All Life is Learning – August 2023

Director's Note and In this Issue

Director's Note

Happy August and the Beginning of a New Semester!

We all know that this can be a super busy time as the phones are ringing and we are working feverishly to help all of our members. Please remember that online self-registration is the fastest way to register for courses – we have included step-by-step instructions below in the hope that this will be more effective and efficient for everyone.

Please note that we will have staff support helping during registration, but if you call, you may not get through immediately, so please leave a message and your call will be returned. If you are not registering online, you can also send your course registration directly to the OLLI office with your payment, by check, so that it reaches the office before August 9. Do not include a credit card number.

To obtain the member discounted course fee, you must be a member. If you want to be assured of the membership discount, make sure you are a current member. If you are not a member, register for or add your membership to the cart first and then begin registering for courses. Please note, we will continue to adhere to the course cancellation policy.

Lastly, if you know someone who would like to take an OLLI course and might need a little assistance, please let them know that there are course scholarships available. Just have them call the office at (269) 387-4157 and we will be delighted to assist them.

Sincerely,

Toni Woolfork-Barnes, Ed.D.

Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at WMU 

In this Issue

Curriculum

Course Registration

There is still time to register for our last summer course, “Can You Dig It? Tour of the WMU Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Dig Site,” with instructor John Geisler on August 5 from 10 a.m. to noon. This course will take place at the Fort St. Joseph Archaeology Project Field at 1415 Bond St in Niles, MI, 49120. Rain Date is August 6, 10 a.m. to noon.

Also, don’t forget! Fall course registration starts Wednesday, August 9, at 10 a.m. Below are refresher instructions for how to register online for membership and courses. 

Online Registration Step-by-Step:

After browsing the catalog, click the button that says, “Click Here to Register.”
Sign-in to your membership account by entering your username and password.
- If you are an OLLI member or previous registrant, you already have a username. If you do not know what it is, or need help creating a new account, email the OLLI office at wmu-olli@wmich.edu.
- Remember, members enjoy the lowest course fees and other benefits. Make sure to Add a Membership to your cart if you have not yet renewed your annual membership.
Under the Courses tab, click on the link for the appropriate starting month for the course you are interested in taking.
Browse for your desired course and click the “Add to Cart” button.
When you finish selecting all of your courses, click the Cart button to check out.
Check out to complete your transaction – now you're ready for class!
- For virtual courses, online access links will be sent to you prior to your course start date.
- For on-campus classes, parking passes will be emailed a week before your course start date, if needed.

A New Special Interest Group (SIG)

The EDISON: EDucation IS ON – Resident Scholars Group is a new Special Interest Group (SIG) offered by OLLI at WMU. The purpose of this SIG is to increase engagement of OLLI members in the exploration, research, interpretation, and discussion of the history, heritage, and culture of the Edison neighborhood.

Edison is Kalamazoo’s largest and most diverse neighborhood. It is often defined by its challenges of high poverty, crime, health disparities, struggling academic achievement, and low literacy rates instead of the opportunities and innovation that are taking place thanks to the resilience and action of the people who live there. This SIG envisions Edison as a learning neighborhood by interpreting its characteristics through a humanities lens that includes educational, historical, and cultural perspectives.

Committed to building a healthy, safe, and inviting community through participation and representation, the Edison Resident Scholars are dedicated to fostering learning and leadership in the Edison neighborhood.

This group represents the diverse community in which they live, work, and play, and they bring a diversity of thought, backgrounds, and lived experiences to the table. The Edison Resident Scholars represent people with less than a high school diploma, to a high school diploma and general educational development, to college graduates. They are longtime members of their community, living in the Edison neighborhood for an average of 15 to 20 years, and are committed to making sustainable changes in many ways, including through community-based research to both inform policy that shapes the environment in their community while simultaneously transforming the perception of their neighborhood. They meet monthly at Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan at 420 E. Alcott Street, Kalamazoo, MI, 49001. Meeting dates vary but take place in the evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Membership and Marketing

Thank you to everyone who has already renewed their membership for the 2023-2024 program year! If you have not had the opportunity to renew your membership, now is the time to renew. OLLI's membership year runs from July 1 to June 30, so, unless you renewed when registering for summer classes, your membership has likely expired. Renewing is easy. You can go to our website or call the OLLI office at (269) 387-4157.  OLLI activity has been picking up rapidly this year, but if you let your membership lapse because you weren't quite ready to start attending classes and events, now is the time to jump back into all the learning, fun, and friendships that OLLI offers!

Travel

Attention OLLI Travelers!

