Notice: Executive Director Jennifer Disano will be transitioning out of her position after more than ten years of extraordinary service to OLLI. E-News extends best wishes for continued success in her future career.
OLLI Personal Computer User Group 3rd Saturday meeting is January 18 (tomorrow) in person and via Zoom; check the OLLI daily schedule email for link and other information.
Registration for winter term continues. There are several courses with space available; register today at the member portal.
The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, January 24; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, January 21, at 6:00.
President Debbie Engleson called the OLLI Board of Directors meeting to order at 10:00 on Friday, 15 November 2024, in room TA-1 at Tallwood; present were thirteen Board members (including four officers) and the Executive Director.
The president noted OLLI closings for the holidays and stated that the OLLI holiday party had more than 100 people (including staff) registered to attend.
Executive Director Jennifer Disano reported that OLLI membership is stabilizing with about 950 current members. She noted that OLLI has given $20,000 in scholarships to Mason students, helping maintain interest among Mason instructors to teach at OLLI. There were 160 classes plus clubs and other activities at OLLI during the fall term.
Treasurer Richard Crawford reported that OLLI expenditures and income are tracking well. IRS Form 990 was reviewed by the Finance Committee and Treasurer to meet the annual deadline. The budget will continue to have a reserve line for potential equipment replacement for our classrooms.
Under New Business, the Board discussed a resolution to approve the 2024 OLLI tax return (IRS Form 990); the resolution was tabled pending Board review of the form. In other new business, OLLI anticipates contracting with Silverstone Corporation (owner of several retirement communities in Northern Virginia) to provide 15 classes annually for $45,000; courses and instructors are to be determined.
By Camille Hodges, OLLI Board Member and Chair of the Humanities and Social Sciences/Current Events Program Planning Group
If you are still looking for resolutions to make in the New Year, look no further. Take the challenge and teach a course at OLLI, specifically in Humanities and Social Sciences/Current Events. Some suggested topics include, but are not limited to: multicultural topics, intergenerational topics, the future of American education, the Pullman porters influence in American history, the future of politics in America, the psychology of surviving politics, or your own course idea. Classes continue to be in-person, virtual, and hybrid.
Remember, when schools are closed due to the weather, OLLI classes are cancelled.
Hopefully, you will consider teaching a class in 2025. Currently, we are looking at the following schedule:
- summer 2025 course proposals are due: January 27
- fall 2025 course proposals are due: April 7.
OLLI Mason Seeks Spanish and Other Language Instructors
By Patricia Bangs, Literature, Language, and Theater Program Planning Group
For many years, OLLI Mason has been able to offer beginning, intermediate, or conversational Spanish classes on a regular basis. At the moment, our regular instructors are no longer available. In the past, have been able to offer French language classes as well. If you are a Spanish, French, or other language speaker and are comfortable teaching or know of individuals who might be interested, please contact me at p.bangs46@icloud.com.
By Norma Jean Reck, Coordinator, Theater Lovers' Group
On Sunday, February 2 at 2pm, the Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) will attend Mason's student performance of Broadway's Prince: The Musicals of Hal Prince at the Harris Theater in Fairfax. If you enjoyed seeing the Phantom of the Opera, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Westside Story, Cabaret, and Sweeney Todd, then you will love this celebratory musical salute to the legendary Hal Prince, who changed musical theater on Broadway forever. Senior tickets are $15, plus a fee. Phone 703-993-1120 for tickets. Optional preshow lunch will be at Oh George at noon.
On Saturday, February 8 at 2pm, TLG will return to 1stStage in Tysons to see The Lake Effect. It takes place in Cleveland in a small Indian restaurant during a snowstorm when an Indian American brother and sister reunite after being estranged for years. A moving story of family, relationships, secrets, and finding a way forward. Tickets are $25/$40/$55. Phone 703-854-1856. Tell them you are with OLLI Theater Group. Preshow lunch TBD.
On Sunday, February 16, TLG will go to the Creative Cauldron's new home next to Whole Foods on corner of Route 7 and Lee Highway to see Steel Magnolias. This heartfelt and hilarious story takes place in Louisiana, specifically in Truvy's Beauty Salon where all the ladies gather to chat, gossip, and bond. Tickets are $40 (group rate with 10 people). Email Norma if you are interested in going. When we get ten people, we will purchase the tickets. Preshow lunch TBD.
