Lectures and Mini-Series   

THIS CLASS IS IN SESSION. 

Let's explore genealogy research using online resources and using your OWN family tree. The facilitator will lead discussions, give examples, and help participants with their research. Please bring your own electronic devices to use for your research during the sessions.

This is a 4-part mini-series on Thursdays from 12-1:30 p.m. from May 28th through June 18th and each session builds on the one before it. Participants must register for Session 1 to take part in the series. The series will continue with four additional sessions in July.

If you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, join Capsule Wardrobe Guru, Sherry Lugone, for this popular three week class. You'll learn to de-clutter your closet and curate a versatile wardrobe of 30 to 40 pieces of clothing for the season.

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Please email Sherry at capsules101guru@gmail.com with the subject line Project 333 Registration.

THIS CLASS IS IN SESSION. 

This program will immerse you in the day-to-day of urban gardening in Nevada. You’ll spend time with Soulful Seeds, a non-profit organization growing free, fresh food for our neighbors, and connection and resiliency through our many programs offered. You will experience late Spring and early Summer in our gardens- From learning about our pollinators, harvesting garlic with Reno's Garlic Guru (and our co-founder), to learning about our mission, pesticide-free farming and composting, and seizing the opportunity to stroll through our native-Nevadan plant garden and hoop houses. You'll learn about Nevada gardening and ask your garden and produce-growing questions.

This program is part of a four-part off-site seminar at the Soulful Gardens Campus (corner of Glendale and Galetti Way), meeting Fridays at noon, May 15 through June 5.

Note: Registration was required for the full series and has now closed.

• June 5: Join us for a garlic education session with co-founder Earstin Whitten, who is known around town as the Garlic Guru. He will lead us through an educational talk about garlic growing and harvesting, including how best to plant and harvest garlic in our climate. Next, we'll do some garden tasks needed in the garden that week- this could be planting, weeding, or harvesting tasks. If you're interested in more volunteering, join us every Friday for Soulful Seniors Garden Days (9am-10:30am until it gets hot- then we shift to 8-9:30am- TBD, check our calendar for details!) We also have public volunteer days one Saturday a month, our garlic harvesting workshop on 6/20, and plenty of other opportunities for you to join us. Thanks for being part of our mission!

Registration is closed.

Zentangle is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Those patterns are called "tangles". These tangles are created with combinations of dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves and orbs. We will draw these patterns on pieces of paper called “tiles.” There are NO mistakes in this method of creativity, no fear of failure or worry about the outcome. You can create BEAUTIFUL art immediately! (Even if you say you don’t have a creative bone in your body!)

PAYMENT: The instructor will provide a class kit for each session packaged in a drawstring bag. Each class kit will cost $10. Payment may be made in cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, or credit card.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Members must register separately for each class. Participation is limited to 20 participants and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration closes Friday, May 29. After the first 20 registrations are received, the Sign-Up / Waitlist option will appear and additional registrants will be placed on the waitlist. You will be notified by email confirming whether you are registered for the class or have been placed on the waitlist. Click here for Registration Instructions. 

Cancellation Courtesy: If you are unable to attend a program for which you registered, please review our Registered Program Cancellation Courtesy.

III. Black ink on Gray Tile - NOTE: This session will NOT repeat tangles taught in previous sessions. Included in a drawstring bag, there will be 3 Gray tiles, 1 Black micron /pen, 1 Mini Graphite pencil, 1 Tortillon.

• Friday, June 5th from 10-11:30 a.m.

Professor Ned Schoolman on "Drowning Towns, Flooded Cities: Abandonment and Adaptation in the Age of Premodern Climate Change”

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Every July, Reno is Artown. The annual month-long celebration of art and culture features more than 500 events, including live music, theater, dance, visual and literary arts, multicultural events, and tours. Local talent is showcased, along with national and internationally known artists and performers. Join Artown Director Beth Macmillan for a sneak preview of Artown 2026.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Let's explore genealogy research using online resources and using your OWN family tree. The facilitator will lead discussions, give examples, and help participants with their research. Please bring your own electronic devices to use for your research during the sessions.

This is a 4-part mini-series on Thursdays from 12-1:30 p.m. from May 28th through June 18th and each session builds on the one before it. Participants must register for Session 1 to take part in the series. The series will continue with four additional sessions in July.

