Dr. Peter Henriques, Mason Professor Emeritus of History, Expert on George Washington and Instructor of Many Popular OLLI Courses, Presented on George Washington and Slavery, May 14
Registration for the summer term is underway. The summer catalog is available on the website. Be sure to check the canceled, changed, and added list on the website.
Board of Directors meeting Friday, June 6, at 10:00, in person at Tallwood in TA-1 and via Zoom. All members are welcome.
The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, June 13; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, June 10, at 6:00.
Wednesday Conversation Topic for June 11
By Brenda Bloch-Young and Doris Bloch, Co‑Moderators
For the Team Bloch Conversation on June 11, our topic will be "The Great Gatsby at the 100th Year Anniversary."
F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel was published by Scribners in April 1925, one hundred years ago. Did you know that it was not a commercial success at first? The first printing of 20,000 copies sold very slowly and the second printing had not yet sold out when Fitzgerald died in 1940 at age 44. What does the novel say about the times that we are living in today (if anything)?
We meet via Zoom every second Wednesday at 4:00 on the OLLI Chat Line. Any OLLI member is welcome to join us. The Zoom meeting link is found in the OLLI Daily Schedule on the mornings of our meetings.
There is a relief in the photos of birds
a neighbor posts on our neighborhood blog.
I wonder,
how do these fragile beings survive,
where are they flying to,
and my head, then even my body,
relaxes as I think
about flying with them
through openings in trees,
soaring in the sun,
fast flitting to shelter when it rains,
taking to the air quickly when
the ground becomes dangerous,
singing to other birds to let
them know what I see going on.
I cannot do that.
My mind can.
– Betty Smith
Elizabeth (Betty) Smith was an active OLLI member since 2010, as well as the founder of the Memoir and More Writing Club. Although she moved to Colorado two years ago to be closer to a daughter, thanks to Zoom, Betty continued to participate in the OLLI Poetry Workshop. She was a creative and accomplished poet, as well as a willing resource for other writers. Betty passed away in September 2024. We honor her memory and her commitment to writing with one of her many beautiful poems.
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 the CFA ticket page link below) or visit the venue's box office. For more information, see the CFA ticket page or 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 link to 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.
Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Pre-performance discussions will take place in Monson Grand Tier, which is located on the third level of the Concert Hall, 45 minutes prior to curtain. As seating is limited, a livestream will also be available on screens in the main lobby.
Fairfax Symphony Celebrates Zimmerman's 15th Anniversary Elgar:Introduction and Allegro for Strings Leshnoff:Concertante for 2 Violins and Orchestra(East Coast Premiere) with Chee-Yun and Kit Zimmerman, violin Shostakovich:Symphony No.10
Sat, May 31, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion
Concert Hall
Admission: $65, $55, $40.
National Community Band Festival, Center for the Arts
Sat, Jun 7, Concert Hall:
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. 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 May 31
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club – online
Mon Jun 2
9:30 am
10:00 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
4:00 pm
4:00 pm
What’s in the Daily News?
Board Game Club
Bridge Club
Poetry Reading Club – online
Family History/Genealogy Club – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue Jun 3
10:00 am
2:00 pm
4:00 pm
4:30 pm
Large Program Planning Meeting
Chair Yoga and More – online
Mah Jongg Club – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed Jun 4
10:30 am
12:00 noon
1:30 pm
4:00 pm
Investment Forum
Chair Yoga and More – online
Dabbling Artists Club – online
Spanish Club – online
Thu Jun 5
10:00 am
11:50 am
3:00 pm
4:30 pm
Facilities Lunch
All the News – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri Jun 6
9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
Crafts and Conversation Board of Directors Meeting
Homer, etc. – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Sat Jun 7
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club – online
Mon Jun 9
9:30 am
10:00 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
4:00 pm
What’s in the Daily News?
Board Game Club – online
Bridge Club
Poetry Writing Club – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue Jun 10
2:00 pm
2:00 pm
4:30 pm
Caregivers Support Group – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed Jun 11
10:30 am
12:00 noon
2:00 pm
Investment Forum
Chair Yoga and More – online
Memoir and More Writing Group – online
Thu Jun 12
11:50 am
3:00 pm
4:30 pm
All the News – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri Jun 13
9:30 am
9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
11:30 am
12:00 noon
2:30 pm
Photography Club
Crafts and Conversation
Mah Jongg Club
Homer, etc. – online
Cooking Club
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tallwood Book 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, Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Thomas 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: [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. 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.
