OLLI E-News (Weekly Newsletter)

July 31, 2026

• Alerts & Notices
• Help Shape the Social Heart of OLLI Mason
• Highlights of the July 17 Board Meeting
• From the Healthcare Advisory Workgroup
• "Got Course Ideas?... Join the HSS/CE Team!
• Join the Theater Lovers' for a Summer Cultural Medley this August
• A Week of Eating Through Italian History
• Poet's Corner
• At this time, there are no performances scheduled for Arts & Music at Mason
• Meetings & Clubs
• About OLLI E-News

Alerts & Notices

• Reminder: OLLI Mason office and campus will be closed for summer break from August 3-14.
• The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, August 14; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, August 11, at 6:00.

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

The Treasurer's report covering the first six months of the year noted that the Osher endowment is in good shape and providing much needed income.

In old business, two resolutions postponed from last meeting were discussed. One was approved to update and clarify procedures for reporting and investigating potential conflicts of interest within OLLI. The other resolution updated policy and procedures for the OLLI Mason fund. Both resolutions were approved.

New Business approved categories for designated contributions to OLLI, and approved the implementation of a limited, Mason Alumni discount pilot program for OLLI membership.
The regular meeting was adjourned at 12:28.

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Join the Theater Lovers' for a Summer Cultural Medley this August

By Norma Jean Reck, Coordinator, Theater Lovers' Group



We, who are fortunate enough to live in the DMV area, luxuriate in a wealth of cultural events from which to choose. So, this August, the Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) will spread its wings and savor a few of them: an opera known for its beautiful arias, a musical day trip through the rolling hills of Virginia, a sophisticated but hilarious play, and a luncheon where the conversation is always titillating.
 

On Friday, August 7 at 8 p.m., TLG will attend a performance of Puccini's Tosca at Wolf Trap. There will be dinner beforehand at Pazzo Pomodoro in Vienna, followed by a pre-performance talk at
7 p.m. at Wolf Trap. Tosca is in Italian with English subtitles. Go to wolftrap.org to purchase your tickets and select your seat. Email Emily at [email protected] to sign up for dinner and the opera.
 
On Saturday, August 15, TLG will carpool to Castleton, Va., for a 2 p.m. performance of "Towards a Common Horizon" by the talented staff and students that will include selections from composers such as Dvorak, Rachmaninoff, and Stravinsky, Tickets are $27.50 and can be purchased by phoning 540-937-3454. We will have dinner at 5:30 p.m. in Warrenton at Claire at the Depot, a converted historical railroad depot. Email [email protected] if interested.

On Saturday, August 29, at 2 p.m., TLG goes to The Little Theatre in Alexandria for aperformance of Neil Simon's Blithe Spirit., followed by dinner at a nearby restaurant TBD. Purchase tickets for $30 at thelittletheatre.com or phone 703-683-5778. Email [email protected] if interested.

On Thursday, August 27 at 12 noon, TLG will have a luncheon meeting at Hamrock's in Fairfax City. We will continue planning outings and, of course, chat a lot. Every OLLI member is welcome to join us for the lunch as well as all our other events. Lunch is a fun way to meet TLG members and find out what is being planned. Email [email protected] if you plan to join us.

Editor’s Note: At the author's request, all words are published unedited, exactly as submitted.

Back to Top of Page

A Week of Eating Through Italian History

In Emilia-Romagna, food is an argument. Neighboring cities have spent centuries disputing who owns the tortellino and which province produces the real balsamic vinegar.

This January I am leading a week inside those arguments. From January 6 to 12, 2027, participants go behind the scenes at a Parmigiano Reggiano dairyand a Prosciutto di Parma curing facility, taste traditional balsamic aged in wooden casks at a Modena acetaia, and learn to roll pasta by hand with a Bolognese sfoglina. We finish in Forlimpopoli at Casa Artusi, the museum and working culinary school devoted to Pellegrino Artusi, whose 1891 cookbook did more to invent a national Italian culinary identity than any politician of his generation.

The program runs through George Mason's Global Education Office (GEO) alongside my fall course on food, literature, and power in Italy (ITAL 420: Global and Local Italy). The program is also open to community members as a stand-alone experience. No Italian is required. We will stay in central hotels in Parma and Bologna. Expect several hours of walking most days, much of it on cobblestones, in weather that might be cold and damp.

Applications are run through the GEO office and close October 1, 2026. Full details about the program and a link to apply can be found on the program brochure (see poster), or write to me at [email protected].

