Doug Kammerer, Chief Meteorologist at Storm Team 4 on NBC 4, presented an informative talk on DC Metro area weather broadcasting, March 19; see article below for description.
Notes from the March 15 Meeting of the Board of Directors
By Bob Heyer, Board of Directors Secretary
On Friday, March 15, at 10:00, President Lillian Brooks opened the OLLI Board of Directors meeting with 14 Directors, Jennifer Disano (Executive Director), and 11 OLLI members/staff in TA-1 and on Zoom.
The meeting was started with a guest presentation by Ox Hill Company on their proposed Art Complex to be located on Sager Avenue and University Drive in Fairfax. A follow-up meeting is scheduled to understand the details and potential use by OLLI Mason.
As a follow-on to Mason announcing that their Loudoun campus is closing this summer, four OLLI Board members met with Loudoun and Reston members. They discussed interests, ideas, and opportunities to continue holding OLLI classes in the Loudoun area. The Board will continue to work to identify alternative options.
The Nominating Committee, led by Marilyn Harriman, has identified five potential candidates for this year’s new Board of Directors replacements. Suresh Mohla is well qualified and running for his first term along with current Board members Dick Crawford, Toni Acton, Camille Hodges, and Zach Teich for a second term. A Board term is for three years.
OLLI Mason currently has 919 members. Treasurer Debbie Engleson reported that we are on track and ahead of our spending curve. A new Financial Committee was formed and is being led by Debbie Engleson to identify potential membership pricing options that will fit with our evolving business model. Additionally, we are continuing to work with continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) to provide classes for cost and selling memberships to new CCRC clients. We are also working with Fairfax County Public Library system for a fee, and looking into Loudoun and Prince William Library systems for future business.
The Board earlier approved a series of short video interviews and stories to use for the OLLI website and public relations; an OLLI group is identifying people and scenarios to shoot. The video recording will take place at the Tallwood campus during the first week in April. If you are on campus, you may be an extra in a video.
If you are interested in hearing the Board discussing our future plans, come to the Board meetings at Tallwood or via Zoom the third Friday of the month at 10:00. We welcome members to hear the Board in action.
On Wednesday, April 3, at 4:00, the History Club will meet by Zoom for a presentation by Jim Anderson titled “The Conquest of the Sioux and the Zulu: A Study inComparative Frontier History.” Jim’s presentation will explore the similarities and differences between two events that occurred within the same 19th-century decade but on two different continents and involving four different cultures. This is a form of historiography known as “cross-national comparative history.” Jim will tell the stories of two expansionist, imperialistic powers, the United States and Great Britain, and the military clashes that resulted from their attempts to conquer and subdue, respectively, theNative American Sioux and Cheyenne nations of the Great Plains and the Zulu Empire of Southern Africa. The "story within the story" will be a comparison of the Reno-Benteen Hill siege in Montana and the defense of Rorke's Drift in Natal.
On March 19, OLLI members filled TA-1 and were joined by 77 Zoom participants to enjoy an informative talk by Doug Kammerer, Storm Team 4’s Chief Meteorologist on NBC4. Doug grew up in Northern Virginia and holds a degree in meteorology from the University of Northern Colorado. He earned the Certified Broadcast Meteorologist seal from the American Meteorological Society, and also won eight Emmy Awards presented by the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Doug enjoyed explaining pressure maps and online weather sites, and showing how the presence of mountains to our west helps keep the metro area weather mild compared to the Midwest in the winter. Nevertheless, in the summer and fall we do have weather from the Gulf with the possibility of southeast hurricanes.
Doug really enjoys the challenge of the metro area as things change many times during the year. Class participants were stimulated by his engaging and outgoing personality; they appreciated his willingness to answer questions. The photo of Doug Kammerer and Event Coordinator Stephanie Trachtenberg was taken by Mike Emery, March 19.
The Tallwood Book Club will meet at the Tallwood campus on Wednesday, April 10 at 1:30. Our April book choice is The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell.
We will discuss The Queen of Dirt Island by Donal Ryan in May.
This Theater Lovers' Group Visits Three Local Theaters
By Norma Jean Reck, Coordinator, Theater Lovers’ Group
Meet the Founder of ExPats Theatre on Tuesday, April 2 from 11:50 to 1:15.
