Week of March 9, 2026
SPECIAL COLLECTION FOR RHODY OUTPOST – Donate Hand Soap or Dish Soap and get $5 off an OLLI Scarf! (only $10)
OLLI OSCAR PARTY – Join us for an Oscar Party on Thurs, Mar 12, at 3PM at OLLI as we gather to share our perspectives and discuss who will take home the coveted awards at The 98th Academy Awards. Food & Prizes!! Registration is required – Cast Your Ballot in the OLLI Lobby! Click Here for More Info & to Register
PARKING – OLLI Members continue to enjoy FREE parking 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.
CANCELED CLASS – Memoir Writing: What I Learned Writing the Story of RI’s Famous Bull has been canceled due to low enrollment. Refunds have been issued.
CLASS SPOTLIGHT-
Breakout Characters and Catchphrases – Ever wonder how an actor on a TV show goes from being just a regular cast member to a breakout star who sometimes even eclipses the show itself? For example, when Happy Days was originally cast, the show was supposed to center around the only “name” in the cast: Ron Howard, but it turned into a star-making vehicle for Henry Winkler as The Fonz. Also, if the breakout star is lucky, stardom might come with a catch phrase, such as Fonzie’s “Ayyy.” Try your luck at identifying some breakout stars and phrases. You might win some swag from shows Bob worked on. Tues, Mar 10, 10AM-11:30AM Click Here to Register
Still Sailing the Seas: Pirate Ghost Stories – We will explore the spiritual world of pirate ghosts that may still linger in New England. We’ll discuss what a ghost is, how a ghost comes to be, why a ghost would stick around, what a pirate is, and stories of alleged treasures and curses that were left behind and linger on. Wed, Mar 11, 5-6:30PM Click Here To Register
THIS WEEK AT OLLI
Monday
- 9:30AM Healthy Eating Made Simple
- 9:30AM Playing with Theatrical Monologues and Scenes
- 10:00AM Let’s Re-Read Banned Books
- 10:30AM Cyber Seniors (Kiera)
- 11:30AM Square Foot Gardening
- 11:30AM Understanding AI for Safe and Secure Use
- 1:30PM Classic Cinema: Best of Foreign Films (Part 1)
- 5:00PM The Long History of Italian Pirates
Tuesday
- 9:30AM Roma Aeterna
- 10:00AM WWII Museum Tour
- 10:00AM Breakout Characters & Catchphrases
- 10:00AM Ireland – A Brief History (ZOOM)
- 11:30AM Animal Farm: An Allegory for Our Time?
- 12:30PM Drawn Together: Intergenerational Exchange Through Poetry
- 1:00PM Game On!
- 1:30PM Cinema Classics: Films You Should See
Wednesday
- 10:00AM Brilliant but Overlooked: Photographers Worth Knowing
- 10:00AM Cyber Seniors (Oge)
- 11:30AM Award Winning Novels
- 12:30PM Bowling
- 1:30PM A Taste of Italy
- 2:00PM Protecting Your Heart: What Every Woman Needs To Know
- 2:00PM Cribbage
- 3:00PM Short Stories from England (ZOOM)
- 3:30PM Raids on the Unspeakable: Poetry & Philosophy
- 4:30PM Your Mediterranean Adventure
- 5:00PM Still Sailing the Seas: Pirate Ghost Stories
Thursday
- 9:00AM Let’s Skate
- 10:00AM Creativity & Play
- 10:30AM Rhody Ramblers
- 1:00PM Mah Jongg
- 1:30PM Here Be Dragons: Mapping Our World
- 3:00PM Movie Group Oscar Party
- 3:30PM Victorian Literature
- 5:00PM Italian Night – Arturo Joe’s
Friday
- 9:00AM QiGong for Vitality
- 10:15AM QiGong for Vitality – Deepening Practice
- 11:30AM QiGong for Vitality
- 11:30AM The Iditarod
2026 THEWLIS LECTURE – Optimism and Kindness: Ingredients for a Long and Healthy life Tuesday, April 7, 2026 5:30 PM. Doors open, light refreshments 6–7 PM Lecture followed by Q&A Edwards Hall, Kingston Campus The 2026 Malford Thewlis Lecture on Gerontology and Geriatrics will feature social psychologist Laura Kubzansky, PhD, professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She will share her perspective on aging and longevity, focusing on how personal attributes such as optimism, gratitude, kindness, and a positive outlook relate to living a long and fulfilling life. This event is free and open to the public. Free parking available in Briar Lane Lot behind the Visitors Center. Registration is encouraged but not required. Register Here
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.
