Osher Lifelong Learning
Institute
November 2009
IN THIS ISSUE
NATIONAL CONFERENCE. . . . . . . 2
U PARK BUILDING. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
FINANCIAL MATTERS. . . . . . . . . . 4
TENTH YEAR FOR OLLI. . . . . . . . . 5
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS . . . . . 6
WINTER LECTURES. . . . . . . . . . . . 7
NEW WINTER COURSES. . . . . . . . 8
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL. . . . . 9-10
COMING IN SUMMER 2010. . . . 11
SPOTLIGHT ON MEMBERS. . 12-13
MEMBER COMMENTS . . . . . . . . 14
VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION. . . . 15
COMING UP…
Annual Meeting and Lunch Social
February 19, 2010
1:00 pm
University Park Building
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Vol. VIII No. 2
OLLI begins its Tenth Year!
Annual Meeting and Lunch Social
in February
Save the date! OLLI will be kicking off its tenth year with the annual meeting
and lunch social on Friday, February 19, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. in the University
Park Building. Registration for Spring classes will be underway. Members and
potential members (age 50+) are welcome.
An important part of the annual meeting is the election of new directors
for the OLLI Board of Directors. This is the group of members who help plan
OLLI’s activities and guide its development. They meet once a month on
Monday mornings.
There are 5 positions to be filled. The Board has 11 members, elected for
2-year terms. Five are elected in even-numbered years, and six in odd-numbered years.
Members at the end of their 2-year terms are: Andrea Backlund, Mary Ann
Borchert, Ron Inouye, Paul McCarthy, and Dorothy Thompson. Continuing
members are Marcia Boyette, Donna Dinsmore, Hal Levey, ‘Nanne Myers,
Lynn Slusher, and Dorothy Stella.
The Nominating Committee is currently seeking candidates interested in
serving on the Board. If you are interested in being on the Board or in nominating someone else, contact the OLLI office.
Winter 2010 Classes
Jan. 25 - Feb. 5
Spring 2010 Classes
Session I: March 5 – March 31
Session II: April 2 – April 28
Gala 10th Anniversary
Celebration
Thursday, June 24, 2010
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Riverboat Discovery II
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Osher!
On October 12 we received word of
a most unexpected special gift from
Bernard and Barbro Osher: $25,000.
Osher Foundation President Mary Bitterman announced at the opening of
the OLLI National Conference that
each of the 120 OLLIs would be receiving this amount. She said, “The aim of
the gift is to recognize the exceptional
Bernard and Barbro Osher
contributions of each institute to the
community it serves as well as the
many challenges that institutes are facing in the wake of the nation’s economic
downturn.… Mr. and Mrs. Osher and our Board of Trustees wish everyone
involved in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute network continued success
with your valuable work on behalf of our nation’s seasoned adults.”
2
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Osher Lifelong Learning National Conference
By Donna Dinsmore
What a WOW! That’s my opinion of the
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Network 6th National Conference held at
the Grand Canyon Summit Hotel in Park
City, Utah. Barbara Lando and I shared a
3 room suite with a view of the valley and
the snow capped peaks beyond, the site
of the 2002 Winter Olympics. We had little time to enjoy
the view because we were in sessions all day and into the
night. What a joy and honor it was to represent our local
OLLI, a fun, engaging, educational, social, and positive
community. Truly our “Health Club for the Mind”.
I am a retired teacher and have been a member of OLLI
since 2002. I have served on the Membership and Social
Committees and was elected to the Board 3 years ago.
Often I see or hear a program and realize that I understand
the issues thanks to an instructor who volunteered to
teach the class and OLLI members who asked questions to
clarify the issue. Our instructors are the best, and we need
to make sure they know how much they are appreciated.
Listening to the guest speakers at this conference—all
terrific—and the concerns of the 120 OLLI groups—all
different—made me so proud of what we have accomplished, but also more aware of the work yet to be done.
The Brandeis Univ. OLLI worries about accepting new
members because of inadequate classroom space. The
Temple Univ. OLLI, started in the mid 70s, has difficulty
finding instructors because their bylaws require instructors to pay membership fees. The Miami OLLI, started
in 1984, is having trouble reaching a membership goal
of 500: they must cover all costs and pay instructors with
their yearly fee of $430, and this high fee excludes many
potential members. Some OLLIs struggle for recognition
from their university because they were started and are
completely run by the membership. Some struggle for recognition from the community because they were started
and are completely run by the university. We are so lucky
to have solid support from both the university and the
community.
We all appreciate Barbara Lando for her experience
and vision. She has been our guiding light for the last
nine years, and we cannot thank her enough. We have
an active board and volunteers who serve coffee and
introduce instructors, but we leave the nitty gritty details
of day to day operation to our staff, and with over 600
members they need help. Do we want to cut back on our
activities? Do we want to spend our precious dollars on
hiring more staff? Or do we want to create a community
of learners with effective volunteer committees that support our dedicated staff and are responsive to the needs
our membership?
This conference made me aware of many ongoing concerns such as university/community relations, frustration
and crush of technology, problems and joys of membership growth, strategic planning, active fundraising,
curriculum planning and planned partnerships. This conference also let me share our success stories in a positive
atmosphere with others from all across the United States.
