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We Remember
Art Keller
July 2020
Bob Wiley
August 28, 2020
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Add/Drop Opens
Monday, August 31, 10 a.m.
Thanks to all of you who registered for College for Seniors courses and for membership for this fall. We know that many people have been disappointed that you were only able to get into one course, but we hope you will stay with us if you can afford to do that. We truly need your support to weather this time. And you can still sign up for courses like "Examining the Grateful Dead" or "Pandemics, Epidemics, and Their Impact on Sports in America." Click here for a list of classes that still have openings.
Because our staff is working from home, we prefer that all questions be directed to olli@unca.edu. Please be patient as we work our way through unprecedented changes in our work environments. We will get to all of your questions, but it may take a little more time.
OLLI right now is abundant with connections and learning opportunities, even while we are apart. We need everyone to continue to support us as we continue to grow and expand.
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OLLI's Inclusion Committee Presents a Virtual Series on Racial Disparity
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Tsianina Tovar
Buncombe County Schools
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Education Disparity:
Wednesday, September 16, 4 p.m.
Featuring professional educators and education advocates including
Jesse Pitts
Counselor at Asheville Middle School
Tsianina Tovar
ESL teacher for Buncombe County Schools
Buffy Fowler
Operations Coordinator at Francine Delaney New School
Register below for Zoom Webinar
(In the Webinar setting, your camera and video will be automatically off, but you can participate in a chat based Q&A)
Watch for the link to register in later newsletters.
OLLI's Inclusion Committee has designed a virtual webinar series focusing on four major areas reflecting racial disparity in our community. The presentation of the series is an effort to raise awareness and to inspire personal engagement and advocacy.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic the historic and current inequities created by systemic racism have been illuminated. The disproportionate impact on communities of color are strikingly visible in the following areas: healthcare, criminal justice, education, and economics.
Each session in the series will include participation by local leaders, professionals and Asheville/Buncombe community members in their respective roles engaged in addressing these issues. The format will allow for a discussion and a question and answer follow up.
Education Disparity:
Wednesday, September 16, 4 p.m. will feature professional educators and education advocates including Jesse Pitts, Counselor at Asheville Middle School, Tsiana Tovar, ESL teacher for Buncombe County Schools and Buffy Fowler, Operations Coordinator at Francine Delaney New School.
Economic Disparity:
Thursday, September 24, 6:30 p.m.
"Understanding the Racial Wealth Gap" is the topic for the fifth and final session of the series. We will have more information about panelists in next week's newsletter.
If you missed our first two webinars. . .
We will post recordings of all of the webinars as soon as we are able to have them close-captioned.
Watch newsletters for links to register for the following Zoom Webinar sessions.
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Literacy Council Volunteer Opportunity
Are you ready for a new challenge?
The Literacy Council has a determined group of students waiting for volunteer tutors so they can move forward on their goals for a better future. Tutor training is via distance learning, and all tutoring sessions are online. They have programs teaching English to immigrants; adult literacy for folks working on a GED; and youth literacy for kids struggling to learn to read. Check it out and help spread the word !Take a look at our website or click this link for the next orientation.
And help us spread the word!
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Astronomy Club of Asheville
Thursday,
September 3,
7-8:30 p.m.
"Blue Stragglers: How one group of peculiar stars defies standard stellar evolution theory"
Astronomers of today have a thorough understanding of how stars evolve from the time they are born, until the time that they die. In other words, our current model of standard stellar evolution is solid. Our stellar models are capable of explaining and accurately predicting the behavior of stars over the course of their lifetimes-that is, as long as the stars are "normal." The story, however, is more complicated for stars that are "peculiar".
There are various groups of peculiar stars, but in this talk, Dr. Courtney McGahee will focus on one group in particular - stars known as Blue Stragglers. Many astronomers believe Blue Stragglers are "vampire" stars that have "fed" from a companion. Dr. McGahee will discuss how current stellar evolution theory fails to explain the behavior of these stars, and she will highlight how chemical markers are used to investigate the potential vampire-nature of these objects. Click here to learn more about Dr. McGahee.
