Week of August 18, 2025
PARKING REGISTRATION EVENT- Join us today, August 18, from 12PM-2PM to register your car for parking and get a FREE hot dog provided by URI Campus Police! You can celebrate summer, have some lunch, and see all of your friends at OLLI even if you have already renewed your permit! Click here for all the details
COMING THIS FALL!– Click HERE to view a list of upcoming fall classes. The OLLI Fall Catalog will be available on our website on August 22 and mailed to current members only by the end of the month. Registration begins Tues, Sept. 2.
ADDITIONAL CLASS OFFERINGS –
There are still a few spaces available in these 2nd Sessions: (Please look at the dates/times carefully as these are second sessions and not the dates listed in the catalog.)
Don McLean’s American Pie & “The Day the Music Died” (Session 2) with Brett Morse, Fri Aug 22, 1-3PM
Instant Laughter: Cooperative Games for Grandkids and Family (Session 2) with Jim Buxton, Wed Aug 27 10-11:30AM
CLASS SPOTLIGHT – Register online or call 401.874.4197
Coal Mining In Rhode Island – 1 Session with Ernest Zelinski Tues Aug 19, 3:30-5PM Coal formed an important part of Rhode Island’s history even before the arrival of colonists. Created during the Carboniferous Period—300 million years ago—it lay in the Narragansett Basin. Industrial mining began in the early 1800’s and continued through the 1960’s. In this class, you will learn about the evolution and formation of coal, the history of Rhode Island mining, and the reason for the industry’s collapse within the state.
Pictorial History of Steam Navigation on Narragansett Bay – 1 Session with Astrid Drew Wed, Aug 20, 10-11:30AM. In the not-so-distant past, Narragansett Bay was a popular highway for ships of all kinds and sizes. Astrid Drew will provide an overview of historic vessels that were once common sights for Rhode Islanders and offer a window into the evolution of transportation on and around the Bay. Learn about the passenger ships of the Fall River Line, as well as ocean liners and smaller working vessels, and what it was like to sail on them.
THIS WEEK AT OLLI
Monday
- 9:30AM Mindfulness Meditation
- 10:00AM Geocaching: Finding Hidden Treasures
- 11:00AM The Rehnquist Court, 1986-2005 (Osher Online)
- 12:00PM HOT DOG PARTY
- 1:00PM Understanding Offshore Wind Energy (Session 2)
- 2:00PM Community Health Centers – past, present & future
Tuesday
- 9:00AM Biking Group
- 9:30AM Who and What Murdered Reconstruction
- 1:00PM Intro to Africa
- 2:00PM Inspire: Hands-on Motivational Techniques to Uplift Daily Living (ZOOM)
- 3:30PM Coal Mining in Rhode Island
Wednesday
- 10:00AM Strolling Through History – Tour of Westerly (Off-site)
- 11:00AM Pictorial History of Steam Navigation on Narragansett Bay
- 12:30PM Bowling
- 1:00PM Hiking
- 1:00PM Don McLean’s American Pie (Session 1)
- 2:00PM Cribbage
- 3:00PM Stories of Adventure: The Norse Saga (Osher Online)
Thursday
- 9:30AM School Math for Grandparents
- 10:00AM Serendipity in Scientific Discovery
- 11:00AM Current Events
- 12:00PM Choosing a Permanent Home
- 1:00PM Cosmic Questions
- 1:00PM Mah Jongg
- 1:00PM Architectural Oddities (Osher Online)
- 2:00PM Faculty Recognition Event
- 3:00PM 20th Century American Short Story III (ZOOM)
Friday
- 9:30AM The Wisdom of Henry David Thoreau
- 10:00AM Watercolor for Nature Journaling
- 1:00PM Exploring Islam
- 1:00PM Don McLean’s American Pie (Session 2)
- 2:00PM LandBack (Tomaquag Museum)
OLLI TRAVEL – There is still time to register with Collette Tours and travel with other OLLI members to ITALY in April 2026. Click Here to see the complete details and learn more about other travel opportunities at OLLI.
Italy’s Treasures – April 6-17, 2026. Highlights include: Italian Lakes Region, Stresa, Wine Tasting, Impact Moment, Italian Riviera, Portofino, Cinque Terre, Carrara Marble Quarries Off-Road Excursion, Tuscan Countryside, Italian Cooking class, San Gimignano, Siena, Florence, Bologna, and Venice. (Optional 2 night Venice Post Tour Extension)
Call Collette direct at 1-800-581-8942 (refer to booking#1320567) or go to their Website for further information.
FREE PROGRAM – LISTENING FROM THE HEART with Kathy Black.
Becoming more aware of our common, painful patterns of communicating, and replacing them with new compassionate skills & behaviors will improve all our relationships. Join Kathy Black on Tuesday, Aug 26, at 6:00 PM for this 60-minute online workshop as she introduces a foundational piece of Compassionate Communication: deep listening. Participants will learn and experience the shifts that happen when we listen from a deeper consciousness. A great intro to her Compassionate Communication class that begins on Sept 18, at OLLI. Register for the workshop zoom link at kathyblackcoaching.com.
GET YOUR OLLI BAG TODAY! Perfect for the beach, boat or back to school! Click Here for more info. $20 (GOING FAST – ONLY 5 BAGS LEFT!)
DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD BOOK A ONE-ON-ONE TECH CALL WITH CYBER SENIORS? Click here to get started!
RHODY OUTPOST– URI’s principal basic needs pantry for students experiencing food insecurity. The Outpost provides fresh and non-perishable food and personal care items at no charge to students. Click Here to view the updated list of all urgently needed items. You can also purchase items directly from Amazon on the Rhody Outpost Wish List. As always, thank you so much for your support!
COFFEE DONATIONS – Let’s keep our coffee station up and running this fall! Donations of caffeinated Keurig pods and ground coffee are appreciated. Drop them off in the office.
FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH FERRY CHURCH 2025 SPEAKER PROGRAM SERIES – Please join us at the South Ferry Church on South Ferry Road in Narragansett for a series of community speaking programs. Pertinent to state, national and international issues and events, the speaking programs encompass a broad array of topics important in today’s ever changing and challenging world. Programs are held from 5-6PM on Mondays, and are free and open to the community. South Ferry Church – 170 South Ferry Road, Narragansett Rhode Island 02882. Click HERE for more details
Upcoming Lecture Schedule:
August 18 – Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery
August 25 – Awe and Wonder: Exploring Science Through Film
SENIOR DAY 2025 -Would you like to receive a free health assessment? Seeking participants for a health, wellness, and fall risk program. Participants will be screened for general health and well-being. Recommendations to improve health and wellness and decrease fall risk will be provided as appropriate. Completed by students from URI Physical Therapy, Pharmacy, Communicative Disorders, Nutrition, and Human Development and Family Studies. Supervised by faculty. Requirements: Must be age 65 or older, must participate in a team interview on Zoom between Oct 2-18, and attend an in-person health screening at URI on either Thurs, Oct 23rd 5-7pm, Fri, Oct 24th 9-11am or Sat, Oct 25th 9-11am. Registration will be open until Fri, Aug 29. To Register, Click Here OR email: seniorday@etal.uri.edu OR call (401) 874-4025. See Flyer for more details, dates, and a full list of requirements.
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