OLLI at UNC Asheville Observer
January 26, 2020  
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In This Issue
Meditation SIG
Monday, 
January 27, 
4:35 p.m.*
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center, Room 102b

5Rhythms:
Becoming Conscious Through One's Body
Barbara Marlowe will introduce us to the 5Rhythms (5R) Movement Meditation Practice Map started by Gabrielle Roth. The 5R is an individual and universal path of self-realization. Using the Rhythms of Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical, and Stillness, each person drops the mind and explores their own reality through their body. Come as you are. Available to all body types and abilities of movement, the 5R welcomes everyone to move like themselves whether in chairs or on the dance floor.

All OLLI members are welcome at Meditation SIG programs, and no previous meditation experience is necessary to enjoy our programs.
*Our meeting on January 27th will have a late start at 4:35 p.m. and be located in room 102b.

Meditation SIG contact:
Sally Ekaireb
skekaireb@gmail.com

business_conference6.jpg
  The Forum  Special Interest Group (SIG)
Friday, January 31, 1 - 3 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center,
 Room 205

Topic:    Has America Lost its Moral Center?
  •  February 7: Current Events and Deciding Topics for February
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.

SIG Contact: Beth Johnson johnson1ea@earthlink.net

 
The Food Equity Initiative of 
UNC Asheville
Food Drive
through February 21
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center 
Upper Lobby

The mission of the Food Equity Initiative is to deliver food to students, faculty and staff who are food insecure. All food that is collected at OLLI will be distributed via pop up pantries located on campus, in an effort to alleviate the strong presence of food insecurity on the UNC Asheville campus. We had a generous response last year from our members and hope you will again share with members of the campus community.

All non-perishable food items are welcome, but staples like flour and sugar aand protein-rich items like peanut butter, canned tuna, and beans are especially welcome. Nutrient- fortified cereals and granola bars are also handy for college students on the go.  Please bring donations to the Reuter Center and place in the barrel that is located in the upper lobby.  


 
Become a "Walk with Ease" Leader
Become trained as a leader in an evidence-based health and wellness program. Evidence-based programs offer proven ways to promote health and keep active. Leaders go through an intensive training, either online or in-person, and become an expert at providing a set curriculum to participants.
 
"Walk With Ease" is an example of an evidence-based program looking for leaders. It is a six-week walking program designed to increase physical activity and reduce joint pain. Ellen, certified Walk With Ease leader, shared: "I have always had a passion for anything related to fitness. I have volunteered for programs in my community, such as the Red Cross, and worked in different fitness-related fields. For me it was an obvious next step when an opportunity came up to get more involved in the community and lead 'Walk With Ease.'"




  
The Odyssey Project: 
The Journey Home
"Setting Sail: Reframing The Odyssey"
with Coranna Adams, Sophie Mills, and Pana Columbus
Wednesday, February 5, 7 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Sherrill Center
Ingle's Mountain View Room
"The Odyssey Project" is a series of interactive community dialogues using Homer's Odyssey as the context for exploring some of the most fundamental
societal challenges we face. The series is sponsored by the  NC Humanities Council, National Endowment for the Humanities, UNC Asheville, The Mankind Project, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville, and Odyssey Community School.




Aging in Place SIG
Thursday, February 6,  4:15-6 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center
Manheimer Room

Explore how the Village Concept can be applied in our neighborhoods, and hear reports on housing options from members.

 Whole Foods/Plant-Based Living 
Special Interest Group  

Friday, February 7, 3:15 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center,
 Room 206

Guest speaker for February:  
Ruth Heidrich (via Skype) 

Ruth Heidrich is an author, speaker, nutritionist, triathlete, and "movie star" in Forks Over Knives, a ground-breaking documentary about the role of nutrition in health. She has been following a low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet since 1982 and was the first vegan to complete the Ironman Triathlon back in 1984, just two years after a diagnosis of Stage 4 breast cancer. She has set several world age-group fitness records at the famed Cooper Clinic in Dallas, TX, and has been named "One of the Ten Fittest Women In North America." She is one of the founders and past president of the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii. 

