Week of October 20

October 20, 2025

OLLI OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED AT 11:30AM WED, OCT 22 FOR OUR ANNUAL MEETING

CURRENT EVENTS SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP will now meet every other week. Next meeting will be on October 30, in the downstairs conference room. 

FLU VACCINE CLINIC AND BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING at OLLI– URI Pharmacy students will be in the OLLI lobby on Thursday, October 30, from 11:00AM-1:00PM. Bring your insurance information and wear appropriate clothing. By participating, you’re not only taking a step toward better health—you’re also giving students valuable hands-on experience that helps them grow into compassionate, skilled professionals. Your presence makes a difference. Come by, roll up your sleeve, and be part of their learning journey!

CLASS SPOTLIGHT-  

Inside Indie Filmmaking: The CHARLES STREET Journey – 1 Session with Bob Mignarri and Nick Albanese, Friday, Oct 24, 10AM An exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the indie film CHARLES STREET. In this one-session workshop, you’ll learn what it truly takes to bring a film to life on a tight budget and limited schedule. Discover the essential elements of pre-production, including casting, location scouting, scheduling, rehearsals, and crew coordination. After diving into the creative and logistical challenges faced by the filmmaker/producer, we’ll watch CHARLES STREET in its entirety. The session will conclude with an open Q&A, where you can ask questions and gain deeper insights into the indie filmmaking process.

CELEBRATING OUR VETERANS : We invite you to attend these meaningful and complimentary events honoring our veterans. (Free but please register).

From Sea to Service: Kasim Yarn’s Journey in Veteran Leadership – Rhode Island Veterans Services (RIVETS) Director Kasim Yarn will discuss his Navy career, transition to public service, and how his military experience shapes his leadership. Tues, Nov 4, 10-11AM

Operation Stand Down – Chief Veteran Outreach Officer, Timothy Ruel, of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island (OSDRI) will share how the organization transforms lives through comprehensive support for homeless and at-risk Veterans. Thurs, Nov 6, 10-11AM

WALL OF HONOR In honor of Veterans Day, Nov 11, we are recognizing our OLLI Members and/or family members who have served or are currently serving. Please send a photo, along with details of service (branch, years, titles, or anything significant you would like to share) to OLLI@URI.EDU. If you have a physical photo you would like us to scan, please stop by the OLLI office. We will display our Wall of Honor throughout the month of November.

URI CENTER FOR MILITARY AND VETERAN EDUCATION CENTER (MAVE) – Please join President Parlange, the Military and Veteran Education Center, and the Student Veterans Organization in honoring Veterans on November 10, 2025, 11AM at the URI Alumni Center, 73 Upper College Rd, Kingston, RI  Special guest speaker, Colonel Sharon Harmon of the Rhode Island National Guard. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend!

HOLIDAY ADD-ONS –

Holiday Wines: What to Serve and Why – 2 Sessions with Elisa Wybraniec– Tues, Dec 2 or Thurs, Dec 4 3-4PM Coast Guard House, Narragansett, RI Fee:$20

Festive Holiday Tea  – Sweet Marie’s Tea Shop, North Kingstown, RI, Thurs Dec 4, 12-1:30PM Fee: $50 Click Here for More More Info and to Register

A Taste of Tradition: Decorate a Gingerbread House – Tues, Dec 9 10AM-12PM Taste Buds Kitchen, East Greenwich, RI Fee:$50 Click Here for More Info and to Register

THIS WEEK AT OLLI 

Monday

  • 9:30AM Journal of the Self
  • 9:30AM The Constitution as Applied
  • 11:30AM Remarkable Countries We Rarely Hear About
  • 1:30PM The Puerto Ricans, Half-In, Half-out
  • 5:00PM Hey, Hey Woody Guthrie
  • 5:00PM Graceful Exits (Osher Online)
  • 7:00PM From Bauhaus to Brutalism (Osher Online)

Tuesday

  • 9:30AM The Schools of RI from Colonial Days to 1890s
  • 9:30AM New England/RI/Alaska Connection is GLACIAL!
  • 10:00AM Biking Group
  • 1:00PM Game On!
  • 1:00PM Inequality and Economic Policy (Osher Online)
  • 1:30PM Cyber Seniors-Keira
  • 1:30PM The Salem Witch Crisis (Session 1)
  • 2:00PM Boston Stronger
  • 3:00PM Peeking Inside the Black Box (Osher Online)
  • 5:00PM From Monsters to Milton
  • 5:30PM Honors Colloquium – Edwards Hall
  • 7:00PM The African American Military Experience (Osher Online)

