OLLI at DU Adventures-6th Issue

Some of these longer emails are shortened by some email providers. If you do not see the Osher and University logos at the bottom of this email then click this link to view as a webpage: View as Webpage

Volume 1 Issue 6

Joy can be found in so many places.

And we can share it too!

I go to the same dry cleaners my mom went to. I go there to get my shirts laundered. But mostly I like going because of Carmen. Every time I pop in, Carmen knows my name and has a smile for me. After what could be an ordinary transaction, she says: "Have a beautiful day Bruce."

Sometimes that interaction is all it takes to set me on a good course for the rest of the day and to pass on goodwill to someone else. Think what could happen if we were all a little more like Carmen?

Today, our spotlight is on one of OLLI at DUs favorite facilitators, Janet Kester, who teaches about joy. Keep reading through the announcements of great offerings below and you'll find her profile.

It is time!

Monday, August 21 @ 10 am

Finally, the system is set up and ready for OLLI members to register for classes. Remember, you must become a member to be able to sign up for courses and you can do that right now. Hundreds already have purchased a membership and the right course package for the coming academic year. Becoming a member ($65) is a shift, but one that comes with an array of new benefits, including access to events and travel, not to mention 50 free webinars throughout the year (valued at $600)

Another important thing to remember is that website and registr ation is now on a totally new platform, so we will need you to create a new account, even if you have been an OLLI member for ten years.

You cannot just log in with your old information. So take a few minutes and set up a new account and member profile. Look around the new site, and take your time. Check out the new flipbook catalog of courses. If you get totally stuck, email the OLLI office at olli@du.edu.

While navigating a new system will be a little challenging at first, we know you will grow to like it. It is intuitive. At least that is the experience of more than 30 OLLI programs around the country that use CampusCE, the platform that gives us so many wonderful new features and benefits. Join now by clicking here.

Oh, and have a beautiful day!

Bruce

KEY INFORMATION FOR FALL TERM 2023

You must create an account, complete your member profile, and purchase an annual membership BEFORE you can register for events, courses, or webinars. You are encouraged to do this NOW to be ready for course selection when it opens on MONDAY, AUGUST 21.

WEBSITE: olli.du.edu

MONDAY, AUG 14 - Site is open for members to purchase an annual membership, purchase discounted annual course packages, and buy tickets to two upcoming events (Butterfly Pavilion Member Day 8/23, and Black History Museum Tour 9/7)

MONDAY, AUG 21 10:00 am - Site is open for selection of courses by annual members who have purchased a course package. Single course purchase is also available. Course enrollment is first come, first served. You are encouraged to check out our course catalog before Monday to expedite your course selection on Monday.

Registration for free webinars and free fitness classes is open.

Need assistance? Call the office between 9-2 at 303-871-3181 or send an email to olli@du.edu

OLLI at DU members' exclusive events

Join us for brunch at Chautauqua Dining Hall!

Sunday, August 27 at

11:30 am at 900 Baseline Rd, Boulder

Reserve your spot ($32) now.

The Victorian-style Chautauqua Dining Hall with its famous wraparound porch has been a Boulder tradition since 1898.

Join fellow OLLI at DU members for conversation and camaraderie and perhaps a hike in the nearby open space. Choose from one of five brunch selections plus fresh fruit, and nonalcoholic

beverages all for a reasonable price.

Tour the Black American West Museum

Thursday, September 7

10 am-noon

at 3091 California St, Denver

Registration required ($12).

Visit the home of Justina Ford , the first licensed African American female physician in the State of Colorado. It is now the site of the Black American West Museum which was founded by Paul W. Stewart in 1971.

Tour the museum with an expert docent and learn the stories of those early African Americans who helped settle the West.

Note: There are front steps to enter the building and there steep stairs case inside.

Optional lunch at Hayati Mediterranean (400 foot walk) or Rosenberg’s Deli (1/2 mile—parking is limited). Bring cash or card.

Come for a pollinator presentation by an expert and stay for the butterflies!

Thursday, August 23 from 10-11 am followed by a visit to the Butterfly Pavilion at 6252 W. 104th Avenue Westminster

Program is next week, register ($12) ASAP!

Pollinators are essential to our diverse Colorado ecosystem. Dive in to learn about all the bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, and more that are the pollinator superheroes of Colorado. Learn why pollinators are essential for our future.

Janet Kester does not shy away from tough issues and even teaches a class on racism. But she is truly focused on joy. She is pictured here in front of Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica on a recent trip.

“For me teaching these classes is so reinforcing to me. I learn a lot from the participants. The class on joy is about spreading joy. The reciprocity of being in a class with other people showing enthusiasm makes all the difference and makes me happy"

Janet Kester sees joy in places you might not expect.

A longtime OLLI member and facilitator, she is teaching classes on joy and providing tips and ideas on how you can find more joy in your life. It is simple, she says. “The main thing is to notice the little things that add up to joy. It is that perfect cup of coffee or a quiet moment on the patio interrupted by birdsongs” She also thinks we need to savor these moments before moving on too quickly.

But she does not shy away from tough issues that face us. One of her first classes was on racism. She experienced that when a good friend who lived with her in high school came to visit her at the University of Florida. Her friend was an Ethiopian exchange student, and she was not allowed to come to dinner at her sorority because of her race.

“This event was an existential threat to my worldview,” said Janet. “I left the university and soon found my way to France, where I lived for a year. My experiences in France had a big impact on my life and my developing world view.” Our experiences create our worldview, and everyone has different experiences. That is good to remember when facilitating and recognizing it typically diffuses any issues.

"I think I made a difference, by teaching this class on racism ten times over the years," she said. “I thought I knew a lot before teaching the class, but all of the reading and a year of preparation helped my deeper understanding.”

Why does Janet continue facilitating for OLLI at DU? “For me teaching these classes is so reinforcing to me. I learn a lot from the participants. The class on joy is about spreading joy. The reciprocity of being in a class with other people showing enthusiasm makes all the difference and makes me happy. I felt my class on racism was important for me to help broaden our understanding of the significant systemic racism that still exists today. I thoroughly enjoy the research involved in planning a class. Right now I am preparing a new class based on a book about genius that may be ready in a few months. Stay tuned."

She said, she was surprised she could share the joy on Zoom. “There were real interactions, friendships, and a melding of ideas. People came from all over, including different states and it was critical during the pandemic for people to be together, even on Zoom.”

But she appreciates face-to-face interactions as well. She has a monthly lunch group with six women that started out as an OLLI excursion. She also sometimes invites her class participants to join in for a potluck at her house at the end of a class.

Janet is a naturally curious and engaged person who exemplifies the best of OLLI at DU.

The Best of Theatre in New York

Monday, November 6 to Friday, November 10, 2023

Hit the streets of the Great White Way and discover the excitement of New York’s incredible theater scene, from Broadway events to the adventurous Off-Broadway stage and beyond. Get an inside look at a world ordinary members of the audience never see as you spend five days immersed in New York theater and in personal encounters with those who help create it.

• Attend a musical, a drama and an Off-Broadway show.

• Explore Times Square’s theatrical history.

• Enjoy a behind-the-scenes discussion of the page-to-stage process with a producer, director or theater manager.

Click here to learn more details. To reserve your spot, please contact Dave Johnson at olli@du.edu.

OLLI at DU

2211 S. Josephine Street

Denver, CO 80208

olli@du.edu

303-871-3181

OLLI at DU Adventures is produced by Marketing and Communications for OLLI at DU.

Let us know what you think!

Bruce.Caughey@du.edu

Christine.Liptak@du.edu

New website launch on 8/14/23

Thank you for being a Lifelong Learner!