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OLLILife
A community of learners over 50
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July, 2022 | Vol 2, No. 9 | |
FROM THE DESK OF MARY ETTINGER | |
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As the Stars Align, We Prepare for Fall
Welcome to the dog days of summer, loved by some and much unloved by others! Did you know there are official dates for the dog days: July 3 through August 11, 20 days before and 20 days after the alignment of the dog star Sirius with the Sun, considered the hottest days of the year?
Our OLLI is carrying on in the heat, with many summer classes and programs, some in person and many online. So wherever you are, you can find lots of things to do in the summer term. Many classes are still to begin.
Now we’re looking forward to the next semester. Our staff and volunteers are well into preparing courses, activities and more for the fall term. So far there are 99 liberal arts courses (including two Straz performances), 23 technology courses and 11 lectures. About half the liberal arts courses will be in person and half online, all but six of the technology courses will be online, and two will be hybrid. The catalog is scheduled for printing on July 22.
Many Videos Available
I’ve just discovered a wonderful OLLI resource! Many volunteers and staff have been preparing videos to be made available to all OLLI members. So now you can watch 125 videos of various lengths on the OLLI website, www.usfseniors.org.
To access them, click on “About Us,” then on the little blue circle with a face in it, to get some of the videos. To get more, click on “Load More. at the bottom of the screen. You can keep doing that to get many, many videos! I heartily recommend that you go there and check them out.
There’s a huge variety – you can watch full class sessions and lectures you might have missed, samples of other classes and programs, talks by several OLLI members, some beautiful videos of hikes and other activities, presentations such as spectacular underwater videos, and so much more.
One of my favorites is the hour-plus travelogs for each of the four trips the Travel Committee has planned. See links in the travel article below, or on the website’s first page by clicking on “About Us.”
Farewell to Friends
Sadly, we have lost four long-time, very active OLLI members whom many of you will know and remember. Rodney Coleman gave the political discussion groups their start; Joe Adles taught technology classes for many years; Marianne Cole was an active and memorable member; and Ann Turner Cook was the face of the Gerber baby for decades and was a novelist. There’s a nice article about Rodney below.
If you’re feeling down about the political strife our country is going through, you might like to join the many OLLI members who gather to share their thoughts about politics, or just to listen, and to learn from each other.
Rich Kennedy leads the Saturday Social, a virtual meeting from 10 a.m. to noon most Saturdays, and Doug Dallio leads the Politics Shared Interest Group (SIG) which meets from 1 to 3 p.m. on the second Wednesday of selected months. Email Rich at rkennedy@kgsi.com and Doug at dougdinny@aol.com for information about how to join them.
I thought it might be hopeful at this tough time in our country to remember the poem we heard at President Biden’s inauguration, “The Hill We Climb,” written by our first youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman. The whole long poem is worth finding and reading, but here are the abridged beginning and end:
When day comes, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?
We will rise, we will rebuild, reconcile, and recover.
For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
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July 4 - OLLI office closed
July 5-26 - Live From Korea video classes on YouTube.
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Above and Beyond Award Winner Announced! | |
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Congratulations to Bruce Gobioff!
The mystery is over. Bruce Gobioff has been presented with OLLI-USF's 2022 Above and Beyond Award.
Bruce was out of the country when OLLI's three other volunteer of the year award winners - Kathy Palmer, Susan Northcutt, and Nancy Stuart - were announced at the Volunteer Recognition Brunch in May.
His award was presented on June 8 at the Unisen Faculty Luncheon.
Watch OlliLife for profiles of Bruce and the other 2022 volunteers of the year, including that of Kathy Palmer below.
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Meet Kathy Palmer:
How Does She Do It All?
Kathy Palmer has been busy.
Moving from town to town, state to state, country to country. Trying out a variety of workplaces from the Internal Revenue Service to a local newspaper, back to the IRS, then to the Veterans Administration. Raising children. Tending to grandchildren. Involvement in her church’s ministries.
And then there’s OLLI.
Since 2018, Kathy has been busy volunteering in a variety of roles for OLLI-USF. So much so, that in May, she was honored with the 2022 Award of Excellence for her significant contributions to our organization.
Those contributions include co-chairmanship of the now disbanded Social Events Committee. And currently, she serves as a member of the Volunteer Management Committee, Board of Advisors, and Program Planning Committee, coordinator of the online Scattergories group, mail distribution administrator of the Talking Movies Shared Interest Group, OLLI-USF’s newest SIG liaison, and co-editor of this publication.
How does she do all this?
I just have to be out doing things. That’s why OLLI is such a good fit for me,” Kathy says.
Into the World
Born and raised in Rhode Island, Kathy began a career as a secretary. But when she married her military sweetheart, she was whisked out of Rhode Island and into the corners and crevices of the world.