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WENOCA
Sierra Club Webinar
Environmental Injustice:
Race, Class and Climate Change
William Barber is the Strategic Partnerships Manager at the Climate Reality Project and co-chair for the N.C. Poor People's Campaign Committee on Ecological Devastation. He earned his law degree at UNC-Chapel Hill and is a member of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality's Justice and Equity Advisory Board. He is the son of Rev. William Barber of the national Poor People's Campaign. Barber will talk about environmental racism and the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on the poor and people of color.
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The Forum SIG - Virtual Edition!
Friday, September 4, 1 p.m.
Online
Topic for September 4: "Current events and selection of discussion topics for September"
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. Contact Beth Johnson, the Forum SIG coordinator, to get a link for the meeting: johnson1ea@earthlink.net
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NC Stage Presents
"Blood Done Sign My Name" Live on Zoom
Presented by Mike Wiley, based on the memoir by Tim Tyson
September 10th through 27th for 12 performances
Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.
Based on the book by Timothy Tyson, Blood Done Sign My Name, this production tells the story of Henry "Dickie" Marrow, a 23-year-old U.S. Army veteran whose wife was pregnant with their third daughter, who was beaten down and shot to death in the street by three White men for allegedly making a remark to one of the men's wife. Despite testimony by two Black eyewitnesses, the men were acquitted of the crime by an all-White jury that launched the city into a season of violent protests. The incident took place in a sleepy North Carolina town just north of Durham called Oxford in 1970, not that far away or long ago. It's a meaningful story in light of present events.
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| Although the Smith-McDowell House is not open for tours at this time,the programmng of the Western North Carolina Historical Association Continues |
Western North Carolina
Historical Association (WNCHA)
We want to share information about a number of upcoming programs that we think will be of particular interest to OLLI members.
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Staying Together Apart
We would all like things to be "back to normal" as soon as possible, to be back in our "home away from home." We also realize that the best way to stay safe is to stay home except for essential travel as long as the number of cases and hospitalizations in our community continues to rise. We here at OLLI are trying to make the most of this challenging time by finding ways to use technology like Zoom and social media platforms to stay connected and to understand "creative retirement" in new ways. We encourage you to try all of these new ways to capture a feeling for our OLLI community even while we have to stay apart.
We all look forward to being back together at the Reuter Center, but until then, we want you to feel connected and to continue to look to OLLI for great opportunities to learn "together apart."
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Gray Matters: Creating Connections
Peg Downes: Broader Context, Deeper Thinking
Never one to sit idle in a rocking chair, UNC Asheville Professor Emeritus Peg Downes shares advice we probably all wish we had received as we imagined our own future careers. Since her 2011 retirement from fulltime academia, Peg has taught a number of highly regarded courses at OLLI and elsewhere.
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| | Peg Downes: Broader Context, Deeper Thinking |
OLLI at UNC Asheville members come to us from all corners of the globe. Over so many lifetimes, you've lived stories that are compelling and unique. You've witnessed history; you've made it, too.
An aim of our program, Gray Matters: Creating Connections, is finding the threads in those stories that engage our members with each other. Sharing these stories on OLLI's YouTube channel allows us to connect with each other virtually now at a time when our in-person connections are so severely limited.
Our OLLI organization welcomes and celebrates diversity of all sorts, and our members reflect that through their stories and poetry. Some of these pieces may warm your heart; some may be thought-provoking; still others may challenge your belief systems. Through these shared experiences, we continue the rich tradition of lifelong learning so valuable to us all.
Please take a moment to like the video (click on this  button to "like" ) and subscribe (click on this button  to "subscribe" ) to the OLLI at UNC Asheville YouTube channel. You'll find the buttons just below the video on your screen. More likes and more subscriptions mean more people will see the videos from your friends at OLLI!
Won't you share your own story and connect with fellow OLLI members? Please contact Kathleen Mainardi ( kkmainardi@gmail.com) or Judy LaMée ( judylamee@gmail.com) Communications Committee Co-chair.
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Reading through Retirement:
A Book Discussion Group about Life's Second Half
Join David Mouw and others on this journey through reading!
C.S. Lewis said, "We read to know that we are not alone." At a time when we are all looking for connection, community, and shared experiences, Reading Through Retirement, offers you an opportunity to dive deep into issues of aging and life's second half with the guidance and collective wisdom of a group and four devoted facilitators.
