Director’s Message

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon;

to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

—Henry James

There is something special and expectant about standing at the front edge of summer. Ahead stretch many warm days, waves of fragrant flowers, and the sounds of joyful children echoing through the neighborhood. With Summer Session classes starting on June 20, there is still time to commit to a new class or to take time out for a dose of fun in a workshop. Adding a bit of OLLI to your summer schedule is a great way to do something for yourself and to keep connected to your friends at OLLI.

And the summer will transition into a really vibrant Fall Session at OLLI. We have more classes and workshops than ever, including both remote and in-person classes. We’ll be fully operational Monday through Friday. You should receive your catalog in late July, and registration for the Fall Session will start on August 16.

We’ll be sure to share more details about the Fall Session as it draws closer. But for now it’s time to dive in and make the most of the Summer Session.

—Donna Anderson, Director

OLLI’S Search for Hidden Treasures RESUMES!

The Social Relations Committee is once again able to offer exciting trips and treats off-campus. This month the SRC has planned to resurrect the Hidden Treasures series of intimate explorations. These are various series of unknown or little-known places where something significant is happening. Participation is limited to 20 OLLI members. However, a difference from most treasure hunts is that instead of searching for the specific location, you will be told clearly how to get there.

On Friday, June 16th, in an obscure corner of the Portland Public Library, is the quiet Portland Room and librarian/archivist Abraham Schecter. There we will find the treasure trove that reveals the entire social history of the city of Portland. Are you an old-timer in this city or a newcomer? Do you know how many newspapers there were when the 1886 fire wiped out almost the entire city? How many banks or publishing houses? The collections provide documentation of life in the developing city of Portland through newspaper abstracts from the 1780s, rare books from 19th and 20th century Portland publishers, tax records, photographs, even restaurant menus. Not only will Abraham share selections from the various collections, but he’s a great storyteller.

Online: https://www.portlandlibrary.com/locations/downtown/portland-room/

On Friday, June 23rd, we will explore an entirely different and unique library, the Maine Women Writers Collection at the University of New England. Founded in 1959, it has become the most significant collection of statewide women’s writings in the country. The earliest, in the early 1800s, Madam Wood’s hugely popular gothic novels were published under the pen name “A Lady from Massachusetts” (as Maine wasn’t yet independent). We all know Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poetry (the first woman, and only the second person, to win a Pulitzer Prize for poetry), May Sarton’s novels and journals. Curator Sarah Baker will share with us diaries, manuscripts, published and unpublished letters, and memorabilia of Maine’s past and present literary, cultural, and societal writers.

Online: https://library.une.edu/mwwc/

• There will be a choice of visit times to the Portland Room on June 16—either 10 a.m. or 11:30, as the room holds only 10 at a time.
• At the Maine Women Writers Collection, we will gather at 10:00 a.m.
• Visits usually last an hour and a bit. Transportation is on your own. Further details, directions to each site, and parking information will be sent several days in advance of each Hidden Treasure visit.

Registration for each venue is limited to a maximum of 20 members, with $10 due at registration plus $5 in cash to be given to the leader to be shared with the docents.

Deadline for registration is Monday, June 12. There will be no refunds for cancellations thereafter unless the space is filled from a waiting list. For further information about Hidden Treasures, call Gael McKibben at 774-7177.

To register, click the button below, chose 'returning OLLI customer', login and find the trips on the left under 'Trips and Travel'.

Trivia Column

OLLI On the Road!

OLLI is taking its message of senior wellness to seniors throughout Southern Maine through organizations, social groups, and senior living facilities. Teams from OLLI’s committee members, led by Donna Anderson, Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, provide information through a newly developed presentation; they also share personal experiences from OLLI’s many offerings. The welcoming spirit from audiences is overwhelming as seen through engaging conversations about the many programs offered. “I never knew OLLI offered so much” is a common comment especially from those who have previously taken OLLI courses. One participant offered to teach a language course in Dutch and German, having lived in both countries and traveled extensively.

Audiences are of two groups: prospective members (seniors aged 50+) and influencers (those who work with or provide services to seniors aged 50+). Both are important to fulfill OLLI’s mission of reaching Maine’s seniors to provide wellness through educational programs.



Suggestions for presentations to organizations or groups are welcome. Groups of friends that get together are excellent ways to talk about and promote OLLI as well. 

Send suggestions to Marcia Weston, External Relations Committee, at marcia.weston@maine.edu. A list of organizations is kept to avoid duplicate outreach efforts.

June Trivia Answers