She lived in Taiwan for two years and Okinawa for three years, in both places living in the towns, shopping in the local markets, getting to know the culture of both places, and taking trips to other locales in Asia.
She has also lived in Texas, Oregon, Massachusetts, Montana and Homestead, Florida. Some 40 years ago, she landed in Tampa and has stayed put ever since.
Her career is as varied as her living places. She began with the IRS, providing administrative support in the agency’s criminal investigations division. Then she worked in the Tampa Tribune’s classified advertising section.
Four years later, she rejoined the IRS, providing administrative support for its collections division. Her final job was with the Veteran’s Administration’s Homeless Women Veterans’ Program in Tampa.
“That was an education in itself,” Kathy says. “We would go out under bridges where a lot of these homeless women lived. It was heartbreaking to see how some of our veterans would end up.”
Moved by what she saw, Kathy has taken on causes to help women and families through her involvement in church ministries and other organizations. She has also volunteered for Brandon Hospital. But that work just wasn’t enough, Kathy says.
“I needed something else. Something was missing in my life. Then OLLI came along,” she says.
“Through OLLI, I get to meet people. The classes are excellent – an excellent variety, an excellent value. The social aspect is wonderful. And volunteering is such a good feeling,” she says.
-- Sandy Buckley
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Feeling Mellow
Conviviality and Celebrations met for their June luncheon recently at Mellow Mushroom in Wesley Chapel.
This group of OLLI members and guests meets the fourth Wednesday of each month for conversation, camaraderie, and lunch to celebrate and recognize birthdays and other special occasions. Birthday honorees choose a restaurant in the area for their celebration.
The next luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, July 27, at 1 p.m., at the Yummy House Chinese restaurant, 2620 E. Hillsborough Ave. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Email Kat Hanscom for more information.
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LIVE FROM KOREA
Free classes on YouTube
Tuesdays, July 5-26, 7-8:30 p.m.
The following list of free classes can be accessed via YouTube https://youtube.com/c/OLLIGeorgeMasonUniversity so there is no need for a Zoom link. Just subscribe and enjoy!
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July 5: Inter-Korea Relations and North Korea
Dr. Soyoung Kwon
The current status of Korea invites many questions: How did North Korea avoid the domino-like collapse of communism in 1989? Why can’t the two Koreas find the peace and reconciliation to be reunified? Why does North Korea want to possess nuclear weapons? What would be the most ideal approach toward North Korea to facilitate change? Addressing these questions, this session will trace the historical and political developments of the two Koreas. Soyoung Kwon is a professor of global affairs and director of Security Policy Studies-Korea at George Mason University Korea.
July 12: Korean Unification: Resolving the Unresolvable Protracted Social Conflict
Dr. Roland Wilson
The Korean War and the continued division of the Korean peninsula was the first real test of the past Cold War and the struggle between communism and democracy (East and West).
The lecture will try to promote alternative ways to transform the relationship between north and south, to resolve the conflict in order for peaceful unification to occur. Roland Wilson is program coordinator and professor for the Conflict Analysis and Resolution Program and the founder and co-director of the Peace and Conflict Studies Center Asia at George Mason University Korea. Dr. Wilson received his PhD from George Mason University.
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July 19: Making Korean Cuisine
Hyang Lee & EunKyung Park
Korean food has recently gained a lot of attention for its many fermented dishes and seasonal ingredients and is considered very healthy. This lecture aims to provide a deeper understanding of South Korea by introducing the most important parts of everyday South Korean life:the Korean food culture. The instructors will demonstrate how to make some of the most common homecooked meals. Hyang Lee is a professor of modern and classical languages at George Mason University Korea. Eunkyung Park is an instructor of modern and classical languages at George Mason University Korea.
July 26: Between Cultural Hybridization and Appropriation: The Meaning of “K” in K-Pop.
Gyu Tag Lee
K-Pop began as local Korean popular music in the late 1990s, became a global popular music genre in East Asia in the early 2000s, and then became popular outside East Asia in the early 2010s. Especially after the big success of BTS and other bands in the late 2010s, K-Pop is considered one of the hottest rising musical genres in the world. Gyu Tag Lee is an expert on popular music, media studies, globalization of culture, and especially, K-Pop.
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Travel Made Easy with OLLI: Great Fun, Great Value
Stay Curious with OLLI - Travel at home and abroad with a group of friends, with soon-to-become friends, or maybe with your grandchild! Choose your travel destinations:
Utah's Mighty National Parks - Departing October 2022. Spend seven glorious days exploring Monument Valley and Arches and Canyonlands national parks, including five nights in Moab, Utah. Click here for details!