Although it seems summer is just now underway, the deadline to register for upcoming fall trips is quickly approaching! Registrations must be completed 30 days prior to the trip date per the motor coach contract. Given that August 13 is the deadline to register for our exciting trip to Detroit on September 13, the time to act is now! We are excited to tour the newly remodeled Motown (Hitsville U.S.A. Museum) with our on-board special guest, Cal Street, lead singer of the popular and successful Motown group the Velveletts. The trip also includes time to explore the impressive Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

September 10 is the registration deadline for our unique trip to Lansing on October 10, where we will tour the iconic R. E. Olds Museum along with a compelling visit to the Nokomis Native American Culture Center. See OLLI Trip page for full details.

So, get ready OLLI Travelers – don’t let these trips slip away – sign up now!! Stop by our table at Taste of OLLI to visit and ask any questions. See you on the bus!

To make signing up more efficient, AAA has provided new phone numbers dedicated to more directly reaching the registration desk. They are Chellie: (402) 513-4386 and Dave: (402) 513-4388, and since we are at peak vacation time, Corey Stafford at (402) 390-1000 ext. 269, or (402) 513-4387, will be assisting in accepting reservations if either Dave or Chellie are unavailable.

OLLI at WMU Partnering with Premier Travel

We are excited to announce that we are working to expand OLLI at WMU’s travel program with Premier Travel. We believe that working with Premier will help OLLI at WMU pursue travel goals, and that the company will be accommodating and easy to work with. Below is a greeting from our Premier travel representative.

Greetings!  My name is Tracey Schenk, and I am the Premier World Discovery, Business Development Manager for the state of Michigan. I am honored to share this new partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Western Michigan University. My goal is to bring domestic and international travel opportunities to the program so OLLI at WMU members can share experiences, create memories, and make new friends traveling throughout the world. I started in the active adult group travel industry back in 1990 and spent 10 years in this market. From 2000 until 2021, I ventured into student group travel and sent thousands of kids all over the world! I wasn’t looking to change careers, but I could not resist this amazing opportunity to work for Premier World Discovery. I joined their team in November 2021 and found my dream job. Travel fills my soul with joy, and I am right where I belong. I am so grateful for all the amazing travel experiences I have had over these past 33 years and look forward to sharing new adventures with OLLI at WMU!

Wellness Moment

"Leaky Water Bags" and the Importance of Hydration

As we slide into the dog days of summer, I thought it would be worth a reminder to stay hydrated! At an American College of Sports Medicine conference a few years ago, I attended a lecture entitled “Leaky Water Bags.” The reference was of course to the human body, being that we are made up of more than 60% water, and we lose an average of 80 ounces of water daily through normal activity. For retiree aged individuals, the risk of dehydration is increased, and can have potentially serious consequences compared to younger individuals. With advancing years, seniors can have a diminished sense of thirst and tend to not drink enough water to maintain optimal health. Additionally, dehydration is one of the biggest culprits for hospital visits for people over the age of 65. Symptoms of dehydration can include dizziness, dry skin, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, and fainting.

Tyler Norman, Ph.D.
Manager of Corporate Outreach
ACSM Exercise Physiologist
NCFI Corporate Fitness Specialist
West Hills Athletic Club, WMU

The health benefits of optimal hydration make it worth the effort, so here’s my attempt at getting the “buy in.” First, metabolism, or the rate at which our bodies use calories, is maximized with proper hydration, which helps with weight management. Second, optimal hydration will maximize your body’s nutrient absorption and give us more “bang for our buck” from the calories we are consuming. Third, proper hydration will improve the elasticity of the skin, preventing or reducing wrinkles. Fourth, consuming enough water will send a message to the body that you’re not in a desert, which reduces water retention, which in turn reduces body circumferences, too! Finally, it helps with the feeling of satiety which is helpful in preventing overeating.

Question: How much water should I drink?

Answer: 2/3 of an ounce per pound of body weight per day. For example, a 150 lb. individual should be consuming 100 oz. per day.

Caveat: alcohol and caffeine can be counterproductive to optimal hydration, so add an ounce of water to your daily total for every ounce of alcohol or caffeine ingested.

Happy drinking!

Community Connections

Calling All Past and Present KLC Tutors

Have you volunteered with the Kalamazoo Literacy Council? Share your story! The KLC is seeking individuals who have been tutors to share their stories, which may be used as part of our upcoming 50th-anniversary celebration. We are especially interested in volunteers who lent a hand throughout the 1970s, 80s or 90s, but we'd love to hear from all of you! Please contact Kito at (269) 382-0490 ext. 211 or kjumanne-marshall@kalamazooliteracy.org. 

A Moment of Reflection

Life is the daily epoch of self-education formal or informal.

It is the process of making us the individuals that we are.

It is patience, a never-ending process that leads us to happiness.

- Caroline Rodriguez

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.