Summer 2010 courses for community seniors offered by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Nevada, Reno

SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE

The University of Nevada, Reno’s learning-in-retirement organization, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), brings diverse learning opportunities to active older adults dedicated to the growth and leadership of an organization directed by and for its members. Sponsored by Extended Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, OLLI invites members and the community to enjoy Summer 2010 courses being held June-August. OLLI members and one-time guests are welcome to attend; guests may enroll in OLLI membership at any time.

Unless otherwise noted, classes are held in downtown Reno at the University’s off-campus OLLI facility in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St.

Summer OLLI membership is available to nonmembers for $25 for classes held June 1-Aug. 31, 2010. Those who purchase summer memberships will receive a nontransferable coupon worth $25 toward the purchase of the 2010-2011 OLLI annual membership. The regular full-year membership fee of $45 is good Sept. 1, 2010-Aug. 31, 2011. The nontransferable coupon may be applied to memberships purchased by Sept. 30, 2010. Financial assistance is available.

For more information, a membership application or a course schedule, call the OLLI office at (775) 784-8053, or Extended Studies at the University, (775) 784-4046, or visithttp://www.olli.unr.edu

The following OLLI courses and events are scheduled for Summer 2010:

Computer User Group
June 2; July 7; August 4; Wednesdays, 12 noon-1:30 p.m.
Join this monthly meeting of OLLI members interested in computer issues and subjects. The group will choose the topics. Participation in the Computer User Group is an excellent way to receive technical content and educational information regarding products, technologies and resources. (Pre-registration is NOT required.) Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

OLLI Hikers
Thursdays (weather permitting): June 3, 10; AND
Wednesdays (weather permitting): June 16, 23, 30; July 7, 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 18; Time TBD a.m.
OLLI Hikers will explore the Reno/Sparks/Tahoe area by trails, paths and roads. Meeting times and places will vary. Location, time and degree of difficulty will be posted by the week of the hike, on the OLLI bulletin board in the Nelson Building. You may also opt to be notified by email the week of the hike. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Young Chautauqua
June 15; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon
Young scholars bring historical characters to life on stage, creating a memorable experience with audience interaction. Prepare to be entertained and enlightened. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Mystery Books
June 14; July 12; August 2; Mondays, 10-11:30 a.m.
Mystery Books group members select mystery fiction to read and discuss at our monthly meetings. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

OLLI Walkers
Mondays (weather permitting): June 14, 21, 28; July 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9; Time, TBD (usually 8:30 a.m.)
OLLI Walkers will explore parks and neighborhoods of Reno, Sparks and Washoe County by paved paths and roads, and on good dirt trails. Locations will vary and will be posted on the OLLI bulletin board in the Nelson Building. You may also opt to be notified by email. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Watercolor Workshops
June 16, 23, 30; July 7, 14, 21, 28; Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Larry Jacox has taught beginning watercolor painting at OLLI for years. At these sessions he will provide a drop-in opportunity to paint, as well as to share ideas, advice and critiques if desired.  There will be no formal instruction but there will be demonstrations if indicated. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

A Sampling of our Seven Continents
June 17; Thursday, 2-3:30 p.m.
Karen McCollum, M.Ed., extreme traveler and scuba dive master, shares more than 35 years of travel experience above and below the water. Highlights from all seven continents are encapsulated in this slide show. Bring a sense of adventure. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

NFL Football Now and Then
June 22; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon
This one is for all you football-loving fans. Presenter Ralph Thomas played football for USF and then went on to play in the NFL for the Chicago Cardinals and the Washington Redskins. He will give you an overview of how the game has changed, including the size of the players, the increase in salaries and the influence of football on today’s fans. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Latino History, Culture and Politics in Nevada
June 29; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon
Presenter Jesse Gutierrez, retired executive director of Nevada Hispanic Services, will discuss famous Latinos in Nevada history as well as current Latino issues in Nevada politics. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado
July 1; Thursday, 12 noon-3:30 p.m.
We will welcome in the month of July with a filmed version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera, The Mikado. Setting the opera in Japan (an exotic locale far away from Britain) allowed Gilbert to satirize British politics and institutions more freely by disguising them as Japanese. This film version includes fantastic dancing, bright music, an introduction by Douglas Fairbanks – and much fun! The subtitles are in English so we can sing along to such tunes as “For he is going to marry Yum-Yum.”  Forget your worries; forget your troubles. Come early and bring your lunch and/or enjoy tea and tasty treats as you are transported to the town of Titipu. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit:http://www.olli.unr.edu

