Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Denver Winter 2015

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I n September and October the WellAware Committee

kicked off the new program with an informational discussion for all, followed in the subsequent days by a hiking event and a biking event. Thirty members joined up for the hike, which was led by Koz Badiozamani. Eighteen oiled up their bicycle chains for the biking, led by Paul Mauro.

Pictured here are shots of the two groups as they participated in the activities. Everyone had a great time and asked for the activities to be reinstated in the spring.

The next WELLAware event, a tour of the newly opened Denver Union Station in winter term, was quickly sold out. Stay tuned for future events.

WELLAware Kickoff WELLAttended Olli

WELLAware

Wellness Through Knowing &

Doi

ng

T he 2015 edition of the ‘Weekend’ in May will be at the Aspen Lodge outside of Estes Park. OLLI

members will gather with old friends and new to enjoy a weekend in the company of two of our favorite DU professors. Professor Buie Seawell will present one of his most popular lectures: “Cultivating the Virtuous Life in the 21st Century.” Popular, Economics Professor Bob Melvin will talk about the philosophical roots of the simple life and about individuals throughout history who developed and embraced a philosophy of simple living, including Plato, Ben Franklin and Teddy Roosevelt. Our new friend of OLLI, Dr. Glenn Sackett will talk about the joys of active

meditation, including, “Photography as Meditation.”

The casualness of this rustic lodge allows for relaxed sessions with plenty of time for socializing. In addition to walks in the woods, Bob’s wife, Sue will lead a morning session on “Everyday stretches for Balance.”

The cost of the weekend, which includes the presentations, lodging and all meals is: $675 per couple (double occupancy – two queen beds) or $450 for a single room. A $100 per person deposit is required by February 7 to ensure a reservation. Mail to:OLLI, 2211 So. Josephine, Denver, CO 80208. Questions? Call the OLLI Office 303 871 3090.

“Weekend in the Rockies”

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“Five Years and Counting…

T he anticipated fifth-birthday celebration of OLLI-South with a

sparkling autumn day picnic in the park was not to be. Low fog, cold air and drizzle rolled in, spoiling the venue for even the hardiest of celebrants. However, reflecting the ever-present “can-do” spirit of its members, and in particular, Tess Moore, Ruth Harthun and Jenny Fortenberry, a last-minute switch to the warm and cozy lobby

of our treasured class site in the Valley View Christian Church resulted in its own sparkle: that of about 85 convivial OLLI-South members noisily chattering, happy to see each other again after the summer “recess.”

OLLI-South’s genesis and the succeeding five years of tremendous growth were recapped by many of those involved in its beginnings and succeeding years. We were reminded that OLLI-South started when a group of South area VIVA members (including Khosrow ( Koz) Badiozamani, Jerry Wischmeyer, David Williams, Floyd Shoemaker, Dale LeNoue, Tom Carter, Pat Paul and Sandra Alinger) met with a wish to start a branch closer to home. Several others “greased the skids” to make the new group happen: Vonnie Wheeler who applied for an Osher fund grant, promising to change the name from “VIVA” to our present moniker which acknowledges our funder;

Karen Thorne, OLLI-West manager who found our present class facility, those mentioned above who organized our first Sampler Session; Tom Carter, who became our first curriculum chairman; and Nancy Chase, who was our first manager. OLLI-South was launched in the fall of 2009 with nine courses and nine facilitators. Validating the fertile ground on which those seeds were sown,

the group has expanded from less than 100 members taking 9 classes from 9 facilitators to over 300 members taking 33 classes from 36 facilitators.

Besides the recognition of facilitators by their “class year,” a highlight of the event was the surprise presentation to our manager, Jenny Fortenberry, of a Colorado “vanity plate” reading “OLLI S.”

When she reflects on OLLI-South, Jenny is certain that the wellspring of its success is the commitment of its volunteers. Their commitment, she asserts, brings a sense of ownership, a sense of community; it generates a plethora of creative ideas for academic and interactive learning topics and creates vital support for facilitators. Jenny particularly values OLLI-South’s commitment to be inclusive of all members, not to be “clique-ish” as evidenced by the red dots on name cards which identify new members to be welcomed. She knows that even as our increasing numbers become a benchmark of our success, we must maintain those member-embracing attitudes which have made OLLI-South so vibrant, friendly and enjoyable.