Wednesday

  • 9:30AM From Dawn to Despair: Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey
  • 9:30AM Urban Wildlife
  • 11:30AM OFFICE CLOSED 
  • 12:00PM OLLI Annual Meeting
  • 12:30PM Bowling
  • 1:00PM Hiking
  • 1:30PM Five Star Method of Dream Work
  • 5:00PM Creative Conservation (Osher-Online)
  • 7:00PM Public Health in Action (Osher Online)

Thursday

  • 9:00AM Let’s Skate
  • 9:30AM Using AI as Co-Intelligence
  • 10:30AM Rhody Ramblers
  • 11:00AM In Darwin’s Footsteps-Galapagos (Osher Online)
  • 11:30AM Let’s Juggle
  • 1:00PM Mah Jongg
  • 1:00PM Circle Dance (off site)
  • 1:00PM Languages of the World (Osher Online)
  • 1:30PM The Salem Witch Crisis (Session 2)
  • 3:00PM Program Committee
  • 3:00PM Impressionism (Osher Online)
  • 3:30PM Sketching Portraits In Watercolor

Friday 

  • 9:00AM QiGong for Vitality Session 1(off site)
  • 10:00AM Inside Indie Filmmaking: The Charles Street Journey
  • 10:00AM Exploring Fractals
  • 11:00AM QiGong for Vitality Session 2 (off site)
  • 1:00PM American Protest Songs
  • 1:00PM The Chakra Energy System
  • 5:00PM OLLI Member Event – Gooseneck Vineyards

JOIN US FOR “OLD STATE”: A CELEBRATION OF AGING AND MUSIC! You’ve probably heard of All-State events for young musicians—now it’s time for “Old State,” a joyful one-day celebration of older musicians and singers! We’re bringing together OLLI members and local community performers to showcase the power of lifelong learning through music.  

We know music is a superpower—it enhances brain function, boosts sociability, builds community, and more. Our plan is to organize a one-day event for older musicians and singers that culminates in an awesome afternoon concert. We want to recruit OLLI members, as well as folks from local community bands and choruses, to make this happen.

We need musicians and singers to perform! We also need people who are excited to help with planning, brainstorming, and other organizing fun. Please join us for an initial get-together on October 27, at 3:30 PM at OLLI. Got questions? Feel free to reach out to Don or Sandra:

Don Smith: djsmusd@msn.com or Sandra Enos: sandra.l.enos@gmail.com

Let’s make some music!  Click here to view the flyer.


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.  Here are some of the most needed items for October: chicken breast, sardines, tuna, chickpeas,Kashi or Kind bars, whole oats, cereal, ramen, single-serve chips/crackers/nuts/dried fruit/cookies,jelly, microwave popcorn, toothpaste, toothbrushes, dish soap, tissues, paper towels, toilet paper, laundry pods.

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON BIRDS AND THEIR HABITATS IN SOUTH COUNTY, RHODE ISLAND AND THE NORTHEAST Sponsored by the URI Retired Faculty Association with support from the President’s Office and Belmont Market. Tuesday, October 28, 4:00 – 5:15 PM at the Higgins Welcome Center, Hope Room, University of Rhode Island, 45 Upper College Road. FREE and open to the public.  Dr. Charles Clarkson,  will speak about specific bird species and how adverse impacts on birds also connect to problems for other species and humans. He will also address what we should be on the lookout for and what we can do to reduce the impacts. There will be time for Q & A. 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. Click to view the flyer.

