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Reuter Center Singers
Holiday Concert
Monday, December 11, 7 p.m.
Reuter Center Manheimer Room
The Reuter Center Singers, OLLI's in-house choral group directed by Chuck Taft, study and perform classical, popular and show tunes. In their Holiday Concert they will present traditional choral music and offer the opportunity to sing along with carols of the season. Light refreshments will be served. The concert is free and open to everyone. Donations are appreciated.
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OLLI and Reuter Center
Winter Break Closing
 OLLI and the Reuter Center will close for the winter break at 5 p.m., Friday, December 15, 2017 and reopen on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.
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Gardening Special Interest Group
Tuesday, December 12, 4:15 p.m., Room 230
 All OLLI members are invited to the Gardening SIG Holiday Party
on Tuesday, December 12, 4:15 PM
in Room 230.
Please bring a garden gift (a plant, a garden tool, etc.) to participate in our White Elephant Gift Exchange Game and bring your favorite holiday treat to share.
Tea and fixings will be provided.
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OLLI VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Manna Food Bank Team
Providing tens of thousands of meals a day to hungry people
Homeward Bound
Welcome Home Center
The key to ending homelessness
Roots Foundation
The garden is the classroom
VOLUNTEER NOW ... It's the time of year to make a difference!
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OLLI's Volunteer Spotlight,
Phase 2
by Carol Gillen
In January, we will launch the next phase of this series, begun a year ago, focusing on our wonderful OLLI instructors and volunteers. These folks, with great creativity and enthusiasm, have shared what makes their teaching/volunteer experiences fun and personally meaningful. I'm sure you will enjoy reading their responses.
We also hope you will consider volunteering in some capacity at OLLI. We each have a lifetime of meaningful experiences and skills that we can share -- a result of living long, complicated, interesting lives!
As always, many thanks to all of our instructors, volunteers and our remarkable OLLI staff - you make the magic happen!
For more information or to give us your quote for this project, contact Carol Gillen,
carol@gillen.com
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Basketball and Barbecue!!
Wednesday, January 24, 6 p.m.
Sherrill Center, Kimmel Arena
For the first time ever, fans of the UNC Asheville Bulldogs men's b
 asketball team and friends of the Asheville Symphony will have an opportunity to support both organizations at a
Musical Feast on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 in Kimmel Arena. A barbecue dinner with all the trimmings, including beer, will be served at
6 p.m.
Janet R. Cone, Director of
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Janet Cone
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Athletics at UNC Asheville will speak on her unique career as one of only four women to serve as athletics director at the university level in the country. Then, the UNC Asheville Bulldogs will play Gardner- Webb in the Kimmel Arena at
7 p.m. Participants will have a special section to enjoy the game. Tickets for the game are included in the price of the event. The UNC Asheville Bulldogs have been named the most likely to win the Big South Conference this year, and the game should be very exciting to watch.
Proceeds from the feast will go to the Asheville
 Symphony Orchestra. Feast tickets are limited. You will find more information at the Symphony Guild website,
ashevillesyphonyguild.org. When you enter the site, click on Musical Feasts on the top bar, then scroll down the list of feasts to January 2018, Musical Feast: Basketball and Barbecue for more information and tickets.
This feast will be hosted by Sam and Robin Harben, members of OLLI and the Symphony Guild. They are hoping for a good turnout of interested OLLI members to support both of these organizations and UNC Asheville.
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Special Thanks
CREW helps those considering relocation in retirement examine all their options carefully and make an informed decision about this major life transition.
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Volunteer Opportunity
Want To Help The Older Adults in Your Community? Be a Call A Ride Driver!
Volunteer drivers take older adults to medical appointments, the grocery store, and on other errands. They are reimbursed $0.535/mile and receive a stipend of $40 for 6 rides/month.
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Confident Caregiver Series
Beginning January 2018
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Calling NC Writers!
Personal Essay Publication
Opportunity
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Dear OLLI Members,
We hope that you have been able to stay safe and warm during our wintry weather. Here's hoping that roads are safe by the time of the Reuter Center Singers performance tomorrow, Monday, December 11, 7 p.m. We will make a decision by 3 p.m. and post it on our website if we have to cancel. The concert is a great way to enjoy the holiday spirit and support your fellow OLLI members. This newsletter also highlights opportunities to enjoy productions by NC Stage, the Blue Ridge Orchestra (although you should check their website to see if the concert is going to happen), to volunteer for a number of local organizations and to gather with OLLI friends in the coming weeks.