Using extensive research and eyewitness accounts, local authors and historians David & Gayle Woodruff recount the incredible, true and bizarre story of a calculating and disgruntled gambler and his attempt to extort three million dollars from the historic Harvey’s Casino Lake Tahoe in August of 1980. The 60-minute slide show features dozens of historic and seldom seen images.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Social connection plays a powerful role in our health as we age—yet many older adults experience increasing isolation and loneliness, often without realizing the impact it can have on physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being. In this presentation, Dr. Amil Trujillo-King, a Geriatrics Fellow with the Sanford Center for Aging, will explore why social isolation is so common later in life and why it matters more than we may think. Drawing from her clinical experience and her current work improving care for older adults in home-based settings, Dr. Trujillo-King will share what healthcare teams are seeing firsthand, what research tells us about loneliness and health, and—most importantly—what actually helps. The talk will include practical, realistic strategies for staying connected, supporting others, and fostering a sense of purpose and community as we age.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

PART II:  In the previous presentation, we explored the history of the Lincoln Highway, where it went and what happened to it. Now we will look at the Lincoln Highway in Nevada and California. We will investigate its history, location and how the highway changed over the years - illustrated with maps and great pictures.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

International travel brings infinite pleasure, but along with that, intrepid travelers need to be willing to just accept things don't always go their way. Come share in some highlights and lowlights of this voracious traveler.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Various speakers will present short topics of interest. Talks will last for 5 to 20 minutes. Topics will be chosen by the speaker, and will not be announced in advance. Tune in and be surprised!

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Submit your Fall 2026 Course Proposal by Friday July 31 for consideration by the OLLI Program Committee.
Want to know more before you submit a course proposal? Come to this session on Monday, June 15 at 2pm if you are a potential presenter and/or know someone who could be!! Learn about OLLI audiences, kinds of program formats possible, facilities and technology available, program proposal timelines, etc.  For more information, contact olli.programs@gmail.com

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Explore the fascinating history and techniques of woodblock printing in this engaging talk led by Christina Michael, Nell J. Redfield School Services Manager and E. L. Cord Museum School Instructor. From iconic works by Japanese artist Hokusai to contemporary examples, participants will take a close look at celebrated woodblock prints and uncover the intricate processes behind their creation.

This program is presented in partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and is hosted every third Wednesday of the month.

Location: Nevada Museum of Art, 160 West Liberty Street Reno, NV 89501  

Registration Required: Please register through the Nevada Museum of Art using the link below. OLLI members will also be asked to check in at the Museum’s front desk upon arrival.

Register here: https://bit.ly/OLLINMAHokusai

Let's explore genealogy research using online resources and using your OWN family tree. The facilitator will lead discussions, give examples, and help participants with their research. Please bring your own electronic devices to use for your research during the sessions.

This is a 4-part mini-series on Thursdays from 12-1:30 p.m. from May 28th through June 18th and each session builds on the one before it. Participants must register for Session 1 to take part in the series. The series will continue with four additional sessions in July.

Join us for a lively discussion of Macbeth before you see it at the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival this summer. Professor Mardock will lead us through Shakespeare’s shortest play with his always original perspective and bonus line readings.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

This is a three-part workshop.

Join us in a three-part workshop designed to support older adults as they navigate life transitions and explore new possibilities for growth and fulfillment. Through guided discussion and practical exercises, participants will reflect on how their identity has evolved, reconnect with what gives them a sense of purpose, and explore meaningful ways to reinvent themselves in this stage of life. Each 60–75 minute session provides a supportive environment that encourages insight, confidence, and forward movement for individuals seeking to develop a clear and realistic plan for their next chapter.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

THIS CLASS IS IN SESSION. 

Dive into the fascinating world of the stock market in this engaging, peer-led discussion class. Each month, we will collectively select and deeply analyze four stocks trading on the NYSE or Nasdaq. This is not a lecture series, but an open forum where participants share their insights. Our focus will be on the fundamentals: dissecting recent financial statements, reviewing analyst reports, and evaluating key market indicators. The collaborative learning environment is perfect for those who want to sharpen their stock analysis skills. Join us to learn how to read between the financial lines and gain a deeper understanding of company valuations. *Disclaimer: This class does not provide financial advice, recommendations, or instruction on buying/selling securities.

The need for understanding the "basics" of economics - for Economic Literacy - has never been greater. In this semester's continuation of our long-running "De-Mystifying Economics" series, we will discuss the most important current issues in Economics taken directly from today's news. We will particularly look at how mis-information and dis-information impact our economic policy choices and, as always, we will use actual data to help us evaluate what is sensible - and what is not - in various economic policy ideas.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

This four-part beginner series, offered in July, is designed for individuals interested in learning fingerstyle guitar playing. Students will explore segments of popular songs from the 1960s and 1970s that feature the acoustic guitar. Each song segment will be treated as an exercise to develop a particular fingerstyle technique. The series will begin with the very basics and progressively advance with each lesson. Please bring your own guitar and music stand.

