Director's Note
Volunteer Extraordinaire
Earlier this year, Ms. Sharon Wade, our Events Committee Co-Chair, was nominated to receive a Daily Point of Light Award, which 鈥渉onors individuals making a meaningful impact through volunteer service. Established by President George H.W. Bush in 1989, this award recognizes those who demonstrate exceptional commitment to community service, improving the lives of others through dedicated and selfless efforts. Recipients come from diverse backgrounds and sectors, united by their passion for making a positive difference.鈥
Sharon is officially the 7,882nd person to be honored by the Points of Light organization. about Sharon鈥檚 dedication to serving our community, and when you get a chance, please congratulate her!
Well done, Ms. Sharon Wade鈥攜ou deserve this honor and recognition!
Warmly,
Toni Woolfork-Barnes, Ed.D.
Director, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at WMU
Events
Annual Meeting
Calling all members鈥攎ark your calendars and plan to join us for OLLI鈥檚 Annual Meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, November 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the . This is the perfect opportunity to hear about the amazing things our OLLI has done this year, all while socializing, having fun, and enjoying refreshments with your lifelong learning community! Please make sure to so we will have an accurate attendee count and can plan accordingly.
Year-End Appeal
We Need YOU!
The generous contributions of our members are invaluable lifelines for our scholarship fund, programming, and overall operations鈥攁nd by participating in OLLI at WMU鈥檚 Year End Appeal campaign, you can help support our organization in an incredibly meaningful way. As you think about year-end giving, please consider maximizing your impact with a gift from your IRA! Making a donation directly from your IRA both creates a lasting impact on our lifelong learning community and is one of the most tax efficient ways to support your favorite charities.
This type of gift, called a鈥, allows individuals 70陆 or older to donate up to $105,000 per year, tax-free, from an IRA to a qualified charity like OLLI at WMU. While an IRA is also a smart way to save for retirement, there are tax implications when you take your Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and when your assets pass to heirs. However, if you鈥檙e subject to an RMD, your gift to OLLI will count toward that distribution.
By gifting from your IRA, you can:
- See the difference you鈥檙e making today鈥痺ith an immediate impact.
- Pay no income taxes on the gift鈥攖he transfer doesn鈥檛 generate taxable income or a deduction.
- Satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD); to count toward your 2024 RMD, your gift must be completed by December 31.
Take advantage of this opportunity to make a tax-free impact before the year ends!
You can also OLLI at WMU as a beneficiary on your retirement account. It costs you nothing today and can be done by completing or updating the beneficiary form through your plan provider.
Explore all the ways that you can support OLLI by visiting wmualumni.org/gift-planning or calling the WMU Office of Gift Planning at鈥(269) 387-8791!
Curriculum
Check out some of the courses that still have seats open below and discover what other learning opportunities we have planned this November by !
- Diversity Under the Dome鈥擵alerie Marvin, Mon. 11/4, 1 to 3 p.m. CHHS Room 1093 Valerie Marvin, Mon. 11/4, 1 to 3 p.m. CHHS Room 1093
- Mute Witness: The History and Future of Kalamazoo's First Baptist Church Building鈥擬atthew Claus, Wed. 11/6, 1 to 3 p.m. CHHS Room 1093
- GIGY: Advance Health Care Planning鈥擧ilary Kerr, Tues. 11/12. 10 a.m. to Noon. Milestone Senior Services
- Inside the NFL's Third Team on the Field鈥擱on Winter. Thurs. 11/14 and 11/21, 1 to 3 p.m. CHHS Room 2089
- Live Music and Discussion: African Influence on American Old Time Tunes鈥擧oward Steiner and Guest Speakers, Mon. 11/25, 5 to 7 p.m. Portage Zhang Senior Center, Lower-Level Activity Room
Special Interest Groups (SIG)
Do you have a special interest? You should create a SIG!