UNC Asheville's commencement will take place Friday, December 15, 4 p.m., so the campus lots will be full at that time as university staff, families and friends gather to celebrate graduation. The moment will be a bittersweet one for all of us in the UNC Asheville community, since it will mark the last duty of Chancellor Mary Grant before she takes on her new role as
President of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston. Dr. Grant and her husband Jim Canavan have brought energy and passion for the liberal arts mission and community engagement to the university. We were particularly honored that Jim served as OLLI's university liaison, and we continue to work to nurture and solidify relationships with the rest of the university. We will miss Chancellor Grant but look forward to what she will accomplish in service to the institute's mission of "educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities." We hope that Chancellor Grant and Jim know that when the time comes, Asheville is a great place to retire!
We wanted to remind you that our offices will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 15 and will not re-open until Tuesday, January 2. We will also close our online registration system during that time. There are still courses open, so you may still add courses or join for the first time. Remember that you have until Friday, January 5, 3 p.m. to request a full refund for Winter 2018 term fees.
And while we want to savor the holiday season, we also are looking forward to events in the new year. Popular OLLI instructor Jim Lenburg and Sarah-Ann Smith, author and former member of the diplomatic corps, will participate in a Leadership Asheville Forum discussion moderated by Dr. Elizabeth Colton. We particularly anticipate the appearance of author Michelle Alexander as the keynote speaker for UNC Asheville's observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. Her book
The New Jim Crow has helped readers understand issues of race, civil rights, and mass incarceration in new ways. And don't forget that the start of the winter term means a new series of Fab Friday lectures, courses, special interest groups, conversations and possibilities.
With respect for all that you do to model creative retirement,
Catherine Frank
Executive Director
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Check the links here to see OLLI and UNC Asheville current events:
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UNC Asheville Athletic Events
Sunday, December 10. 1 p.m.
Women's Basketball UNC Asheville vs. Mercer, Kimmel Arena
Sunday, December 10, 3:30 p.m.
Men's Basketball UNC Asheville vs. Milligan, Kimmel Arena
Sunday, December 17, 4:30 p.m.
Men's Basketball Mountain Invitational UNC Asheville vs. Western Carolina University
US Cellular Center
Thursday, December 21, 7 p.m.
Women's Basketball UNC Asheville vs. Appalachian State University, Kimmel Arena
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 Holiday Volunteer Opportunities
Looking for ways you might kick up the holiday spirit and bring joy to others? You may want to consider one of these community options.
Eblen Charities:
Volunteers are needed to help in their St. Nicholas Toy Store, which will be open weekdays from December 7-21 at the Westgate Shopping Center.
Children 7 to 12 are welcome to serve alongside their parent. Middle and high school students are welcome to sign up for a station except for the teen zone. We have community partners who have committed to staff a whole day of the store and those days are locked, but hopefully you can find another time that works for you.
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on SignUp)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - SignUp will send an automated confirmation and reminders.
Note: Eblen Charities does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Geneva Neeriemer (
eblentoystorevolunteers@gmail.com or 828-712-6108 ) and she can sign you up manually.
Last year this project brought joy to 1700 families, including 4200 children, as they collected and distributed toys, books, stuffed animals and bicycles.
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December Delights from NC Stage
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Blue Ridge Orchestra Revels 2017
Sunday, December 10, 3 p.m,
Folk Art Ctr, Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 382
 The Blue Ridge Orchestra is excited to present a holiday mix of classical and contemporary treats. Featuring the dances from Tchaikovsky's
Nutcraker, Carol of the Bells with local Carolina Day student Zaria Joyner on electric guitar, a sing-along of beloved carols, pop favorites, and more.
Tickets $15 General Admission, $10 Friend, $5 Student, FREE for kids 6 & under.
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Meditation Special Interest Group
Monday, December 11, 2017, 4:15 p.
m., Reuter Center Room 120
Live Music Nada Yoga Meditation with Linda Go, followed by dinner at Thai Kitchen.
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Linda Go
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Nada yoga is a sound activated yoga meditation practice. It helps to prepare the mind and body for the inward journey of meditation and deepened mindful awareness. As the practice expands, the vibrational vehicle of live music carries you from the waking state of consciousness into the silent space between your thoughts-the space from where you're able to glimpse the soul and awaken the divinity within. Linda's guided meditation with original composed music and mantras integrates Sanskrit chants with Celtic harp, Tibetan singing bowls and other sound healing instruments to create an ultimate meditation experience.