With support from facilitators and the shared experience with other participants, you will have the opportunity to explore varied topics related to aging, isolation, connection, joy, meaning, and more in life's second half.
Each of the four books will offer a different topic to consider, and the program will promote connection, community, and conversation. Below is a link to a synopsis of the texts to be read, the dates for discussion of each book, and name of the facilitator for each session.
Book 1: September 8 & 22, 12:30-2 p.m
By Atul Gawande
Facilitated by David Mouw
Book 2: October 6 & 20, 12:30-2 p.m. By Susan Pinker Facilitated by Meridith Miller
Book 3: November 3 & 17, 12:30-2 p.m. By Desmond Tutu and the 14th Dalai Lama Facilitated by Gail Wiley
Book 4: December 1 & 8, 12:30-2 p.m. By Ashton Applewhite Facilitated by Catherine Frank
For more information, please contact Hannah Furgiuele at hfurgiue@unca.edu.
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Sharing the Talents of OLLI Members
Many thanks to OLLI members Jay Jacoby and Nelson Sartoris (please see Nelson's video above to learn more about his OLLI experiences with poetry). They compile this weekly showcase of the work of our talented OLLI poets. We have asked each of the poets to give us a short biography and to tell us why they have chosen to share their specific poems. I also want to thank our poets whose words and images help us to think differently about the times we are living through, and in some sense experiencing collectively and also in isolation.
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| | The niche that one of the Bamiyan Buddhas occupied in 2001 |
We would love to hear from any of you about the ways you are spending your time as we continue to shelter at home. Just respond to this newsletter!
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How We Are Coping
Living During Covid-19 by Roselyn Katz
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| | Roselynn Katz |
Nothing is ever all bad. This I've learned during my 81 years of life. Take this time of stress and social
distancing for example. Yes, I'm more susceptible to the virus at my age, but I don't have to work to
earn money for food or housing. That lifts a huge burden from my shoulders as it probably does for
many of you. Let's give thanks for that!
We hope you are as inspired as we are by her comments.
We would love to hear from any of you about the ways you are spending your time as we continue to shelter at home. Just respond to this newsletter!
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Alzheimer's Association Statewide Virtual Conference
"The Power of Many"
Wednesday, September 2, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
The Alzheimer's Association's annual Dementia Education Conference is going virtual this year, and will be free of charge to all North Carolina residents. The event - presented by Sharon Towers - is the largest educational conference about Alzheimer's disease in the state and will bring together those living with Alzheimer's or related dementia, caregivers and healthcare professionals.
Attendees are invited to join (via video or phone) for the entire virtual event or just the discussions that interest them most. Featuring a variety of discussions led by researchers and other leading experts, some of the session topics will include:
- The African American Experience with Alzheimer's and Dementia - Experiential insight into how families are managing the insurmountable challenges that are often associated with caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia, with an emphasis on the African American family unit.
- Living with Younger-onset Alzheimer's and Dementia - Discussing the unique challenges of a younger-onset diagnosis (under 65 years of age). Many individuals are still in the work-place, their spouses/ partners may also be working full-time, and they may still have "full-time" parenting responsibilities, whether children or grandchildren.
- The Diagnostic Journey and Physician Relationships - Addressing questions around determining a diagnosis, physician referrals, the diagnostic process, and the patient-caregiver-physician relationship.
 Keynote speaker, Heather M. Snyder, Ph.D., vice president, Medical & Scientific Relations at the Alzheimer's Association will share "Advancing the Science: The Latest in Alzheimer's and Dementia Research". Dr. Snyder leads the Association's International Research Grant Program, the vehicle through which the Association funds promising investigations that advance understanding of Alzheimer's and moves the field toward solutions for the global Alzheimer's crisis.
 Dave Sanderson, international speaker and author will share "Moments Matter" as his closing session keynote presentation. Living with dementia and caring for a loved one living with dementia requires resiliency and strength. When US Airways Flight 1549, known as the "Miracle on the Hudson", ditched into the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, Sanderson not only survived the crash but also started to realize that the moments that made up his life prepared him for what was about to happen. In his keynote Sanderson reveals the inner strength it took to make it through the day, and how you can grow from challenges.
There is no charge to participate in the Virtual Dementia Education Conference, but registration is required
To register by phone or for more information, call 800-272-3900.