Her website, ruthheidrich.com covers information about her books, travels, races, and Q&A. As the author of A Race For Life, Senior Fitness, CHEF e-book recipe book, Prevent & Reverse ED, and Lifelong Running, she is actively helping people regain and maintain their health by implementing lifestyle changes and can be reached on her website through "Ask Dr. Ruth."

SIG Contact: 
Bonnie Wheeler
330-321-1360

OLLI VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

MANNA Food Bank
Working to end hunger and food insecurity in WNC

Veterans Restoration Quarters
Help Restore the Lives of Homeless Vets

ABBCM Crisis Ministry Kitchen and Pantry
Providing Hot Meals and Pantry Food for those in Crisis

VOLUNTEER NOW...
Make A Difference!

OLLI Member Discount 
for Faith in Arts Institute, 
May 13-17, 2020


The Faith in Arts Institute, May 13 - 17, 2020, will offer participants the opportunity to explore the intersections of art, faith, and spirit. This intimate, immersive institute, limited to about 40 participants, will include workshops led by art historians and curators, writers and musicians, a choreographer
/dancer, and scholars of religion and the arts. There will be premiere performances--music and dance--as well as readings and artist talks. Woven throughout the institute will be a series of contemplative practices intended to help participants engage more deeply with a variety of works of art. And there will be time for focused discussions among institute participants and presenters. Most events will take place at UNC Asheville. More detailed information is available on our website, 

The Institute's organizers are very happy to offer members of OLLI the discounted registration fee of $225. Regular registration is $500. To receive the discount code to register as a member of OLLI, please write to  conferences@unca.edu. Given that the institute itself will be limited to 40 participants, we encourage you to register soon.

For questions or more information about the institute, please visit our website or write to  faithinarts@unca.edu
.

Advance Care Planning Workshop

Thursday, February 20, 7 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center 
Manheimer Room

This workshop will feature a panel whose members are experienced in addressing end-of-life issues. The discussion will include communicating your treatment wishes to loved ones and to medical personnel, ethical and legal issues, and the uses of advance directives.  Ample time will be reserved for questions. Assistance will be provided for anyone wishing to complete a legally valid advance directive, including the notarization required in North Carolina, using the NC Advance Care Planning (ACP) "Short Form."
 
Preparation you can do before the workshop:  Talk to your possible "power of attorney for healthcare," the person who would make health care decisions if you are unable.    Click here for a video of a sample conversation, starring OLLI member Mary Campbell.  If you have internet access and a printer,  click here for a copy of the ACP Short form.  Please print the form, study it, and bring it to the workshop along with any questions you might have for the panel. 

Here's how to have your Advanced Directive (AD) added to the Mission Medical RecordClick here for a permission form; if you have not been a patient at Mission, fill it out. Get a copy of the notarized AD and a completed permission form (if needed) to Advance Care Planning at Mission by one of the following options: either ask a Mission representative at a workshop to do it, or, use the information at the bottom of the permission form to transmit the forms, by mail, fax, or email attachments.

Co-sponsored by OLLI and Mission Health Partners. For more information, call OLLI, 828.251.6140 

Manna Food Bank  
MANNA Food Helpline Volunteer Training

MANNA Food Bank Needs Helpline and Rural Outreach Volunteers. Training equips volunteers to serve as phone agents on MANNA's Food Helpline and to do onsite outreach at food distribution events in a16-county service area.  
 
Helpline Agents and Rural FNS Outreach Volunteers assist MANNA staff in providing information on food resources in NC. They make referrals to local food pantries, and they assist eligible clients to complete a SNAP/FNS application (formerly known as food stamps). One in six NC residents is food insecure. That means that they do not know where their next meal is coming from. MANNA partners with over 200 organizations across 16 counties in WNC to distribute healthy food. To further combat hunger, MANNA provides FNS (Food and Nutrition Services) outreach. The difference in the two positions is that Helpline Agents are offering over-the-phone assistance, and FNS Rural Outreach Volunteers are traveling to sites within our 16 county service area and doing face-to-face assistance at food distribution sites. Helpline volunteers normally work one four-hour shift per week during weekday office hours.
 
