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We are pleased to present a sampling of OLLI programs and activities at the inaugural OLLI Ideas Festival. Offerings include member favorites like Walk and Talk and Investment Forum as well as special programming such as the Panel on Global Perspectives on Longevity, a Tea Ceremony, and Meet the Restauranteur.
Did you know that the story of Little Women is a semibiographical novel of the author Louisa May Alcott? Sarah Elbert posits that "within Little Women can be found the first vision of the 'All-American girl' and that her various aspects are embodied in the differing March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy." The story, set during the Civil War years, gives insights into the typical lives of women during that era. Theater Lovers' Group will go to the Creative Cauldron on Sunday, May 17 to see the 2pm performance of Little Women: The Musical. To purchase tickets, phone 703-436-9948 or go online to 
NEW DATE! On Wednesday, May 27, Theater Lovers' Group will attend 7pm performance of Pippin at Signature in Shirlington, with optional dinner beforehand TBD. A delightful tale of Pippin, Charlemagne's son, and his various (sometimes disastrous, hilarious) efforts, to become the hero he dreams of being. Tickets are going fast. Go to 
On Wednesday and Thursday, July 15 and 16, Theater Lovers' Group travels to the Contemporary American Theater Festival for an overnight trip to nearby Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to see several world premieres. We need one more person to get a discount rate of $63/person for tickets. We will carpool. Lodging information and more will be forthcoming. For more details, email 
Broadway comes to PBS! This Friday at 9pm, Great Performances will feature the recorded 2024 Broadway hit Suffs, a musical, for your - free- viewing pleasure. Based on my having seen the show on Broadway, I can't say more than it is a show everyone can benefit from seeing. It's the story of the suffragette fight for women's voting rights - and it is a musical that you can enjoy while learning from and about history. So, pull up your chair, invite your children and grandchildren, friends and neighbors to watch a very entertaining piece of history delivered musically.
wildflowers and lots of greenery all along the hike. We heard pileated woodpeckers, saw Canada geese, black vultures (with distinctive white tips on the underside of their large wings), and other wildlife.
greenhouse in the city. Thorburn, who lived to be nearly 90, was also known for his reminiscences of early New York. He claimed to have known everyone from George Washington and Thomas Paine to Jenny Lind. Many of the stories he told appear to be based on truth, or at least some truth. His ideas on marriage, bachelors, women, and social mores were published in newspapers across the country. Thorburn was a seed seller, a scribbler, a bit of a historian, a Christian moralist, and above all, an eccentric, an endlessly fascinating man who stood just 4 foot 10 inches, or as some joked 3 foot 6, in stockings. 
Kim is taking over as communications associate as Nancy Klein prepares to retire. Kim’s first day at OLLI Mason is May 4. The communications associate is responsible for planning, creating, and implementing communication and marketing strategies that promote OLLI Mason programs, events, and membership. Kim will coordinate digital and print marketing, manage content across multiple platforms, and support outreach initiatives.
You have heard that “Variety is the spice of life.” The upcoming theater events the Theater Lovers’ Group (TLG) is offering to its members, as well as to all OLLI members, in the next several months certainly adheres to that notion.
Long-time member Ted Parker, 87, of Oakton, VA, who joined OLLI in the fall of 2005, passed away March 8, 2026. Born in the Bronx and raised in New Hampshire, Ted was a graduate of Assumption College and a doctoral student at Boston College. He served with honor as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves.
back, on Wednesday, April 22, starting at 10:00. The trail along the Potomac is generally flat and it is an easy ambling walk with a few sections of walking through rocks. I have included photos so you can see the terrain in those few spots.
The History Club will meet on Wednesday, April 1, at 4:00, on Zoom. The presenter will be David Timko on Ancient Sparta. Depictions of ancient Sparta have become increasingly prominent in Western popular culture, and Sparta is now typically portrayed in a favorable light. This is in contrast to the late 20th Century, when Sparta was not regarded so favorably, and Sparta’s traditional enemy, Athens was pointed to as an ancient analog to the United States. This month’s talk will explore the reality of ancient Sparta and try to peel away the layers of myth that obscure that reality.
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Mason Jazz Vocal Night 
Jazz Workshop
hrough post-processing. The last half of the session was devoted to a summary of cell phone photography by Jo Leir, a guest presenter, which generated lots of questions, even after the class ended.
Civil War raiders. In the spring of 1862, Union special operatives went behind the confederate lines and stole a locomotive, seeking to sabotage the Confederates’ vital single-track rail line between Atlanta and Chattanooga. Although the raid was ultimately unsuccessful, the raiders were awarded the newly-created Medal of Honor.
Former OLLI member William Ron Campbell, Jr., who joined OLLI in 2004, died on
and smooth instructional delivery for in-person, hybrid, and online programs. Kip’s first day was February 2. He worked previously as an elementary-level classroom teacher in Fairfax County. Kip is an active member at Church of the Good Shepherd in Burke, assisting with audio mixing for the Sunday livestream and The Good Shepherd Players' upcoming production of Something Rotten. Kip holds a BA in communication from Hope College.
community building to support members and programs to the role of Operations Manager. She’s starting remotely on February 17 and her first day in the office will be on March 2. A lifelong learner, her international study and travel experiences continue to shape her belief in curiosity, cultural exchange, and learning across the lifespan. An active member of her community, Rachel volunteers with organizations including Meals on Wheels, the Little Theatre of Alexandria, and her local school district. She serves on the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities and champions inclusion and accessibility in all spaces.
recent Master’s graduate in computer science from George Mason University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering. She has worked in software engineering, research, and applied AI. Shriya enjoys working in collaborative learning environments and has a strong interest in using technology to make learning more accessible. Outside of work, she enjoys attending idea-driven talks and events, going on hikes and urban walks, and engaging in conversations around technology, creativity, and learning.
Our presenter will be author Chuck Mauro, and his presentation will be titled A Southern Spy in Northern Virginia: The Civil War Album of Laura Ratcliffe. Laura lived in Herndon and provided information to the Confederates. The album, also used as a guestbook, was given to her by the dashing Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart. Stuart also wrote four poems for Laura to help cement her allegiance to the Confederate cause. Chuck will show how Laura’s story illustrates the competing considerations that were felt by many Southern sympathizers living in contested or Union-controlled territory.
On Sunday, February 15, TLG will attend the 3pm matinee performance of Once on this Island, performed by the City of Fairfax Theater Community at Katherine Johnson Middle School, located at 3801 Jermantown Road in Fairfax. Tickets are $31.60 and can be purchased online at 
