Week of April 27, 2026

BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC TODAY AT OLLI – We all know the best way to learn is to practice! You can help the URI pharmacy students by stopping by the lobby today between 10:00AM and 2:00PM to have your blood pressure read!

SUPPORT OLLI and meet our Day of Giving/OLLI Challenge! Each contribution made between now and April 28, will be matched up to $5000. Double the impact of your gift by donating. Make your gift online at alumni.uri.edu/olli or drop off a check to the OLLI office. Call the office should you need assistance at 401.874.4197. Thanks for being part of our OLLI family!!!

CELEBRATION OF LIFE for OLLI Instructor and Friend – Betty Bogutt. The weather looks perfect for celebrating Betty and her many contributions to OLLI by gathering at one of her favorite places, Narragansett Beach, to exchange memories, poetry and reflections in her honor. Today, Mon, April 27 at 2PM. Bring a blanket or a chair and meet at the entrance closest to Coast Guard House near the pavilion (not the stairs).

NEW CLASSES:

Improving the Home Landscape – 5 Sessions with Will Green, Mondays, May 18, (skip 25,) June 1, 8, 15, 22 from 11:30AM-1:00PM A home landscape can be a place to observe nature, garden, and enjoy time outdoors—but as our needs change, our yards may need to change with us. This class explores practical ways to adapt your outdoor spaces so they remain enjoyable, accessible, and inspiring as you age. You’ll learn how to assess your current landscape—from trees and shrubs to flower beds and built features—how to plan for future changes, and how to put your ideas into action. Through lectures, discussion, and short at home exercises, you’ll develop a preliminary landscape plan and gain confidence in creating a more functional, colorful, and sustainable environment. Click to register or call 401-874-4197.

Chronic Pain Self-Management Workshop – FREE 6-session class brought to you by RIPIN (The RI Parent Information Network). Classes are highly participative, in which mutual support and success build participants’ confidence in their ability to manage their health and maintain active, fulfilling lives. The program will help you find ways to address important topics such as: Pain Management, Addressing Isolation, Exercise Techniques to Improve Strength, Balance, Flexibility & Endurance, Appropriate Use of Medications, Effective Communication with Your Healthcare Provider, Making Informed Nutrition Decisions, Techniques for Dealing with Frustration and Stress Fridays, May 1, 8, 15, (skip 22,) 29, June 5, 12 from 9:30AM-12PM. Only 3 Spots Left! Click to Register or call 401-874-4197

OLLI TOUR – SECRET GARDENS & STORIED HOMES – Escape for a day to scenic Litchfield Hills, CT! Explore three historical gardens filled with vibrant blooms and tour two house museums with expert guides sharing stories of colonial and early 20th century life. This adventure begins at 7:00AM with bus pick up at URI* and includes Bellamy Ferriday House and Gardens, Hollister House Garden, Lunch at a Marketplace Kitchen in Central Litchfield**, The Glebe House Museum and Gertrude Jekyll Garden, and the Woodbury Factory Store.*Comfort stops to and from destination **Group Menu TBA Tues, Jun 2, 2026 7AM-7PM $200 Click Here To Register

OLLI NEW MEMBER WELCOME- Are you new to OLLI @ URI or returning after being gone awhile? Both current and new members are invited to attend and learn about all OLLI has to offer. We’ll review our current programs, and our special interest groups, all while exploring and becoming more familiar with our OLLI website and registration software. Plenty of time for Q & A. Coffee & refreshments too! Join us! Bring a friend! Non-members welcome! If you are not a member and need a temporary parking pass, please call the OLLI office at 401-874-4197. Friday, May 8 from 10-11:30AM Click Here to Register

CLASS SPOTLIGHT –

Integrating Social Security into Your Retirement Planning – Social Security is an important source of income for many retired Americans. Understanding how Social Security works and what it provides can help you determine whether you’re on track for the retirement you envision. We will explore: The basics of Social Security,factors to consider in deciding when to begin receiving benefits, non-retirement benefits of Social Security, how to get started on planning for retirement with Social Security in mind 1 Session with Joanne Daly, Thurs, April 30 2-3:30PM Click Here for More Info & to Register

Preserving Your Assets After Retirement & Beyond – Arm yourself with knowledge and confidence about planning your own future so that you will be able to grow old with dignity and have the care you need as you age. There might come a day when you will need to consider moving to assisted living, or, if you become ill or infirm, a nursing home. But it is important to have done the homework ahead of time. By creating an estate plan, you will be able to make such a move without legal worries.1 session with Josh Sroka, Fri, May 1, 10AM-11:30AM Click Here For More Info & To Register

NEW SPRING CLASS ADDITIONS (not listed in the catalog) –

The History of Modern Architecture and Urbanism, Part 2 – 3 Sessions with Richard Levy, beginning Thurs, May 7, 3-4:30PM $40 Click Here to Register

Art in the Courthouse – 1 Session with Retired Justice Gilbert V. Indeglia at The McGrath Judicial Complex. Friday, June 5, 1:30PM-3:00PM. After a welcome by Hon. Gilbert V. Indeglia (Ret.) and Kara Picozzi of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, our tour will include a look into the current photography exhibit featured as part of our community art initiative “Art in the Courthouse.” The visit includes a conversation with the artist. The 90-minute tour includes a short walk and a Q & A with a judicial officer. Free parking onsite. Click Here to Register

Click Here to check out the virtual previews for some of OLLI’s spring classes.

