Week of May 4

Week of May 4, 2026

SHINGLES VACCINE CLINIC Did you receive your 1st Shingles Vaccine dose at our clinic in March? It’s time for your 2nd dose! Or come for your 1st dose! Join us on Wed, May 6, 10:00AM-2:00PM in the OLLI Lobby. Get your vaccine, check your blood pressure and help pharmacy students practice their skills and grow as future healthcare professionals. Please bring health insurance information and wear appropriate attire. Email Dr. Lemay at glemay@uri.edu with any questions or concerns.

OLLI TRIPS & TOURS

INVITE A FRIEND to JOIN YOU!

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 for More Info & 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

OSHER ONLINE COMMUNITY EVENT – After the Artemis II Journey What We Know (and Don’t Know) About the Moon, Free Webinar, Now that the Artemis astronauts have returned safely, we look ahead to renewed exploration of our nearest neighbor, the Moon. July 20 marks the 57th anniversary of humanity’s first steps on its surface. Since then, Apollo missions, robotic probes, and Earth-based observations have revealed a surprising world. In this non-technical talk, Andrew Fraknoi explores the Moon’s past, present, and future including its violent origins, the mystery of frozen water at its poles, and its gradual drift away from Earth. With striking images from orbit and the surface, he brings the Moon to life as an eerie world next door, a changing object in our skies, and a possible future destination for humanity and its ambitions.Mon, May 11, 5PM Space Is limited – registration is required Click Here for More Info & To Register

OLLI EVENT – Cheers to Lifelong Learning at the Tilted Barn Join your OLLI friends for a relaxing afternoon at Tilted Barn Brewery. Enjoy the charm of a farm setting while sampling a wide selection of craft beverages available for purchase. Grab a bite from the visiting food trucks or bring along your favorite snacks to share. For extra comfort, feel free to bring a chair, settle in, and unwind with fellow OLLI members. It’s the perfect chance to connect, sip and savor time together. Thur, June 4, 5:00PM-7:00PM Click Here To Register

CLASS SPOTLIGHT –

Forest Bathing Walk Session #2 – 1 Session with Mary Jane Sorrentino Thurs, May 7, 9:30-11:30 AM 6 Spots Left! Click Here for More Info & To Register

Overcoming Adversity with Resilience: A Brain Injury Survivor’s Story – 1 Session with Joan Gardiner Mon, May 11 1:30-3PM 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 19th, 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 SESSION-The following second session was added to the spring semester. Please look at the dates carefully – second session – not the date originally listed in the catalog.

Westerly Museum of American Impressionism -Tour #2– Sat, May 23, 10:30AM-11:15AM 4 Spots Left!

OLLI SERVES UPDATE What a successful pet drive we had! We collected a bounty of pet food, toys & supplies for needy pets in our area. THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this impactful effort to support the local non-profit ‘Animal Refuge RI’ located in Peacedale! If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about this organization please visit their website at: AnimalRefugeRI.org. Also, if you know of any non-profit organizations in the area that might benefit from our OLLI SERVES initiative – please contact Maria Masse, Membership Coordinator in the OLLI at URI office at 401.874.4194 or email maria.masse@uri.edu.

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 Geocaching
9:30AM In This Moment: Mindfulness Meditation
10:30AM Cyber Seniors
11:00AM Violinists: Performers & Composers (Osher Online)
11:30AM Square Foot Gardening: Taking it To the Next Level
1:30PM Historical Cemeteries: Preservation in Practice
2:00PM Portraits in Charcoal & Conte Crayon

Tuesday

9:30AM Forest Bathing Walk
9:30AM Stephen Hopkins – Signer of Declaration of Independence
10:00AM Slater Mill Tour
11:00AM Biking
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
4:00PM Forest & Shrub Identification
5:00PM Writing, Illustrating & Self-Publishing A Children’s Book
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
10:00AM Peacedale Village Tour (#2)
10:00AM Aliens, Cryogenics & Cosmic Catastrophes
11:00AM History of Street Art (Osher Online)
12:00PM Shingles / BP Clinic
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 Prospects of Extraterrestrial Life in Our Solar System
5:00PM Music: Controversies & Curiosities (Osher Online)