In 2010 we will celebrate our 10th anniversary. It’s a
great time to applaud our success, but it is also a time to
plan for our future. What do we want this organization
to look like ten years from now? What are our long term
goals and how can we achieve them? The future can be
scary but also exciting. I look forward this spring to a gala
celebration of ten wonderful years and to an exciting
future for our unique Alaskan OLLI.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Mailing address:
Osher Lifelong Learning
Institute
University of Alaska Fairbanks
PO Box 758100
Fairbanks, AK 99775-8100
Office:
Room #159
University Park Building
1000 University Avenue
Fairbanks, Alaska
Telephone: 474-6607
Fax: 474-6652
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.uaf.edu/olli
Photo Credits:
Paul McCarthy
Renae Temperle
Marlys Henderson
Kristina Ahlnäs
Program Director:
Barbara Lando, Ph.D.
Office Assistants:
Dorothy Throop
Renae Temperle
UAF is an AA/EO employer and educational institution
Board of Directors:
Paul McCarthy – President
Mary Ann Borchert – Vice
President
Andrea Backlund – Secretary
Donna Dinsmore – Treasurer
Marcia Boyette
Ron Inouye
Hal Levey
’Nanne Myers
Lynn Slusher
Dorothy Stella
Dorothy Thompson
November 2009
3
U Park Has Heating Problems
Have you noticed that it’s been a bit chilly in some of the classrooms? Especially in the morning? There are major problems with
the heating system in the University Park Building: it is no longer
possible to adequately heat the west wing
of the building. This is the wing where most
of the OLLI classes are currently held. As
a result, the west wing will be closing in
summer, 2010. Spring semester will be the
last time that classes are held there.
The east wing, where the OLLI office
is located, and the middle section, which
includes the gym, have adequate heat and
will remain open. It is hoped that by next
fall, there will be adequate classroom space made available in
the east wing. This will be accomplished by moving some of the
departments to other buildings and by reassigning space in the
middle section and east wing.
The current plan is to relocate Cooperative Extension Service,
Environmental Health and Safety, and the art studios. Being considered for continued occupancy in U. Park are Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute, TVC, School of Education, and Cross-Cultural
Studies. But providing space for all of those programs may not be
possible, so additional adjustments may be needed.
Under the guidance of instructor Arvid
Weflen, students learned how to weave
baskets and other decorative objects
from local birch bark.
Advice from Barbara…
Button up your overcoat
When the building’s cold,
Take good care of yourself,
U Park’s getting old.
Take your vitamins every day,
Don’t you catch a cold!
Take good care of yourself,
U Park’s getting old.
They say they can’t make heat, ooh-ooh,
To warm our feet, ooh-ooh,
We’re so cold, ooh-ooh,
We’re gonna have to wear our parkas!
Keep away from outside walls
When the wind blows cold,
Take good care of yourself,
U Park’s getting old.
It was a different type of weaving for
students in Audrey Copeland’s class.
She demonstrated how weaving on
Monk’s Cloth can produce beautiful
results.
OLLI students took a critical look at
Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn with
instructor John Selle.
4
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Financial Matters
OLLI at UAF is an incredible value! (or as we recently overheard someone say, “It’s dirt
cheap.”) That’s intentional: we are committed to making our courses available to everyone. But, as many of our members realize, the membership fees do not come close to
covering our costs.
OLLI’s support comes from membership fees, Osher funding, donations, and the generosity of the University and the volunteers.
Primary Sources of Income in 2009:
$50,000 – Osher Foundation grant
$33,900: Membership fees
$8,860: Donations
Other Support
$30,000: Estimated value of office, classrooms, audio/visual equipment, internet connections, personnel services and financial services provided by the University of Alaska
Fairbanks.
$45,000: Estimated value of instruction, volunteer work and donated staff time.
Osher Funding
After three years of grants of $100,000, in 2008 the Osher Foundation awarded OLLI at
Primary
of Income
UAF an endowment of $1,000,000. The hope was that by 2010
theSources
endowment
earnings
would provide a yearly income of $50,000. To
Primary Sources of Income
help carry us through 2009, the Osher Foun$160,000
dation provided a “Bridge Grant” of $50,000.
Economic Problems
The economic crisis has changed all
projections. We do not anticipate having
endowment earnings to spend in 2010. Due
to the generosity of our benefactor, Bernard
Osher, we will have an additional grant of
$25,000 for the upcoming year. Yet, even
with this and anticipated growth in membership and donations, our income for 2010
will be about 23% lower than this year.
$140,000
$120,000
$100,000
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
2008
2009
2010 ??
What Can You Do?
$100,000
$50,000
$25,000
Osher Funds
Annual Giving. You are already making a
$4,306
$8,860
$10,000
Donations
$31,745
$33,900
$36,250
Member Fees
difference with your donations. Many of our
members realize what a value OLLI is. So more and more members who can afford more
are adding a donation on their registration forms. THANK YOU!! When we have large
numbers of people contributing, even $5 gifts add up. We had donations from 110 people
this year, with a total of $8,860.
Gifts to the Osher Endowment. Ensure the future success of OLLI by adding to the
Osher Endowment. Earnings from this permanent fund will be a source of income in
future years.
Planned Giving. To paraphrase the words of Elmer Rasmuson, “We can’t adequately
thank those who have given us many of the opportunities we’ve had in life; the challenge
to each of us is to help ensure that those who follow us have the same opportunities.
That is the real thanks.” One way to “Pass It On” is to remember charities and organizations like OLLI in your will.