OLLI-South’s fifth birthday party was, in the end, about all the visionaries who “planted” OLLI-South, and all the volunteers who organized, facilitated and sustained its classes, and all the members who enthusiastically attended those classes. They all have reason to be very proud of the healthy five-year-old they have cultivated.

– Ellen Sloan

Chancellor Rebecca ChoppO n September 2, 2014, the University of Denver

welcomed Rebecca Chopp as its 18th chancellor and the first woman to hold the position in the University’s 150-year history. Chopp most recently served as president of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, and positions prior to that included president of Colgate University and dean of the Yale Divinity School.

A native of Kansas, Chopp received a BA from Kansas Wesleyan University, a MDiv from St. Paul School of Theology, and a PhD from the University of Chicago. Each of her alma maters has honored her with distinguished awards, and she has received six honorary doctorates from other colleges and universities.

Chopp is a widely published author and editor. Her six

books include Remaking College: Innovation and the Liberal Arts (2013), which she co-edited with Haverford College President Dan Weiss. Her other notable publications are The Praxis of Suffering: An Interpretation of Liberation and Political Theologies (1986) and The Power to Speak: Feminism, Language, God (1989).

The DU Enrichment Program is pleased to include Chancellor Chopp in the one-night Lecture Series where she will speak about the future of higher education.

The old and the new: four of our original facilitators (left) and 2013 facilitators (below).

(continued on page 3

Five Years and Counting... (continued from page 2)

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W hen drafting this bio, we

debated which word best sums up Vonnie Wheeler -- dynamo or whirlwind -- and decided that if we had to pick, dynamo was best. Just look at what she has done for seniors’ education. In 1996, she co-founded VIVA with only 76 people and nine classes. From this modest beginning, she developed an OLLI pro-gram that today has over 2,200 members, three campuses and offers over a hundred classes in each of three terms a year. Only a dynamo could accomplish so much.

However, after spending a week with her last March on the OLLI cultural eco-tour of Costa Rica, we concede that whirl-wind certainly applies as well. Her boundless energy, playful good humor, and sense of adventure gave us all the oppor-tunity to experience Vonnie in a way that few other OLLI members have. These attributes came out loud and clear when she persuaded, nay cajoled -- most of us well into our seventies and beyond -- into taking a zip-line trip above the Montenegro Rain Forest, with no less than 17 towers to scale. Between two of the sections, Vonnie took a side trip on what can best be described as a horizontal bungee jump where she was propelled hundreds of feet over a 1,000-foot cliff, landing back at the starting point screaming with mirth. Unfortunately, the photo did not capture her tearful joy.

Shortly after, we began a very bumpy bus journey to our next overnight stop. Having taken several wrong turns, instead of arriving at our lovely resort, we found ourselves staring into a desolate field along with our despondent driver. Vonnie’s comment to us, pulling her hair, “The website didn’t look anything like this!” Her laughter was infectious. And the evening ended well for us all, with swimming in the nearby hot springs and with Vonnie and daughter Val lounging on the local goddess’s lap.

At this point, we should provide the back story on this remarkably creative and resilient woman. Born in Colo-rado in a year so long ago that we will respect her privacy (hint: think the Chinese year of the Tiger!), Vonnie began a

life-long commitment to learning. She was educated at CU, Boulder, married and had four children. Her husband de-cided to go in a different direction when she was 32. Job-less and facing all the challenges every single parent knows, her children (and now her nine grandchildren) mostly remember the good times. No matter how tight money was in those early days, there was always an envelope with money earmarked “For Fun.”

Despite these early setbacks, Vonnie eventually developed an event management business that reflected her own unique creativity, specializing in tourism, fundraising and educa-tion. She later used her background in education to develop and co-found VIVA, one of DU’s extension programs. “We started with a great core of members in the VIVA days. Then with the sponsorship of DU and Bernard Osher, we tran-sitioned into OLLI and continue to attract the people that make OLLI what it is today – a fun place to meet our peers while satisfying our intellectual curiosity.” Through her unique foresight, she had accurately anticipated that many retired baby boomers would seek continuing education.

Like all effective leaders, Vonnie credits OLLI’s success to the people she works with. However, she will admit that part of the program’s success is due to her energy, ideas and ability to get things done. “No doubt I have trodden on a few toes along the way – I regret that, but hope everyone thinks the results are worth it.”