DATE CHANGE – The date for the class Understanding Ultraprocessed Foods and Cardiometabolic Risk originally scheduled for Thurs, May 14, 1PM-2:30PM has been changed to Tuesday, May 19, 1PM-2:30PM. If you were registered and are unable to attend on the new date, please email the office or call 401-874-4197 and we will be happy to refund your payment. There are now additional seats available for this class. Click Here if you would like to register.

NEW SESSIONS-The following second sessions of full classes have been added to the spring semester. Please look at the dates carefully as these are second sessions and not the dates listed in the catalog (click links to register):

Your Soil and Amendments to Improve It– Mon, April 27, 11:30AM-1PM
Westerly Museum of American Impressionism – Tour #2– Sat, May 23, 10:30AM-11:15AM

NATIONAL PET DAY – For the month of April, OLLI at URI will celebrate National Pet Day by collecting donations for Animal Rescue RI. The following are appreciated: canned or dry dog or cat food, cat or dog treats, marrow bones, cat or dog toys. Thank you for supporting this great organization based in Peacedale. If you’d like to give a direct gift or wish to volunteer at Animal Rescue RI please visit their website: https://www.animalrescueri.org/.

PARKING – OLLI Members continue to enjoy FREE parking (with permit) in the Plains Rd Lot (#25). Click Here for more information about parking and disabled parking or call the office at 401.874.4197 with any questions.

THIS WEEK AT OLLI

Monday

9:30AM Beginning Italian
9:30AM Island Countries of the Caribbean
9:30AM Geocaching: Finding Hidden Treasures
10:30AM Cyber Seniors
11:00AM Violinists: Performers & Composers (Osher Online)
11:30AM Square Foot Gardening: Taking it To the Next Level
11:30AM Your Soil & Amendments
1:30PM Journey Through the Camino de Santiago
1:30PM Historical Cemeteries: Preservation in Practice
2:00PM Portraits in Charcoal & Conte Crayon
3:30PM Wicked Big Puddles #2: A Naturalist Explores Vernal Pools
4:30PM Meet the Players: RI Revolutionary Leaders

Tuesday

11:00AM Biking
12:30PM Drawn Together: Intergenerational Exchange
1:00PM Game On!
1:00PM The FBI’s War on Terror
1:00PM Place Memory & Environmental Psychology (Osher Online)
1:30PM Historical Plagues & Epidemics
3:00PM Of Earth & Sky: Intro to Astronomy
4:00PM Forest & Shrub Identification
5:00PM From Leo XIII to Leo XIV (Osher Online)
7:00PM Frank Lloyd Wright (Osher Online)

Wednesday

9:30AM Praised But Controversial: John Steinbeck’s Of Mice & Men
9:30AM Ida Lewis: Legendary Lady Lightkeeper of Lime Rock
10:00AM Cyber Seniors
11:00AM History of Street Art (Osher Online)
12:30PM Bowling
1:00PM Siberia: Russia’s Frozen Wasteland (Osher Online)
1:00PM Hiking
1:30PM Cinema Classics: The Best of Foreign Films – Part 2
2:00PM Cribbage
3:00PM Short Stories From England II (ZOOM)
5:00PM Music: Controversies & Curiosities (Osher Online)

Thursday

9:00AM Let’s Skate!
9:30AM Explore Watercolor – Beginner
10:00AM RI Migratory Fish (Gilbert Stuart Museum)
10:00AM Beginner Mah Jongg
11:00AM A Beautiful Brain (Osher Online)
11:00AM Current Events
11:45AM Exploring Watercolor – Advanced
1:00PM JFK’s Quest for Peace (Osher Online)
1:00PM Mah Jongg
2:00PM Integrating Social Security into Your Retirement
3:00PM James Baldwin & Toni Morrison: Banned at Westpoint
7:00PM AI For Regular People (Osher Online)