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

July 24, 2026

• Alerts & Notices
• "Got Course Ideas?” … Join the HSS/CE  
• Pardon Our Mist
• Poet's Corner
• Meetings & Clubs
• About OLLI E-News

Alerts & Notices

• Note: Member parking is available in the Fairfax Swimming Pool parking lot. If you park there, use only the half of the lot closest to Tallwood.
• The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, July 31; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, July 28, at 6:00.
• Look for your fall term catalog in the mail.  If you do not receive a catalog by the end of July, please contact the OLLI Mason office.
• OLLI Mason will be closed for summer break during the first two weeks in August.

Back to Top of Page

   
     By Camille Hodges, HSS/CE Planning Team Chair



OLLI is known for its great course ideas. In case you were unaware… many of these ideas come directly from you! We at OLLI need to know what courses/topics strongly reflect your interest and/or your desire to know more about. Also, let us know of any topics you would be willing to teach at OLLI. Our members are our strength when it comes to course proposals.

Check out the current catalog and decide which category might best support your area of expertise. Also, if you have personal contact with people who would be great OLLI instructors, please invite them to present as well.

The Humanities and Social Sciences/Current Events (HSS/CE) team is committed to inviting presentations that support many areas including psychology, politics, cultural interests, inter- and intrapersonal interactions, human culture, ethics, and cultural awareness. Our team meets virtually three or four times per year and communicates continuously. 

To join the HSS/CE programming team, here’s the link: [email protected].

Got course ideas?  Here’s the link:
https://olli.gmu.edu/olli-course-proposal-form/.

Editor’s Note: This article appeared in an earlier E-News edition. It is repeated here to encourage member participation in program planning for HSS/CE.

Back to Top of Page

 
     By John McAndrew, Board Member and Dirty Knee Club Member


Have you come to class and been showered upon, almost tripped over a hose, or found yourself on an extremely wet sidewalk? Well, sorry about that, it’s the work of the Dirty Knee Club (DKC), also known as the Landscaping Committee, here at OLLI. We are OLLI members working to keep our flower gardens alive and well during this extremely hot summer. So far, so good.
 
There are six DKC members, and we could use three more people. We are an active, fun, kind bunch who enjoy making things nicer. We water the gardens in pairs; it’s more fun doing things together. We also have call-up meetings where the whole club gets together to make improvements or just have lunch, depending on the time of the year. If you are interested, please contact John McAndrew at 703-508-7088 (call or text).
 
BTW - We try to water in the morning because the water evaporates more slowly and helps mitigate pesky conditions like powdery mildew and fungus. Besides, it’s easier on the DKC members negotiating the intense heat. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding. Please take a moment to enjoy the beauty of the landscape surrounding your campus.

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

July 17, 2026

• Alerts & Notices
• “Got Course Ideas?” … Join the HSS/CE Team!
• Photo of the Month
• Poet's Corner
• Obituaries
• From the Healthcare Advisory Workgroup
• Arts & Music at George Mason
• Meetings & Clubs
• About OLLI E-News

Alerts & Notices

• Note: Member parking is available in the Fairfax Swimming Pool parking lot. If you park there, use only the half of the lot closest to Tallwood.
• Throughout the term, please use this online form to add or drop classes, clubs or other events. (Link is also available in the Daily Schedule email.)
• The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, July 24; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, July 21, at 6:00.

By Camille Hodges, HSS/CE Planning Team Chair

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

July 10, 2026

• Alerts & Notices
• How Can You Support Mason Students in Fall 2026? Act as an “Elder”
• Computer Club
• Poet's Corner
• Arts & Music at George Mason
• Meetings & Clubs
• About OLLI E-News

• Note: Member parking is available in the Fairfax Swimming Pool parking lot. If you park there, use only the half of the lot closest to Tallwood.
• Throughout the term, please use this online form to add or drop classes, clubs or other events. (Link is also available in the Daily Schedule email.)
• The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, July 17; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, July 14, at 6:00.