The two elements that make up Von-nie – dynamo and whirlwind – work well together, especially when combined with her keen sense of fun that adds the human touch. Now she is stepping back from some of her OLLI responsibilities by handing over the management of Central to Michelle Runyon, so she can focus on what she feels she does best…create. She will continue using her con-tacts and influence in bringing together

the Summer Seminars, The International Symposium and other activities such as the summer 2014 geological canoe trip, and the annual off-site tours. She will go wherever her imagination and our interest take her. And her big-gest contribution will continue to be her ideas, ideas, ideas, though long-time members of OLLI add vision to her attributes.

Vonnie, from OLLI’s appreciative members, many thanks! Long may you use your vision to lead us.

— Written and edited by two happy survivors of the 2014 Costa Rica tour, who wish to remain anonymous. “We claim the 5th!”)

C lass members respond to a facilitator who is prepared, focused, and enthusiastic. Here are some

tips to be an effective facilitator.

• Comes to class prepared, organized and focused. Manages time efficiently.

• Doesn’t allow talking during A/V presentations or discussions.

• Allows enough time for discussion.

• Is open-minded; avoids preaching, lecturing, dominating the discussion, or showing bias.

• Speaks loud and clear enough for all to hear.

• Comes to class prepared with questions for a lively discussion.

• Precludes any one member from monopolizing the conversation or rudely interrupting others.

• If videos are used, makes sure to tie the video to the discussion that follows.

• Doesn’t assume class members have prior knowledge of the subject. Simplifies as necessary.

• Writes clear, comprehensive descriptions for the catalog so expectations are managed.

• Alters the room layout to suit the class.

• Avoids books/texts that are too academic, complex or long.

• Doesn’t cram too much material into one course.

• Avoids overloading class members with too much information.

–Jerry Wischmeyer

Getting to Know Vonnie Wheeler;Executive Director, OLLI at DU

Are You a Good Facilitator?

OLLI South Key PeopleAdvisory Council Chair Susan Long: susanllong@yahoo.comCurriculum Committee Chair Barbe Ratcliffe: beunlimited@aol.comProgram Manager Jenny Fortenberry: ollisouth@gmail.com

720-339-1379Newsletter EditorPaul Mauro: pandpmauro@gmail.comSouth website: https://portfolio.du.edu/ollisouth

Thank You South VolunteersA big thank you to all stalwart OLLI South Volunteers.

Who are they? They are folks sitting beside you in class, walking beside you in the halls, or maybe eating lunch at your table. You may be one of them. Without this enthusiastic cadre of OLLI South volunteers who keep it all going, OLLI South wouldn’t exist.

Currently about 150 volunteers are busy each term making OLLI South the success it is, facilitating classes, planning a catalog of new classes, greeting new members, setting up for special events, and whatever else is needed. Every class and every event is made possible only because member volunteers plan it, organize it, and do it.

Thank you all for your contributions of time and energy!

Brains of ElderlyBy Sarah Knapton, Science Correspondent, The Telegraph

Older people do not decline mentally with age, it just takes them longer to recall facts because they have more information in their brains, scientists believe. Much like a computer struggles as the hard drive gets full up, so too do humans take longer to access information, it has been suggested.

Researchers say this slowing down is not the same as cognitive decline. “The human brain works slower in old age,” said Dr. Michael Ramscar, “but only because we have stored more information over time. The brains of older people do not get weak. On the contrary, they simply know more.”

SO THERE!! We Are All Brilliant!

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

OLLI Memory TestPlace your name on the cup; bonus points if

the cup matches your name tag!

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I have the honor of chairing the Curriculum Committee for OLLI South. As you know, the

Curriculum Committee is responsible for finding and supporting those volunteers who give their time and talents as facilitators, and who are therefore the core of our organization’s existence. I am following an amazing chairman, David Williams. Through his many newsletter articles, he has in the past elucidated for us the workings of the OLLI South Curriculum Committee, but I would like to take a few moments to share my perception of the OLLI South organization from the position of a newly appointed Chairman. From my vantage point, I have experienced:

A talented committee who, while also being facilitators themselves, work diligently to identify and coax individuals to bring forth their talents. Joe Clements and David Williams head up a unique group whose sole purpose is to provide the Curriculum Committee members with the tools to encourage and support facilitators, both experienced and new.

OLLI South’s capability to offer a wide variety of topics that mirror the knowledge and interests of our membership;

An ever-expanding membership which requires us all to dig deeper and think more broadly as we continually work on the next session’s curriculum. (Note: As of this writing in late December, we have nearly completed the Spring 2015 course offerings and are about to begin the process which will result in the Spring catalog.);

A willingness on the part of our dynamic facilitators to

continually learn so their facilitation abilities meet the expanding expectations of our members;

A membership who, overall, acknowledges and supports the efforts made by our facilitators; and

A growing need for more members to step forward and contribute their distinctive gifts and passions as facilitators.