Session 1: Introduction, Concerto 6

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Let's explore genealogy research using online resources and using your OWN family tree. The facilitator will lead discussions, give examples, and help participants with their research. Please bring your own electronic devices to use for your research during the sessions.

This 4-part mini-series is a continuation of the June series and will be held on Thursdays from 12-1:30 p.m. from July 9th through July 30th with each session building on the one before it.

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED.

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." Confucius Join Liza Chapen on the piano and Leah Davis leading the group for an hour of a singalong each week. Share the joy of a huge variety of songs, new and old. Words to the songs will be provided and requests taken for songs for the following week. No talent or ability required, just a desire to share the joy of singing.

This is a mini-series.

Meets weekly on Thursdays from July through August

If you've ever wished for a quick routine to start your energies moving first thing in the morning, then you're in luck. The Daily Energy Routine will do just that! You'll learn a series of easy movements that will energize you, enhance your cognitive function and help you feel better. This routine is easily performed in 10 minutes or less and can be done from a seated or standing position. The benefits of this daily routine are cumulative.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

This is a three-part workshop.

Join us in a three-part workshop designed to support older adults as they navigate life transitions and explore new possibilities for growth and fulfillment. Through guided discussion and practical exercises, participants will reflect on how their identity has evolved, reconnect with what gives them a sense of purpose, and explore meaningful ways to reinvent themselves in this stage of life. Each 60–75 minute session provides a supportive environment that encourages insight, confidence, and forward movement for individuals seeking to develop a clear and realistic plan for their next chapter.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Share a profound exploration of the human experience from in-depth conversations with notable Nevadans like: Mike Tyson, Frankie Sue Del Papa, Harry Reid, Jill Tolles, and Brian Sandoval describing their unique perspective on life and the possibility of life after death, or the afterlife.

Walk through the long history of distillation as a technology. Where it began. What it was used for. How the different spirits we drink were created. What else it's used for now.

Philosophy is the methodical study and investigation of central questions about human nature, morality, knowledge, and social organizations.  Other disciplines allow for basic assumptions, but philosophers cannot be constrained by such assumptions. Philosophy encourages critical thinking and self-reflection, helping us understand complex ideas. One way to understand philosophy is to look at its historical origins. 

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Session 2: Concertos 1 and 2

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Let's explore genealogy research using online resources and using your OWN family tree. The facilitator will lead discussions, give examples, and help participants with their research. Please bring your own electronic devices to use for your research during the sessions.

This 4-part mini-series is a continuation of the June series and will be held on Thursdays from 12-1:30 p.m. from July 9th through July 30th with each session building on the one before it.

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED.

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." Confucius Join Liza Chapen on the piano and Leah Davis leading the group for an hour of a singalong each week. Share the joy of a huge variety of songs, new and old. Words to the songs will be provided and requests taken for songs for the following week. No talent or ability required, just a desire to share the joy of singing.

This is a mini-series.

Meets weekly on Thursdays from July through August

Come and enjoy 2 videos from these world travelers. First, we will view the largest freshwater wetland in the world while searching for jaguars, the dominant predators of the Pantanal. Then we will view penguin species and their habitats in the Southern hemisphere from the equator to the Antarctic Circle.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

In 2025 between 9.2 and 9.5 million Americans over age 65 reported loss of money to criminals using phone calls, text messages, emails, and internet technologies including the newfound use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). That number, which is believed to be substantially underreported, equates to 1 out of every 7 seniors. Learn how scam artists operate and what you can do to protect yourself from them. Since criminals are always active with new ways to cheat people out of their money, this updated program will include ways to help you avoid becoming their next victim.

This is a three-part workshop.

Join us in a three-part workshop designed to support older adults as they navigate life transitions and explore new possibilities for growth and fulfillment. Through guided discussion and practical exercises, participants will reflect on how their identity has evolved, reconnect with what gives them a sense of purpose, and explore meaningful ways to reinvent themselves in this stage of life. Each 60–75 minute session provides a supportive environment that encourages insight, confidence, and forward movement for individuals seeking to develop a clear and realistic plan for their next chapter.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

The Sanford Center for Aging strives to enhance the quality of life and well-being among elders and educate current and aspiring healthcare professionals and caregivers. Learn about the free services available that support your health and well-being from the director of the Sanford Center for Aging.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Using a trove of rare and seldom‑seen photographs, local historians and authors David and Gayle Woodruff takes you on a fast‑paced and often humorous journey across Donner Summit—one of America’s most storied and heavily traveled mountain corridors. From the heroic three‑day, round‑the‑clock effort to rescue 226 passengers and crew from a snow‑stranded and danger filled train, to the spirited “Snow Shoveling Bee” that rallied an entire community, this program uncovers the remarkable characters, bold feats, and improbable moments that have shaped this legendary Sierra Summit’s fanciful history.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Session 3: Concertos 3 and 4

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Let's explore genealogy research using online resources and using your OWN family tree. The facilitator will lead discussions, give examples, and help participants with their research. Please bring your own electronic devices to use for your research during the sessions.

