March	April
Mar. 15, 12pm: Spring 2017 Kickoff Luncheon in Michel Student Center Ballrooms	Apr. 5, 12, 19, 26: OLLI Spring Classes
	Apr. 11, 9am: Learning Trip Committee Meeting in Michel Student Center Executive Suite
	Apr. 13 & 27, 2pm: Study Group Committee Meetings at Peoria NEXT Innovation Center

Tomorrow, March 15, is the OLLI Spring Kickoff Luncheon, and we can't wait to celebrate the start of the spring season (even if the weather doesn't feel quite like spring yet)!  Please take a moment to review the following reminders for tomorrow.

The  luncheon begins at 12:00 p.m. , with an orientation for New Class Members at 11:00 a.m.  

For easy parking and door-to-door shuttle service, please park at one of the two following locations:

Shea Stadium , 1523 W Nebraska Ave, Peoria

A parking attendant will be available to assist you as needed.

Westminster Presbyterian Church , 1420 W Moss Ave, Peoria

Per the church's request, please park in the LOWER lot (left side).  

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., Peoria Charter buses will transport you from Shea Stadium, and OLLI Shuttles will transport you from Westminster Church to the Student Center at Bradley.  

Our keynote speaker will be Jerry Mitchell, Chief of Police for Peoria Police Department.  We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

OLLI Spring Classes are the perfect opportunity to keep learning about topics you love, or to try learning about something completely new!  The relaxed, social atmosphere make OLLI Classes a fun way to go "back to school."

Take a look at this unique class opportunity, for example:

The Fan's Guide to Sports Injuries (class #13)

This course will focus on common sports injuries sustained across the lifespan.  Pertinent anatomy, mechanism of injury, and treatment (surgical and non-surgical) will be discussed in easy to understand terms.  The class instructor is Steve Tippett PT, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy and Health Science at Bradley University with 34 years of practice as a Sports Clinical Specialist Consultant to the Bradley Sports Medicine Staff.

Register for classes today by calling Bonnie at 309-677-3900!

Don't Shoot Peoria Call In (Activity Level 1)

Thursday, March 30

4:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Peoria Public Library Main Branch 

Don't Shoot Peoria is hosting a Call In for the Most Violent Offender (MVO) Initiative.  This initiative utilizes a focused deterrent strategy to deliver a clear message to individuals that have committed weapon and/or violent offenses.  Those participating in this Call In will receive a clear message that their violence will no longer be tolerated by law enforcement and the community.  We will also offer assistance and resources for those who request help.  By sitting in the audience, which surrounds those individuals most likely to commit violent crimes, you have the opportunity to show that their own community disapproves of the violence and that it has to stop. 

$25 - includes round-trip shuttle transportation, dinner, gratuities.  Participants will park at CampusTown and walk over to meet at Avanti's at 4:00 p.m. for an early dinner, and then will be dropped off at CampusTown by 8:00 p.m. after the presentation.

Looking for a good reading experience along with thought-provoking discussions?  This study group is offering a look at some of America's best writers that most OLLI members may not have had the opportunity to read in literature courses forty years ago.

African-American Short Stories 

Mondays, April 10 - May 8

10:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Peoria Public Library Lakeview Branch

Minimum 8 participants, register by March 27

Please join six guest facilitators to read the short stories of Charles Chesnutt, Ramona Lowe, Ralph Ellison, Anne Scott, and others in "African-American Short Stories."  Our guest discussion leaders will include Jane Hense, popular OLLI study group facilitator, Peoria Public Library Assistant Director Roberta Koscielski, Common Place's Director of Adults Program, Wayne Cannon, Illinois Central College Adjunct English Instructor Andrea Walton, Attorney Beverly Jones, and Judge Mary McDade.

Don't miss this chance to enhance your knowledge of short stories written by outstanding African-American writers.

$45 - facilitated by the volunteers as noted above.