Artistic Director Karin Rosnizeck founded ExPats Theatre in 2019 to "bring international dramatic works to D.C. that are thought-provoking, provide fresh perspective, and offer a platform for audience engagement." Besides discussing the history and her vision for the theater, she will talk about the current show – Migraaaaants or There's Too Many of us in this Damn Boat – which BroadwayWorld says is "a topical subject at an important time in U.S. history." She has offered OLLI members discount tickets for the show. She will also talk about the other fascinating shows on the horizon. Find the link to the class in OLLI's Daily Schedule for Theater Potpourri.
On Sunday, April 14 at 2:00 Providence Players Perform Surviving Grace.
Playwright Trish Vradenburg writes about the emotional experiences – often humorous – of taking care of her mother who has Alzheimer's. Providence Players will perform Surviving Grace at the James Lee Community Center, 2855 Annandale Road, Falls Church. Senior tickets are $18. Purchase them online at providenceplayers.org. Young Kim is planning an optional dinner after the show.
Meet the Co-Founder of Castleton Festival on Wednesday, April 24 at 4:00.
In 2009, Dietlinde T. Maazel co-founded the Castleton Festival in Castleton, Virginia, in nearby Rappahannock County, to introduce classical music, theater, and opera to the rolling hills of Virginia. She will tell us how it has grown into a cultural center that offers chamber music, opera, theater, and art, plus many opportunities to see and hear international artists perform. Join the Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) members via Zoom to hear all about this cultural gem just a short drive from Fairfax. Get the link in OLLI's Daily Schedule for TLG meeting.
Theater Lovers' Group with the cast of Working at Creative Cauldron March 3 Matinee. (Photo by Mary Mudd, March 3, 2024)
“May love and laughter light your heart. May good and faithful friends be with you wherever you roam.”
More than two dozen OLLI members celebrated this Irish friendship toast at Auld Shebeen Restaurant in Fairfax on March 13. We commemorated the patron saint of Ireland with traditional fare as well as more modern Irish cuisine. We shared stories, laughed, listened, and sang to iconic melodies like Danny Boy and Molly Malone. It was a festiveexperience and the perfect way to chase away the end-of-winter blues! (Photos by Marilyn Harriman, March 13, 2024)
By Darden Purcell, D.M.A., Mason Director of Jazz Studies, Jazz Voice
As noted in a prior E-News, Mason’s Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music is hosting several jazz concerts this spring, some ticketed and some free! Listed below are two events coming up in early April.
The Jazz Workshop: Wednesday April 3, 8:00
Harris Theatre
Previously announced—Free and open to the public; no tickets or registration required Click this link.
"Sing a Song of Song" – The Jazz Workshop, directed by John Kocur, will present Harlem, cool, fusion, and contemporary jazz styles in nonet and tentet arrangements by jazz masters Duke Ellington, Gerry Mulligan, John Scofield, and Kenny Garrett.
Mason Jazz Vocal Night: Monday April 8, 8:00
Center for the Arts
Tickets: Click Here
Join Dr. Darden Purcell, the Mason Jazz Voice Studio, the DOWNBEAT award-winning Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble,and Forest Park High School Platinum Vocal Jazz (director Lara Brittain) for an evening of swinging standards and classic hits from the Great American Songbook.
By Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch, Co‑Moderators
Continuing our Wednesday Conversations series, Team Bloch (Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch) will moderate an OLLI Zoom discussion on April 3 at 4:00.
For April 3, the discussion topic is Anachronisms in Speech. Old language habits die hard, and we continue to refer to old-fashioned objects in our everyday speaking. Examples: "put through the wringer" (clothes wringer?), "Carbon Copy" (when was the last time you saw a carbon paper copy?), "a one lb. coffee can" (now more likely containing 15 ounces), "taping a show" (what kind of tape are you using? Scotch?). English is full of such outdated references—let's see how many we can dredge up (with a steam shovel?)—"a penny for your thoughts."
Join us on any Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 in March on the 24/7 Chat Line to discuss our chosen topic. Or suggest a new topic for us to cover—we would love to hear from you.
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 atthis 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.
Artists in Conversation: Small Island Big Song
Tue, Apr 2, 7:00
Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center
3740 Blenheim Boulevard, Fairfax, VA 22030
Admission: Free.
Mutts Gone Nuts
Sat, Apr 6, 11:00 and 2:00
Concert Hall
Admission: $15.
Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Three Great Romantics
Sun, Apr 7, 7:00
A pre-performance “Young Artists Musicale,” featuring piano students of Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association members, will take place from 6 to 6:30 in the main lobby of the Center for the Arts at George Mason University.
