Springfield OLLI members, from right, Rich Cofrancesco and John Hughes, enjoy visiting with speaker, Hank Kaestner, after his very informative program last February on ‘The History of Spices'.
This local educational group is pleased that its membership has steadily increased as people have become familiar with the engaging style of the speakers and the topics offered. Members have commented that “the excellent programs get better and better!”
Sponsored by the University of Vermont, OLLI is run by local volunteer members and is geared mainly towards seniors who are 50 years of age and over who enjoy learning for the fun of it! Anyone who would be interested in this type of program, regardless of their age, is welcome.
There are many interesting programs planned by the local committee to inform and interest participants such as local and Vermont history, nature, health, science, literature, art, music, world and current event subjects.
The programs are held Tuesday afternoons at 2 p.m. and last about an hour and a half. The meeting location is the Nolin Murray Center on Pleasant Street, next to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Springfield, Vt.
Memberships include entrance to all nine programs in the semester as well as admittance to the seven other Osher Institute programs throughout Vermont, such as in Brattleboro, Rutland, and St. Johnsbury. Nonmembers are welcome and encouraged to attend individual programs for a single program fee.
To facilitate registration, please send memberships to UVM OLLI Registration Office, 460 South Prospect Street, Burlington, VT 05401. Checks should be made payable to The University of Vermont. Indicate that it for the Springfield OLLI. Registration forms can be downloaded from the website or include a piece of paper with your name, address, phone number, and email. Memberships and day fees may also be paid at the program.
The latest brochures have been printed and distributed throughout the area at public locations such as local libraries, town halls, community and senior centers, and Chamber of Commerce offices. Requests for a brochure can be made by calling 802-885-3094. The program listing can be viewed and downloaded online at www.learn.uvm.edu/olli. Choose “statewide” sites and scroll to Springfield.
Thanks go out to our local benefactor, Barbara Sanderson and also to the Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society who is co-sponsoring a program.
Following is the listing of programs for the fall 2018 semester:
Sept. 4 – Above & Beyond: JFK and the U-2 Pilots During the Cuban Missile Crisis
Michael Tougias, NY Times bestselling author returns Sept. 4 to present about his newest book, which chronicles the 13 harrowing days of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1964. U-2 pilots who flew unarmed over Cuba were able to secure photographic proof that the Soviets were installing nuclear missiles on the island. These pilots helped President Kennedy achieve a difficult objective: have the nuclear missiles removed from Cuba without triggering Armageddon. Learn about lesser-known events that put us on the brink of nuclear war.
Sept. 18 – Cuba: Past and Present
Elayne Clift – writer, journalist, and traveler – will share a first-hand account of a complex and cordial country from her visit to Cuba in late 2017. Clift talked with people from all walks of life and took copious photographs. Explore the reasons that make Cuba a difficult country to understand how its history, politics, and economic reality come together. We will be challenged to make sense of this island country once dominated by Spain and America, then ruled by the late Fidel Castro.
Oct. 2 – Calvin Coolidge: Vermont is a State I Love
It was in September 1928 that President Coolidge delivered this eloquent impromptu speech after touring Vermont by train to see the recovery efforts following the devastating floods from the previous year. In honor of its 90th anniversary, hear Tracy Messer, a living history performer, explain how the world came to know the “brave little state of Vermont” through his first-person portrayal of our 30th president of the United States.
Oct. 16 – The Meaning of Maps
The state of cartographic technology in 2018 is radically different than it was even two decades ago. William Morris, cartographer, will show us how to appreciate how satellites, the Internet, and mobile devices have rewired our present understanding of geography.
Oct. 23 – The Black Bear: Nature’s Voracious Omnivore
Join Kurt Valenta to explore the secretive world of the black bear, the smallest of three bear species found in North America, which lives in a wide variety of habitats. They move with a lumbering grace and stealth that belies their size. While they may take part in many children’s tales, understand how the fiercely protective female and the belligerent solitary male are anything but cuddly “teddy bears.” This presentation is co-sponsored by the Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society.
Oct. 30 – This Year in Politics is Really Different (and that’s not fake news)
Join us as Jon Margolis, political commentator, shares how this year in politics really is different. While candidates usually claim that each election is unique, this one is really weird – a president with the lowest mid-term approval rating ever. We’ll discuss issues in Vermont state political news as well – a Vermont Democratic Party, which dominates the state but cannot come up with a credible candidate for governor. And who knows what other oddities we will examine? All happening amidst confusion over what is fake and what is fact, if there still is any such thing as fact!
Nov. 13 – I Could Hardly Keep From Laughing: Vermont Humor from Coolidge to Trump
Vermont humor began in hardscrabble times as farmers made light of heavy and odious work. Visitors and immigrants (Flatlanders) brought new recruits for gentle derision, and politicians were always fair game for the public and each other. Join Bill Mares on a guided tour of Vermont humor from the era of Calvin Coolidge to that of Donald Trump.
Nov. 27 – Classics of Hollywood’s Golden Age
Why do so many old films fail the test of time while a few are rediscovered by each generation of moviegoers? Hear Rick Winston, film historian, discuss some of the elements of those classics from Hollywood’s “Golden Age” – writing, acting, directing and cinematography – and watch clips from 12 of his favorite films from 1935 to 1963.
Dec. 4 – This Winter’s Forecast
Mark Breen is the senior meteorologist from Fairbanks Museum and VPR’s “Eye on the Sky” forecaster. The challenges of predicting Mother Nature are considerable. Even weather forecasts from day-to-day can vary considerably as a storm changes track, a weather front stalls, or a thunderstorm pops up to spoil your outdoor plans. So why would we think we can predict the weather months in advance? Understand the differences between daily and seasonal weather forecasting, including looking at ocean temperature cycles, sun spot cycles, El Nino, and the Polar Vortex. Using these features, as well as over 120 years of detailed weather records from the Fairbanks Museum, Breen will make a specific forecast for this winter!
Come join this exciting educational OLLI group to learn about interesting details on a variety of topics!
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