CYBER SENIORS – Stop by the lobby to get help with all your technology questions on Mondays, 10:30AM-12:30PM and Wednesdays, 10AM-12PM No appointment necessary. Click Here to Meet Oge
URI RETIRED FACULTY ASSOCIATION SPEAKER SERIES: New Insights into the History and Archaeology of the URI Campus. Tues, Mar 24, 4:00PM-5:30PM in the Cherry Auditorium, Kirk Applied Engineering Laboratory, 94 Upper College Rd. Catherine DeCesare and Rod Mather (who will be leading a history tour of the campus for OLLI this spring) will explore the human history of our University’s campus. This free presentation is open to all URI faculty, staff, and students, as well as OLLI members and the Rhode Island community. Email aging@uri.edu to let them know you plan on attending is helpful but not required. Parking is available off Brian Lane behind the Welcome Center. This event is sponsored by the Provost’s Office and refreshments provided by Belmont Market.
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.
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SOUND – coming to the URI campus to put on their live, multi-channel audio event about the power of sound and the spirit of academic inquiry. This free event will take place in the Hope Room of the Higgins Welcome Center at 7 pm on March 11, and more information and registration can be found here. The presenters also will be giving a lecture on a related topic called “Media Objects” at 3 pm that day in the Galanti Lounge of the URI Library.) More information and registration for that event can be found here. There are more details about the presenters and the show on The World According to Sound website.
URI 2026 CHARLES AND MARIE FISH LECTURE: From the Ground Up – Communities Leading the Next Chapter of Climate Resilience Featuring Jainey Bavishi, former Deputy Administrator of NOAA and former Director of New York City’s Office of Climate Resiliency As climate impacts accelerate and uncertainty grows, communities across the country are redefining what it means to be resilient. In this fireside chat, Jainey Bavishi will explore how equity, local leadership and civic collaboration form the backbone of effective climate action, even as traditional systems face strain. Drawing on lessons from city halls, federal agencies, and frontline communities, the conversation will highlight how resilience can endure and evolve from the ground up. Tues, Mar 10, 6-7PM, Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus Click Here For Details & Registration
AUTHOR TALK – Presented by Wakefield Books with local author Debra Curtis. Debra’s wonderful debut novel, Laws of Love and Logic, is an epic story that explores love’s enduring power and the human spirit’s capacity for forgiveness and redemption, all unfolding against the backdrop of coastal Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Limited Seating Wed, Mar 11, 6PM The Contemporary Theater Co, 327 Main St, South Kingstown, RI $5 – Click Here For Tickets & More Info
NEWPORT CONTEMPORARY BALLET (NCB) Presents: Polygon One shape, multiple angles, infinite possibilities…Contemporary ballet at its best, Polygon features world premiere works by Oklahoma City Ballet’s Rehearsal Director DaYoung Jung, former NCB dancer Deanna Gerde, and NCB’s Artistic Director Danielle Genest. Mar 13-14, 7PM & Mar 15, 3PM Keats Theater at St Andrew’s School, Barrington, RI Click Here For Tickets
SOUTH COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION (SCAA) – Gallery Tour A special opportunity to learn about the artwork in the Open Juried Paint, Print, Drawing Annual Exhibit Fri, Mar 13, 2PM 2587 Kingstown Rd, Kingston Village Click Here for More Info
SMITH CASTLE – Do you enjoy history? Smith’s Castle is looking for volunteers. Docents and Greeters are trained to share the remarkable history that has taken place at this location for 4 centuries. We have a new class starting March 28th. If you would like more information about Smith’s Castle please contact us at info@smithscastle.org or call our office 401-294-3521.
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
OLLI INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY- If URI is closed due to inclement weather, OLLI will also be closed. For class cancellation/reschedule information, check our website at uri.edu/olli and watch for email notifications.
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 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.
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