3rd Saturday, July 18
Italian Inventions
AI Prompts: Recipes for Success

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

July 3, 2026

• Alerts & Notices
• Shannon Kim Morrow Retirement
• How Can You Support GMU Students in Fall 2026? Act as an "Elder"   
• Hiking Club Update
• OLLI Artists Club
• Amazing Record Achieved by Tai Chi Instructor!
• Ancient Italy Trip April 2027
• Photography Club
• Theater Lovers' Group Planning Getaway to Broadway and the Big Apple This Fall
• Poet's Corner
• Arts & Music at George Mason
• Meetings & Clubs
• About OLLI E-News

Alerts & Notices

• Note: Member parking is available in the Fairfax Swimming Pool parking lot. If you park there, use only the half of the lot closest to Tallwood.
• Throughout the term, please use this online form to add or drop classes, clubs or other events. (Link is also available in the Daily Schedule email.)
• March in Fairfax July 4th parade. To sign up, contact Marilyn Harriman, Diversions Chair at [email protected], 703-725-0965.
• The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, July 10; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, July 7, at 6:00.

Back to Top of Page

 

After eleven years of dedicated service, Shannon Morrow, Lead Program Associate, will be retiring from OLLI Mason at the end of July 2026. Shannon has been a steady, caring presence behind the scenes of our programs, working closely with instructors, volunteers, and staff to ensure the highest quality classes each term.

Shannon started as a site assistant, then served as registrar before taking on the programming role. She moved to the West Coast in 2024 and has continued joining morning meetings despite the time difference.

Shannon’s thoughtful approach, institutional knowledge, and commitment to lifelong learning have made a lasting impact on OLLI and our community. Her professionalism, kindness, and willingness to go the extra mile will be deeply missed by colleagues and members alike. The Monday Morning Lecture Series, one of our most popular classes, is especially notable, as Shannon identified speakers and planned the series. She worked tirelessly to coordinate each catalog (28 in all!) and built special relationships with many long-time instructors.

Please join us in thanking Shannon for her many contributions and wishing her all the best in a well‑earned retirement. We hope the years ahead are filled with new adventures, continued learning, and time to enjoy her family, pickleball, biking, hiking, and gardening.

Back to Top of Page

How Can You Support GMU Students in Fall 2026? Act as an "Elder"

  
By Camille Hodges, Humanities and Social Sciences/Current Events (HSS/CE) Planning Group Chair

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

OLLI Artists Club

Back to Top of Page

By Catherine Weir-Parker, Tai Chi Club Member

Back to Top of Page

Ancient Italy Trip April 2027

 or contact Laura at [email protected].

                 

Back to Top of Page

Ben Greenberg will be the guest speaker at the OLLI Photo Club’s (OPC) next meeting on Friday, July 10, from 9:30-11:00. The OPC will meet in person in room TA-1 and on Zoom. The Zoom link can be found on the Daily Schedule email sent each weekday morning by 8:00, or on the OLLI member portal. Guests at OPC meetings are always welcome!

Ben Greenberg is an award winning landscape photographer, who enjoys teaching classes and workshops and mentoring individuals in their quest to improve their photography skills and decision-making. 

In March 2014 Ben published his first photography book, Natural Virginia.  A coffee-table-sized book, Natural Virginia features panoramic color landscape and wildlife photographs from throughout the state, celebrating its natural beauty and the need for its preservation. Ben is working on his second Virginia book focusing on the importance of the state’s national, state, regional, and local natural public lands. The book has a working title of Natural Public Lands of Virginia.

Ben’s photographs can be viewed on his two websites: 

• www.bengreenberg.com (900 landscape & wildlife images from Virginia and 20 other states) 
• www.naturalvirginiabook.com (Information and 30 of the 122 images from Natural Virginia).

Back to Top of Page

Have you ever wanted to see a show on Broadway or the Rockettes line dance, visit MoMa or ice skate in Rockefeller Center? All this (and more) is possible when you join Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) for their 'do-your-own-thing' motor-coach trip to NYC this fall.

Kim, the tour director, will be on hand to help with planning your trip, purchasing show or tour tickets, making dinner reservations, etc. The cost includes round trip motor-coach transportation, lodging, and portage: $548 for a double room; add $178 for a single.

A deposit of $250 is due to Champlain Tours ASAP. Balance is due in August. If interested, please email Norma at [email protected] for more information. 

Remember we welcome guests, so feel free to invite your family and friends; they may want to visit Macy's and start their Christmas shopping early.

TLG members and guests dining at The Hamilton after enjoying marvelous June 28 performance of  Suffs at the National Theater

Editor’s Note: At the author’s request, all words are published unedited, exactly as submitted.

