Director's Note
A tremendous thank you to every person who has donated to OLLI at WMU this year! During our Annual Meeting last November, I shared that our fundraising goal for the 2023-2024 year is $50,000. Many of you have already risen to the call, and with your help we have raised a little more than $20,000 that will go toward supporting our lifelong learning community’s operations, programming, and scholarships. So once again, THANK YOU for your financial generosity!
Sincerely,
Toni Woolfork-Barnes, Ed.D.
Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at WMU 
Curriculum
Free Osher Online Opportunity
We are excited to share our upcoming community event: April's North American Eclipse of the Sun: How to see it safely with Astronomer Andrew Fraknoi!
A rare and dramatic eclipse of the Sun will be witnessed by nearly 532 million people across North America on April 8, 2024. Andrew Fraknoi’s presentation describes exactly when and where the eclipse will be best visible, how to safely observe an eclipse of the Sun, how eclipses come to be, and what scientists learn during eclipses like this one.
This free virtual event will take place on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 7 p.m.; click to learn more and register here to participate.
Course Scholarships
If you know someone who would like to take an OLLI course but might need a little assistance, please let them know that we have Course Scholarships available. Just have them call the office at (269) 387-4157 and we will be delighted to help them get started on their lifelong learning journey.
Bring A Friend Program
If you plan to take a course this semester that isn’t full, you can also take advantage of our Bring a Friend program and invite them to sit in on the class with you for free! This is a great way to introduce your friends and family to OLLI and encourage them to join. The course liaisons will have membership forms available; please contact the office to let us know you will be bringing a friend so we can know who our guests are.
Still Time to Register
Registration is well underway, and classes are filling up fast! However, there is still time to register for these OLLI courses happening in March: 
Introduction to Neurodiversity with Max Hornick
Friday 3/1 10 a.m. to Noon in CHHS 1087
The Gilmore 2024: A Musical Sampler with Zaide Pixley, Adam Schumaker, & Pierre van der Westhuizen
Mon. 3/4- 3/11. 10 a.m. to Noon. StoryPoint of Kalamazoo Auditorium
The History and the Literature: "How Much of These Hills is Gold" with Diane & Stan Henderson
Mon. 3/4. 1 to 3 p.m. Portage Zhang Senior Center, Meeting Rooms 1A/1B
Snakes! with Adam Austin
Tues. 3/5 - 3/12. 1 to 3 p.m. CHHS 1284
Beginning Calligraphy with Robert L. Hosack
Wed. 3/6 - 4/17. 1 to 2:30 p.m. The Bellflower
Love & Samba: A Musical Journey to Brazil with Barry Kitch
Wed. 3/6 - 3/13. 2 to 4 p.m. Portage Zhang Senior Center, Community Room West
Michigan, My Michigan 4 with Lynn Houghton
Thurs. 3/7. 10 a.m. to Noon. Zhang Legacy Collection Center
French or Foe with Carol Hodges
Mon & Wed. 3/11 - 3/20. 10 a.m. to Noon. CHHS 1093
The Biggest Village in the USA: Kalamazoo History from 1828 to 1884 with Tom Dietz
Fri. 3/15 - 3/29. 9 to 11 a.m. Portage Zhang Senior Center. Meeting Room 1A/1B
The Next Frontier of Combustion: Plasma-Assisted Combustion for a More Sustainable World with Giselle Rajabikhorasani
Fri. 3/15 - 3/29 10 to 11:30 a.m. CHHS 1035
How Trustworthy Are Your Eyes? Challenges for Memory and How to Improve It with Samantha Strine
Fri. 3/15 - 3/22. 1 to 2:30 p.m. CHHS 1035
Forgiveness: It is Really, Really, Good For You with Dr. Paula Andrasi
Fri. 3/15 - 4/12. 2 to 4 p.m. CHHS 1087
Schubert and His Piano Sonatas with Zaide Pixley & Pierre van der Westhuizen
Mon. 3/18. 10 a.m. to Noon. Friendship Village, Keystone Room
How to Save a Billion Birds for $3.49 with Gail Walter
Tues. 3/19. 5 to 7 p.m. CHHS 1035
A Woman's Place is Under the Dome with Valerie Marvin
Mon. 3/25 - 4/1. 2 to 4 p.m. CHHS 2089
Visual Facilitation: Planning for your Best Life as You Age with Allison Hammond
Thurs. 3/28. 9 to 11 a.m. StoryPoint of Kalamazoo, Auditorium
Events
The Good Times Keep Rolling!