This 15-hour training will take place over the course of 3 days at MANNA Food Bank.
Tuesday, February 25, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Thursday, February 27, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Monday, March 2, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
 
Both of these volunteer positions require a three-day FNS Outreach Training (group), followed by two to three half-day shifts of job-shadow training. The job shadowing will be scheduled on an individual basis.

Contact Marlene Champagne, FNS Volunteer Coordinator,  if you are interested in learning more.   mchampagne@mannafoodbank.org




Men's Wisdom Works
Special Interest Group 


Each of MWW's 16 groups is comprised of 8-12 men.   Groups meet at various times and places twice a month for two hours to discuss issues of personal importance.  Groups socialize over breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and other social activities.

Men on the waiting list will either be added to existing groups, or we will form a new group if numbers suffice.

To learn more or to sign up on our wait list contact: Roger Gilmore at: rlg455@hotmail.com

Dear OLLI Members,
We truly have an abundance of possibilities on offer here at OLLI at UNC Asheville, both through the programming created by our members and through other departments at the university. Please learn more about the performance by poet Arthur Flowers, Dr. Amanda Rollins Maxwell's lecture on vaccines, the lecture by neuroscientist Richie Davidson, The Odyssey Project, and the OLLI member discount for the Faith in Arts Institute.  While we enjoy these riches, some people in our campus are in need. Please bring in some pantry staples for UNC Asheville's Food Equity Initiative, designed to address the issue of food insecurity right on our campus.

We also enjoy a rich array of offerings from our community partners, including The Blue Ridge Orchestra, The World Affairs Council, the Astronomy Club of Asheville, The Alzheimer's Association, NC Stage, Asheville Symphony Orchestra and the Asheville Symphony Guild, The Mountain XPress, and the Council on Aging of Buncombe County.

Right here in the Reuter Center there is the abundance of programs offered in special interest groups, College for Seniors courses, Life Transitions workshops, STEM lectures, Fab Fridays, and so much more.  We hope you will take some time to read Jim Lenburg's article about Sam Harben, who is working hard to find ways for OLLI members to connect with our colleagues and fellow learners throughout campus. You may want to consider teaching a course or working on a curriculum committee if you want to be part of the efforts to allow our organization to continue to grow and change.

We are truly thankful for the wonderful community we create together, for the riches that we enjoy because everyone contributes so much.
Catherine Frank
Executive Director

Calendar Reminders




Course Proposal Deadline
 for Summer 2020
Saturday, February 1

The College for Seniors course proposal deadline for the Summer term (June 8-July 17) is upon us.  Please submit your course proposals by February 1,  HERE


Important Dates for OLLI's Spring 2020
College for Seniors Registration
and Information about Spring Term
  • Monday, Februay 10: Spring 2020 catalog available
  • Monday, February 17, 10 a.m. through Monday, February 24, noon: Spring 2020 Registration
  • Monday, March 23-Friday, May 15: College for Seniors Spring 2020 courses
Once a Bulldog...
by Jim Lenburg

 A Georgia bulldog is leading a major effort to connect OLLI more closely to the UNC Asheville bulldog community.  Last year the office of the Chancellor challenged the OLLI Steering Committee to participate in the University's Comprehensive Master Plan with ideas that were "big, broad, and bold."  The task was to explore ways in which OLLI's relationship with the university could be strengthened. The Steering Council assigned the task to the Planning Committee where Sam Harben chaired an ad hoc committee made up of him and three other members.

Sam is a retired attorney who graduated from the University of Georgia and the University's Law School.  He practiced law in Gainesville, Georgia for more than 50 years. Toward the end of his career he and his wife bought a house up on a hill nears Waynesville where they spent much of year.   Sam found that he could work from home there. Over time they began making trips to Asheville where they discovered OLLI, enrolled in some classes, and over time, decided to relocate to Asheville when Sam decided to completely retire.

"What I Love Most About OLLI"

I love learning diverse subjects, from art to keys to the universe, from light-hearted to mind-crunching, all led by smart people with a passion for sharing knowledge. I love being immersed with diverse colleagues sharing a thirst for learning.
 
