OLLI NOTES December 14, 2018
Celebrating 25 years of Learning in Retirement
Happy Holidays to you all!
The OLLI Office will be closed for the holidays December 19-January 1, 2019.
Furman Dining Hall will close for the holidays, the last day of dining service will be Thurs, December 20. Because OLLI classes are not in session during the month of December, the Furman Dining Hall OLLI Member discount will not be available. However, you may still dine at the regular cost. Visit the website here for hours, cost and daily offerings.
We are looking forward to the Winter 2019 semester and hope you are excited about your course selections! Registration is still available and many courses still have openings. Some classes and bonus events have filled, so please consider having a backup. If you are on a waitlist, we will call if a spot opens up. If you are on a Bonus Event waitlist, you can add one more.
We are pleased to welcome our members to the Back to OLLI reception which will be held on Jan. 10, 2019 @ 3-4:30 p.m. with New Member Orientation at 2:30 p.m. Plan to attend this to event to get parking passes, name tags, and general info prior to the first day of classes.
We are looking for Class Liaisons for the Winter Term! If you are interested in supporting our instructors in this way, email Pam Roberson. There will be a Class Liaison Info session and training Thurs., Jan. 10 at 1:30 p.m. Consider attending this session to get an idea of what is involved in this volunteer role.
Read and Explore with OLLI 2019 Our read this year will be The Last Castle, the fascinating true story behind Biltmore, the magnificent gilded age mansion and the grandest residence ever built in the United States. It is also the story of George and Edith Vanderbilt and their remarkable team that constructed the house and grounds, the Vanderbilt family that guided the Biltmore Estate through the depression years and the efforts to preserve the legacy of George Vanderbilt. Denise Kiernan, Asheville resident and bestselling author of The Girls of Atomic City, provides a well-researched and captivating book. She skillfully depicts life at Biltmore with a historian’s insight. ***OLLI has purchased 150 copies of this year’s selection. You are invited to check out a copy, read the book, and return it for another OLLI member to enjoy. We will be announcing upcoming bonus and supporting events.
COURSE ANNOUNCEMENTS
RPH994 From Rumi to Gulen has been cancelled.
PPG1313 International Tour of Comedy has been cancelled.
OLLI/FULIR 25th ANNIVERSARY
Looking for a great Christmas gift?? The 25th Anniversary OLLI Cooks cookbook is on sale! Purchase your copy in the OLLI Office. These will make excellent holiday gifts! As you experiment with the recipes, share a photo of your completed dish on Instagram at #furmanollicooks. $10, cash or check.
As we wrap up our 25th anniversary year, and as you consider your end-of-year giving, please remember the OLLI Faculty Enrichment fund, which will help Furman faculty and students AND bring new programming to OLLI. Our goal for this endowed fund is $100,000 and we are currently at $62,858.22 in gifts and pledges. Every gift makes a difference, no matter the amount! Make a one-time contribution via credit card here. To make a one-time gift with a check, or a pledge to be paid later, or a multi-year pledge, download this form and return to the OLLI office or mail to the address on the form. Pledge forms are also available in the OLLI office. Questions? Contact Nancy Kennedy.
OLLI HAPPENINGS
Special Men’s Basketball Ticket offer just for OLLI members! Come out and support Furman Mens’ Basketball in their first ranked season on Thursday, January 5, @ 4 p.m. Furman Paladins Vs. The Citadel Bulldogs. Your seating is in the “Student” section since you will be the only students in session. Included in the price of each ticket: Concession voucher for a complimentary beer or wine in the Thirsty Paladins or a soft drink from our concession stand and a very cool Furman Paladins coaches’ hat. This is a super event and you are going to watch Furman play a great Southern Conference opponent! Your concession vouchers and hats can be picked up in the lobby of Timmons Arena prior to the game. Doors open one hour before tip-off. Tickets are $12. Purchase your tickets by Jan 4 @ 7 p.m. HERE
OLLI Crabtree Room Winter 2019 Photography Showcase Submission Call, Mountain to Sea Landscapes, Hanging display Jan 28-Mar 22. Submissions due by Dec 22. Email ONE submission per artist. Guidelines available Here.
Things to do while OLLI is not in session!
Pat Conroy fans know that he was not only an amazing author, but he was also an intentional and brilliant mentor. In the course of his career, he groomed other authors in their shared craft, and many of those writers will gather at M. Judson Bookseller on Fri, Dec 14 at 6:30 to discuss his influence on their lives and on the greater life of literature. It’s not often we get so much talent in one room. Here’s a list of the people who will be here: Jonathan Haupt, John Lane, Ron Rash, Nicole Seitz, Lynn Seldon, George Singleton, Ashley Warlick. Each benefited from his generosity, and contributed to the book Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy. Authors will sign works of his/her own, and there will be a panel discussion. Tickets available here
Handel’s MESSIAH presented by the Greenville Chorale and Orchestra, Tues, Dec 18, 7:30 p.m., McAlister Auditorium, Furman. Discounted tickets ($24) now available in the OLLI office! (Cash or check to made out to Greenville Chorale.)
Centre Stage’s “Laughing All The Way” Christmas event will put you right in the Holiday spirit. Saturday Night Live meets Lawrence Welk meets The Carol Burnett Show, the ultimate variety show filled with hilarious sketches, classic tunes, and celebrated sacred songs. Dec. 6-22, Thurs-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun. Matinees 3 p.m. Visit the website here or call (864) 233-6733 for tickets.
Warehouse Theatre presents “Christmas on the Rocks” This collection of twisted holiday tales finds your favorite children from holiday classics all grown up, getting a bit tipsy and catching up on the sordid details of their lives! Dec 7, 8, 13-15, and 20-22 at 8 p.m. and Dec.15-16, 22-23 at 2 p.m. Tickets here.
Celebrating the holidays in true Peanuts-style, the Upcountry History Museum will host the latest exhibition from the Charles M. Schulz Museum, titled Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! The Peanuts-centric exhibit invites visitors to enter the world of Charlie Brown, as they explore the making of the 1965 holiday classic and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. This exhibit runs through Feb. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information visit.
Seeking to learn Chinese, Italian, Russian or other languages? Upstate International is enrolling for their Winter Language Classes. Beginner, intermediate, advanced and conversational classes are available during the day and evening. Learn more here.
Greater Greenville Master Gardener’s Association will host their 18th Annual Symposium on Saturday, Feb 9, 2019 at the Greenville Convention Center. For more information visit.