Donations to
OLLI in 2009
(Spring + Fall)
Friends of OLLI 2009
(donation of $25–$99):
Karol Alderman
Andrea Backlund
Sharon Berrian
Lizabeth Buckalew
Louis Carufel
Barbara Clark
Jean L. Coe
Leigh Ann Cox
Rosemarie Davis
Neil Davis
Linda Distad
Gianna Drogheo
Mindy Edgerton
Gloria Granberry
M. Carolyn Gray
Don Gray
Albert E Jarw
Cindy Jeffries
Jim Johnson
Mary Kerner
Karen Kowalski
Rosalie L’Ecuyer
(in memory of Roy Bird)
Carol Linkswiler
Eileen Loftus
Carol Lokken
Don Lokken
Deborah Manning
Peggy Mantei
Mary Ann Nickles
Beverly Prince
Victoria Riggan
Fred Sacco
Shirley Sacco
Dick Scott
Maria Senra
June Siegrist
Margaret Soden
Judy Stoop
Suzanne Summerville
Mary Teel
Terry Tomczak
Margret Van Flein
Namok C Veach
Helen Warner
Paulette Wille
Christina Yurkovich
Jane Zimmerman
November 2009
5
Beginning Year #10!
Supporters of OLLI
($100–$249)
Kristina Ahlnäs
Anonymous
Nancy Baker
Ruth Benson
Mary Binkley
Suzanne Black
Marianne Boko
Mary Ann Borchert
Sylvia Burns
Patricia Mata-Celis
Marlys Henderson
Joann E. Horner
Ron Inouye
Janet Johnson
Donna M. Krier
Rosalie L’Ecuyer
Becky Long
Nina Megyesi
Bill Mendenhall
Sherry Modrow
Mary Moriarty
’Nanne Myers
Linda Pearson
Brian Rogers
Chris Rowinski
Jo Scott
Julie Scott
Montie Slusher
Dorothy Stella
Dorothy Thompson
Patricia Thurman
Kathy Vaupel
Donors ($250–$499)
Donna Dinsmore
Patricia S. Johnson
Pat Turner
Patron ($500–$999)
Cindy Bergeson
(in memory of son Will)
Benefactor ($1,000 +)
Judy & Andy Warwick
2010 will be the tenth year for the lifelong learning program at UAF! It began
as “Adventures in Lifelong Learning,”
became “Alaska Lifelong Learning,” and is
now the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
at UAF.
How It Began
On November 17, 2000, retired UAF
Professor Barbara Lando assembled
a group of local people to discuss the
feasibility of starting a lifelong learning
program in Fairbanks. After retiring from
teaching and research in the Dept. of
Mathematics and Computer Science in
1990, Barbara worked for several years as
the Alaska State Director of Elderhostel.
It was there that she learned about LLIs
(lifelong learning institutes). The idea was
born back in 1962 with an “Institute for
Retired Professionals” in New York City. It
spread during the 70s and 80s to several
hundred programs around the country.
The organizing committee met four
times and quickly decided to forego surveys and community assessments, and
“just do it!” So they found instructors,
offered 8 courses, Xeroxed a small brochure, and mailed it off to everyone they
knew. They scheduled a “kick-off” social
in February, 2001, and hoped that a few
people would come – maybe 25? When
they saw 100, they knew that this program
had a future! Those first instructors were
Walter Benesch, Connie Bradbury, Marjorie Cole, Mike Downing, Suzanne Summerville, and Teri Viereck.
Growth Brings Problems
Membership grew quickly and by 2004,
there were over 300 members and 70
courses offered. But the “staff” consisted
of just Barbara. Her past experience gave
her academic connections, computer
expertise, and a travel background. So she
designed the curriculum, recruited faculty, created the brochures, set up the registration database, designed the website,
arranged the excursions – and answered
the phone. The workload was becoming too much for one person, and what
would happen if Barbara were to leave?
Who would take her place for a salary
of $3,000/year? For the program to succeed and grow, a salaried, expanded staff
would have to be established. But doing
that would require doubling or tripling the
membership fees.
Along Came Osher
In early 2005, Barbara got an email
from the Osher Foundation, asking to
talk with her about the Fairbanks lifelong
learning program. Back in 2001, philanthropist Bernard Osher had decided that
lifelong learning programs were valuable for keeping older adults informed
and engaged in their communities. So
he provided funds to the programs in his
home state of Maine and in his residence
state of California. By 2005 he was even
more impressed with these programs
and decided to expand his support to
all states. His staff found us through our
website. We were the only LLI in Alaska,
and we were exactly what they were seeking: an established, successful program in
need of a financial boost.
Osher Support
The Osher Foundation asked for a short
proposal and in October, 2005, granted us
$100,000. They said that if we continued to
progress, they would provide grants for an
additional two years, and if we achieved
an enrollment of 500, an endowment of
$1,000,000. This would be a “permanent
fund,” invested by the UA Foundation to
provide future income for the program. All
of this has happened, and the $1,000,000
award arrived in December, 2008. With
the help of Osher funding, OLLI at UAF
has expanded its offerings to members,
improved its equipment and publications,
and increased its staff.
6
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
OLLI Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
These provide learning or recreational opportunities outside of the scheduled OLLI classes. They are organized
and led by OLLI members. As the SIG schedules become
available, they are posted on the OLLI website,
www.uaf.edu/olli.