This 4-part mini-series is a continuation of the June series and will be held on Thursdays from 12-1:30 p.m. from July 9th through July 30th with each session building on the one before it.

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED.

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." Confucius Join Liza Chapen on the piano and Leah Davis leading the group for an hour of a singalong each week. Share the joy of a huge variety of songs, new and old. Words to the songs will be provided and requests taken for songs for the following week. No talent or ability required, just a desire to share the joy of singing.

This is a mini-series.

Meets weekly on Thursdays from July through August

In 1857 Mormon emigrants from Europe, who were relocating to Salt Lake City, used manpowered pulled handcarts for their goods. The church had run out of money to pay for supply wagons. Hear the story of two handcart teams and one wagon team stranded on the trail in a vicious snowstorm and how they were rescued.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Gently explore meaningful spiritual principles in a way that is thoughtful, grounded, and accessible.This method speaks especially to those who have gathered years of life experience and are now asking deeper questions about purpose, connection, and inner peace. Together, we look at the subtle ways we sometimes block or hinder our own spiritual connection—often without even realizing it. With compassion and clarity, the course helps participants recognize these patterns and provides practical, real-life tools to strengthen personal growth and deepen their connection in everyday living. This is not about religion, nor does it promote any specific belief system. Instead, it honors the wisdom each person already carries and offers a space to reflect, expand, and reconnect on a more meaningful level. The program is designed for anyone who feels called to grow, reflect, and deepen their understanding of themselves and their spiritual journey—especially those in the later chapters of life who are ready to live with greater awareness, fulfillment, and peace.

Babbitt was once one of the most vital towns in Nevada history, but now there is nothing left of the town but the memories of the residents that lived there. Come watch the recent documentary “Babbitt, Nevada – A WWII Era Ghost Town” by Andre Molyneau. Debbie Bartley grew up in Babbitt and will fill in the details of what life was like in this unique town that was a suburb of Hawthorne, Nevada.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Session 4: Concerto 5

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Let's explore genealogy research using online resources and using your OWN family tree. The facilitator will lead discussions, give examples, and help participants with their research. Please bring your own electronic devices to use for your research during the sessions.

This 4-part mini-series is a continuation of the June series and will be held on Thursdays from 12-1:30 p.m. from July 9th through July 30th with each session building on the one before it.

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED.

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." Confucius Join Liza Chapen on the piano and Leah Davis leading the group for an hour of a singalong each week. Share the joy of a huge variety of songs, new and old. Words to the songs will be provided and requests taken for songs for the following week. No talent or ability required, just a desire to share the joy of singing.

This is a mini-series.

Meets weekly on Thursdays from July through August

Gently explore meaningful spiritual principles in a way that is thoughtful, grounded, and accessible.This method speaks especially to those who have gathered years of life experience and are now asking deeper questions about purpose, connection, and inner peace. Together, we look at the subtle ways we sometimes block or hinder our own spiritual connection—often without even realizing it. With compassion and clarity, the course helps participants recognize these patterns and provides practical, real-life tools to strengthen personal growth and deepen their connection in everyday living. This is not about religion, nor does it promote any specific belief system. Instead, it honors the wisdom each person already carries and offers a space to reflect, expand, and reconnect on a more meaningful level. The program is designed for anyone who feels called to grow, reflect, and deepen their understanding of themselves and their spiritual journey—especially those in the later chapters of life who are ready to live with greater awareness, fulfillment, and peace.

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." Confucius Join Liza Chapen on the piano and Leah Davis leading the group for an hour of a singalong each week. Share the joy of a huge variety of songs, new and old. Words to the songs will be provided and requests taken for songs for the following week. No talent or ability required, just a desire to share the joy of singing.

This is a mini-series.

Meets weekly on Thursdays from July through August

This is a two-part mini-series.

August 7: Part 1 - How immigrants made the western trek in the 1840s, pre-49ers. What do we know about how emigrants made the journey to California and Utah in the 1840s? What trails did they take? What did they bring? Who were these people? What did they wear? If you have any questions, bring them with you and I may be able to give you an answer.