Friday

9:00AM QiGong for Vitality (Studio at Mariner Square)
10:00AM Preserving Your Assets After Retirement & Beyond
10:00AM Photo Friday (ZOOM)
10:15AM QiGong for Vitality – Deepening Practice (Studio at Mariner Square)
11:30AM QiGong – Tian Gan (Studio at Mariner Square)
1:00PM Meditation – Old Practice for Renewed Wellness
1:00PM Legends of Country Western Music
1:00PM Walking Through Time: 5000 Year History of URI Campus (Meets at Welcome Center)
1:00PM Writer’s Group (ZOOM)

Saturday

9:00AM Learn to Play Mah Jongg
10:00AM Homespun As Resistance (Quinn Hall)

CYBER SENIORS – As students approach the end of their semester, Cyber Seniors will be winding down. We have student experts scheduled for Wed, April 29, 10AM-12PM (Last Wed!) Kiera will be here on Mondays, through May 16, 10:30AM-12:30PM. Stop by the lobby to get help with all your technology questions before they are gone for the summer! No appointment necessary!

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. Reminder: Please no expired food!

All OLLI Members are cordially invited to a free lecture sponsored by the Retired Faculty Association at URI: FOOD FOR THOUGHT: THE ROLE OF NUTRITION IN HEALTHY BRAIN AGING Wed, May 6, 2026, 4:00 – 5:15 PM at the Hope Room, Higgins Welcome Center, University of Rhode Island, 45 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI. Speakers: Maya Vadiveloo, PhD, RD, Associate Professor of Nutrition, URI, and John K. Robinson, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Co-Executive Director, George & Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, URI. The speakers will address the latest research on nutritional factors for maintaining brain health. Please also bring any questions you have about the topic. Parking is available in the lot off Briar Lane behind the Welcome Center. Letting us know if you plan to attend at aging@uri.edu is helpful but not required. Sponsored by the URI Retired Faculty Association with support from the Provost’s Office and Belmont Market.

URI MASTER GARDENERS AWAITING YOUR CALL (OR EMAIL) – Have a garden quandary or need some advice before you start planting your 2026 garden? Ready to celebrate spring but don’t know where to start? The University of Rhode Island Gardening & Environmental Hotline is now open and in full operation through Nov. 1. Southern New Englanders are welcome to send an email and photos to the University’s Master Gardener volunteer educators or call for science based-answers to their gardening and environmental questions. In-person visits are also available by appointment at URI’s Mallon Outreach Center on the Kingston Campus. Just call 401-874-4836 or email gardener@uri.edu.

URI MUSIC PROGRAM: Performing is an integral part of the University of Rhode Island Music program, with a wide range of ensembles for you to choose from. There are performances by bands, orchestra, choirs and opera, jazz ensembles and all sorts of chamber music groups Click for more info and for tickets for a full schedule of recitals, concerts, festivals and more.

SPRING CONCERT TONIGHT! Wakefield Concert Band featuring Pre-concert Music (6:30PM) and Dixieland Ramblers Monday, April 27, 7PM South Kingstown HS Auditorium $10 Admission, $20 Family Maximum, Children under 12 Free! www.wakefieldconcertband.org

SPRING CONCERT – North Kingstown Community Chorus & Youth Chorus present their annual spring concert, North Kingstown HS, Sat, May 2, 7PM & Sun, May 3 at 3PM. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door, $5 Children 8 & under. Tickets can be purchased at Dave’s Marketplace (Wickford & Quonset), Bert & Peg’s or www.nkchorus.org. Donations accepted at the door for NK Food Pantry.

URI PHYSICAL THERAPY DEPT – Shoulder Motor Control Study: Rotator Cuff Seeking study Participants between 18-64 yrs old with or without shoulder surgery with no mobility limitations. Compensation $20 email: tyler.foster@uri.edu for more information See Flyer For Details

URI DEPARTMENT OF KINESIOLOGY (HIPLAB) – COPD Study Seeking study participants with COPD, 45 years or older, no hospitalizations or antibiotics in last 3 months Compensation up to $120 email:hiplab@uri.edu or call 401-874-5541 for more information See Flyer For Details

IF YOU ARE ATTENDING CLASSES AT OLLI, YOU MUST HAVE A PARKING PASS! If you are not sure if your permit is current, please call the office at 401-874-4197. Parking is FREE with membership in Plains Road lot #25 but you must register your vehicle if you are taking classes in 2026. If you get a ticket you will be responsible for appealing it with the URI parking administration.

OLLI IN THE NEWS- Check out the recent article featuring OLLI in Rhody Today and this essay in WBUR.org written by an OLLI member about her experience with OLLI’s Learn to Skate program.

If you would like to view past This Week At OLLI weekly newsletters go to https://web.uri.edu/olli/news/

If you would like to receive updates of URI News and Events subscribe to Rhody Today.
If you would like to connect with OLLI go to our website olli@uri.edu or follow/like us on .