How to Join a SIG
To be on the phone or email list for a SIG, contact the
OLLI office at 464-6607 or [email protected]
Lifelong Learning Book Club
•Meets 7 times a year on Tuesdays, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
•Noel Wien Library Conference Room
•Discussion Leader: Georgine Olson
•November 17, 2009 The Silver Pigs: a detective novel in
ancient Rome by Lindsey Davis (1989, mystery fiction,
first novel)
•February 9, 2010 The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by
Michael Chabon (2007, Alaskana fiction)
•March 16, 2010 The Price of Silence by Kate Wilhelm
(2005, suspense fiction)
•April 13, 2010 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig
Larsson (2005, mystery)
•May 11, 2010 - booktalk & selection of titles for September 2010 – April 2011
Let’s Travel
•Leader: Marcia Boyette
•This group has been operating by sharing information
on email. Sign up to exchange ideas and tour information, or to contact others when you need a travel
companion.
NEW! Let’s Play Pictionary
•First meeting: Monday, November 9, at 1:00 pm
•Leader: Barb Rondine
•Since winter is soon to be upon us and classes are
The OLLI Ice Cream Social and
Fall Registration on August
21 featured locally made
ice cream and home made
blueberry topping. Left to
right: Dennis Stephens took
part in a thoughtful discussion;
Marcia Boyette and Dorothy
Throop simply enjoyed the ice
cream! Randi Anderson looked
forward to her Fall classes.
almost over, I’d like to get a group together monthly
to play Pictionary to “lighten” our darkening days. If
interested, call Barb at 456-2462.
NEW! Playing and Aging
•First meetings: Wednesdays, November 18, 25, December 2, 9
•Leader: Barb Rondine
•Many authors have considered the role of play and
aging. I would like to begin with a four-session discussion group centered around Dr. Stuart Brown’s book
Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination,
and Invigorates the Soul. If interested, call 456-2462.
NEW! Skeezers (Cross-Country Skiing)
•Meetings: Tuesdays at 12:00 noon (when snow and
weather are suitable) at the Ballaine Lake parking lot.
•Leader: Lucy McCarthy
•Here’s a chance to get out your cross-country skis and
join some folks who are thinking that they’re not as
fast as they used to be. Join us on the University trails,
which are usually groomed for both classic technique
and skating. All levels are welcome. You can go as far or
as fast as you wish.
Synchronized Swimming
•Meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month
•2:00 – 3:15 pm, Mary Siah Pool
•Leader: Anne Foster
•Join us for some synchronized basics (followed by a
quick soak in the Jacuzzi). All swimmers are welcome.
•Pool Fees: Senior $1, Adult $3.75
Hiking Club
This group will be active again in May, 2010.
November 2009
7
OLLI Winter Lecture Series
Fridays at 2:00 pm ………………. U. Park Room #108
Free for members of OLLI — Advance registration not necessary
November 20
Painting in the Wilderness
January 29
Bill Brody
The Beauty of Butterflies
Ken Philip
For the past 20 years Bill Brody has been going into
the wilderness of Alaska’s mountains to paint. He
says, “I spend my time chasing light and dancing
shadow, trying to capture the dynamic richness of
this spare and wonderful northern landscape.” Then
in the winter he reflects on his summer experiences
and makes prints and intensely colored paintings on
canvas and carved metal, fusing the figure with the
landscape.
Join Alaska’s top butterfly expert Ken Philip for a
colorful exploration of the state’s butterflies. Learn
which species thrive in Alaska, and why so many are
found on the North Slope. Ken has the largest Arctic
butterfly collection in
the U.S. — and thousands of photographs
to share! He is a retired
UAF astronomer.
Bill Brody is a well known Alaska artist and UAF Professor of Art Emeritus.
February 12
December 4
Opera at Christmas
Theresa Reed
This December, Opera Fairbanks will be presenting
Amahl and the Night Visitors by G. Menotti. Originally composed for television broadcast, this classic
holiday tale of a shepherd boy and three kings has
become one of the most popular American operas.
Hear more about this and other holiday classics.
Theresa Reed appeared in a production of this opera
that appeared on Fairbanks television in 1969. She is the
Stage Director for this performance.
Embedded with Troops in Iraq
Brian O’Donoghue
A first hand report from UAF Journalism Professor
Brian O’Donoghue. In August, 2009, he and three
students went to Iraq for a month-long embed with
Fort Wainwright’s 1st Stryker Brigade.
Parking at University Park
•Requires a UAF decal or a purchased permit
from 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays.
•With decal or permit, you may park anywhere
around the building.
Parking Options
OLLI Parking Permit
•$10 for January 15 – June 30, 2010, valid only at
U. Park
Hour/Day Permits
•$.50/hour or $3.00/day, valid at all UAF decal
lots.
•Purchase at the parking kiosk at the U. Park
building.
8
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
NEW!! Introducing Winter Classes
Special short-term classes to brighten your winter days.
Enrollment is limited, so advance registration and payment are required.
Registration form is provided on the next page.