-Jan Nickerson



"What I Love Most About OLLI" Call for submissions:

Our OLLI experiences encompass so much more than classes and events. Beginning soon, we'll publish a series of your thoughts about what you love about OLLI in each Sunday's OLLI Observer. To share your joy, email your brief quote (40 words max), attaching a photo of yourself that you love to  ollifavorites@gmail.com. Cell phone photos are fine! If you teach or volunteer in any capacity, include that information, too. 

Poet Arthur Flowers: "Literary Blues and the Hoodoo Way--
 In the Footsteps of MLK"
Tuesday, January 28, 7 p.m. 
UNC Asheville's Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room

Memphis-born blues-based poet, novelist, essayist Arthur Flowers will present a combination performance and lecture, "Literary Blues and the Hoodoo Way - In the Footsteps of MLK." To set the stage for Flowers' performance, UNC Asheville's Afro Music and Dance Ensemble will perform as the opening act. This free event is part of the University's 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration.

Flowers is associate professor of English at Syracuse University and is former director of the Harlem Writers Guild. His books include Another Good Loving Blues, Mojo Rising: Confessions of a 21st Century Conjureman, and Brer Rabbit Retold. 

This event is presented by UNC Asheville's Department of English with support from the NEH Distinguished Professorship and the Mills Fund. For more information, contact Mildred Barya, mbarya@unca.edu.
information, too. 

Alzheimer's Association Series
Wednesday, January 29, 9 a.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center
 Room 207


We hope you will enjoy the series of workshops for Winter 2020. 
January 29: Effective Communication Strategies for Dementia
Individuals living with dementia often experience changes in behavior that can be confusing to friends and family. For caregivers, learning to decode messages through attitude, tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language can help both parties to connect and communicate in meaningful ways. This workshop provides helpful strategies to connect and improve communication at each stage of the disease.  

February 5, 12, and 19: Caring for My Loved One with Dementia and  Preparing for the Road Ahead 
In this three-part series, we will discuss the changes that take place with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and provide practical strategies to make life easier as you transition into the role of a caregiver.  You will learn effective means of dealing with behavioral changes that keep everyone calm and respectful. We will also discuss hands-on techniques for daily care, such as dressing, eating and toileting, while maintaining your loved one's independence. We will also cover making decisions surrounding care as the disease progresses and the guilt that often accompanies this role. This is a great all-inclusive program for anyone who may be, or become a caregiver of a loved one with dementia.  

These programs are offered by the Alzheimer's Association of Western Carolina.  Denise Young, regional manager of the Alzheimer's Association of Western Carolina chapter, will present, along with area experts. Click here for more information about the Alzheimer's Association.

STEM Lecture Series
Vaccines vs. Vaccine Deniers
Thursday, January 30, 4:30 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Speaker: Dr. Amanda Rollins Maxwell
Adjunct Professor, UNC Asheville
Chemistry Department and Health Wellness Department.

Many people, under the influence of misleading news, are avoiding vaccines; which has led to the resurgence of many preventable infections such as measles, a dangerous infectious disease that can result in encephalitis, deafness, pneumonia, severe diarrhea and dehydration, and permanent disability.  One in every 1000 children with measles will die from the disease or its complications. Worldwide In 2017, measles caused approximately 110,000 deaths. Have vaccines always been controversial? How do we use the scientific advances to bridge the divide when "facts" are not enough?

The STEM Lecture Series is interdisciplinary with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The 2019-2020 series theme is "Science vs. Science Denial." This topic is especially important in light of the current environment of science denial. It is more important than ever to emphasize the benefits we receive from science and technology, and to expose the detrimental effects of denying science.

STEM Lectures are free and open to everyone.
Fab Friday
Andy Barnett

Everyone Deserves a Place to Call Home:
Habitat's Vision for Asheville
Habitat for Humanity CEO Andy Barnett
Friday, January 31, 11:30 a.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Manheimer Room


The Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity has an especially interesting history as one of the first affiliates in the U.S. It has lived the commitment to helping people find safe, affordable housing through a program of volunteerism and community engagement. As one of several organizations in our area envisioning the future of affordable housing, they provide more than green-built homes. Hear about the ReStore and its expansion, as well as how local organizations interact to make a safe home and community a reality. 