September 4: Part 2 - The Gold Rush What do we know about how emigrants made the journey to California for the Gold Rush? How did they get there? What did they bring? Who were these people? What did they wear? If you have specific questions about "how", not about a specific person, I will try to answer them.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Gently explore meaningful spiritual principles in a way that is thoughtful, grounded, and accessible.This method speaks especially to those who have gathered years of life experience and are now asking deeper questions about purpose, connection, and inner peace. Together, we look at the subtle ways we sometimes block or hinder our own spiritual connection—often without even realizing it. With compassion and clarity, the course helps participants recognize these patterns and provides practical, real-life tools to strengthen personal growth and deepen their connection in everyday living. This is not about religion, nor does it promote any specific belief system. Instead, it honors the wisdom each person already carries and offers a space to reflect, expand, and reconnect on a more meaningful level. The program is designed for anyone who feels called to grow, reflect, and deepen their understanding of themselves and their spiritual journey—especially those in the later chapters of life who are ready to live with greater awareness, fulfillment, and peace.

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." Confucius Join Liza Chapen on the piano and Leah Davis leading the group for an hour of a singalong each week. Share the joy of a huge variety of songs, new and old. Words to the songs will be provided and requests taken for songs for the following week. No talent or ability required, just a desire to share the joy of singing.

This is a mini-series.

Meets weekly on Thursdays from July through August

Gently explore meaningful spiritual principles in a way that is thoughtful, grounded, and accessible.This method speaks especially to those who have gathered years of life experience and are now asking deeper questions about purpose, connection, and inner peace. Together, we look at the subtle ways we sometimes block or hinder our own spiritual connection—often without even realizing it. With compassion and clarity, the course helps participants recognize these patterns and provides practical, real-life tools to strengthen personal growth and deepen their connection in everyday living. This is not about religion, nor does it promote any specific belief system. Instead, it honors the wisdom each person already carries and offers a space to reflect, expand, and reconnect on a more meaningful level. The program is designed for anyone who feels called to grow, reflect, and deepen their understanding of themselves and their spiritual journey—especially those in the later chapters of life who are ready to live with greater awareness, fulfillment, and peace.

The Washoe County Library System has been awarded a grant from the Yiddish Book Center to host “Between Two Worlds,” a Yiddish book group. As part of the grant, I traveled to the Yiddish Book Center for a multi-day training where I learned about Yiddish culture and literature. I’m happy to share this culture and invite everyone to join the Yiddish book group.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Robin Holabird, film critic, author, and retired commissioner of the Nevada Film Commission presents two movies related to her work in Nevada and her world travels.

August 19: The Wizard(1989) is a "family film" road picture which ultimately turned Reno boy Kristoffer Polaha into an actor (Wonder Woman, Jurassic World) who recently came back to Northern Nevada for his first feature film as director.  As film commissioner, Robin helped  the movie makers and will share stories about production and locations. It  stars Fred Savage, Christian Slater, and Jeff Bridges. Today's grownups who first watched the film as kids hold a soft spot for it in their hearts.  It uses many locations around here.

August 26: For "Going Around the World in Movies," let's head to the Pacific Crest Trail and Oregon with Wild, the film version of Cheryl Straid's best-selling memoir.  It's more about dealing with grief than hiking and includes rough adult elements plus Oscar-nominated performances from Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.

 

Location: Nevada Museum of Art, 160 West Liberty Street Reno, NV 89501  

Registration Required: Please register through the Nevada Museum of Art using the link below. OLLI members will also be asked to check in at the Museum’s front desk upon arrival.

Register here: 

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." Confucius Join Liza Chapen on the piano and Leah Davis leading the group for an hour of a singalong each week. Share the joy of a huge variety of songs, new and old. Words to the songs will be provided and requests taken for songs for the following week. No talent or ability required, just a desire to share the joy of singing.

This is a mini-series.

Meets weekly on Thursdays from July through August

Learn about the origins and history of casino gambling worldwide with an emphasis on Reno's important role in this rapidly growing industry. Our presenter, who was raised in Reno, has 40+ years of experience working with casinos across the country. This is a rare opportunity to learn about the gambling industry's past and what lies ahead.

Robin Holabird, film critic, author, and retired commissioner of the Nevada Film Commission presents movies related to her work in Nevada and her world travels.

August 26: For "Going Around the World in Movies," let's head to the Pacific Crest Trail and Oregon with Wild, the film version of Cheryl Straid's best-selling memoir.  It's more about dealing with grief than hiking and includes rough adult elements plus Oscar-nominated performances from Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.