The Organ, King of Instruments
— How It Works, How We Hear
It, How We Play It
Monday, Jan. 25, 1:00 – 2:30 pm, U. Park
Tuesday, Jan. 26, 1:00 - 2:30 pm, U. Park
Wednesday, Jan. 27, 11:45 am - 2:00 pm, Davis
Concert Hall
Since the Middle Ages the pipe organ has always
been at the forefront of mechanical-acoustical
technology. Organ builders from the 12th Century
were already able to synthesize tones with simultaneously sounding pipes and to apply features of
psychoacoustics— without even knowing what psychoacoustics was! They built intricate mechanical
transmission lines (the trackers) by means of which
the player was able to open big pressurized air
valves 10 yards away by pressing a key just a quarter
of an inch down without much effort. They exploited
to a maximum the abilities of a human being of
using hands and feet in delicate and swift simultaneous motion, and they were masters of room
acoustics, adapting their instruments to the huge
reverberating spaces of the European cathedrals. In
three classes we shall address the three questions
of the title, explaining the mechanics, the acoustics
and the psychoacoustics (i.e., the tone perception)
of the pipe organ. During the third lecture we shall
visit the pipe organ in the Davis Concert Hall, where
several features and effects will be demonstrated “in
vivo.”
Juan G. Roederer is Emeritus Professor of Physics.
Driver Safety
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm
Wednesday, Feb. 3, 12:00 noon - 4:00 pm
There is no OLLI class fee for this course. There is a
materials fee payable at the first class, $12,00 if you are a
member of AARP and $14.00 if you are not.
Designed for motorists aged 50 and older, this eighthour course helps drivers refine existing skills and
develop safe, defensive driving techniques. Topics
include vision and hearing changes, effects of medication, reaction time changes, left turns and other
right-of-way situations, new laws, and hazardous
driving situations. You do not have to be a member
of AARP to take the course, and there are no tests.
Certificates are awarded to those who attend all sessions; these may entitle you to insurance premium
discounts. (The class needs to be taken once every
three years to qualify for insurance discounts.)
Instructor Dave Mobraten is an AARP-trained
volunteer.
First Aid, CPR & AED
Friday, February 5, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
American Red Cross CPR and AED (Automated
External Defibrillator) and First Aid programs are
designed to give you the confidence to respond in
an emergency situation with skills that can save
a life. The class has two key elements: DVD based
learning and hands-on learning, with ample opportunity to practice skills with manikins and training
AED. Receive Red Cross CPR/AED and First Aid certification after completing the one-day, 8 hour class.
Material fee of $8 is payable with class registration.
Instructor Thaddeus Williamson, Safety Officer with the
UAF Dept. of Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management, is a Red Cross certified instructor.
Membership Renewal 2010
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Membership $25
Name_ _________________________________________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone ________________________________ e-mail_ _______________________________________
Winter Courses See other side for fees
rrThe Organ, January 25, 26, 27 (OLLI class fee)
rrDriver Safety, February 2, 3 (AARP fee)
rrFirst Aid, CPR & AED, February 5 (OLLI class fee + $8 Red Cross)
Summer Excursions Deposit $100
rrFortymile Rafting, July 2 - 6
rrPribilof Islands, July 12 - 15
rrWrangell-St. Elias by Horseback, July 23 - 30
rrCopper River Float Trip, July 27 - August 2
rrDutch Harbor, August 15 - 21
Optional Parking Permit $10 (January 15 - June 30, U. Park lot)
Vehicle License _______________ State ________
Vehicle Registered Owner’s Name: __________________________
Car Make ______________ Model ______________ Color ___________ Year _________
Return to:
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
University of Alaska Fairbanks
PO Box 758100
Fairbanks, AK 99775
See other side for Fee Payment
Special Interest Groups
rrBook Club
rrLet’s Travel
rrPictionary
Free for members of OLLI
rrPlaying and Aging
rrSkeezers
rrSynchronized Swimming
Please contact me about
rrDonating to the Osher Endowment
rrMaking gifts from my IRA
rrIncluding the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in my will
Fees
Membership 2010 (Jan - Dec)................................$25
$_________
Winter Classes. You may pay for individual classes OR sign up for an Unlimited option below.
The Organ: King of Instruments ........................ $10
$_________
Driver Safety (No OLLI fee, pay AARP fee in class) $_________
First Aid, CPR, AED course fee ...........................$10
$_________
PLUS Red Cross Certificate fee .............................$8
$_________
Unlimited Classes. Take as many classes as you wish for a fixed fee.
Half-Year (Jan - June) . ....................................... $40
OR Full Year (Jan - Dec)......................................$75
$_________
$_________
Half-Year Parking Permit (Jan - June).....................$10
$_________
.................................... $100/trip
$_________
Donation . ...................................................................
$_________
TOTAL...........................................................................................
$___________
Excursion Deposits
Payment
rr
rr
Check is enclosed (payable to Osher Lifelong Learning Institute).
Please charge my ______ Visa ______ MasterCard
Card Number_____________________________________ Expiration Date_____________________
Cardholder Signature______________________________ VSE Code (3-digit code on back) ________
November 2009
11
Summer 2010 –
Early Registration Opportunity
The following OLLI educational travel programs have
been arranged. Additional information about these and
other excursions that will be provided in the Spring brochure and on the OLLI website www.uaf.edu/olli.
A deposit of $100 (and membership for 2010) will
reserve a place. $50 of that is not refundable. For more
information, contact the OLLI office at 474-6607.
accommodations. Travel by road to Tok, then by charter
plane to Horsfeld. Limited to 6 participants.
Cost of $2,710 ($2,650 by check) includes accommodations, camping gear, food, first aid, communications,
round-trip transportation from Fairbanks, and experienced guides.