Since joining the Asheville affiliate in early 2016, Andy Barnett, Executive Director with more than 20 years of Habitat experience, has overseen an expanded advocacy role for Asheville's Habitat affiliate, as well as increasing a home-repair program and launching an aging-in-place initiative. Come learn about their commitment and future plans for our area.

Fab Friday Lunch and Learn Lectures take place, Fridays, 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. in the Reuter Center's Manheimer Room, in our Fall, Winter, and Spring terms. Members and guests are invited to socialize and then participate in presentations and question and answer sessions. Purchase lunch in our Reuter Café or bring your own brown bag.These programs are free and open to everyone.

Upcoming: February 7: "Acupuncture Is More Than Just Needles; How to Apply this Ancient Medical System to Your Daily Life," Acupuncturist Ashley Kuper 

NC Stage Behind the Scenes
"Jeeves Saves the Day"
Friday, January 31, 1:30 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Manheimer Room


Join artistic director and co-founder Charlie Flynn-McIver for an insider's view of this season's professional productions of NC Stage. We'll explore themes of the plays, the rehearsal process and the design process, hear from actors, directors, and designers, and experience a scene or two from the upcoming show performed live. For more information about NC Stage visit ncstage.org.

"Jeeves Saves the Day" is an all new world premiere! Once again, Bertie finds himself suffering the slings and arrows of misfortune at the hands of his relatives, caught between the magisterial machinations of his fierce Aunt Agatha and the plaintive pleadings of his cousin Egbert. Sir Roderick Glossup and his daughter add to another priceless predicament calling upon the redoubtable Jeeves to save the day.

Behind the Scenes presentations are free and open to everyone.
Stitch in Time
Monday, February 3, 2-4 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Lower Level Atrium 

This fellowship group for stitchers of all types (knitting, crochet, quilting, needlepoint, embroidery, cross stitch, sewing, etc) meets to encourage, inspire, and support each other.  All skill levels welcome!

The group meets the first Monday of the month, 2-4 p.m.  

SIG contact: Gay Lambirth, 281.433.1060,   gaylambirth@yahoo.com
Tom Sanders
World Affairs Council
Great Decisions Series
"Red Sea Security" 
Tom Sanders
Tuesday, February 4, 7:30 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Tom Sanders was a professor of international studies and religious studies. Since retiring he has focused on the Muslim world, traveled extensively, and studied Turkish and Arabic. He has taught many courses at OLLI at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors, including Turkey, Kurds and Kurdistan, and Religion, Ethnicity and Politics in the Middle East.

The Great Decisions Program is the oldest and largest grassroots world affairs educational program of its kind in the country. Begun in 1954, it is the flagship program of the Foreign Policy Association, a non-partisan, non-governmental organization. The Great Decisions Program's goal is to discuss, debate, and learn about International Affairs, National Security, and U.S. Foreign Policy.

Admission to World Affairs Council presentations at UNC Asheville is $10 for the public; free to members of the World Affairs Council and UNC Asheville students. All events are scheduled in the Manheimer Room, 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Mountain XPress Election 2020
Asheville City Council Primary Forum
Wednesday, February 5, 6 p.m.
A-B Tech Ferguson Auditorium
19 Tech Drive, Asheville
Astronomy Club of Asheville
"Astrobiology: 
One Group's Search for the 
Chemical Signatures of Life on Earth and Beyond"
 Presented by  Amanda Stockton ,  Georgia Tech

Thursday, February 6, 7 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Manheimer Room 


Highly sensitive organic analysis is key to understanding the processes that shape an extraterrestrial location, its potential habitability, and whether it could host life presently or in the past. However, some extraterrestrial locations, like those of the surface of icy moons, are challenging to access with a soft lander, making high-impact kinetic penetrators an attractive mission platform. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection systems and microfluidic devices provide highly sensitive organic analysis. However, neither have been developed for high-impact performance.

