner in Crisis by Tom Sanders
Of all NATO allies, Turkey represents the most daunting challenge for the Trump administration. In the wake of a failed military coup in July 2016, the autocratic trend in Ankara took a turn for the worse. One year on, an overwhelming majority of the population considers the United States to be their country's greatest security threat. In this age of a worsening "clash of civilizations" between Islam and the West, even more important than its place on the map is what Turkey symbolically represents as the most institutionally Westernized Muslim country in the world.
Tom Sanders holds a doctorate from Columbia University is a
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Tom Sanders
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retired professor of religious studies and of international studies. He has taught for over 20 years in the College for Seniors at UNC Asheville, including courses on Turkey, the Kurds, political development in the Arab world, and religion, ethnicity, and politics in the Middle East. He has visited Turkey many times, chiefly to practice Turkish with all kinds of ordinary Turks.
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 World Affairs Council meetings offer a lively line up of topics and compelling presenters.
All lectures are scheduled in the Reuter Center's Manheimer Room, free to WAC members and students, all others $10 at the door. For more details about programs, consult the WAC website. http://www.main.nc.us/wac
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Symphony Talk
Guest Conductor Garry Walker
previews "A Musical Tour of Scotland
Friday, February 9, 3 p.m., Reuter Center Manheimer Room
During this Symphony Talk, Garry Walker, one of six candidates for the position of music director for the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, will present a program of Scotland-themed classical works to be performed on Saturday, February 10.
The program includes Malcolm Arnold's
Four Scottish Dances
, Debussy's
Marche écossaise
(Scottish march), Bruch's
Violin Concerto No. 1
with guest violinist Elena Urioste, and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3, known as "the Scottish."
The best way to enjoy the Asheville Symphony Orchestra's Masterworks concerts is to come to the Symphony Talk for the inside scoop on the music, composers and soloists. Asheville Symphony Orchestra conductor candidates will introduce themselves and the upcoming concerts, and local music aficionado Chip Kaufmann will speak about the composers. For more information about the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, visit
ashevillesymphony.org
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Storytelling Performance
Friday, March 2, 7 p.m.
Southside Center, 285 Livingstone Street, Asheville
On the Row by Dr. Wesley Grant, Sr.
The Northwest Arkansas Prison Story Project is a storytelling/creative writing project benefiting incarcerated women and men in Arkansas since 2012. Inmates share their stories, inspired through the use of poetry, creative writing, literature and songwriting. Their work is edited into a staged reading, initially performed by professional actors inside the prison and then outside for the community.
The Asheville performance features local actors, including three current UNC Asheville students. It will be only the second performance of this piece ever outside of Arkansas.
The performance is free and open to everyone. Donations are accepted and will benefit the Wesley Grant Center. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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OLLI Craft Swap Meet
Saturday, March 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
, Reuter Center Manheimer Room
 This is a new endeavor designed for OLLI members ONLY. A
free craft swap meet where you can swap/sell/buy craft supplies and 'stuff' from other OLLI members. It is recommended you register for a table by emailing
olli@unca.edu. Tables will be assigned in order of registration - first come, first served.
Suggested items to bring to swap/sell/buy include paint supplies, beads & jewelry making supplies, buttons, polymar sculpy clay, fiber arts & yarn, weaving supplies, paper goods, colored pencils, pastels, photography, marbles, mosiac items, fabric, ribbon and sewing notions....almost any craft and art supplies!
This is a closed event for OLLI members ONLY - - to have tables of craft supplies to swap/buy/sell and other OLLI members to attend and see what's on offer. There is no cost to participate, and we suggest you pack a lunch! It will be a fun time for all and you may need a bite to eat before it's all said and done.
For more information or if you have questions, email
olli@unca.edu
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