RESCHEDULED: Fortymile Rafting, July 2 – 6
Begins and ends in Valdez. Combine a wilderness raft trip
with a study of the Copper River Watershed. Spend the
first night in Valdez with your geologist/hydrologist guide. On the next day depart to Chitina to begin a 5-day voyage
on the river. Top of the line camping and rafting equipment are provided to ensure a safe and comfortable journey. Take out at the Million Dollar Bridge and travel by
bus across the Copper River Delta to Cordova for an evening in a fine lodge. On the next day ferry back to Valdez.
Cost of $1,685 ($1,645 by check) includes rafts and
equipment, guides, transportation from Valdez to Chitina
and from the take-out to Cordova, lodging in Valdez and
Cordova, and all meals. Not included are transportation
to Valdez and cost of ferry back to Valdez from Cordova. The 2009 trip was cancelled due to low water. Priority
will be given to those who were enrolled last year.
Explore the South Fork of the Fortymile River. Study arctic
plants, spy on moose and caribou, sneak up on various species of ducks while paddling along in 14’ and 16’
paddle rafts. You must be in good physical condition and
be able to sit in a raft and paddle for 4-6 hours per day.
Sleep in tents each night while on the river, then in a bed
and breakfast near the river after take-out.
Cost of $965 ($945 if paying by check) includes meals,
last night stay at a B&B, river and group camp gear and
experienced guides. Transportation from Fairbanks is not
included.
NEW! Pribilof Islands, July 12 – 15
Located in the Bering Sea, 300 miles from Alaska’s mainland, the remote Pribilof Islands are summer breeding
grounds for a million Northern fur seals and hundreds
of thousands of seabirds. Fly from Anchorage to St. Paul
Island, where naturalists will take you to seal rookeries,
seabird nesting cliffs and wildflower-covered tundra.
Accommodations are double occupancy, with bathrooms
and showers down the hall.
Cost of $1,780 ($1,735 if by check) includes round-trip
air transportation from Anchorage, ground transportation
in St. Paul, accommodations, guides, and sightseeing. Not
included are meals, gratuities, and transportation between
Fairbanks and Anchorage.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park by Horseback,
July 23 – 30
Spend a delightful week at Horsfeld, deep in the wilderness of the Wrangell St. Elias National Park. Ride on the
excellent mountain horses to nearby high alpine valleys,
lakes and creeks to view wildlife and the spectacular vista
of the Wrangell Mountains. Enjoy home cooking from
the woodstove, campfires and comfortable wall tent
NEW! Copper River Float Trip , July 27 – August 2
Dutch Harbor: Stories of War, Fish and Aleuts,
August 15 – 21
The volcanic peaks and emerald green hills of rugged
Unalaska and Dutch Harbor boast an outsized beauty and
history. Discover how the Aleuts adapted to the tides of
change over the centuries and feel the Russian influence
in Alaska’s oldest Russian Orthodox church. In Dutch
Harbor, home of television’s “Deadliest Catch,” meet
fishermen and fishery workers to investigate one of the
world’s most dangerous occupations. Explore the military
bunkers, bomb craters and barracks that bear testament
to the pivotal role the island played in the Pacific during
World War II.
Cost of $1,215/person ($1,185 by check) includes accommodations (double occupancy) in The Grand Aleutian
Hotel, all meals, including Alaska’s premier seafood buffet,
as well as lectures, field trips, and gratuities. Not included
is transportation to Dutch Harbor.
12
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Spotlight on Members…
Marcella Hill
says that living on a
Navajo Indian reservation was excellent
preparation for serving
in the Peace Corps in
Bulgaria. Although she
was born and raised in
west Texas, she spent
17 years on a Navajo
reservation in Kayenta,
Arizona. She worked there in business management for
the mines operated by Peabody Coal. Kayenta boasted
two trading posts, two motels, a chapter house. and what
they considered the most remote post office in the U.S.
It was in 1993 that Marcella joined the Peace Corps and
spent two years as a small business advisor in Bulgaria.
By then she had already moved to Fairbanks, but felt that
her years of living with people having a different language
and culture made it easier to adjust to life in Bulgaria.
How did she get from Navajo country to Fairbanks?
That happened in 1990 when she came to Alaska as a volunteer at the Big Delta State Historical Park. While enduring the high winds of west Texas and Arizona, she always
said that if she ever found a place without wind, that is
where she would settle. That job in Delta introduced her
to Fairbanks, and that was it! At about the same time as
her summer in Delta, her son accepted a job here, and
eventually her second son moved here as well. So Fairbanks became home for the whole family.
Marcella has been around the world three times. The
first was during a 3-month leave from her Peabody job,
and the second was focused on the southern hemisphere.
The third was accomplished in segments, with as much
railroad travel as possible, including the trans-Siberian
railroad. Within Alaska OLLI has provided opportunities for her to see Sitka, Kotzebue, Katmai, McCarthy,
Wrangell, and Glacier Bay.
Gerry Stewart
was one of the Marcella’s companions
on the trans-Siberian
railroad. The trip was
organized by OLLI
members Elden and
Netia Pederson, who
found interesting and
economical ways for
them to explore China
and Mongolia. Gerry has also travelled to Iceland and
most recently, enjoyed a canal boat trip in Wales.
Gerry came to Fairbanks from the western suburbs of
Philadelphia. She and her daughter first came to Alaska
on a camping trip, and she says that it felt like coming
home. She moved here in 1983.
