In This Issue: Osher Holiday Open House on December 13 | Spring 2024 Registration Information | What Are Your Holiday Plans? | Year-End Giving to the Excellence Fund | Graeber & Company's Holiday Open House | Future Travel Opportunities | SIGS in the News | Volunteer Drawing Winner | Upcoming Partnership and Community Events | Osher Office Holiday Closure

Come celebrate the holiday season and the end of the semester with us at our Osher Holiday Open House on Wednesday, December 13! Drop in anytime between 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at the Yanke building. Mingle with members and enjoy an appetizer and beverage while listening to live musicians.

This event is free, but registration is required. To register, visit the

Log In/Register Online page, or call Customer Services at (208) 426-1709.

The Osher Spring 2024 catalog will arrive in mailboxes around December 12.

You may register for the programs of your choice

as soon as you receive your catalog.

The Osher Spring semester begins on

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

with the Symposium for Successful Aging.

• Many Spring 2024 programs are offered as a hybrid of in-person seats and livestream via Zoom. Most Osher presentations also are recorded so that members may view them anytime during the membership year, which ends June 30, 2024.
• Online is the preferred method of registration. Visit the Log In/Register Online page. If you need assistance with registering, contact Customer Services at (208) 426-1709.

We encourage you to return to the classroom to enjoy in-person Osher presentations. While registrations are robust, a larger number of in-person audience members would be encouraging to our presenters. Please help us demonstrate appreciation for their time, talent, and expertise.

Dennis Hall, Osher Advisory Board Member:

"Our son Garrett, his wife, and his two children will drive to Boise from Seattle to join us, our son Ian, and his wife and two children. Our big dinner is on Christmas Eve, and we have a brunch casserole tradition on Christmas Day. Exhaustion will follow."

Bob Fontaine, Osher Advisory Board Member:

"My plans are to spend time with family members in Nampa and then travel to McCall, where my wife Toni and I have a second home. My 72-year-old train set (which I received from my parents at our McCall home at Christmas in 1952) will be displayed for our grandsons, ages 4, 7, and 8, to enjoy once again."

Diane Ronayne, Osher Advisory Board Member:

"I love a party, so a friend and I are organizing a "progressive dinner" for the 50 or so families who live in our Aldape Heights neighborhood just east of Military Reserve. It's a very informal potluck: Folks walk from the "appetizer house" to the "entree house," having a bite to eat and drink at each. They'll end at the "dessert house" by celebrating the birthday of its owner! This is a great way to build community and to welcome several families who moved in this summer."

Tom Baerwald, Osher Advisory Board Member:



"My wife Kathryn and I will spend a week in the Washington, D.C. area with family members and friends. In addition to enjoying Christmas with our daughter's family, we'll help our grandson celebrate his ninth birthday. Festivities with our son and Kathryn's extended family will commence after we return to Idaho."

Bae Emilson, Osher Advisory Board Chair Elect:

"I will be busy engaging in all that makes the season merry. I will be joining friends, attending, or volunteering at many of the performing arts events that Boise offers, including the Holiday Pops, the Nutcracker Ballet, and the Messiah. In addition, I'll join my church choir in a performance of Vivaldi's Gloria and co-facilitate an Advent Reflections series to deepen the Christmas experience."

We extend our sincere appreciation and thanks to all of you who have donated to the Osher Excellence Fund this year. Your ongoing support is essential to help us reach our goal of 50% membership contributions to maintain our top-quality programming.

May we count on you to include the Excellence Fund in your year-end giving plans? If you would like to donate, please visit the Support Your Osher Institute page on our website. Be sure to stop by our office to get your donor ribbon for your name badge after you've donated. Thank you!

The Osher Institute is participating in Graeber & Company Salon and Spa's Holiday Open House on Thursday, December 7, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 350 N. 9th St., Suite 103 in Boise. Stop by and visit Osher Director Dana Thorp-Patterson, and pick up a complimentary gift at the Osher table!

The Osher Institute is collaborating with Collette Travel to offer multiple travel opportunities in 2024 and 2025! A tour of European Christmas Markets is scheduled for December 2024, and an exploration of kingdoms of Southeast Asia is scheduled for January-February 2025.

Representatives from Collette Travel will hold an information session on these upcoming trips on Thursday, January 18, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Yanke building, Room 207. Osher members will receive an email later in December with an RSVP to attend this session.

The Personal Writing SIG welcomes the opportunity to share selected works of its members. This month's featured writing is from SIG member Stacia Yoon.

Sneaking literary devices into her legal writing foreshadowed Stacia’s post-retirement interest in creative writing. The Osher Institute’s educational content inspires her to experiment with different genres. The Personal Writing SIG’s supportive atmosphere encourages her to share work. Submitting Ninety-Two to Osher on Demand represents the next step in her writing journey.

You can read Stacia's essay Ninety-Two on the Osher on Demand page of the Osher website.

Congratulations to Osher volunteer Kay Braden, the October winner for our volunteer drawing! A new winner will be drawn each month, and the prizes will vary. To be eligible, members must be an active Osher volunteer during the month of the drawing. One entry per month, please.

If you are a current volunteer, you can fill out the entry form located at the Volunteer Corner in the Osher office. If you would like to become a volunteer, please fill out the Volunteer Interest Form.

First Friday Astronomy Lecture

"Titan's Methane Weather, Climate, and Hydrologic Cycle"

Friday, December 1, 7:30 p.m.

Boise State University, Education Building, Room 112 and via Zoom

Dr. Juan M. Lora, Assistant Professor, Yale University

To join via Zoom, visit the First Friday Astronomy YouTube page.

Boise State Faculty Artists Series Recital

Dr. Matt Castner, saxophone and Dr. Derek Ganong, trumpet

Friday, December 1, 7:30 p.m.

Morrison Center Recital Hall, Room C200

For more information, visit the College of Arts and Sciences site.

Boise State College of Engineering Design Showcase

Thursday, December 7, 4:00 p.m.

Micron Center for Materials Research, 1437 W. University Dr., Boise

For more information, visit the College of Engineering site.

The Osher Institute will be closed for the holidays on Friday, December 22 through

Monday, January 1.

From Tuesday, January 2, through Tuesday, January 16, the Osher office will be closed daily for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m.

We hope you enjoy the season, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!

Our thanks for the continued support from our Community Sponsors and Partners:

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Boise State University

Phone: (208) 426-OLLI (6554)

Email: osher@boisestate.edu

Website: boisestate.edu/osher

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Boise State University operates within the Division of Extended Studies. It is a membership-based, lifelong learning program offering non-credit, college-level programs designed for intellectually curious adults age 50 and over.



Support the Osher Institute here.

Osher Institute Advisory Board

Chair: Cindy Anson | Chair Elect: Bae Emilson | Tom Baerwald | Michael Bixby

Chuck Folkner | Bob Fontaine | Dennis Hall | Rod McLean | Sharon Moses

Rainey Pieters | Dr. Chuck Robertson | Diane Ronayne

Osher Institute Staff

Director: Dana Thorp-Patterson | Assistant Director: Laura Mehlhaff

Senior Communications Specialist: Jill Chmelko

Administrative Assistant II: Cherie Ellingson

Student Office Assistant: Priscilla Gallardo