Fun Facts for OLLI’s 30-Year Anniversary By Ray Beery, OLLI Member and Former PresidentIn 2021, OLLI celebrates its 30th year of classes for seniors. This feature provides fun facts and interesting milestones about our institute each week that E-News is published throughout the year.March 5
By 1992, LRI had expanded to include winter and summer terms as well as spring and fall. By the annual meeting in May 1992, LRI was at 162 members. Two years later, LRI membership was almost 200. It grew by about 45 members a year, beginning with approximately 100 in 1991 and now, as OLLI, at 1037.
February 19 Board Meeting Highlights By Marguerite Johnson, OLLI SecretaryPresident Paul Howard began the meeting thanking Anita Lasansky and Sigrid Fishpaw for volunteering as Reston coordinators for programming. He also thanked Stan Schretter for filling the position multiple times.Paul gave a brief report concerning the Audiovisual Support Committee’s continuing research on a hybrid program for OLLI. He and several others attended a seminar about hybrid equipment. The manufacturer has a website with much information which the committee will be reviewing in an ongoing effort.
In preparation for returning to in‑person classes, Rita Way has been appointed to lead an ad hoc committee to research and advise on issues such as reconciliation of Mason strictures with the requirements of OLLI memberships.
Two resolutions were unanimously approved by the Board. Resolution 190221-01: The Board approves the conversion of all OLLI financial statements to an accrual basis of accounting. This includes financial statements prepared for the audit, tax return, and monthly expenditure reports. This change provides clarity to OLLI’s accounting processes. Also, using an accrual basis of accounting allows OLLI to apply for a variety of grants and to be included in the Combined Federal Campaign, potentially aiding in lowering our deficit. Resolution 190221-02: The Board approves giving a one‑year membership to Leigh Knox as a retirement gift in appreciation of her employment at OLLI. As announced in January, Leigh Knox will be retiring during the spring term after six years as Loudon Site Assistant and Catalog Associate.
Total OLLI membership is 1,037 members—984 full members, 42 annual-promotion members, and 11 introductory members.
Reston Program Planning Meeting By Shannon Kim Morrow, Program AssociateCalling all OLLI members who are interested in program planning, and in particular for the Reston campus: please join the Reston program planning meeting on Tuesday, March 9, 10:00–11:30. To link in: Join Zoom meeting at this link; Meeting ID: 843 9284 7936—
Passcode: 654321; or Dial in: 301-715-8592.Please join us in welcoming two new coordinators for Reston, Anita Lasansky and Sigrid Fishpaw. We’ll also look at winter enrollment numbers, the spring term, summer offerings, and we’ll plan for fall and winter. Any and all ideas for potential classes are encouraged, so we hope to see you there!
Thanks for Zooming with OLLI Players By Kathie West, OLLI Players DirectorThe OLLI Players would like to thank those members who have given their time to watch our shows on Zoom. We have been rehearsing and performing on Zoom for almost a year now.If you know us, you know it is hard to keep us in a chair for very long! It has been an adventure, but we refuse to give up. We not only have class time, but we meet and rehearse in our own Zoom settings. It is a learning process, but we have persevered; and with help from Mike, Susan, Paul, and one another, we have succeeded. We have shared cups of tea through the Zoom squares with lots of practice. We have found amazing backdrops to use according to the plays. Michael Nephew has introduced us to the green screen, so some of us are trying that. We have practiced and produced fun plays and skits for OLLI. You are our prime focus now as our travelling days have been curtailed due to the pandemic.
On February 5 we completed our show Stranded. We are now in practice for three shows—two murder mysteries and a springtime Tiptoe through the Tulips on May 28. Our murder mysteries will be shown during the fundraising period for OLLI's 30th anniversary; dates and times to be determined. Thank you again for your support, and see you all soon on Zoom.
You’re Invited: Literature, Theater, and Writing/
Languages Program Planning Group to Meet By Pat Bangs,Co-chair, Literature, Theater, and Writing/Languages Program Planning GroupHave you enjoyed an OLLI literature course, learned about local theater opportunities, discussed a movie of the week, or sharpened your Spanish skills in a recent term? Would you consider teaching, recruiting instructors, or helping our volunteer group plan the rich literature, theater, and writing/languages programming offered each term? Then, please use the following information to join us on Friday, March 19 at 10:00 via Zoom to experience the program planning process and learn how you can help:
Topic: Literature, Theater, and Writing/Languages Program Planning Meeting
Time: Mar 19, 2021 10:00 Eastern Time (US and Canada)Join Zoom meeting by clicking this link*; meeting ID 825 5704 7061, passcode 246810 (or dial in at 301-715-8592). *You will also receive the link in the emailed March 19 “Daily Schedule.”
Many OLLI members have joined the ranks of our volunteer instructors. Perhaps you are a former teacher who misses the classroom experience or has a passion—no need for formal expertise—you would like to share. You may also know individuals in your community who would be good OLLI instructors. Or, if you have a topic you would like to have taught, share it with us and we can search for an instructor.