To register, call Bonnie at 309-677-3900.

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OLLI members have an exciting learning opportunity this spring, but time is running short to take advantage of it.  

America and the Great War: Centennial Remembrances and Reflections

Tuesdays, March 28 - April 18

9:30 - 11:45 a.m.

Washington District Library

Minimum 8 participants, register by March 14

Although the Greatest Generation and its children are fascinated with the topic of World War II, we need to remember that an understanding of World War I is needed to comprehend what happened in Europe between 1939-1945.

To do that and commemorate America's entry into World War I, the Study Group Committee urges you to join Dr. David Thompson in a discussion of that conflict.  Dave Thompson, Professor of History at Illinois Central College has been teaching Western Civilization, World Civilization, and International Studies courses for approximately twenty years.  He grew up in Morton, Illinois, received his undergraduate degree in history from Augustana College, and went on to earn a doctoral degree at Ohio State University, specializing in military history.

Dr. Thompson has previously taught two OLLI classes on "Decisive Battles of World War II" and "World War II at Sea" during our 2015 and 2016 winter sessions.  Last year he led a thought-provoking discussion of Last Days in Vietnam, a documentary film about America's final hours in Saigon in 1975.  All three discussions were very well received.  Now we have an opportunity to learn about World War I with this outstanding educator.

Ask a friend to sign up with you, make the short drive to Washington, spend four Tuesdays at America and the Great War, and grab lunch afterwards to talk about what you learned!

$45 - facilitated by David Thompson, Professor of History, Illinois Central College and OLLI class instructor.

To register, call Bonnie at 309-677-3900.

Bradley University Women's Tennis Inaugural Coliseum Classic

Saturday, March 25

9:00 a.m. - Match against Saint Louis

6:00 p.m. - Match against IUPUI

Renaissance Coliseum, Bradley University

Bradley Tennis will try to set the national attendance mark for the 2017 season inside the University's Renaissance Coliseum on March 25 as a part of the inaugural Bradley Tennis Coliseum Classic.

Utilizing a modular, synthetic sports surface, the matches will be played on three tennis courts inside the Renaissance Coliseum's basketball/volleyball arena.  The current attendance record for a women's tennis dual match was set in 2016 during a match between Georgia and Florida with a crowd of 1,032.  The Coliseum's upper bowl seats 1,983, allowing enough capacity to break the attendance record.  

Come be a part of this exciting event!  General admission information is below; for additional details and sponsorship package information, click here.

General Admission Tickets

Adults $6

Youth (K-12) $3

Groups (15 or more) $3 adults, $1 youth

Bradley University students, faculty, and staff FREE

Active members of the military and immediate family members FREE

Issue Briefing on Education Access for Children Living in Extreme Poverty

Presented by the Peoria Area World Affairs Council

Thursday, March 23

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Cayenne, 4542 N. Prospect Road, Peoria Heights

The Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC) will host an Issue Briefing dinner and discussion on Education Access for Children Living in Extreme Poverty.  Participants wishing to order dinner are advised to arrive by 5:30 p.m.  The program and discussion will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Lack of access to quality education, especially among the poorest, prevents millions around the world from escaping the cycle of violence.  Further, more than 130 million girls globally, a population larger than that of present-day Germany, are denied the basic right to attend school.  The issue briefing will focus on ideas to enhance transparency and accelerate the impact of assistance to promote quality basic education in developing countries and to better enable such countries to achieve universal access to quality basic education and improved learning outcomes.

The evening's speaker, Janet Bantz Glavin, MA, is the Volunteer and Congressional District Leader for ONE.  She has recently returned from Washington, DC, where she attended meetings and events that focused on ways the United States Congress is working on addressing the issues of education access and poverty reduction.

The events is free, but attendees must order and pay for their own food and beverages at the event.  Advance registration is required by Tuesday, March 21 by calling 309-677-2454 or emailing director@pawac.org.

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