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are one of our many members-only benefits, offering a unique opportunity for those in our lifelong learning community to engage with others who share a common interest.鈥疶hese groups are established,鈥痜acilitated, and run by OLLI members鈥痺ho are passionate about certain topics,鈥痑nd the vitality of the group depends upon the active participation and commitment of its鈥痮wn鈥痬embers. Meanwhile, the OLLI office assists with promoting information about SIGs and registering participants.
You can join a SIG by signing up for it as you do with courses.鈥疧LLI鈥檚 current SIGs are:
- Readers Theatre Comes Alive鈥擶ednesdays, 1 to 3 p.m.,
- Introduction to Film鈥擠ates TBA. near the Crossroads Mall in Portage
- German Conversation鈥擣ridays, 10 a.m. to noon, location varies
- EDISON: The EDucation IS ON - Resident Scholars鈥擠ates TBA,
- P茅tanque, French outdoor game鈥擬ondays during warm weather, 10 a.m. to Noon,
If you would like to establish a new Special Interest Group, simply submit a SIG Proposal Form.鈥疉mong some of the topics that have been suggested as SIGs are Photography, Book Club, Dinner (or Lunch, group) and a Spanish conversation group. While a SIG can begin at any time, promotion in mailers and digital catalogs follows the Course Proposal Form deadlines listed below. Please call Shannon鈥痑t the OLLI office, (269) 387-4157, if you are interested in starting a new SIG.
Deadline dates to submit SIG information to the OLLI office:
- April 1 for Fall semester
- September 1 for Winter/Spring semester
- December 1 for Summer semester
Volunteers
Volunteers are the backbone of OLLI, and nearly a third of all members are committed to helping our lifelong learning community thrive through their invaluable contributions! OLLI鈥檚 first volunteers were its founders鈥攁 small group of emeriti WMU faculty who turned their vision into an innovative program. On the founders鈥 solid foundation, our dedicated volunteers have helped secure funding, build OLLI鈥檚 curriculum, recruit members, host events and trips, evaluate effectiveness, and so much more. Whether a sense of duty or other forces inspire people to volunteer, the rewards usually outpace the contribution, and one significant return OLLI volunteers receive is the pride they feel knowing they鈥檙e empowering our organization to grow and improve. As Muhammad Ali and Shirley Chisholm have both been credited with saying, 鈥渟ervice is the rent we pay for our space on earth,鈥 so if you鈥檙e ready to take action and make a major impact, join our robust volunteer team! Just call the office at (269) 387-4157 and we鈥檒l find the perfect fit for you!
Travel
You may remember that in 2023, OLLI at WMU and Premier World Discovery developed a relationship designed to help to expand our travel program. They really are committed to ensuring that you have an exceptional experience, and over the next several months, we will further introduce you to Premier and the many advantages of traveling with this company.
Let鈥檚 start by answering the question, 鈥渨hy should I travel with OLLI at WMU and Premier World Discovery?鈥 Premier World Discovery provides excellent customer service, takes all of the worry out of extended travel planning, and much more! Here is what you can look forward to and some of the benefits of traveling with this outstanding organization:
- Round trip airport transfers between one designated location in Kalamazoo and the GRR airport
- Tours include airfare from GRR and all air taxes and fees
- Deluxe accommodations and transportation provided while on tour
- Fully guided excursions led by the Tour Director
- Daily breakfast, welcome, and farewell dinners included
- Baggage handling between hotels and motorcoach
- Daily sightseeing along with ample free time to explore
- Optional Travel Protection available (must be purchased with initial deposit)
- Final document briefing two weeks prior to your departure to answer questions
Check out the OLLI trip website to see what trips are planned for next year. We will be adding more, so stay tuned!
Wellness Moment
Caution! Coronary Event Season Ahead
Tyler Norman, Ph.D.
Manager of Corporate Outreach
ACSM Exercise Physiologist
NCFI Corporate Fitness Specialist
West Hills Athletic Club, WMU
Here we are approaching Thanksgiving, the holiday season, and all the ups and downs that go with it. It is the season of gluttony, sloth, and added stress, particularly if family is involved. Sadly, determined that Christmas Day is the number one day of the year for cardiac deaths, and the last week of December is the most prevalent week of the year for cardiac deaths.