A big thank you to the members, friends, instructors, and volunteers who came out for our annual January Thaw event at People’s Church. For those of you who participated in our Book Swap, we hope you’ve enjoyed your new reads and, of course, we appreciate all of those who brought donations for the Kalamazoo Literacy Council. There was a lot of excitement about our winter/spring courses which are now well under way, so a big shout out to our fantastic instructors!
OLLI January Thaw
LAST CALL: Reminder that we have another Good Times with OLLI event today, Friday March 1, from 1 to 3 p.m.! Join us at Milestone Senior Services on in Kalamazoo for games, fun, and socializing with fellow members and friends.
Memberships & Marketing
OLLI at WMU Expanding its Reach
Our OLLI was recently highlighted in (check out page 5!), a local newspaper focused on Southwest Michigan, thanks to journalist James Coppinger. Our lifelong learning community is also continuing to extend its social media reach through our . Let’s keep working together to spread the word and invite others to experience what we already know—that OLLI at WMU is fun, socially engaging, and contributes to overall well-being!
Quotable Quotes
To Taste Life Twice with Leeanne Seaver:
“Great interaction and ideas... Great hints for writing: Leeanne [was] VERY familiar with subject!”
Travel
In addition to the three fabulous trips being offered through Premier World Discovery in 2024, we have added a special new adventure called Music Cities Christmas. From December 3 to 9, 2024, we’ll explore Branson, Memphis, and Nashville on a trip jam-packed with music, city tours, an afternoon aboard the largest lake cruise vessel, a visit to Graceland and so much more. Why not consider it as the perfect Christmas gift for yourselves? Encourage your family and friends to hop on board for an unforgettable holiday season treat!
Also, be sure to consider the other travel Â鶹´«Ă˝ being offered through Premier World Discovery this year. Historic Savannah and Charleston is coming up April 26, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta (including Santa Fe and Taos) departs October 4, and, for an international opportunity, consider Highlights of Italy’s Amalfi Coast, beginning November 5. Premier World Discovery offers a complete travel experience—transportation to and from the airports, experienced tour guides, and great accommodations—at all the fantastic sites and venues.
Stay tuned for a future travel presentation by Tracey Schenk, our Premier World Discovery representative, in Portage next month on April 18, 2024. Tracey is happy to answer questions and explain any details you may be interested in knowing, as well as reveal upcoming 2025 travel Â鶹´«Ă˝. Join us by signing up under Trips on the OLLI Website.
As for our local OLLI Travel program, we anticipate posting information about upcoming 2024 trips in late March. AAA is no longer our travel partner, but we are currently working with the new travel vendor to launch our 2024 season. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work with this new vendor, and rest assured, your OLLI Travel Committee is working diligently to create some interesting learning Â鶹´«Ă˝ in 2024. Stay tuned!
Remember—taking the time to explore new places is educational, keeps us engaged, and best of all is worry-free fun for all of us! Step out in 2024 and add some wonderful new memories to your travel repertoire!
Volunteer
Like the 125+ fellow Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes across the country, we are cultivating a community of lifelong learners, and our OLLI at WMU volunteers are the driving force that propels our organization forward.
Our volunteer committees enlist instructors, plan events, help OLLI extend its reach within our community, plan travel experiences, recruit and retain members, and work on special projects. OLLI’s instructors volunteer to freely share their knowledge, expertise, and passion by teaching courses. As a result, our Â鶹´«Ă˝s grow wiser as they grow older.
By serving OLLI, volunteers enjoy multiple benefits. They build relationships, expand their skillsets, contribute to problem-solving, and gain satisfaction when their efforts yield tangible results.
If you haven’t yet volunteered, please consider taking on a volunteer role—there are many Â鶹´«Ă˝ available to help build a stronger lifelong learning community. If you’d like to lend a hand, email us at wmu-olli@wmich.edu or call the OLLI Office at (269) 387-4157.
Wellness Moment
Friendly Reminder to STRETCH!
As you may imagine, January and February are two of the busiest months in the health club industry. With the influx of New Year’s resolutions inevitably comes the contingency of tweaked muscles from overzealous “resolutioners.” Even I have learned the hard way that without a proper warm-up, and regular stretching, I am more likely to hurt myself.
Flexibility is the quality of bending easily without breaking, and poor flexibility in my hamstrings was often a major culprit contributing to my chronic low-back pain. Additionally, I have recently heard about a number of pickleball injuries happening to seniors that do not properly warm-up or stretch. Therefore, here is the public service announcement reminding you to stretch!