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

June 26, 2026

• Alerts & Notices
• Why Teach at OLLI Mason?
• Red, White, and Brainpower: Trivia Party Highlights
• Tallwood Book Club
• Healthcare Advisory Workgroup
• Poet's Corner
• Arts & Music at George Mason
• Meetings & Clubs
• About OLLI E-News

Alerts & Notices

• The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, July 3; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, June 30, at 6:00.

Back to Top of Page

Why Teach at OLLI Mason?

By Camille Hodges, Humanities and Social Sciences/ Current Events (HSS/CE) Program Planning Group Chair

“On sharing knowledge … A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” — Father James Keller [1]

Did you know that Route 66 will celebrate its 100th anniversary on November 11th of this year? Did you know that it was not always welcoming? What do you know about the cultural impacts of the Lincoln Highway or the Blue Ridge Parkway? And this, of course, leads us to the larger question: How do major government-sponsored roadways and airports affect local communities? And, yes, we almost had a major airport in Burke! 

These topics come under the heading of “Movement.” Migration is another aspect of movement. People move for various reasons, whether it is refugees fleeing a conflict or a family moving across town. The movement of people has a significant impact on societies and cultures, creating diverse communities in different parts of the world.

If you have expanded knowledge regarding these or other topics of interest, please consider teaching a single or multi-course session in 2027. And yes, we are scheduling for next year already! We at OLLI encourage our members to voluntarily share their knowledge by teaching a course or two in their fields of expertise and/or interest. As part of social sciences and current events, HSS/CE covers many sub-categories. Now is a great time to consider sharing your knowledge with OLLI members in 2027 and beyond. Here is the course proposal form for your convenience https://olli.gmu.edu/olli-course-proposal-form/.

Back to Top of Page

Red, White, and Brainpower: Trivia Party Highlights

By Marilyn Harriman, Diversions Chair

In a spirited display of teamwork, intelligence, and camaraderie, the George Mason Patriots Trivia Team, composed of Marianne Metz, Paul Van Hemel, David Green, Phyllis Krochmal, and Pat Coshland, emerged victorious over seven competing teams on May 29 at our Happy America Birthday Party. The 1776 Trivia competition, which brought together 42 OLLI members in multiple rounds, showcased the intelligence, dedication, and enthusiasm of our lifelong learners.

After enjoying cake and ice cream and singing happy birthday to America, OLLI participants self-organized into eight teams. The MC, our own Diversions Committee member Tom McDonald, kept the teams engaged with brief anecdotes about growing up in Massachusetts, where much of America’s rise to rebellion occurred. 

The winning Trivia team showed outstanding skill and determination throughout the event. They persevered after tying for first place with five other teams in the first round. Each member contributed insights and expertise, helping the team navigate challenging questions and tasks. Each first-place winning member took home Walter Isaacson’s The Most Important Sentence Ever Written.

Three additional teams competed in two tough lightning tie-breaker rounds, with two of them emerging with a tie for second place: the New England Patriots, with members Tim Harworth, Irene Harworth, Don Budowsky, and Corrine Swanson, and the Colonials, made up of team members Ann Smith, Kate Wanderer, Dean Wanderer, Margie Wildblood, and Joan Lunsford.

For 150 minutes, TA-1 buzzed with impressive knowledge of history, friendly rivalry, and mutual respect. Trivia participants can look forward to future competitions at our Tallwood campus, with the next scheduled contest on Friday, January 22, 2027.

A big thanks goes to Diversions committee members Gay Alper, Elaine Leonard, Mary Mudd, Doris Bloch, Leti Labell, and Tom McDonald for volunteering to make the event a success.

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

            I Get to Age     

with each inhale and exhale

        a breath filling my lungs

        a breath leaving my lungs

        twenty thousand times a day

effortlessly with little or no attention

        until out of breath from
        exhaustion or swimming 

air allows for

        laughing, complaining, questioning, sleeping, 
        cursing, telling my story, worrying, arguing, 

age like air happens with little notice

        until it is noticed

        a health scare, near misses, shock of
        a friend dying too early

age happens when things slow down

        morning time with a cup of coffee

        an idle Saturday afternoon,
        evening time putting the kids to bed

age happens in meditation the consciousness 
        on each breath through the gentle inhaling and exhaling 
        relaxing the body and calming the mind until
        the day’s noise is silenced, mind and body are still
                        then
        notice the slow movement of age and

        appreciate flashes of moments past and those to come

                               -Bill Sinclair

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page

Back to Top of Page