As is often in life, the things we love about the holiday season are not always good for our health. We overeat, overdrink, and skip workouts because we are so busy bearing the stress of shopping, party planning, family logistics, traveling, holiday cards, and more. Because of this, we forget to drink water and are probably not getting our normal allotment of sleep. Put that all together, along with a coronary risk factor or two, plus an increase in colds, flu, and covid (all of which weakens our immune system) and BAM.
If you would like to avoid your holiday being marred by a coronary event, here are some tips.
- First and foremost, do not neglect physical activity. ACSM recommends 30 minutes of moderately vigorous exercise daily, and it is one of the best stress relievers available to us. So, get your exercise and you will be better equipped to handle the relative that causes you chest pain鈥攚e all have one.
- Use moderation, but still enjoy yourself. The idea of moderation is more important over the holidays because of all the outside influences that we normally do not deal with, which can add stress. I am big on stress management because I am convinced it was the catalyst for my father鈥檚 massive coronary event (which ironically occurred on December 31).
- Recognize warning signs and take action. Knowing the warning signs of a coronary event, and immediately taking action no matter how embarrassing it may be, could be the difference between life and death. Minutes count.
- Remember to stay hydrated. Alcohol and caffeine have a diuretic effect, often causing dehydration, so try to drink at least half your bodyweight in ounces of water per day.
- Be sure to get adequate sleep and stick to your meds. It is easy to drop these two things down the priority list over the holidays, but as we know, that is the time we really should not slip up.
- Know that you have an added risk if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, a family history of heart disease, are a smoker, are overweight, and if you are a man over 45 years of age or a woman over 55 years of age.
So, on that positive note鈥攈appy November!
A Life Well Lived
Coming Together to Discuss What is a Life Well Lived
A note of thanks and appreciation for everyone who attended the A Live Well Lived 鈥 Kalamazoo kick-off event! There were approximately 90 community members in attendance, joining together to view the screening of film producer Sky Berman鈥檚 鈥淟ives Well Lived鈥 film. Attendees also participated in discussions about what 鈥渁 life well lived鈥 meant to each person. The discussion was rich, engaging, and thought provoking! Below are some of the pictures from the event.
OLLI Cares - Fill A Trunk
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you who came out on a beautiful Saturday to donate to our six worthy organizations: Kalamazoo Drop-In Child Care Center, YWCA, Housing Resources, Inc., Seita Scholars Program at WMU, Kalamazoo Literacy Council, and Ministry with Community. We look forward to this event each year and greatly appreciate all of you making it a major success with your generous donations!
PS 鈥 we found a pair of glasses that were included along with the OLLI Cares donations. If you鈥檙e missing yours, please call the office at (269) 387-4157.
Kalamazoo Literacy Council
We are excited to invite you to the annual鈥Adult Literacy Research and Training Symposium, hosted by the Kalamazoo Literacy Council, on鈥Friday, December 13, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.鈥痑t the鈥痮n the campus of Western 九一麻豆制片厂 University.
This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥50 Years of Empowerment Through Literacy,鈥 and the symposium brings together educators, tutors, and literacy advocates dedicated to improving adult literacy and exploring innovative strategies. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in informative sessions, share best practices, and network with fellow professionals and community members who are passionate about promoting literacy for all.
Whether you鈥檙e an educator, volunteer, or simply interested in the topic of adult literacy, this symposium offers valuable insights and a platform for collaborative learning.
Highlights of the Day:
- Hear firsthand how the KLC promotes its mission of empowering adults to reach their full potential
- Learn about multigenerational strategies in early childhood education
- Get tools and tips for effective goal setting with adult learners
Registration Details:
This is a free event. For questions or to register for the symposium, please contact Kito at (269) 382-0490 ext. 4786 or鈥@email.
Don鈥檛 miss this chance to be part of an important conversation and contribute to the success of adult learners in our community.鈥疻e hope to see you there!
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.