Born out of the desperation of the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps became one of the New Deal’s most transformative and beloved programs—putting millions of young men to work healing the land and rebuilding the nation’s spirit. In this lively and richly illustrated program, historian David Woodruff explores how the CCC reshaped America from coast to coast and laid the foundation for today’s national and state park systems. From remote Nevada camps to iconic projects across the country, the CCC and the New Deal’s legacy endures in the landscapes we hike, the parks we treasure, and the communities forever changed by the “boys in green.”

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." Confucius Join Liza Chapen on the piano and Leah Davis leading the group for an hour of a singalong each week. Share the joy of a huge variety of songs, new and old. Words to the songs will be provided and requests taken for songs for the following week. No talent or ability required, just a desire to share the joy of singing.

This is a mini-series.

Meets weekly on Thursdays from July through August

Around the 1860 presidential campaign of Abraham Lincoln, Adalbert Johann Volck, a Baltimore dental surgeon, began creating his infamous political “cartoons.” Some were printed in the Baltimore Sun where his reputation as the Southern equivalent of the Northern political cartoonist, Thomas Nash, began. After the occupation of Baltimore by Union soldiers, Volck went underground. He created Southern sympathetic sketches, rendered them into copper plates, and printed them for secret distribution to individual subscribers. No one else was involved in what was considered treasonous even by the artist himself. Volck used the money to buy gold and medical supplies which he smuggled to Confederate troops and transported correspondence to Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson. He was eventually imprisoned at Fort McHenry and his printing press and much of his work was destroyed.

Why do so many people love opera? Yes, it's the incredible music, the stories, the thrilling spectacle of the costumes and sets, but mostly it's the profoundly emotional power of the human voice. This session will provide you with in-depth introductions to two of opera's greatest hits - Mozart's delightful, Cosi fan Tutte and Verdi's dramatic, Macbeth. Afterwards, you can see and hear both operas right here in Reno when New York's Metropolitan Opera broadcasts them live in HD to local movie theaters. In class, you'll be able to see and hear both yesterday's and today's most gifted opera stars sing famous arias from these two increible works and learn all about the history, the stories, the music, and the voices that will thrill audiences worldwide this Fall.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Explore the inner workings of the City of Reno through a civic engagement program created for OLLI members. Through interactive sessions and conversations with city staff, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how local government operates—from essential services and departmental roles to the decision-making processes that shape our community. Connect with the city, ask questions, and become more informed and engaged residents.

Note: This is a two session mini-series.

 

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Curious about OLLI? Whether you're a prospective, new, returning, or longtime member, this event is for you! Join us for our Fall Member Orientation to learn what OLLI is all about—our history, programs, resources, and ways to get involved. Meet fellow members, explore opportunities, and see how OLLI can enrich your lifelong learning journey.

After the orientation, stay for our Mix & Mingle! Enjoy light refreshments, connect with fellow members, and kick off the season with great conversations.

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, September 11
• Orientation: 10 am to 11 am (Hybrid)
• Mix & Mingle: 11 am to 12:30 pm (In-person)

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

This is a two-part mini-series.

September 4: Part 2 - The Gold Rush

What do we know about how emigrants made the journey to California for the Gold Rush? How did they get there? What did they bring? Who were these people? What did they wear? If you have specific questions about "how", not about a specific person, I will try to answer them.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Explore why we like and need humor in our lives. From the beginning of human existence to the very stressful times we live in now, we will explore why humor and the ability to laugh at ourselves is part of humanity. This is a One And Done session but if there's more interest, we might make it a continuing series. Hey, what are you laughing at?

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Reno is one of the few cities in the United States to have a Refuge Resettlement Center (NNIC). What are the current local and global trends of resettlement issues? What resources do we have in Reno? How do you fit in?

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Explore the inner workings of the City of Reno through a civic engagement program created for OLLI members. Through interactive sessions and conversations with city staff, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how local government operates—from essential services and departmental roles to the decision-making processes that shape our community. Connect with the city, ask questions, and become more informed and engaged residents.

Note: This is a two session mini-series.

 

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

If you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, join Capsule Wardrobe Guru, Sherry Lugone, for this popular three week class. You'll learn to de-clutter your closet and curate a versatile wardrobe of 30 to 40 pieces of clothing for the season. Strategies for curating a sustainable and ethical wardrobe will also be discussed.

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Please email Sherry at capsules101guru@gmail.com with the subject line Project 333 Registration.

THIS CLASS IS FULL. 

Join members of Forte Vocal in a series of four workshops which will include topics like breathing and breath control, vocal productions and support, bel canto singing, harmony 101, and other key components of programming and creating a choral program. We will offer performances and teaching with hands on experiential learning experiences.