While we may be offering courses exclusively online through our fall 2021 term, once back in person we will be looking for instructors and courses that could be available on our Reston and Loudoun campuses. There are all kinds of opportunities to help us.
On March 19, we will be reviewing our upcoming summer 2021 courses and planning our fall 2021 and winter 2022 terms. Do join us, or if you cannot, feel free to email your ideas or thoughts to any of the planning group members listed below.
Awaken a Genius By Rosemary Lubinski, Outreach Committee ChairAs you perused the recent spring OLLI Mason catalog of courses and events, did you ever say to yourself, “My neighbor Mary would really be interested in that topic.”? Or “My cousin Peter could teach a course like that.” You probably know friends, family, neighbors, or colleagues near or far who might be attracted to learning more about a topic or teaching a special interest. Also, do you know someone who would really benefit from the intellectual and social stimulation of OLLI’s programs? If you know anyone who might be interested in OLLI membership, please pass on our website address or share your catalog with these folks throughthis link. You never know, you may awaken a genius.
Last Call for OLLI Ink! By Caroline McNeil, OLLI Ink EdiitorIt’s not too late to send in your work—prose or poetry—to appear in the next issue of OLLI Ink. March 10 is the deadline for sending your creative writing—fiction or nonfiction, poem, story, personal essays, or memoir—to OLLI's literary journal, now in its 11th year.OLLI Ink welcomes submissions from all OLLI members, including but not limited to those in writing workshops. The 2021 issue will be published this spring as an online FlipDoc (like a Kindle e-book) and in print later in the year. All contributors will receive a copy of the print booklet.
How to submit: Please email your entry—either as a Word file attachment or in the body of the email—to Caroline McNeil at [email protected].
Questions or concerns? Use the same email address for a quick response.
The Computer Club (OLLI Personal Computer User Group, or OPCUG) will meet with its partner, the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society (PATACS), on Saturday, March 20, via Zoom. Program activities begin at 1:00.
Dropbox and OneDrive: Using The Cloud For Collaboration And Multiple Devices–Presented by Leti Labell
Cloud storage refers to data stored on servers over the Internet. It can greatly increase the amount of storage for your data and allows access to those data from multiple devices and locations. This lecture focuses on two cloud storage services, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive, and how to use them to collaborate with other users. It also covers how cloud storage can enhance the ability to use the stored information.
Leti is an OLLI and PATACS member with a lifelong love of computers, and holds an MS in computer science. She is a certified information systems security professional (CISSP) and a project management professional (PMP). Learn in 30 - Update: Voice Message Answering for Smart Phones–Presented by John Krout
This is an update of John's Robocall Deterrence presentation last year. This one addresses before-and-after statistics to prove that deterrence techniques actually work. He's found a cost-free way for transferring high quality audio from a computer to Android phones via WiFi, without any cables or mixers, ideal for playing a custom voicemail greeting directly from a computer through the phone. John has released for download a cleaned-up version of the Special Information Tones (SIT) that you can include in a voicemail greeting to deter robocallers.
A frequent meeting presenter, John also is the author of many of the articles on PATACS Zoom reference page, and many PATACS Posts newsletter offerings. See full details on this meeting by clicking here. For information on the Computer Club, see the OPCUG Website. OPCUG dues are $5 for 2021—see http://olligmu.org/opcug/comm.html for details on making payment.
Attend via Zoom's cloud meeting service, beginning at 1:00. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/93730244342 and use Passcode 728227 or enter Meeting ID 937 3024 4342 from 'Join' in the Zoom app: Passcode 728227.
By John Olsen and Edward Marion,
Photography Club Coordinators
Please join the OLLI Photo Club on Friday, March 12, at 9:30, to meet Lori Saunders who will be discussing “Light Painting – Photographic Effects.” Lori is a photographer in the Northern Virginia area. During the past year, she has made presentations about Light Painting with Shutterbug Excursions Meetup and the Vienna Photographic Society (VPS). She has found a special passion for Light Painting—working with empty space and models to capture surreal visions from her imagination.
Lori has exhibited award winning photos through VPS, Nature Visions, Vienna Art Society, ArtSpace Herndon, The Southeast (SE) Center for Photography in Greenville, South Carolina, and Joe Miller Abstract Exhibits. She also has explored abstracts through macro and still-life photography—Discovering Mystery in Everyday Objects (e.g., macro, still life).
See more of Lori’s work on Flickr at @lo8i (here), and her Light Painting album at this link. With your own Instagram account, you may also see her work on Instagram @lo8is (click here).
Tallwood Book Club By Betty Ellerbee, Tallwood Book Club CoordinatorThe Tallwood Book Club will be discussing these books at its regular meeting on the second Friday of the month from 2:30 until 4:00.