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND HONORS COLLOQUIUM –The URI Honors Program will be hosting small receptions with the Honors Colloquium speakers, students, and college of education faculty concluding the lecture and would love for some OLLI Members to attend! Please review the dates HERE and indicate on the form which receptions you would be interested in attending. Important:This form is NOT a sign-up or RSVP for any reception. Completing this form simply lets them know your interest and availability. If you are selected to attend a reception, you will receive a formal invitation and will need to RSVP at that time to confirm your attendance.Thank you for your interest in engaging with our Colloquium speakers

The Next Honors Colloquium Lecture – Using AI to Become Better at Being Human is on Oct 21, 5:30 PM – Edwards Hall. Join innovation thought-leader (and former URI student) Richard Culatta to explore the portrait of an AI graduate – the skills students must be able to demonstrate before graduation in order to thrive and survive in an AI world. CEO of ISTE+ASCD and former Executive Director of the Office of Educational Technology, Richard Culatta leads efforts to advance digital equity, personalized learning, and the responsible use of AI in education. Click Here For More Information

Join the Metcalf Institute for “Equity on the Table: A Conversation about Public Health, Food Access, and Climate Change” on Thursday, Oct. 23, to learn how you can help create a healthier and more equitable food future for yourself and your community.  This free open-to-the-public event will feature a panel discussion with three fellows from the SciComm Identities Project (SCIP) and will take place in the Hope Room, Higgins Welcome Center at the URI Kingston Campus. It will also be livestreamed. A reception will be held at 5 PM, with the lecture beginning at 5:30 PM. Registration is encouraged for in-person attendees and required to receive the livestream link. Learn more at the Metcalf Institute website.

URI THEATRE PRESENTS: Pride & Prejudice October 22-26 J Studio Click Here to Purchase Tickets 

THE FORENSIC SCIENCE SEMINAR SERIES is offered each semester by the Forensic Science Partnership. Speakers represent the many different specialized areas of forensic science. The speakers present their real-life experiences in their fields. Seminars are offered for credit, but are also open to the public at no cost. Take a look at this semester’s lineup! All seminars will be held in URI’s Richard E. Beaupre Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences, 140 Flagg Road, Kingston, RI, from 3:30 to 5:00pm: Friday seminars will be held in Beaupre 100, and Wednesday seminars in Beaupre 105. Click here for more information.

URI GUITAR AND MANDOLIN FESTIVAL 2025: OCTOBER 19–26, Explore the 10th Anniversary URI Guitar and Mandolin Festival! One week. Dozens of events. Concerts, competitions, passes & programs for all ages. Locations of events and concerts vary. Discover tickets for every performance, workshop, and experience. Click for more details and tickets

URI JOHN HAZEN WHITE SR. CENTER FOR ETHICS AND PUBLIC SERVICE PRESENTS: Rhode Island premiere of the documentary “Silence on the Streets”. This film examines the impact of the illicit opioid crisis on urban and vulnerable communities.The film, which represents a unique public service partnership between creative artists, public health professionals, and law enforcement agencies, will be held on Thurs, Nov 6, in Edwards Hall on URI’s Kingston Campus. Doors will open and light refreshments will be available at 4:30 p.m., a panel discussion will start at 5:15 p.m., with the film screening to begin at 6 p.m. A question-and-answer session will follow. The event is free and open to the public; however, registration is recommended. Click here to watch the Trailer..

COMMEMORATE THE UNITED NATIONS 80th ANNIVERSARY – Join Dr. Linda J. Stillman, founder/chair of Young Global Leadership Foundation, Inc, with UN NGO ECOSOC special consultative status since 2018, for an engaging evening to honor the United Nations. Westerly Library Auditorium Oct 22, 2025, 5:30 pm–7:00 PM Click Here For More Info

WEST BAY OPEN STUDIOS: Join WBOS for their 17th Annual Season of Open Studios on the West Bay Sat, Oct 25 & Sun Oct 26, 11AM – 5PM. The self-guided tour will show the works of local artists – including OLLI member Nancy Nielson, Nansea Studio 5 Division St. East Greenwich, RI 02818 (*studio entrance on Duane St. Door c2 – Stop #8)  Click Here for More Information

IF YOU ARE ATTENDING CLASSES AT OLLI, YOU MUST HAVE A PARKING PASS! If you are not sure, please call the office at 401-874-4197. Parking is FREE with membership but you must register your vehicle now if you are taking classes in 2025 -2026. If you get a ticket you will be responsible for appealing it with the URI parking administration. If you would like us to renew your parking pass we need the following information as soon as possible: License Plate #, Car Make, Model & Color and if your car is gas, electric or hybrid. 

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  image.pngimage.png.