SOCIAL TIME
| Please plan to join us for a Zoom Book Review with OLLI! This event will be held on Friday, September 11, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:15 a.m.
We will review A Circle of Chalk by Christina McClelland. Christina grew up in Tuscaloosa and is a graduate of Tuscaloosa County High School and The University of Alabama. This is her first novel and she is excited to have the opportunity to visit with our OLLI members. It is not required, but if you would like to read it prior to the book review, A Circle of Chalk is available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble. Please register online or call 205-348-3000. The course ID is LL-2009-LLBZPT-03. |
You Belong With OLLI!
The following online weekly bonus programs are free and open to the public. In order to receive your link to participate, Registration is Required. If you have questions, please call the OLLI Office, (205) 348-6482.
BONUS PROGRAMS Open to the Public – Registration is required
Bonus Programs are presentations on various topics of interest to our members. This fall, we are offering a total of 16 bonus programs: eight on Wednesday and eight on Thursday. Check out the full listing of topics and presenters on our website or in the catalog. We make these presentations available to the public to share what OLLI and lifelong learning is all about. OLLI members and their friends need to register to receive the online class link. Try OLLI online through the Bonus Programs.
Sept. 16, 23, 30; Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28; Nov. 4 Wednesday 12:00-1:15 p.m.
Z201 Tuscaloosa: Covid-19 Update
Sept. 16
Brendan Moore, Executive Director of the Office of Urban Development, City of Tuscaloosa
Brendan will provide a follow-up to his May 2020 presentation. He will give updates, answer questions and (although he is not a seer), may provide some understanding of what is in store for our community.
Z202 Dr. John R. Drish and 19th Century Medicine
Sept. 23
Ross Vaughn
Dr. Vaughn, a well-established physician in Tuscaloosa, has been involved in our city’s historical preservation events for years, sharing his interpretation of Dr. Drish and his contributions to the medical community. Join him, as he presents the history of Dr. John R. Drish, an infamous physician from the early days of Tuscaloosa, and provides a perspective of the practice of western medicine in the 19th century.
Z203 Using Your Imagination in a Time You Had Never Imagined
Sept. 30
Bill Fitts
Shakespeare wrote “King Lear” during an epidemic that closed theaters and kept people in their homes. Samuel Pepys recorded life in seventeenth-century London during a deadly outbreak of bubonic plague. Titian and Edvard Munch are among the painters who created enduring art during the widespread pestilence. Does quarantine inspire? Does social isolation spark creativity? For some. Bill Fitts, author of the “Needed Killing” series (cozy mysteries), and “Song of Narne” fantasy novels, will talk about the creative process in the time of plague. A Q&A will follow the talk.
Z204 Family Law Update
Oct. 7
Penny Davis
Join UA Law School Professor Penny Davis as she gives an overview of recent changes in the area of family law. The course will touch on marriage, divorce and child custody laws. The format will include a PowerPoint presentation with time for questions and answers.
Z205 Terminal Station: Birmingham’s Great Temple of Travel
Oct. 14
Marvin Clemons
Railroad historian and author Marvin Clemons presents the story of Birmingham’s iconic Terminal Station, built in 1909 and considered an architectural masterpiece and the finest railway station in the South. The station was demolished in 1969 to make way for a commercial development that was never built, and 50 years later, nothing remains where the station once stood but a vacant lot.
Z206 2020: The Election that Will Change America
Oct. 21
Natalie Davis, Howell T. Heflin Professor Emerita of American Politics, Birmingham-Southern College
Davis will review election projections, what to look for and what the outcome will mean for our country. She will explore the presidential contest, including the impact of the Electoral College, the possibility of the Senate changing from Republican to Democratic and the Alabama race for U.S. Senate.
Z207 Freedom Which Knew No Restraint: Political Barbecues and the Anti-Barbecue Movement in Madison County
Oct. 28
Mark Johnson
During the early nineteenth century, the nation was at a crossroads between an old worldview and a new one based on democracy, individual liberty and freedom. In the new state of Alabama, there was a perfect scenario for conflict as the old world transitioned to the new one. In Madison County, especially, people struggled over the type of society they wanted to create, and they debated everything about this new emerging world order, including the role of barbecue, in its political process. Join us as Dr. Mark Johnson unpacks this interesting story.
Z208 Kentuck Art Festival: Behind the Scene
Nov. 4
Amy Echols, Director, Kentuck Art Center and Festival
Amy Echols, the enthusiastic director of Northport’s nationally known art center and festival, will share a broad overview of the history of Kentuck’s 49 years of putting on a festival in Kentuck Park, including a look at the many moving parts that happen before, during and after the Festival.