We on the Curriculum Committee thank all of those who have been and are thinking of being facilitators. In summary, from my new vantage point, I am very excited about the future of OLLI South, the possibilities we have before us, and I am looking forward to sharing the contributions of our many members as we continue our growth and expansion.

— Barbe Ratcliffe

Hot Topic Luncheon: Looking Forward – Reimagining Education from Pre-School through College”February 20 , 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

J oin us as we hear Colleen Broderick (Donnell-Kay Foundation) and Gretchen Morgan (Choice and

Innovation at the CO Dept. of Education) discuss the alarming statistics concerning Colorado’s overall status in child poverty, educational achievement gaps, and high school graduation rates. They will offer their expertise and insight into exciting innovations in education for our state.

The luncheon will be held at The Vista at Applewood Golf Course, 14001 West 32nd Avenue in Golden (approximately one mile west of I-70 on 32nd Ave). The cost is $20 per person and checks must be received by Tuesday, February 4. Mail to OLLI Hot Topics, 2211 So. Josephine St, Denver, CO 80208. There are no tickets – your check is your reservation. Questions? Contact Karen Thorne at (303) 717-4299.

Evaluating FacilitatorsS ince our facilitators—volunteers one and all—

are the core of our organization, it is important to keep in mind that they are not professors, subject experts or professional lecturers. Their job is to facilitate instructive discussion, wherein they offer their own knowledge, enhanced by enthusiasm, leadership, structure and additional subject resources to promote interactive learning. Evaluations which assume an expert level of knowledge can be demoralizing and discouraging. We welcome the advantages that the accumulated experiences and wisdom of a whole OLLI classroom bring to the learning experience—a model unlike that of the typical high school or college classroom.

–Barbe Ratcliffe

Through the Eyes of the Curriculum Committee Chair

Passing of the guard: retiring Curriculum Committee chairman Dave Williams discusses committee responsibilities with Barbe Ratcliffe on the left. Dave’s wife Jean is in the middle.

Member SpotlightABE GRINBERG

O ne cannot know or appreciate

retired pediatrician and neonatologist Abe Grinberg without knowledge of the epic physical and emotional journeys his parents took prior to his birth in 1947, for their remarkable experiences could only have imbued Abe with an unusual sense of the fragility of life, countered with a drive for survival through faith, inventiveness, perseverance, courage, imagination, hard work and intelligence.

His Polish father and Lithuanian mother began their long exodus from the perils of German occupation of Poland first, by fleeing to the Soviet part of the country. There they were among the first Jews to obtain travel visas to Japan as a result of the humanitarian efforts of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat in Lithuania who risked his own life and family to facilitate the escape of more than 6000 Jewish refugees.

Thenceforward and for several years, Abe’s parents travelled thousands of miles across Europe and Asia. Journeying more than 4000 miles east across Russia to the port of Vladivostok, they sailed to Japan, where they spent a year helping settle Jews in Kyoto. Their suspicions began to grow when they noted a lack of men in the streets, so, just prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, they fled about 900 miles southwest across the East China Sea to the free city of Shanghai.

After about a year in Shanghai , they began a sojourn west to India where Abe’s father, found work in a British textile factory. With an ultimate goal of getting to Palestine, they left India a year later and travelled on a merchant ship to Haifa.

There his father found work in oil refineries. Then, in an amazingly serendipitous occurrence of human connection, Abe’s grandmother was befriended by a young woman who had noticed her crying in a synagogue over the unknown whereabouts of one of her sons (Abe’s uncle who had been expelled from France before the war). This woman had just married someone from Japan and had information which led to finding the son in Mexico, via a Jewish agency in New York and the Mexican consulate in Beirut. Abe’s parents left Haifa for Mexico in 1945 and this became the country of Abe’s early youth.

With his parents’ history of world travel and multicultural experiences, Abe continued to journey to foreign cultures. After high school he spent about five years on three different occasions in Israel, working on a kibbutz, doing a medical internship in Tel Aviv, and volunteering as a pediatrician during the Yom Kippur War. He came to the United States in 1976; following a medical residency in Chicago and a fellowship in Houston, Abe followed the enthusiastic recommendations of a friend and moved to Denver, where he spent twenty one years working at Kaiser Permanente. His parents moved to this country in 1978 and joined Abe here in Denver in 1995. They died in 2007, two weeks apart from each other at the ages of 94 and 93.