Note: This is a 4-session workshop.

Dr. Isabelli came to the University of Nevada, Reno as an expert in World Languages and became the dean of the School of Liberal Arts. She I guiding the department through a time of drastic changes. Learn about those changes and the opportunities that are being pursued.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Have you wished to explore painting with watercolor but just didn’t know how or where to get started. Watercolor Basics will be your jumping off point. In this six-week mini-series, we will explore though hands-on instruction, the basics of painting with watercolor from selecting the paper, types of watercolor paints, brushes, simple color mixing, techniques for applying paint, and composition. The mini-series is open to all artistic skill levels and no formal art education is needed. All levels of artistic skill are welcome, and no formal art education is needed. Once registration closes, the instructor will email registered participants a supply list and any prep notes. For questions, email rnewbury@unr.edu. This is a six-part series that meets on Wednesdays from September 16 through October 21 at 2 pm, and each session builds on the one before it.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED by Wednesday, September 9. Limit 20 members. A lottery will be held to fill available slots if demand exceeds availability. To sign-up, log in to your member account, then return to the program page.

 

Location: Nevada Museum of Art, 160 West Liberty Street Reno, NV 89501  

Registration Required: Please register through the Nevada Museum of Art using the link below. OLLI members will also be asked to check in at the Museum’s front desk upon arrival.

Register here: 

Come join Karin for another Burning Man experience! There will be photos and stories from this year's burn in August, as well as a video or two from former burns, never before shown at OLLI! Don't miss the dust-free adventure!

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Various speakers will present short topics of interest. Talks will last for 5 to 20 minutes. Topics will be chosen by the speaker, and will not be announced in advance. Tune in and be surprised!

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Join members of Forte Vocal in a series of four workshops which will include topics like breathing and breath control, vocal productions and support, bel canto singing, harmony 101, and other key components of programming and creating a choral program. We will offer performances and teaching with hands on experiential learning experiences.

Note: This is a 4-session workshop.

Amelia Earhart disappeared on July 2, 1937. The official search was abandoned after 16 days. The unofficial search has never stopped. Rachel Hartigan, author of “Lost: Amelia Earhart’s Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life,” will take you through the aviator’s last flight, the three leading theories of what happened, and why we still can’t let Earhart go. A former National Geographic reporter, Hartigan covered two expeditions to the isolated Pacific island of Nikumaroro in search of Earhart’s remains and her plane.

Join members of Forte Vocal in a series of four workshops which will include topics like breathing and breath control, vocal productions and support, bel canto singing, harmony 101, and other key components of programming and creating a choral program. We will offer performances and teaching with hands on experiential learning experiences.

Note: This is a 4-session workshop.

Presented by retired lieutenant Carl Caudill, discover the psychology, techniques, and skills behind the primary method investigators use to solve crimes. Through lecture and personal anecdotes from different cases, participants learn: the basics of interview and interrogation, how to read body language, how to recognize and counter verbal deceptions, how “trickery” is used, how and when the Miranda Warning is used, and how to use polygraphs as a tool. Members also have the opportunity to participate in role-playing scenarios.

Join members of Forte Vocal in a series of four workshops which will include topics like breathing and breath control, vocal productions and support, bel canto singing, harmony 101, and other key components of programming and creating a choral program. We will offer performances and teaching with hands on experiential learning experiences.

Note: This is a 4-session workshop.

In the last few years, the number of books being banned or censored  - particularly books for children and youth - has increased dramatically.  What has led to this drastic increase? Who is driving the calls for banning books? What kinds of books most frequently are identified on lists of books to be banned?  How do book banning and censorship impact young people, the authors of the books, librarians, and teachers, and society as a whole?  In honor of Banned Books Week, come learn about this troubling trend and the climate of censorship. 

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

THIS CLASS IS FULL. 

Using rare historic photographs and deep‑dive research, local authors and historians David and Gayle Woodruff take audiences on a lively journey through the rich and varied history of the Carson Valley. From the towering grain elevators and elegant architecture of the Minden Flour Milling Company, to the whistle and steam of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, to the pioneer outpost of Genoa and the emigrant struggles along the California Trail, this program explores the people, industries, and events that helped shape one of Nevada’s most historic and enduring regions.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Man of the Forest-Orangutans are in peril of extinction and only inhabit the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Join us as we explore the rainforests of Malaysian Borneo in search of these great apes.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Why do some languages use scripts that look so different from ours? Why do so many other languages use an alphabet very similar to the one we use in English? How do letters reflect history and culture? We will explore the history of writing, its relationship to spoken language, and what the different ways of writing languages reveal about cultural values, the persistence of history, and the nature of language itself.  

