"Your energy and passion for the topic was contagious. You teach with zest,

and it was so fun to be in your class!"

-Participant, Water Resources Ecology and Management

Jessica's Note

This is the 24th year of the time-honored tradition of the MSU Can the Griz Food Drive benefitting the Gallatin Valley Food Bank and the Bounty of the Bridgers campus food pantry. Now is the perfect time to help neighbors stock their pantries by bringing nonperishable packaged or canned food to the OLLI office before November 15 or to the OLLI at the MSU/MOLLI Brawl of the Wild program on November 16.

You can also make monetary donations to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank on behalf of the Cat-Griz event by November 15. Remember to check the box labeled "This gift is in honor, memory or support of someone" and type "MSUOLLI" into the comment box. We want to count your donation! The OLLI/MOLLI Can the Griz food drive winner will be announced at the Cat-Griz event.

What a perfect way to kick off this season of giving!

Jessica Alvarez

Program Coordinator, OLLI at MSU

OLLI at MSU Friday Forum Recordings Available

Past Friday Forum recordings are available to view, and the recent November Friday Forum, The Future of Zoning in Bozeman, will be posted by Monday at the end of the day.

Bozeman-based planning consultant Mark Egge explained the theory behind the recently postponed revisions to Bozeman’s development code. The city’s community development manager and project lead planner, Chris Saunders, answered questions about the city commission's delayed adoption. Our feature speakers addressed numerous community questions, comments and concerns.

Click or tap here for past Friday Forum recordings on the OLLI at MSU Recordings page.

Upcoming OLLI at MSU Offerings

Course: Grasping Grasslands: A Prairie Primer with Beth Madden. Delve into the history, geography and ecology of the complex and unique Montana prairie. Wednesdays, November 29 - December 20, 10:00 a.m. - noon. Hope Lutheran Church. Waitlist available.

OLLI Extra: OLLI at MSU/MOLLI Brawl of the Wild with Jill Olsen. November 16, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. While long-time rivals MSU and UofM prepare to take to the gridiron, join MSU OLLI and UM MOLLI (virtually) for an inter-OLLI friendly and cheer-filled educational program. Bring a friend and enjoy an appearance from the MSU mascot, Champ, and the MSU Spirit Squad! You can also help "Can the Griz" and support the Gallatin Valley Food Bank by bringing non-perishable food. This year's presentation is about sports safety with a virtual presentation by MOLLI guest speaker Jill Olsen, broadcast live over the big screen at our Brawl event.

Prelude and Performance: Verge Theater: Ride the Cyclone Thursday, November 16, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. Waitlist available.

Speaker Series

The Enduring Legacy of the First World War with Dale Martin. Monday, November 13, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

Lasers, Optics and Quantum Under the Big Sky with Jason Yager. Monday, November 20, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

The World's Largest Aging Demographic Shift: Are We Ready? with Linda Hollis. Monday, November 27, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Online via Zoom.

Have a friend who wants to learn with you? Bring them along with your OLLI at MSU guest pass to enjoy the OLLI at MSU Speaker Series presentation together! Passes were provided in your membership

confirmation letter.

The fall 2023 speaker series is graciously sponsored by:

Made in Montana: Unique to Montana

Developed by an OLLI at MSU volunteer writer

Most people would never guess that the small town of Winifred, MT, in rural Fergus County, is one of the most famous places in the world of toys. Founded in 1913, it primarily exists because it was the final stop on the old Milwaukee Road Train Line and is now home to the world's most extensive collection of Tonka Toy trucks. The Winifred Museum, located in the heart of town, has over 3,000 Tonka trucks on display and is currently open to the public.

Lynn Everett Baker, Avery F. Crounse and Alan F. Tesch founded the Mound Metal Corporation in 1946 in an old schoolhouse in Mound, MN. At the time, its primary business was manufacturing and distributing gardening tools. Eventually, the founders changed their primary business and transitioned into the manufacturing of toys. The company rebranded to Tonka Toys Incorporated in 1955. Interestingly, they borrowed the word "Tanka" from the Dakota Sioux, which translates to "great" or "big" in English. Through mergers and acquisitions, their business exploded, and Tonka Toys became world-renowned. Hasbro acquired the company in 1991. It was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2001.

The collection belongs to long-time resident and Winifred High School graduate John Thompson. He generously offered up his collection of toy trucks for display at the museum. Open most of the summer, and by special request during the off-season, the Winifred Museum has become a must-see attraction for tourists and locals. Why not take a family road trip with the kids or grandkids to view one of Montana's great museum displays?

SOURCES: Wikipedia.org; Onlyinyourstate.com; My103.5.com; Pgpedia.com

November Reads



OLLI at MSU offers three member exclusive book discussion groups. We are sharing the below titles to allow you time to enjoy a good cozy autumn read and join in the discussions! You may join any of the groups below for one, a few, or all of the sessions.

OLLI Mystery Book Discussion Group

The Black Echo

Michael Connelly

December 5,

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI Non-Fiction Book Discussion Group

An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us

Ed Yong

November 20,

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI at MSU Book Discussion Group

Sir Gawain and the

Green Knight

Simon Armitage (translator)

December 4,

3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Face-to-face

Hope Lutheran Church

OLLI Tips and Tricks

Do you attend Zoom meetings on an iPad and experience difficulty with sound during sessions? If, at first, you don't hear the sound from a shared video, find the button in the top left corner of your screen where it says, "[speaker name] is sharing their screen." The sound will begin to play!

Campus Corner

Below are a few upcoming events on the MSU campus that may be of interest to our OLLI at MSU members. Click or tap titles and locations for more information. These events are not sponsored or produced by OLLI at MSU.

Provost's Distinguished Lecturer Series with Dr. Michelle Miley. Tuesday, November 14, 7:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies, Hager Auditorium. Michelle Miley will explore writing as a social activity.

Impact of Urban Growth Zoning on Density, Agriculture and Land Prices with Dr. Justin Gallagher. Thursday, November 16, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Linfield Hall, Room 406.

Honors Presents: Behavioral Economics and Experiments on Health Behavior Change with Dr. Mariana Carrera. Thursday, November 16, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Gaines Hall, Room 043. Priority seating is given to students; however, Honors Presents programs are open to the public, and registration is not required.

Help us connect and learn!

Are you a retired photographer or budding visual art enthusiast? We like to feature our members in action on our print and web communications. If you would be interested in helping to take pictures and video during OLLI programs, let us know via our short volunteer form and we will work with you to get the camera rolling! 

We hope you enjoy the selection of items we have chosen for this edition. Everything in this email will be archived on the Newsletter Archive page of our website.