Dr. Stockton will share the development of an impact-robust optical stack for laser-induced fluorescence detection, tested and demonstrated to survive impacts at 12,000 g, 25,000 g, and 50,000 g. This work proves that optical detection systems, including those for highly sensitive laser-induced fluorescence detection, can be made robust to the high impacts of a kinetic penetrator.


The Astronomy Club of Asheville meets the first Thursday of the month (except January and July) at 7 p.m., with an interesting lineup of speakers and topics. OLLI members may attend 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. For more information on the Astronomy Club of Asheville, visit their website at astroasheville.org

Sierra Club 
"Preserving a Picturesque America"
The French Broad Edition"
Scott Varn



Thursday, February 6, 7 p.m.
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville
1 Edwin Place, Asheville

Scott Varn, founder of Preserving a Picturesque America (PAPA), invites current-day artists to create versions of "Picturesque America," drawings of natural places in the United States newly discovered in the 1800s. Scott's goal to to educate us as to what happened to our treasured places from the 1800s and how we can protect what is left to us. His focus for this program is our Western North Carolina region -- "The French Broad Edition." Scott will be sharing stories of discovery, plus art & photos, along with ways you can join the adventure.

Contact:  judymattox@sbcglobal.net, 828-683-2176,  Scott: 828-273-5383
Free & open to the public

Financial Strategies in Retirement
Current Trends in Financial Fraud 
and How to Protect Yourself
Guest Speaker: Connie Olsen
Friday, February 7, 1:30 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Connie Olsen is the former director at the Better Business Bureau and current AARP volunteer. She will address
  • Popular scams including investment fraud and persuasion tactics used.
  • Understanding victim mentality.
  • Strategies to use to avoid becoming a target.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn about this important topic!
  
The meeting is open to all OLLI members.  Email/call Kate  Beatty for further information at  kkbmom@yahoo.com or 828-231-7710. 
Do you want to learn more about being on a College for Seniors 
Curriculum Committee?
Friday, February 7, 10 a.m.-noon
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center, Room 206

Perhaps you are interested in becoming a member of one of College for Seniors 11 topical curriculum committees. The role gives OLLI members the opportunity to help build a consistently robust curriculum, to interview new instructors and work with those with years of experience, and to strengthen the community of lifelong learners we call College for Seniors. Come to an information sharing on February 7 to learn more.  Or click here to fill out a volunteer survey .

Dr. Richard Davidson

Dr. Richard Davidson
"Well-Being is a Skill"
Thursday, February 13,  7-8 p.m.
UNC Asheville's  Lipinsky Auditorium

Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D., world-renowned neuroscientist and co-author of  Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body, will give a free public lecture Thursday, February 13, 7 p.m. at UNC Asheville's Lipinsky Auditorium, and a free public master class Friday, February 14, 9 a.m. in the Highsmith Student Union Blue Ridge Room.  Davidson's lecture, "Well-Being is a Skill," will consider scientific evidence that we can change our brains by cultivating habits of mind that will improve well-being. His analysis stems from his decades of research focused on the neural bases of emotion and emotional style, and methods to promote human flourishing including meditation and related contemplative practices.

To set the stage for Davidson's campus visit, UNC Asheville Associate Professor of Psychology Patrick Foo will give a free talk, "The Neuroscience of Meditative Practices," Tuesday, February 4, noon, also in the Blue Ridge Room.

For more information see Dr. Davis's website:  https://www.richardjdavidson.com/
Laura Boosinger &Josh Goforth

Laura Boosinger and Josh Goforth Perform Traditional Appalachian Music
Thursday, February 20, 7 p.m.
Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church
789 Merrimon Avenue

Appalachian old-time musician Laura Boosinger and outstanding fiddler, guitar-picker and mandolin player Josh Goforth will perform a musical history of the mountains. The performance, sponsored by the Asheville Symphony Guild, is designed to complement the symphony's concert inspired by the Mountains to Sea Trail, including a performance of Aaron Copland's
Appalachian Spring.

This performance is free and open to everyone, but donations are happily accepted.