Linda Go is a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance.
Linda teaches yoga and offers a variety of sound healing workshops, classes and Sanskrit chant circles with her kirtan group oSHeN through OLLI, UNC Asheville's Department of Health and Wellness Promotion, The Embodiment Center, Asheville Community Yoga, and Magictown Movement Studio.
All OLLI members are invited to attend.
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New Member Welcome
Friday, January 5, 2018, 10 a.
m., Reuter Center Manheimer Room
Are you new to OLLI at UNC Asheville and the Reuter Center? Are you returning after being gone awhile? Come to the New Member Welcome on Friday, January 5, 2018, 10 a.m., to learn about all that OLLI has to offer and about ways to get involved. Meet other members and learn what it means to "grow through life." Light refreshments served.
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College for Seniors Winter Term Begins
Monday, January 8, 2018, 9 a.m.
College for Seniors program draws from the experiences and professional expertise of its members as well as from the UNC Asheville and other area institutions and people. Courses range from Chaucer to technology, from foreign affairs to opera, from the History of Modern China to Asheville on the Cheap. Courses are non-credit with no tests or grades and are open to all OLLI members.
There are still openings in courses.
And remember, if you wish to drop and receive a full refund, you must make that request by Friday, January 5, 3 p.m.
Our registration system will be closed Friday, December 15, 5 p.m. and re-open, Tuesday, January 2, 9 a.m.
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A Free Leadership Asheville Forum Event at UNC Asheville
China: Key to the North Korea Threat?
Tuesday, January 9, 2018, 7 p.
m., Reuter Center Manheimer Room
Many Asia experts believe that China holds the key
to preventing further escalation of the nuclear threat from North Korea. That theory and more will be discussed by two prominent China scholars, Dr. Jim Lenburg, professor-emeritus at Mars Hill University and Dr. Sarah-Ann Smith, a noted author and former member of the U.S. diplomatic corps in Hong Kong.
The program will be moderated by Dr. Elizabeth O.Colton, also a veteran of the U.S. diplomatic corps. This free event is co-sponsored by Leadership Asheville Forum and OLLI.
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Fab Friday Lunch and Learn Lecture
Friday, January 12, 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m., Manheimer Room
The Fab Friday Lunch & Learn Lectures are free and open to everyone. Purchase lunch in our Reuter Café or bring your own brown bag. End your week and start your weekend with Fab Fridays. Don't miss these great programs.
"Muscle and Joint Injuries" by Dr. Aaron Vaugh, M.D.
Dr. Vaughan will offer a review of the more common injuries to muscles and joints as we age.
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Aaron Vaugh |
He will help you
understand why these pains present more frequently as we age and what we can do to reduce their frequency and severity. Attention will be given to how you can best develop self-care strategies and identify when you need to call in help from medical and other health care providers.
Dr. Vaughan is board certified in family medicine and sports medicine, practices at Asheville Orthopedic Associates and serves as the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Director at MAHEC. He is team physician to many local athletic teams including UNC Asheville, the Asheville Tourists, and Asheville High School and has served as team physician to the Carolina Hurricanes and UNC- Chapel Hill. This lecture is part of the Health Education Series. Click here to read about all of the Winter 2018 Fab Friday lectures.
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Thomas Wolfe Book Club
Beginning January, 2018
 Beginning in January of 2018 and continuing through April, a
 monthly Thomas Wolfe Book Club will meet in downtown Asheville at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site. Each month a different local educator will lead the club in discussion of a pre-selected short story written by Thomas Wolfe.
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Michelle Alexander
MLK Week Keynote
Thursday, January 18, 7 p.m.
Sherrill Center, Kimmel Arena
Michelle Alexander's best-selling book,
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, both crystallized and amplified public discussion about racism and civil rights, the war on drugs and the prison system. As an attorney, Alexander clerked for Justice Harry Blackmun at the U.S. Supreme Court, directed the Racial Justice Project at the ACLU of Northern California, and brought discrimination suits in private practice.
She now is a visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary and a forceful public speaker who argues that mass incarceration is today's version of Jim Crow segregation. Alexander will deliver the keynote talk for UNC Asheville's observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Week.
Arena doors open at 6 pm.
Lecture is free and open to the public
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
This event is presented by UNC Asheville with support from the Blue Ridge District of the United Methodist Church.
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Click here to visit the UNC Asheville Athletics webpage