Registrants will be sent conferencing details prior to the date of the virtual event. Participants will be given the option of joining via video/webinar or through a toll-free number.
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2020 Exploring CCRCs Online Course
Interest Form
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| | OLLI members visit Highland Farms in 2015. We will not be able to visit communities in 2020, but Tina Reinke has created a program that will allow participants to make good choices in challenging times. |
OLLI at UNC Asheville is offering a new format for the Exploring Continuing Care Retirement Communities course during Fall/Winter 2020. While we are presently not able to provide in-person classes and tours of local CCRCs, we will explore and discuss the many aspects to consider in deciding if living in a CCRC is a good fit for you, and if so, which type of CCRC might best fulfill your needs.
This class involves approximately 10-12 hours of class time with Tina Reinke, our local OLLI expert on CCRCs. The over-all goal of the course is to help you understand both the advantages and challenges of life in a CCRC.
Class topics will include
- Cost of living at a CCRC
- Choices of living units
- Long-term care insurance
- Contract types
- Tax implications
- Meal plans
- Wellness facilities
- Services and amenities offered, etc.
In addition, a guest speaker will provide additional information on financial planning for a move to a CCRC. There are many considerations one needs to take into account while exploring all the options for living the last one-third of your life. We want to help you make an informed decision about whether your choice will include a move to a Continuing Care Retirement Community.
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This Day in Sports History
by College for Seniors Instructor Larry Griswold
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| | Greg Rusedski was Great Britain's top-ranked men's tennis player in 1997, 1999 and 2006 |
Greg Rusedski, a 24-year-old player born in Canada who chose to play for his mother's homeland, Great Britain, recorded the fastest serves ever at the U.S. Open tennis championships in Flushing Meadows, NY. Twice during the tournament he served a ball that reached 141 miles per hour. He won every match until the men's singles final where he lost to Australian Pat Rafter in four sets. Rafter won the men's final again in 1998.
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| | | 16-year-old Californian swimmer Chris von Saltza won 3 Gold medals and a Silver medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics | |
August 30, 1960: At the Summer Games in Rome, American swimmers Lynn Burke, Patty Kempner, Carolyn Schuler and Chris von Saltza won a new Olympics event, the 4 X 100 medley relay with a 4:41.1 world record time. Competing in 15 swimming events (8 men's, 7 women's), Americans led all 45 participating nations with 15 medals and set 5 world records and 3 Olympics records. American women won 5 of the U.S. teams 9 gold medals.
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UNC Asheville Free Webinar Series on Economics
Begins Thursday, September 3, noon-1 p.m.
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The American West. It has been a land of myth and romance, turbulent history and great literature. On eight evenings from September to December, the Wilma Dykeman Legacy will celebrate four classic book. Through four lectures and four book discussions -- all beginning at 7 p.m. via Zoom (see link below)-- the following writers will be featured:
Tuesday, September 8: Lecture by Dr. Victoria Barker about Elizabeth Madox Roberts and her novel The Great Meadow
Tuesday, September 15: Book discussion about The Great Meadow
Tuesday, October 13: Lecture by Dr. Michael Sartisky about A.B. Guthrie and his novel The Big Sky
Tuesday, October 20: Book discussion about The Big Sky
Tuesday, November 10: Lecture by Dr. James Aton about John Wesley Powell and his memoir The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons
Tuesday, November 17: Book discussion about The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons
Tuesday, December 8: Lecture by Dr. Charles Peek about Willa Cather and her novel O Pioneers!
Tuesday, December 15: Book discussion about O Pioneers!
All events take place 7-8 p.m.
Join Zoom by clicking going to this link:
Meeting ID: 816 7584 0607 Passcode: 944304
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Join OLLIChat, the replacement for OLLITalk.
It's free for all 2019-20 OLLI members and easy to use. It's also a great way to stay connected as we are all trying to find ways to manage unprecedented challenges.
OLLIChat is an online community where OLLI at UNC Asheville members may share information of common interest with each other. It is designed to look and function like the old OLLITalk.
Introducing OLLIChat Companion
Several times a week, the volunteers at OLLIChat send entertaining content to our subscribers - humor, old movie clips and games. The service is free. Please email OLLIChatAVL@gmail.com and a volunteer will reply and send you an invitation.
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