Open House May 23, 2022

OLLI OPEN HOUSE on MONDAY, May 23, 2022

You can help us with our membership drive by inviting a friend or two to OLLI to get a taste of what we’re all about!

Three FREE MINI classes to try!

The Spirit of Flight with Jet Vertz– 2:00pm and again at 3:15pm

Our human quest for mastering flight has taken us on a journey that has not only allowed us to soar like eagles, but we have also been able to successfully fly faster than the speed of sound, go to the moon and back, and we are now exploring the surface of Mars. Learn how we have mastered flight, encountered mysteries, experienced tragedies, and where we may be headed in the future.

Jet Vertz worked for 40 years in the aviation business and was a vice president at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft before retirement . He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering, and an M.S. in computer science, and an M.B.A.

The Constitution with Steve Berardo-2:00pm and again at 3:15pm

Our Constitution is 235 years old – the oldest written constitution still in practice in the world. However, the response to the Covid pandemic and the last Presidential election have raised many serious Constitutional questions. Participants will look at what can “We the People”, as noted in the Preamble of the Constitution, do about those issues.

Steve Berardo holds a master’s degree in public administration and is a student of history and political systems. He is a planning consultant and has been an adjunct and full-time college faculty member.

Lives Less Ordinary with Debbie Suggs– 4:20pm

This class will introduce the mysterious locales behind some of early American urban legends, unsolved mysteries, and historic happenings. Participants will learn how local volunteers have joined forces with the RI Historical Cemeteries Commission to restore the historical cemeteries and memorial for these almost-forgotten Rhode Islanders.

Debbie Suggs holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in public administration. She is passionate about all matters related to RI history and folklore. She has been active in the partnership to improve RI history and social studies standards. She is currently documenting the burial grounds of RI’s enslaved populations and researching the States pre-revolutionary war Plantation society.