Director's Note
OLLI Volunteer Thank You &
Open House
Last month, the OLLI staff hosted its first event in its new home - Walwood Hall. There were over 100 OLLI members and guests in attendance. Thanks to everyone who attended and helped to make the Volunteer Thank You and Open House a success. A special thanks to Ms. Judy Sivak, Dr. Kahler Schuemann, Dr. Sharon Carlson and Ms. Stephanie Grathwol for being part of the program. Also, we would like to say a big thank you to Ms. Sharon Wherry and Ms. Barb Sagara for their assistance as well.
This event allowed OLLI members to connect and socialize, literally see a magic act, learn about the history of Walwood, enjoy tasty appetizers, tour Walwood, and win tickets to either a WMU hockey or football game for this coming fall semester. A huge shout out and thank you to V. P. Jeff Breneman for donating over 20 WMU athletic tickets.
We have included a few pictures below from the June 18th Volunteer Thank You and Open House event. Enjoy!
Curriculum
Summer Courses 2026
We hope you are enjoying your summer thus far. We know that OLLI members may be traveling, enjoying out of town guests, gardening, or just enjoying the beauty of summer, but if you find that you still want more to do, there is still time to register for July courses:
- Taking Better Pictures with your iPhone
- This History and the Literature: HORSE
- Mini Medical School: Hot Topics in Medicine
- Roger Sherman: Patriot Extraordinaire
And of course, there are a number of Osher Online courses available as well. To learn more about the courses listed above or the Osher courses, here is the link to the course catalog OLLI at WMU Course Catalog
Cool City Initiatives Walking Tour
Christopher Hodshire has taught his Cool City Initiatives Walking Tour course on more than one occasion for OLLI, and this summer he taught for us again. Below are several pictures that were taken recently in Grand Rapids, Michigan during the walking tour. Take a look and enjoy the pictures of Chris and his OLLI students, and some of the Grand Rapid's buildings, some with beautifully painted murals.
Shared Interest Group
Senior Readers Theater
In May, members from Senior Readers Theater (SRT) met for lunch at Mark’s Restaurant in Portage. This is a very lively group and no doubt everyone enjoyed great company and conversation. Thanks to Stephanie Groshko Grathwol (co-stage manager) for providing the pictures of SRT members at lunch.
Note: we would love to hear from all of our Shared Interest Groups (SIGS). Please share pictures from your meetings or gatherings and we will gladly include them in the OLLI newsletter.
The SIGS are a great way to connect with other OLLI members outside of the classroom. To learn more about SIGS here’s the link to the webpage
Events
92 =
The number of people who have already registered for the TASTE OF OLLI on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at the Fetzer Center. Bring a friend and let’s make it 93, 94, 95… and beyond!
Check in starting at 8:00 am, enjoy a continental breakfast, and take a seat in the auditorium to hear announcements from OLLI Director Toni Woolfork-Barnes and a vision for OLLI’s future under our new administrator, Jeffrey S. Breneman, Vice President for Government Relations and External Partnerships.
Then refill your coffee and get ready for the main course! Our fall instructors will serve up “tasty bites” of information about their upcoming classes, giving you a preview of exciting learning opportunities ahead. We will wrap it up by 1:00 pm, but you will miss out if you don’t sign in and register to attend. Or call the office at (269) 387-4157 by the deadline which is July 10th
Register Here SIGs and Events
Also, there’s still time to renew your membership or join OLLI before the Taste of OLLI or during the event. Take advantage of the discounted rate of $40 - you can register online using the link below.
Membership | Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at WMU | Western Michigan University
Community Connections
Kalamazoo Literacy Council
Game on! Join Us at the 15th Annual
Kalamazoo Scrabble® Fest
Calling all word lovers, strategy enthusiasts, and lifelong learners! The Kalamazoo Literacy Council (KLC) invites you to its biggest fundraiser of the year — the 15th Annual Kalamazoo Scrabble® Fest — on Saturday, August 8, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo.
Whether you're a seasoned Scrabble champion who knows every two-letter word in the official dictionary or a casual player who just enjoys a friendly tile-draw, this event is for you. Individuals and teams compete in a lively tournament atmosphere, all in support of a vital cause: helping adults in our community build literacy skills that transform lives.
Tickets are $25 and include a t-shirt, delicious snacks, parking, and the satisfaction of knowing every word you spell helps fund KLC's adult literacy programs like one-on-one tutoring, classes, and other resources for adults to improve their reading, writing, and English language skills.
Gather your friends or come solo and make new ones. Scrabble Fest is a perfect outing for OLLI members — a chance to exercise your mind, connect with the community, and support literacy in Kalamazoo.
Register by July 20 at kalamazooliteracy.org/scrabblefest or on Eventbrite. For any questions, please call Kito (269) 382-0490 ext. 4761.
Preserving Kalamazoo’s Historic Cemeteries You’re Invited…
Spring has sprung and it’s finally the season to renew our preservation efforts to save Kalamazoo’s historic gravestones.
You are invited to join us for our first preservation event of the year on the Second Saturday in June (June 13th) at 9:00 a.m. in Riverside Cemetery (Section L) located at 1015 Gull Road in Kalamazoo. Just up from the corner of Gull Road and Riverside Dr. Once again, the Friends of Kalamazoo Historic Cemeteries will supply all tools and cleaning materials.
This year we will be utilizing D-2 Bio Solution exclusively. This should speed up the process and enhance our effectiveness. Also, we will begin each preservation event with a brief workshop on the proper cleaning methods for preserving our historic gravestones.
This year we have added a fourth Second Saturday preservation event in the month of September. The planned schedule is as follows:
Saturday, July 11th at Mountain Home Cemetery
Saturday, August 8th at Riverside Cemetery
Saturday, September 12th at Mountain Home Cemetery
The Preservation Team has made a significant contribution in preserving and prolonging the life of our historic gravestones. We are looking forward to greeting old friends on the Team and extending a welcome to our first time volunteers.
We would love to see you there!
Karen Braddy Lambert
Public Relations and Media
What is the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute?
The program was initiated under the auspices of the WMU Emeriti Council and EUP, but now currently resides within the office of Government Relations and External Partnerships. 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 Government Relations and External Partnerships.
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.