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

 

Location: Nevada Museum of Art, 160 West Liberty Street Reno, NV 89501  

Registration Required: Please register through the Nevada Museum of Art using the link below. OLLI members will also be asked to check in at the Museum’s front desk upon arrival.

Register here: 

Today, parents help their kids craft fairy houses, but our ancestors viewed these supernatural beings far more negatively. Fairies can play tricks, kidnap, and destroy crops and livestock. Children were told to avoid mushrooms rings, not to keep them from touching poisonous toadstools, but because the circles lead to other worlds from which a child might not return. Today, young ones want to meet Tinkerbell, and they do not fear her quick temper, but once, betraying or even thanking a fairy came with far more serious consequences. This talk will examine some of the many depictions of fairies around the world and how they often merge in popular culture. Generous, lifesaving, destructive, and cold, fairies have a complex history worth exploring.
NOTE: The presenter will join us on Zoom. This program will NOT be recorded.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED by Wednesday, October 21.  Limit 25 members. Preference will be given to new students. The course may be repeated if space is available. Click Here for Registration Instructions.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Pasts and Preludes: William Faulkner wrote memorably, "The past is never dead. It's not even past." The American Civil War grew out of the first two centuries of our colonial and later national existence. Though fought from 1861-65, it has endured as a contested monument in our national historical consciousness. Let's examine enduring themes brought into sharp relief during the era, as well as others that have since withered.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

THIS CLASS IS FULL. 

Over the past seventy-five years, China’s environmental thought and policy have undergone profound transformations. During the era of Maoism, from the 1950s through the 1970s, nature was treated as something to be dominated and remade. During the dynamic years of “reform and opening” from the 1980s to the 2010s, the very success of China’s economy came increasingly to be seen as inseparable from catastrophic environmental degradation. We will examine that history and trace the path by which China has become by far the world leader in renewable energy.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

THIS CLASS IS FULL. 

Radioactivity may conjure up danger to many people, but in fact radioisotopes are used safely every day for many practical purposes, such as dating objects, smoke detectors, and medical diagnostics and therapy. Learn basic knowledge about radioactivity and practical applications of radioactive isotopes.

Abolitionists and Fire-Eaters: Slavery has existed at least since the invention of writing, c. 3600 BC, and almost certainly before. Opposition to racialized slavery in the Atlantic world and the Americas, however, traces its roots to the 17th century. In the U.S. context, both proslavery and antislavery writers, politicians, and preachers alike enlisted the Bible in their efforts to disentangle a knotty institution tightly wound in the nation's identity. In this session, we'll discuss some of the background (intellectual, economic, social, and religious) and current events that informed and nurtured both the Abolitionists and the proslavery Fire-Eaters in the 19th century. In doing so, we'll examine the emergence of an issue that ultimately precipitated the American Civil War.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

THIS CLASS IS IN SESSION. 

 

Location: Nevada Museum of Art, 160 West Liberty Street Reno, NV 89501  

Registration Required: Please register through the Nevada Museum of Art using the link below. OLLI members will also be asked to check in at the Museum’s front desk upon arrival.

Register here: 

Radioactivity may conjure up danger to many people, but in fact radioisotopes are used safely every day for many practical purposes, such as dating objects, smoke detectors, and medical diagnostics and therapy. Learn basic knowledge about radioactivity and practical applications of radioactive isotopes.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Widening Chasms and Existential Crises: In explaining our civil war, historian Shelby Foote said that we had forgotten how to compromise, a practice essential to sustaining a democracy. At what point did compromise become impossible? By the early 1850's, the rifts in American society, culture, and politics had widened considerably. We will discuss a series of events that collectively began pushing Americans to either side of those divides. In a process all too familiar, those who sought to build bridges across the widening chasms began discovering that their spans went nowhere.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

The tense reality of life during the Cold War of the 1950s and ‘60s was omnipresent throughout the US. Newspapers reported frequent nuclear tests by the Soviet Union, Sputnik was launched…school children practiced duck and cover drills, while many people converted their basements into bomb shelters. Even in the tranquil Eastern Sierra, vestiges of this complicated period in our country’s history abounded. Using rare photos and extensive research, local historians David & Gayle Woodruff examine the improbable tales of heightened preparedness, secret tests and even espionage in the Eastern Sierra, in an entertaining 55 minute slide show.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Professor Lokken will present his analysis of our current political situation.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Various speakers will present short topics of interest. Talks will last for 5 to 20 minutes. Topics will be chosen by the speaker, and will not be announced in advance. Tune in and be surprised!

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.