The Chutzpah Connection: Blueprint for Success – Real-Life Stories of Inspiration and Achievement
July 6; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon
Presenter Idora Silver, author and motivational speaker, will describe the 10+ traits of successful people and lead the group in an exciting discussion of their most memorable real-life experiences. You will learn how to tap into your memory in order to access and share those most defining moments. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit:http://www.olli.unr.edu

Celebration – Publication of Lifescapes’ Spring 2010 Anthology
July 8; Thursday, 1:30-3 p.m.
Everyone in OLLI and their friends are invited to come hear snippets of the three OLLI Lifescapes classes’ stories that are included in the Spring 2010 Lifescapes Anthology. Light refreshments will be served and stimulating and often funny or poignant stories will be read. All contributors to the anthology will receive their copies at this event. Come and bring a friend to enjoy the afternoon. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Mortgages and Money Management
July 13; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon
Financial advisor Steve Weich will provide a description and definition of all existing mortgages including reverse mortgages and home equity lines of credit (HELOC). He will also cover staying out of foreclosure and saving money on mortgage repayments, as well as handling credit card debt at the least cost. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Financial Planning Workshops
July 15, 22, 29; Thursdays, 10-11:30 a.m.
Toby Isler, financial advisor, will lead a small group interested in creating a financial roundtable. At the introductory session we will select the topics for the second and third sessions. If many people attend the introductory meeting, eight who come up with the most interesting topics for discussion will be become the group, and others may attend as onlookers. At the second and third sessions there will be three topics of 20 minutes each. The remaining 30 minutes will be for onlookers to participate and/or for the eight participants in the financial roundtable to continue with more conversation. Topics may include (but are not limited to) financial facts and reviewing finance basics; alleviating financial stress; when to prepare and update legal documents; and risk, reward and volatility. This will be a pilot program; your interest, input and participation will determine future programs. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Dances of Tonga
July 15; Thursday, 1:30-3 p.m.
Presenters Muli Vakapuna and members of the Tongan Youth Group from the Reno First United Methodist Church will perform a number of dances in costume. As with Hawaiians, Tongans tell stories using the movements of their entire bodies. There will be time for questions and answers about the young dancers’ culture following the performance. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Challenges and Benefits of Participation in High School Sports
July 20; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon
Presenter Carl Olsen, sports official at the high school and college levels, describes the challenges and benefits that the student athlete derives from participating in high school sports, including learning to work and contribute in an organized system and becoming more interested in school. The discussion will cover the low probability of young athletes going on to become professional athletes; but the real and much more promising opportunities of playing at the college level will also be covered. Olsen, who believes competition in sports carries over into other aspects of life, will explain the role of the sports official in enforcing rules to promote sportsmanship and safety while attempting to make the experience positive for student athletes. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Hill Tribes of Southeast Asia
July 22; Thursday, 2-3:30 p.m.
Presenter Judith Winzeler, M.A., retired executive director of Nevada Humanities, will discuss how Americans have become acquainted with the Hmong because of the large numbers who were resettled here following the Vietnam War. Few Americans have any idea of the extent and richness of the cultural diversity to be found in Southeast Asia. The illustrated presentation will visit villages of the Karen, Ahka, Hmong, Yao, Khmu, Tai Lu, Banar and others, and discuss some of the issues and challenges facing the hill tribes of Southeast Asia in the 21st century. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Celtic Heritage and History
July 27; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon
The Celtic nations of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Brittany, Mann, Galicia and Cornwall are rich in history and tradition. Presenters Chip MacLeod and Patti Bakker, Celtic Celebration board members, will offer a brief history of Celtic nations and discuss highlights and genealogy of the Celtic heritage. For more about the local Celtic Celebration organization, visit http://www.renoceltic.org. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

Holiday Foods From Around the World
July 29; Thursday, 1:30-3 p.m.
University students from OLLI’s popular Conversation Partners program will prepare and present foods that are served in association with holidays in their countries. The Conversation Partners program is a partnership between OLLI and the Intensive English Language Center (IELC) at UNR. This will be a lively and “tasty” afternoon. Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit: http://www.olli.unr.edu

OLLI Registration Meeting
August 9; Monday, Times TBD
This is an opportunity for members to greet new and returning OLLI members. Members can pay their annual dues and pick up their parking passes for the city parking lot. See our Fall 2010 catalog or August newsletter for more details. We look forward to meeting you, and to visiting with old friends! Free with $45 OLLI annual membership fee or $25 OLLI summer membership fee. Held at OLLI in the Warren Nelson Building, 401 W. Second St., Reno. For more information, call the OLLI office, (775) 784-8053. Visit:http://www.olli.unr.edu