Abe notes that what he has learned from his parents is that “everything is relative and ephemeral.” His parents urged him to value education –striving to do well—and he learned the value of helping others and having good human relationships. To that end, he currently volunteers at the Food Bank . Abe sees the distance between “being nice” and “being mean” as “very narrow” – “it is easy to go from one side to the other.” Although very interested in politics, especially including poverty, discrimination and women’s status, Abe doesn’t, however, see an existing solution to human problems: “As I get older, I have more questions.” He wonders how much human behavior – aggression, for instance -- is controlled by human biology and whether or not acts of kindness can ultimately solve social problems. At the same time, he values the differences in all cultures and the need to learn from those differences, and he wishes Americans were as interested in the common good as he feels exists in other countries.

Abe’s enjoyment of bike-riding, attending the symphony, playing chess and travelling (including doing health-care volunteer work in other countries) has been supplemented with his love of taking OLLI classes. “The History of Broadway Musicals” first hooked him, but teaching about optimizing brain fitness has solidified that OLLI-South connection. His parents’ engendered values of education, human compassion and multi-cultural and political awareness are all nurtured and sustained in his learning and facilitating at OLLI-South.

– Ellen Sloan

Advisory Council LeaderS usan Long has assumed the chair of the South

Advisory Council. She has been on the council and now becomes chairperson with the move of former chairperson Barbe Ratcliffe to chair the Curriculum Committee. Also on the Advisory Council are Bob Armstrong, Shirley Bartlett, Ruth Harthun, Margaret Hayward, Jim Hornor, Pat Proctor, Barbe Ratcliffe, Gayla Solomon and Florence Welch.

I n M e m o r i a mWe will miss the contributions of OLLI member:

Jared Kirkpatrick

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)

2211 South Josephine St., Denver, CO 80208303-871-3090

www.universitycollege.du.edu/olli

Jenny Fortenberry, Program ManagerOLLI South 720-339-1379

ollisouth@gmail.com

OLLI South classes meet at 11004 Wildfield Lane, Littleton, CO 80125

January 12 - Winter Term March 9

January 30 WELLAware Walking Tour of Union Station

February 6 Spring Catalog Posted on Website

February 16 Spring Registration Begins

February 20 OLLI West Hot Topic Luncheon: Reimagining Education from Pre-school

to College

March 6 Winter Term Ends (except Monday classes

which finish on Monday, March 9)

March 30 - Spring Term May 22

M A R K Y O U R

Calendar

A Word from Our Director

I t is with much appreciation that we applaud all of our OLLI members who have so enthusiastically

supported our efforts to be a more environmentally friendly organization. Using your OLLI coffee cup each week has not only emphasized the importance of sustainability, but has also cut the expenditure of purchasing literally hundreds of disposable cups each week. Thank you so much for your support.

–Vonnie Wheeler, OLLI Director

From the Manager:

F all 2014 was our largest term ever!! We had 376 members taking classes just at OLLI South. This

number represents a 30% increase over the Fall 2013 term one year ago. Of that number, we had 77 new members who attended classes for the first time!! We offered 28 academic classes, in addition to interActive, Social, Lunch and Learn, and WellAware activities. Our continued success is a tribute to all of you spreading the word about OLLI. It is also a tribute to our facilitators, because members must really be enjoying their classes!! With this great success comes a few challenges. One of the biggest challenges is finding additional facilitators who enjoy sharing their passions with others. If you, or someone you know, would like to learn more about the facilitating process, please contact me at ollisouth@gmail.com.

–Jenny Fortenberry

117 Strong

T hat’s the number of Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes across the United States. That is, literally

across, since there is an OLLI in every state of the union, including Alaska and Hawaii. The Bernard Osher Foundation has slowly and methodically endowed all these organizations to offer learning opportunities for the 50+ crowd. Most started out as DU’s OLLI; there was an earlier seniors’ learning organization (in our case VIVA) which received Osher funds after an initial program was in place. The Foundation generously provides funds to improve and grow the programs - in exchange we adopt the Osher name.

Colorado has only two: at DU and CSU. Here at DU we have received $2M to fund and grow our programs. We don’t get to spend the $2M but we do receive the interest earned from that money and it funds 23% of our operating expenses.

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what

it takes to sit down and listen.” –Winston Churchill