When you register for classes, remember to sign up for the Theater Lovers' Group to keep getting emails about TLG events. If you have any questions, email me at njreck@cs.com. Everyone is invited to join TLG - a very engaged and fun group.
Editor’s note: At the author’s request, all words are published unedited, exactly as submitted.
The January 2025 Photo of the Month theme was Cell Phone Photos. We selected Margie Wildblood's photo "Australian Shepherd," which may also be viewed at this page. To view other photos by members of the Photography Club, visit the club's photo website.
-- By John Olsen and Edward Marion, Photography Club Co-Coordinators
By Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch, Co‑Moderators
Our topic for discussion on Wednesday, January 22, is Online Subscription Services.
Let’s talk about Amazon, Amazon Prime, and similar subscription services. Love them, tolerate them, use them, hate them? Everyone has an opinion—share yours with us.
Join us on the 24/7 OLLI Chat Line at 4:00 Wednesday, January 22, and let us know how you feel about this topic. No sign-up required.
Click here for the Zoom link;
Meeting ID: 889 4635 8407
Passcode: 772491
Dial-in: 301-715-8592.
Forrest (Bob) Hanvey, OLLI member from 2015-2020, died December 4, 2024. He was born in San Diego, California, in 1933.
Bob graduated from the US Naval Academy in the class of 1957, first in the class as the honors graduate. He was commissioned in the Air Force and completed a master’s degree in aerospace engineering. Assigned to Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, he pioneered work on inertial guidance technology. After leaving active duty, he led a team at Western Union developing their first programmable line interface. Subsequently, he was Vice President of Communications Systems at Citicorp.
There will be a private burial will be in Prince Frederick, Maryland. Later, plans will be announced for a celebration of his life. More information is available at this link.
For tickets for either Center for the Arts Concert Hall (CFA) or Hylton Center, call 1-888-945-2468. You can also buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links below) or visit the venue's box office. For more information, see the CFA ticket pageor the Hylton Center ticket purchase page.
Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of information on interesting online performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music. If you would like to receive these bulletins, just sign up at this linkto stay in touch. Also, the Center for the Arts has a website,Mason Arts at Home, which has a calendar of online events and access to many past performances.
Silkroad Ensemble Sat, Jan 25, 8:00 A pre-performance discussion will take place in Monson Grand Tier 45 minutes prior to curtain. Concert Hall Admission: $55, $47, $33.
Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Dances for the Ears Sun, Jan 26, 7:00 Concert Hall Admission: $50, $43, $29.
American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra Sat, Jan 18, 3:00 Merchant Hall Admission: $10.
ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre: Les Miserables – Youth Edition Fri, Jan 24, 7:00 Sat, Jan 25, 2:00 and 7:00 Sun, Jan 26, 2:00 Merchant Hall Admission: $25 Adult, $20 senior.
Graham Breedlove Group, American Roots Series Sat, Jan 25, 5:00 Gregory Family Theater Admission: $30.
Please note: OLLI Meetings and Clubs may currently take place in several formats: some are in person only, some are online only, and some are hybrid, meaning that they take place in person and are accessible online simultaneously. OLLI events and activities meeting online bear the identification "Z" in their course or event number (except clubs; you may need to check the OLLI calendar and daily schedule email for location and other event information). Refer to the university's coronavirus website for official university updates.
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. 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 Jan 18
10:30 am
1:00 pm
Tai Chi Club – online
Personal Computer User Group
Mon Jan 20
9:30 am
4:00 pm
What’s in the Daily News? – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue Jan 21
2:00 pm
3:45 pm
4:00 pm
4:30 pm
Chair Yoga and More – online
Caregivers Support Group – online
Mah Jongg Club – online
Tai Chi Club – online
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, Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Tom Appich, Martha Kossoff, Anne Hartshorn, Bonnie Becker, Carol McManus
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: ollienewseditor@gmail.com. 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. Note: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News on the DocStore. To search the content of issues, use Search Our Site or put your search term in Google followed by "site:olli.gmu.edu/" without the quotes.
Forrest Robert Hanvey, Jr.