Concert Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $29.
Mason Empty Bowls
Wed, Apr 3, 7:00
Center for the Arts
Admission: $50 ($25 in benefits) includes dinner, dessert, open bar, and handmade ceramic bowl.
Register at: this link
Jazz Workshop Concert Spring 2024
Wed, Apr 3, 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free.
Chorale Broadway Showcase: Broadway at the Movies Sat, Apr 6, 2:00 and 8:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $20 Adult, $15 senior, $5 Students.
American Festival Pops Orchestra: American Icons
Sat, Apr 6, 8:00
A pre-performance discussion begins one hour prior to the performance.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $60, $51, $36.
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 Mar 30
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club – online
Mon Apr 1
9:30 am
What’s in the Daily News? – online
Tue Apr 2
1:00 pm
4:30 pm
Stay Active and Independent for Life – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed Apr 3
1:30 pm
1:45 pm
2:00 pm
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
Board Game Club
Bridge Club
Memoir and More Writing Group – online
History Club – online
Spanish Club – online
Conversation with Team Bloch – online
Thu Apr 4
11:50 am
4:30 pm
6:00 pm
All the News
Tai Chi Club – online
Ethnic Eats – online
Fri Apr 5
9:30 am
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
2:30 pm
Mah Jongg Club
Crafts and Conversation
Classic Literature Club – online
Homer, etc. – online
Caregivers Group
Sat Apr 6
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club – online
Mon Apr 8
9:30 am
4:00 pm
What’s in the Daily News? – online
Family History/Genealogy Club – online
Tue Apr 9
4:30 pm
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed Apr 10
1:30 pm
1:45 pm
1:45 pm
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
Tallwood Book Club
Bridge Club
Spanish Club
Mah Jongg Club
Conversation with Team Bloch – online
Thu Apr 11
11:40 am
4:30 pm
All the News
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri Apr 12
8:30 am
9:30 am
9:30 am
9:30 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
11:00 am
11:30 am
1:00 pm
Teacher Appreciation Event
Mah Jongg Club
Photography Club – online
Crafts and Conversation
Classic Literature Club – online
Homer, etc. – online
Healthcare Advisory Workgroup
Cooking Club
Stay Active and Independent for Life – 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.
On Wednesday, April 3, at 4:00, the History Club will meet by Zoom for a presentation by Jim Anderson titled “The Conquest of the Sioux and the Zulu: A Study inComparative Frontier History.” Jim’s presentation will explore the similarities and differences between two events that occurred within the same 19th-century decade but on two different continents and involving four different cultures. This is a form of historiography known as “cross-national comparative history.” Jim will tell the stories of two 
expansionist, imperialistic powers, the United States and Great Britain, and the military clashes that resulted from their attempts to conquer and subdue, respectively, theNative American Sioux and Cheyenne nations of the Great Plains and the Zulu Empire of Southern Africa. The "story within the story" will be a comparison of the Reno-Benteen Hill siege in Montana and the defense of Rorke's Drift in Natal.
international dramatic works to D.C. that are thought-provoking, provide fresh perspective, and offer a platform for audience engagement." Besides discussing the history and her vision for the theater, she will talk about the current show – Migraaaaants or There's Too Many of us in this Damn Boat – which BroadwayWorld says is "a topical subject at an important time in U.S. history." She has offered OLLI members discount tickets for the show. She will also talk about the other fascinating shows on the horizon. Find the link to the class in OLLI's Daily Schedule for Theater Potpourri.
On Sunday, April 14 at 2:00 Providence Players Perform Surviving Grace.
grown into a cultural center that offers chamber music, opera, theater, and art, plus many opportunities to see and hear international artists perform. Join the Theater Lovers' Group (TLG) members via Zoom to hear all about this cultural gem just a short drive from Fairfax. Get the link in OLLI's Daily Schedule for TLG meeting.
More than two dozen OLLI members celebrated this Irish friendship toast at Auld Shebeen Restaurant in Fairfax on March 13. We commemorated the patron saint of Ireland with traditional fare as well as more modern Irish cuisine. We shared stories, laughed, listened, and sang to iconic melodies like Danny Boy and Molly Malone. It was a festiveexperience and the perfect way to chase away the end-of-winter blues! (Photos by Marilyn Harriman, 
March 13, 2024)
Mulligan, John Scofield, and Kenny Garrett.