Gerry had earned a law degree after her children were
grown, so she practiced law when she first came to Fairbanks. But she settled into a far more interesting job –
with BLM and the Alaska Fire Service. When there was a
fire, Gerry headed to the villages, hired crews, arranged
supplies, and took care of the finances. It was a very challenging job, one that she loved. She retired in 1998.
Even though her job took her to many remote areas
of Alaska, Gerry has participated in many of the OLLI
summer excursions. She thinks they are wonderful. She
says, “ I think one of the most valuable aspects to OLLI
travel is meeting and listening to the many wonderful
experts on these trips such as Gordon Wright on the Sitka
trip or Dr. Dumond and the volcano researchers at Brooks
Camp, Father Mike Oleska and John Branson at Lake
Clark and the people at the research station at Kasistsna
Bay on the Seldovia trip. More than anything they are
what make these trips unique.”
November 2009
13
…They Like to Travel
Linda Distad
came to Alaska much
earlier. In 1955 she and
her husband drove up
the Alaska Highway,
and she’s been here
ever since. She worked
for nearly 30 years
at UAF, with most of
that time in the Music
Department. She
started to travel while she was still working and has made
it a substantial part of her life ever since.
It all began in 1978 when her mother asked her to
accompany her on a trip to Ireland to trace family history.
That was her first trip abroad, and she was sold. She went
back the next year to see England, then back to Spain,
then France, and on to Egypt and Greece. And that was
just the beginning…
Linda has made numerous trips to countries in Africa,
Asia, and South America: Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Turkey, Mongolia, Tibet, Pakistan,
Nepal … and the list goes on. Her Middle Eastern trips
have included Syria, Jordan, Yemen, Iran and Iraq. She
got to see Bhagdad and its fabulous museums in November, 2002, just months before war broke out. And there’s
still more to see; future plans include Chili and Namibia.
In between her international adventures, Linda likes
to travel with OLLI. Despite all of her years in Alaska, it
was because of OLLI that she first got to go to places like
Barrow, Lake Clark, and Cordova. Having traveled often
with groups of strangers, she especially enjoys the camaraderie of travel with other Fairbanksans.
Ron Inouye was
raised on a farm that sold
barley to the Coors brewery. That was in Colorado,
on a 600 acre farm that his
grandparents had started.
They had immigrated to
California from Japan and
were recruited to use their
background in vegetable
growing to start a highaltitude farm in southern Colorado. Over the years their
hand farming methods gave way to mechanized production, and by Ron’s time potatoes and barley were the main
crops.
Ron chose to not stay on the farm, so he headed off to
college and eventually to Alaska. His first job here was in
1970, teaching sociology and anthropology at Ketchikan
Community College. He then moved to Fairbanks and the
Center for Northern Education and became interested
in libraries in rural areas. This new interest led him to
the pursuit of an M.S. degree at the Scott Polar Research
Institute at Cambridge University and to a job working
with the Polar database at UAF’s Rasmuson Library, from
which he is now retired.
And how did Ron get to Cambridge? A simple round
trip to England would have done the job, but he chose
instead to purchase an “around the world” ticket. He
had spent some of his younger days hitchhiking around
Europe, but this opened up the possibility of seeing much
more. For him the best memory of that journey was the
laughter that he and two Haida Indians (good friends
from Ketchikan) shared as they traveled the canals of
Venice together.
His more recent travels have included Oaxaca, Mexico
(with OLLI), Australia and New Zealand, Brazil and Argentina. He likes OLLI trips because of the added educational
features and cultural contacts. For example, on the trip
to Unalaska, in addition to the usual museum and WWII
sites, the group visited an Aleut culture camp, had a lecture from the mayor, and toured the fish processing plant.
14
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Members ask or comment about OLLI classes….
Please remind people to turn off their cell phones before a class begins. I was in the class in which someone
not only answered the phone, but actually carried on a conversation while instruction was going on!
Wouldn’t it be better to have healthy snacks instead of cookies? Fresh fruits and vegetables would be wonderful. Would you like to buy and prepare them for 250 people each Friday and 125 each Wednesday?… No, we wouldn’t
either. But remember, you are always welcome to bring a few snacks to your own class. If you have the time to cut up
apples, carrots, etc., please do! Your classmates will love it.
Don’t classes begin the first week of September and the first week of March? Not always. It varies, depending on the number of Wednesdays and Fridays in a month. (Classes run for only 4 weeks.) In the future your confirmation form will list the Start Date, instead of the month and day of the week.
Can I bring my grandchildren to a class or event? No. Guests for any OLLI activity must be at least 21 (unless the
event is specifically designed for intergenerational participation).
Please ask people to go easy on perfume and other scents. Some of us have allergies.
Kotzebue Summer Excursion
In August six hardy OLLI members headed for a small
fish camp on the shore of Kotzebue Sound. Marlys and
Richard Henderson, Marcella Hill, Joy Morrison, Debra
Mutchler, and Kathy Vaupel helped catch, process and eat
salmon, learned about local medicinal plants, and got to
know some of the local people.
(Left) Making medicinal massage oils and tinctures from wild plants found around Kotzebue. A class offered by the National Park
Service. (Top) 50 fish from the set net...a lot of work and a lot of good food! (Above) Making caviar from the fresh roe of the
salmon. A delicious appetizer with crackers and cream cheese.