Holland Windmills, Waterways & Tulips River Cruise - Departing April 2023. A 10-day trip featuring Amsterdam and seven nights aboard the Amadeus Queen cruising canals and waterways. Stops include Arnhem, Middelburg, Ghent and Bruges, Antwerp and Rotterdam. Click for details!
Epic Iceland: Dynamic Lands and Enduring People – Departing June 15, 2023. A 10-day trip featuring Iceland's spectacular waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, mud pools, lava formations, craters and caves. Take this opportunity to get close to Iceland's abundant bird life and to watch minke, humpback and blue whales in addition to excursions where you will learn about Iceland's marine ecology, the history of its fishing industries, and Iceland's shift to renewable energy. Click for details!
Colorado's Historic Trains - Departing August 4, 2023. A nine-day trip following historic routes of the Old West, featuring six scenic rail excursions and three national parks. Highlights include Rocky Mountain National Park; the cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park; the red sandstone formations in the Garden of the Gods; and the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. Click for details!
Check out the travel page on our website and view recorded presentations about these trips.
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With Gratitude
Our thanks to Anne Haywood whose
over two-year term as SIG Liaison has come to an end.
Anne assumed the newly created SIG Liaison role just as the pandemic surfaced. She quickly adapted to the Zoom way of doing business and provided invaluable assistance in training SIG leaders and keeping the SIGS afloat as OLLI transitioned to the Zoom platform.
We are grateful to Anne for her accomplishments and achievements and wish her the best. We’ll be seeing her in classes and at the SIGs where she is a member. And, yes, she will still be helping with Zoom training.
Thank you, Anne!
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SIGnificant EVENTS FOR JULY 2022
Kathy Palmer, SIG Liaison
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For more information on OLLI SIGs see the full list here. Most of the SIGs are meeting on Zoom; a few are starting to organize small group outings. To visit a SIG, email the contact(s) below. | |
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China SIG
For more information about the China SIG, please contact Nancy Stuart.
Community of Readers and Writers
For more information about this SIG, email readersandwriters@aol.com.
Food, Glorious Food!
Summer is here, and many OLLI members are out and about. There will be no formal meetings for June, July and August. There will be some lunches and excursions. Watch the newsletter and your email for announcements. Please contact Becky Heimstead for more information.
Ici on parle français!
Mon., July 18, at 1 p.m. For an invitation, contact Theresa Sokol.
Games
Thurs., July 14, at 3:30 p.m. To play Scattergories, email Kathy Palmer for the link.
German Conversation
Tues., July 12 and 26, at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Christine Basch.
Hablemos! Spanish Conversation SIG
Is your Español rusty from lack of use? Join our friendly conversation group twice a month on Tuesday afternoons from 3:00 until 4:30 p.m. Come to talk or listen; all levels of Spanish speakers welcome. The next meeting is scheduled for Tues., July 5, at 3 p.m. Email olli.hablemos@gmail.com for more information.
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Shutterbugs
Outdoor photo shoots will resume in September. Watch for upcoming online events. For more information about Shutterbugs, email Jean Nixon.
OLLI Outdoors
Summer hiking will be on hiatus June, July and August. If you are interested in learning more about the Outdoors SIG, email
OLLIOutdoors@gmail.com for more information.
Operatunity
For information about this SIG, contact Derrie Perez
P-SIG
The next meeting will be in person on Wed., July 13. Email Doug Dallio for more information.
Talking Movies
Fri., July 15, at 1:30 p.m. Watch a movie and then get together on Zoom to talk about it. Movie selection to be announced. For more information about this SIG, contact Kathy Palmer.
Write Time for Poets
Meetings will resume in October. Email Cath Mason for more information about this SIG.
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The Hon. Rodney Coleman:
An Appreciation
We are sorry to report that the Hon. Rodney Coleman passed away in June after a long illness.
Rodney served as assistant secretary of the Air Force from 1994 until 1998.
At OLLI-USF, Rodney served as discussion leader par excellence, inspiring a bounty of political discussion group leaders from Doug Dallio and Linda Philipps to Rich Kennedy. Rodney himself led 20 discussion groups on U.S. politics for OLLI-USF to large groups of enthusiastic members between 2009 and 2018. He was named to the Faculty Roll of Honor in 2013.
Rodney was known as a kind and generous leader and a great conversationalist. We’ll miss him very much.
Information about services for Rodney were not available at press time.
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Carolyn Clark is our Goodwill Ambassador, sending notes of support, congratulations and comfort on our behalf. If you or another OLLI member have a significant personal event, please let Carolyn know. | |
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Send Us Your News
OLLILife wants to share topics of interest that pertain to OLLI-USF and other OLLIs in the country.
Send your article to ollinewsusf@gmail.com to reach your editors Sandy Buckley, Pat Dodge, Mary Ettinger, Kathy Palmer and Ara Rogers. If possible, please send a picture along with the article as pictures help tell the story.
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