Injury prevention is a big benefit, but for retiree-aged individuals, an even bigger benefit is improved functional capacity, or the ease at which we conduct day-to-day activities. The idea is that if a muscle is more pliable and flexible, it can better withstand the physical demands of physical activity, and less likely to be strained or torn. Ideally, we should stretch every day, but any increase in frequency will generate positive results.
A quick Google search will lead you to an endless world of stretches to choose from. As an aging trainer, my philosophy has morphed to doing what feels good and doing a lot of that. In other words, do the stretches that feel good, and do them often. To get you started, I have added the guidelines indicated by the below. Now, get to stretching!
Tyler Norman, Ph.D.
Manager of Corporate Outreach
ACSM Exercise Physiologist
NCFI Corporate Fitness Specialist
West Hills Athletic Club, WMU
Benefits:
- Injury prevention
- Reduces chronic back pain
- Improves posture
- Improved range of motion
Guidelines for Boomers (ACSM):
- Frequency: 3-7/weeks
- Duration: 15-20 minutes
- Intensity: hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds to point of discomfort
Community Connections
Education and Action in Kalamazoo to Address the Threats of Climate Change
Join the WMU Climate Change Working Group, affiliate organizations across campus, Â鶹´«Ă˝s, staff, and the greater Kalamazoo community for Climate Emergency: Spring into Action 2024, a semester-long examination of the climate crisis and what we can do to address it.
Each week during the spring 2024 semester (January 8 to April 27), campus and community groups will host events related to climate change. There will be a mix of events such as talks, workshops, film viewings, and direct-action campaigns, among other things, all focused on the science of climate change, climate justice, sustainability, and identifying solutions at multiple scales.
All “Spring into Action” events are open to the public. We encourage you to carpool, walk, or ride your bike to events. If you must drive, there are two easy methods for if you do not have a semester parking pass.
- Use metered parking in .
- Buy a temporary day-pass to keep in your car for $5. Permits can be .
Please join us in proactively developing a plan to address the most critical crisis our planet is facing! Questions or suggestions? Contact @email.
Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group
The Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group invites any and all OLLI members to attend their free monthly meetings. For more than 40 years, the Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group (KMUG) has supported Kalamazoo area Apple product users. They can help you get the most from all your Apple products and have fun at the same time!
You’ll learn how to gain control of your iPhone from patient teachers who specialize in helping beginners and older adults understand how to use their ever-changing Apple products. They’ll explain technology updates, demonstrate how to use different software and apps, as well as conduct Q&A sessions at every meeting.
The KMUG meets at 9 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month at the Portage District Library. Meetings generally run from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and no RSVP is required—just feel free to drop in! For more information about the Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group, visit their website at .
Memory Cafe
The Memory Cafe provides a safe and supportive environment where individuals with memory loss and their care partners can forge social connections, reduce isolation, and promote overall well-being through activities that improve cognitive function. The Memory Cafe’s next meeting takes place on Wednesday, March 13 at 10 a.m.; click here to learn more about this important program facilitated by the Memory Care Learning Center in collaboration with the Portage Zhang Senior Center.
Kalamazoo Literacy Council
Join the Kalamazoo Literacy Council and the Kalamazoo Public Library as we proudly welcome Oliver James to Kalamazoo on Thursday, April 18! Oliver used social media to chronicle his literacy journey of teaching himself how to read as an adult and has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and supporters. Oliver has received plenty of media attention as well, including from People Magazine, Good Morning America, and NPR, and he received the Barbara Bush National Literacy Honor Award from the Barbara Bush Foundation. Despite all the public accolades, Oliver—a motivational speaker, father, and adult learner—says his journey is just getting started and that he’s determined to do everything he can to keep motivating millions of adults just like him to reach their goals.
To learn more about this very special event, please contact Kito Jumanne-Marshall at (269) 382-0490 ext. 211 or by email at kjumanne-marshall@kalamazooliteracy.org.
What is the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute?
The program was initiated under the auspices of the WMU Emeriti Council and WMUx. OLLI offers intellectually lively and culturally appealing learning experiences. We accomplish this by focusing on intellectual stimulation, personal growth, social engagement and enrichment. Read more
What do we do?
We offer short courses for one to four weeks. Sessions are usually two hours long. Travel programs are also a part of our offerings. There are no tests and no required homework, just exploring lots of interesting topics.
In the near future we will offer courses in different formats -- noon hour discussions, several sessions in one week, and more evening courses. OLLI courses and activities are developed and produced by its members with the support of the staff of WMUx.
We need your ideas for course topics and instructors. Let us know your suggestions. Call the OLLI office at (269) 387-4157 or send an email. The curriculum committee will review all suggestions.