November 2009
15
Thank You, OLLI Volunteers — Fall 2009
Instructors & Lecturers
Charlotte Basham
Gerald Berman
Tricia Blake
Neal Brown
Diane Claassen
Sue Cole
James Conner
Audrey Copeland
Gail Davidson
Nicholas Deely
Patricia DeRuyter
Roxie Dinstel
William Doolittle
Mike Downing
Susan Evans
Alexandra Fitts
John Fox
Sue Guers
Anne Hanley
Sandy Haselberger
Gerald Haugeberg
Alan Head
Marlys Henderson
Jim Hunter
Lawrence Kaplan
John E Kooistra
Clif Lando
Kathy Lavelle
Hal Levey
Carol Lewis
Jan Lokken
Amy Lovecraft
Bret Luick
Paul McCarthy
Mike McConahy
Marsha Munsell
Sathy Naidu
Mary & Dave Nebert
Mary Ann Nickles
Dave Norton
Jeanne Olson
Karen Pyne
Paul Renschen
Richard Seifert
John Selle
Susan Sharbaugh
Milan Shipka
Derek Sikes
Montie Slusher
Stephen Sparrow
Scott Taylor
Judy Tolbert
Sherri Wall
Arvid Weflen
Chris Williams
Daesong Yim
Mingchu Zhang
Terry Tomczak
Margret Van Flein
Kathy Vaupel
Marilyn Whitehead
Flora Wiltse
Linda Wells
Class Assistants
Andrea Backlund
Oliver Backlund
Karen Baker
Sandra Benson
Mary Ann Borchert
Marcia Boyette
Donna Dinsmore
Linda Distad
Marcella Hill
Ron Inouye
Hal Levy
Becky Long
Peggy Mantei
Paul McCarthy
Nina Megyesi
Nanne Myers
Mary Ann Nickles
Linda Pearson
Lorraine Province
Joan Robson
Anne Sherman
Lynn Slusher
Gerry Stewart
Ann Swift
Fran Tannian
Curtis Thorgaard
Margaret VanFlein
Marilyn Whitehead
Jane Zimmerman
Marilyn Askelin
Andrea Backlund
Oliver Backlund
Karen Baker
Maggie Billington
Marianne Boko
Mary Ann Borchert
Marcia Boyette
Barbara Clark
Leigh Ann Cox
Sandra Giddings
Rita Gillitzer
Shirley Gordon
Don Gray
Paolo Greer
Phyllis Haggland
Marcella Hill
Helen Howard
Janet Johnson
Ruth Knapman
Barbara Lando
Debra Manning
Ed & Laurel McLaughlin
Clara Murray
Ritchie Musick
Faith Nava
Linda Pearson
Mary Rafter
Victoria Riggan
Barbara Rondine
Anne Sherman
Lynn Slusher
Margaret Soden
Dorothy Stella
Judy Stoop
Nina Tartakoff
Lane Thompson
Dorothy Thompson
Curtis Thorgaard
Dorothy Throop
Volunteers at Ice Cream
Social and Registration
Coffee Volunteers
Lee Barber
Sandra Benson
Leigh Ann Cox
Lennie Johnson
Eileen Laiti
Tammy Langley
Lola Mallette
Peggy Mantei
Debbie McCurdy
Ed & Laurel McLaughlin
Barbara Meggitt
Nina Megyesi
Mary Moriarty
Linda Pearson
Victoria Riggan
Melissa Simpson
Dorothy Stella
Terry Tomczak
Marilyn Whitehead
Tina Yurkovich
Committee Members
Andrea Backlund
Oliver Backlund
Sandra Benson
Mary Ann Borchert
Marcia Boyette
Donna Dinsmore
Linda Distad
Maryls Henderson
Ron Inouye
Janet Johnson
Barbara Lando
Hal Levey
Carol Linkswiler
Peggy Mantei
Paul Mc Carthy
Laurel McLaughlin
Ed McLaughlin
Nina Megyesi
Ritchie Musick
Nanne Myers
Lynn Slusher
Dorothy Stella
Ann Swift
Dorothy Thompson
Curtis Thorgaard
Kathy Vaupel
Marilyn Whitehead
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
PO Box 758100
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775
Winter and Spring, 2009 – 2010
A Health Club for Your Mind!
UAF’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offers opportunities
for lifelong learning for older adults. Members come from all
backgrounds. They share the common bonds of intellectual
curiosity and the experience of their generation. Classes
begin in March at UAF University Park Building.
Do you have interested friends?
We will be happy to add them to our mailing list. Just call or
email their addresses to 474-6607 or [email protected]
Nov. 17��������������������Book Club
Nov. 20 �������������������Lecture: Painting in the
Wilderness
Dec. 4 ����������������������Lecture: Opera at Christmas
Jan. 25 – 27�������������Class: The Organ, King of
Instruments
Jan. 29����������������������Lecture: Beauty of Butterflies
Feb. 2-3�������������������Class: Driver Safety
Feb. 5�����������������������Class: First Aid, CPR & AED
Feb. 9�����������������������Book Club
Feb. 12 ��������������������Lecture: Embedded with
Troops in Iraq
Feb. 19 ��������������������Annual Meeting and Lunch
Social
Mar. 5 – Apr. 28�����Spring Classes
Mar. 16 �������������������Book Club
Apr. 13���������������������Book Club
June 24��������������������10th Anniversary Celebration
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the
University of Alaska Fairbanks
www.uaf.edu/olli/