Thursday

9:00AM Let’s Skate!
9:30AM Explore Watercolor – Beginner
9:30AM Forest Bathing Walk #2
10:00AM Beginner Mah Jongg
10:00AM The Six Wives of Henry VIII
11:00AM A Beautiful Brain (Osher Online)
11:45AM Exploring Watercolor – Advanced
1:00PM JFK’s Quest for Peace (Osher Online)
1:00PM Mah Jongg
3:00PM History of Modern Architecture – Part 2
3:00PM James Baldwin & Toni Morrison: Banned at Westpoint
7:00PM AI For Regular People (Osher Online)

Friday

9:00AM Qi Gong for Vitality (Studio at Mariner Square)
9:30AM Chronic Pain
10:00AM OLLI New Member Welcome
10:15AM Qi Gong for Vitality – Deepening Practice (Studio at Mariner Square)
11:30AM Qi Gong – Tian Gan (Studio at Mariner Square)
1:00PM Meditation – Old Practice for Renewed Wellness
1:00PM Legends of Country Western Music

CYBER SENIORS – 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 she is 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 SPRING PLANT SALE – Save the Date! May 9, 9AM-12PM in the URI Botanical Gardens. Featuring annuals, perennials, herbs, and a wide range of vegetable seedlings grown by URI Master Gardener propagation volunteers at East Farm including this year’s plant of the year – 4th of July tomato. The annual sale supports educational services offered through the URI Master Gardener Program throughout the year, including the Gardening and Environmental Hotline, Gardening Information and Soil Testing exhibits, and our Educational Workshops. Need resources to help you get the most out of your garden? Explore our Garden Resource Library. Attendees are encouraged to park behind the URI Fine Arts building in Lot 7 off Flagg Road. A pathway down the hill leads directly to the greenhouse fire lane where the plant sale line begins.PRO TIP: While we do not admit visitors into the sale before 9:00AM, we do recommend arriving early to secure a place in line. Questions? Email coopext@uri.edu

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.

MOTHER’S DAY TEA – Tea & History at Smith’s Castle with Esmé Zodrow-MacDonald, Family Life in Colonial Days. How might the Smiths & Updikes lived at the Castle long ago? Sat, May 9, 4:30PM $35/person Click Here For Tickets

THE CONTEMPORARY THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS – The Moors by Jen Silverman Directed by Allison “Sonny” Wong In 19th century England, two sisters and a dog live out their lives on the bleak moors, dreaming of love and power. The arrival of a hapless governess and a moor-hen set all three on a strange and dangerous path. Taking a page from the Brontë sisters, The Moors is a dark, absurdist comedy about love, desperation, and visibility.*Warning: Flashing lights and fog May 8 -23 Standard Tickets $35 Click Here For Tickets

URI THEATER DEPT PRESENTS: Machinal – A Dance of Defiance Sophie Treadwell’s searing 1928 play, a landmark of American expressionism, is reborn in this striking new ballet. Machinal tells the story of a woman caught in the cold machinery of modern life: her body controlled, her voice ignored, her choices not her own. Through stylized choreography and haunting rhythms, this adaptation strips away dialogue to reveal the raw, physical truth of one woman’s rebellion. Stark, visceral, and fiercely contemporary, Machinal is a portrait of alienation — and a dance of defiance.In collaboration with University of Rhode Island and co-adapter Rachel Walshe, Yury Yanowsky breathes new life into this theatrical masterwork. Recommended for mature audiences Thurs, May 14 – Sun, May 17 Will Theater – J-Studio Click Here For Tickets

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 Here for More Info and for Tickets for a full schedule of recitals, concerts, festivals and more.

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

FOREIGN POLICY ASSOCIATION – Register today for the FPA’s inaugural Paul Family Distinguished Lecture on US-Africa Relations, featuring The Hon. Michelle D. Gavin, Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and former US Ambassador to Botswana. Ambassador Gavin will provide insights on the current state of US-Africa relations and the importance of maintaining strong ties. Michelle D. Gavin brings over 25 years of experience in international affairs, including service at the National Security Council and as US Ambassador to Botswana. She has played a key role in shaping US policy toward Africa across government and nonprofit sectors.Thursday, May 14, 6PM – 8PM. Click to register.

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/

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