BONUS PROGRAMS
Open to the Public – Registration is required
Bonus Programs are presentations on various topics of interest to our members. This fall we are offering a total of 16 bonus programs: eight on Wednesday and eight on Thursday. Check out the full listing of topics and presenters on our website or in the catalog. We make these presentations available to the public to share what OLLI and lifelong learning is all about. OLLI members and their friends need to register to receive the online class link. Try OLLI online through the Bonus Programs.
Sept. 17, 24: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; Nov. 5 Thursday 12:00-1:15 p.m.
Z209 Eating for Longevity
Sept. 17
Katie Ghossein
Nutrition plays an important role in maintaining optimal health throughout our lifetime. Join wellness dietitian Katie Ghossein for an informational session describing various nutritional needs as we age. You will learn information about specific nutrients and general healthy eating patterns to ensure you are on the right path for a long, healthy life.
Z210 Spirit of Steel: Music of the Mines, Railroads and Mills of the Birmingham District
Sept. 24
Tyler Malugani
As thousands of people moved into the larger Birmingham District to work in the various fields of industry, they brought their families, their possessions and their culture. This aspect of industry is highly fascinating as we investigate how their music styles evolved as their experiences with industry grew. The music created during this period of Alabama history provides a glimpse at the lives of the men and their families at this time.
Z211 The Five Capitals of Alabama: The Story of Alabama’s Capital Cities from St. Stephens to Montgomery
Oct. 1
Tom Bailey
The story of Alabama’s five capitals – St. Stephens, Huntsville, Cahawba, Tuscaloosa and Montgomery – begins in a rough semi-civilized Washington County village and ends at the old cotton town of Montgomery. Between 1817 and 1846, the capitals crisscrossed the state from north to south and east to west, following the political powers and fortunes of the times, and amid more noble arguments that the capital should be near the center of the state. It is the story of Alabama’s government, buildings and laws. It is the story of towns, some of which sprang up and died when the capital moniker came and went. Most of all, the story of Alabama’s capitals is the story of its people: some whose undying devotion to statehood brought Alabama to life; some who used state government in their rise to power and financial prominence; some whose generosity and pureness of heart kept Alabama on solid moral and financial ground; and some whose prejudices held back this state when it should have moved forward. The Five Capitals of Alabama paints a dramatic picture of where we began, where we are today and the twisting journey taken along the way.
Z212 Eating Well During Cancer Treatments and Beyond
Oct. 8
Katie Ghossein
After being diagnosed with cancer, you may have many questions related to nutrition, both during and after treatments and beyond. Join wellness dietitian Katie Ghossein for an informational session to discuss nutrients, eating patterns and general nutrition recommendations to help you manage treatment side effects, boost your immune system and create healthy eating habits to promote overall well-being.
Z213 Fourteenth Colony: The Forgotten Story of the Gulf South During America’s Revolutionary Era
Oct. 15
Mike Bunn
The British colony of West Florida, which once stretched from the mighty Mississippi to the shallow bends of the Apalachicola in portions of what are now the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, is the forgotten fourteenth colony of America’s Revolutionary era. This colony’s eventful years as a part of the British Empire form an important and compelling interlude in Gulf Coast history and has for too long been overlooked. For a host of reasons, including the fact that West Florida did not rebel against the British Government, the colony has long been dismissed as a loyal but inconsequential fringe outpost, if considered at all. But the colony’s history showcases a tumultuous political scene featuring a halting attempt at instituting representative government, a host of bold and colorful characters, a compelling saga of struggle and perseverance in the pursuit of financial stability, and a dramatic series of battles on land and water which brought about the end of its days under the Union Jack.
Z214 Vestavia Hills
Oct. 22
Ashley Curry, Mayor, Vestavia Hills
Mayor Curry will discuss the growth and development, the challenges and the people of Vestavia Hills. Areavibes.com, a national website that evaluates cities, recently voted Vestavia Hills the most livable city in Alabama. Come learn why!
Z215 Prepare Now for Next Year’s Garden
Oct. 29
Eric Shavey
Regional Extension Agent, Eric Shavey, will tell us all the ins and outs of preparing for a productive garden next year. He reminds us what we need to do now and in the coming months to prepare for the success of our next garden. Learn more about these quick tips: 1. Don’t compost our tomato and pepper plants; 2. Clean out the weeds from this year’s garden; 3. Add organic matter now; 4. Plant a cover crop. All four of these steps are great ways to ensure a healthy, productive garden next year without having to use harsh chemicals and fertilizers.
Z216 An Evening with Poe
Nov. 5
Dave Murdock, English instructor, Gadsden State Community College
Dave Murdock will provide new insights to the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He was one of the country’s earliest practitioners of the short story. He is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre and is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. Poe was the first well-known American writer to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career. Poe was also known as a writer of fiction and became one of the first American authors of the 19th century to become more popular in Europe than in the United States. Join us as we spend an evening with Poe.