Symphony Talk
Friday, February 21, 3  p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Manheimer Room

Conductor Darko Butorac will discuss the Asheville Symphony Orchestra (ASO) concert planned for Saturday, February 22, inspired by North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The orchestra will begin in the Appalachians with Copland's vision of spring ( Appalachian Spring) and end with a majestic ode to the sea by the great English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams in his Sea Symphony. 

Symphony Talks are an entertaining and educational way to hear about the music to be performed at the upcoming Asheville Symphony Orchestra (ASO) Masterworks Concerts.  ASO music director Darko Butorac will talk about how the orchestra prepares and offers ways to listen to the performance. For more information about the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, or to find out how to purchase tickets for performances at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, visit  ashevillesymphony.org

History Book SIG
Friday, February 21, 2020,  1:00 pm: 
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center, Room 120

The Pioneers
By David McCullough

 P ulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough rediscovers an important and dramatic chapter in the American story-the settling of the Northwest Territory by dauntless pioneers who overcame incredible hardships to build a community based on ideals that would come to define our country.

History Book Lovers meet at 1 p.m. on the 3rd Friday of each month. SIG contact: Mike Wang, 267-243-3011,  mbwhome@gmail.com
 
Come join the fun to share beloved books, engage in discussion, and connect with other OLLI members around our favorite subject - history!

Death  Café
Friday, February 21, 5 p.m.
UNC Asheville's 
Reuter Center Lower Atrium

Death Café is a conversation about a subject too often ignored in our death-phobic culture. A new movement, a shift, is at play in recovering the ritual of being with death through personal storytelling of fears and loss. A deepening ritual emerges, and we build a culture of dying wisely. Join us at our next Death Café. Facilitated by Thirdmessenger's Karen Sanders, Greg Lathrop, and Sa'id Osio. 

You can learn more about Death Café by visiting: facebook.com/deathcafeasheville 
Medicare


New to Medicare Workshop
Friday, February 28,  2-4 p.m.
UNC Asheville's Reuter Center Room 206

Are you new to Medicare? Are you confused by the many choices? Unbiased and accurate information is available from trained volunteers from the North Carolina Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP). The class will provide important information to assist you in understanding how Medicare works and what you need to do to obtain benefits and save money.  Spaces are limited so reserve your space by registering online at  www.coabc.org   

In addition, beginning at noon, representatives from the Social Security Administration will be available to answer questions about Social Security benefits and Medicare enrollment. They will also provide detailed instructions for gaining access to the Agency's online services at  www.socialsecurity.gov.
Please join OLLIChat, the replacement for OLLITalk. 

It's free for all 2019-20 OLLI members and easy to use.

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.
 
To get started, send an email to  OLLIChatAVL@gmail.com, and the OLLIChat volunteers will send you an invitation. 



  sponsor, Givens Estate, for their continued contributions to the program.

  givensestates.org / 828.771.2203 / 2360 Sweeten Creek Road Asheville, NC. 

CREW helps those considering relocation in retirement examine all their options carefully and make an informed decision about this major life transition.

For more information, contact Hannah Furgiuele at hfurgiue@unca.edu 
or  828-250-3871

 
Registration is now open for The Gift of Time
Program Dates: May 19, 21, 26, 28 and June 2, 2020

Thoughtful Planning for Life's End

Go beyond "5 Wishes" in this comprehensive five-week workshop.

The Gift of Time program will encourage you to think about how to plan and communicate your end of life wishes to spouses, partners, children and parents. Take control of what you want for yourself, and help others address the myriad issues that face all of us in times of crisis. The workshop will be an extended conversation with trained facilitators as well as outside speakers who will converse holistically on key legal, medical, and spiritual issues. The objective is to provide participants with compelling reasons to prepare an end of life plan and prepare them to deal with both the rational and emotional elements of such a plan. 


For more information, contact Hannah Furgiuele at hfurgiue@unca.edu 
or  828-250-3871

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute | 828-251-6140 | olli@unca.edu | http://www.olliasheville.com
Reuter Center, CPO #5000
UNC Asheville
One University Heights
Asheville, NC 28804