OLLI from Afar By Janet Cochran, OLLI Member and Former Board MemberI’ve been a member of OLLI since 1999. I’ve been on the Board of Directors, served on several program committees/groups, and taught some courses. OLLI has been an important part of my life. When my husband and I decided to move to Chapel Hill, NC, near family, I worried how I’d replace OLLI. Preparing for that, I learned that there is an OLLI at Duke University. Class offerings pale in comparison to OLLI at Mason. The fee structure is different as well. Membership is $45, plus a fee for each class. If I took the six classes I liked it would cost $600 just for the spring term!You can see what a bargain our OLLI Mason is. I’m grateful that Zoom allows us to remain members from afar. Do you know people who have moved and would love to be part of OLLI Mason? Share this link with them.
Virtual Performances
Although Mason’s campus is shut down, online entertainment continues for us to access and enjoy. Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of interesting online performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music. If you would like to receive these bulletins, just send an email to Brianna Schoen at[email protected]. Also, the Center for the Arts has a websiteMason Arts at Home, which has a calendar of online events and access to many past performances. Information can also be found atCFA ticket purchase pageor theHylton ticket purchase page..
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields: re:connect–Overcoming Distance
Access Sat, Mar 13, 8:00–Sat, Mar 20, 11:59 Buy Access Tickets($15–$45 Pay What You Wish in $5 increments)
Mason Student & Faculty Performances (seemusic.gmu.edu for additional student recitals)
Mason School of Theater: Come My Beloved
Fri, Mar 12, 8:00 Register
Dewberry Artist Series: Saxophone, Percussion, and Steel Pan!
Tue, Mar 16, 7:00 Center for the Arts YouTube channel Admission: Free (Gifts of any size for scholarships appreciated)
Mason School of Theater: Chimichangas and Zoloft
Fri, Mar 19, 8:00 Register
Please note: Physical meetings for clubs and activities are canceled until further notice in accordance with Mason’s guidelines. OLLI is conducting its classes and activities online. Refer to the university's coronavirus website for official university updates and check the OLLI calendar for revised information.
The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office. The list is accurate as of mid-week but for the most up-to-date information, please view the latest forecast of coming events on our website (News/OLLI Calendar). Note: All OLLI members are welcome at, and encouraged to attend, meetings of the Board of Directors, committees and resource groups, kick-off coffees, etc. (bolded below). The OLLI office has sent (or will send) emails with links and meeting passwords to club members; you may also log in at the member portal and click on ZOOM CLASS LINKS.
Sat Mar 6
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Mar 8
8:30 am
9:30 am
Gentle Yoga Club
What’s in the Daily News
Tue Mar 9
9:30 am
11:00 am
4:30 pm
Annex Art
Spanish Club
Tai Chi Club
Wed Mar 10
10:30 am
6:00 pm
Tom Crooker Investment Forum
Ethnic Eats Club
Thu Mar 11
10:00 am
11:50 am
4:30 pm
Fairfax Coffee Klatch
All the News
Tai Chi Club
Fri Mar 12
9:30 am
9:30 am
11:00 am
2:30 pm
Photography Club
Craft & Conversation
Homer, etc.
Tallwood Book Club
Sat Mar 13
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Mar 15
8:30 am
9:30 am
11:00 am
Gentle Yoga Club
What’s in the Daily News?
Poetry Club
Tue Mar 16
9:30 am
4:30 pm
Annex Art
Tai Chi Club
Wed Mar 17
10:00 am
10:30 am
2:00 pm
Mah Jongg Club
Tom Crooker Investment Forum Memoir and More Writing Group
Thu Mar 18
11:50 am
4:30 pm
All the News
Tai Chi Club
Fri Mar 19
9:30 am
10:00 am
10:00 am
10:30 am
2:00 pm
Craft & Conversation Board of Directors Meeting
Loudoun Program Planning Group Meeting
Homer, etc.
Cooking Club
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Associate Editor: David Gundry
Weekly Editor Team: David Gundry, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere,
Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Linda Randall, Tom Appich, Roz Stark
Marian Drohan, Jane Hassell
Backup Chief Editor: Alice Slayton Clark
Submissions: Members are encouraged to submit letters to the editor, letters to Ms. Ollie Ettakit (on etiquette matters), OLLI-related news items, articles, and photos. Submit material to: [email protected]. Deadline: Tuesday, 6:00, for that week's issue (Monday, 6:00, for letters to the editor); early submissions are greatly appreciated. Please limit articles to about 250 words. Search E-News: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News at ENews Archives. To search the content within issues, use Search or enter your search term(s) in Google followed by “site:olli.gmu.edu/” without the quotes.
By Ray Beery, OLLI Member and Former President
Please join the OLLI Photo Club on Friday, March 12, at 9:30, to meet Lori Saunders who will be discussing “
Lori has exhibited award winning photos through VPS, Nature Visions, Vienna Art Society, ArtSpace Herndon, The Southeast (SE) Center for Photography in Greenville, South Carolina, and Joe Miller Abstract 
Exhibits. She also has explored abstracts through macro and still-life photography—Discovering Mystery in Everyday Objects (e.g., 
