Please note that you must have either a 2023-2024 Community Member (OLLI) parking decal or a visitor’s permit to park on campus Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact the OLLI office (828.251.6140) to purchase your OLLI annual decal, or use this link for a visitor parking permit to print and display on your dashboard.

Spring Catalog

The spring 2024 catalog of courses, programs and events and the spring 2024 schedule of College for Seniors courses are available by clicking on the buttons below. Please be aware that courses, programs and events are subject to change or cancellation, which may not be reflected in the catalog; the online registration system will always include the most accurate locations and other information about our courses, and this page will always include the most accurate information about programs and events.

View Spring 2024 Catalog View Spring 2024 CFS Course Schedule

Program Calendar

Unless otherwise noted, programs take place at the Reuter Center and are free and open to everyone.

Please see UNC Asheville’s expectations of mutual respect and care for all for more information about COVID-19 guidance for courses, programs and events taking place on campus.

April

Friday, April 26, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Friday: “The Power of Horses Healing PTSD and Other Trauma” (in-person + online)
Shannon Knapp will share her passion for partnering with horses in helping individuals heal and rebuild their lives. Shannon and a team of therapists and horses work with veterans, children at risk and many others suffering from trauma. This presentation will bring you closer to the heart of healing through these remarkable horses.
Shannon Knapp is the founder and president of Horse Sense Carolinas, Inc., an internationally recognized leader in the field of Equine Assisted Services, and executive director of Heart of Horse Sense, a nonprofit organization. Shannon has published many books and articles addressing equine assisted services including More Than a Mirror: Horses, Humans and Therapeutic Practices (Horse Sense of the Carolinas, 2013, ISBN: 978-0979404184).
Join online via Zoom and find a complete list of spring 2024 Fab Friday lectures.

Sunday, April 28, 2:30 p.m. | The Autumn Players/Readers Theatre Showcase
Partner Program: “Over the River and Through the Woods by Joe diPietro”
The Autumn Players is Asheville Community Theatre’s volunteer outreach group consisting of more than 100 seasoned actors, writers and educators dedicated to taking theatre into the community. Since 1992, the company has provided entertainment, enrichment and instruction for thousands of students, seniors and in-betweens at venues in the Asheville area. The Autumn Players’ Friday and Saturday performances take place at ACT, with Sunday performances at the Reuter Center.
Purchase tickets online via the Autumn Players’ website for $8; any remaining tickets will be sold for $8 (cash only) at the door beginning at 2 p.m. prior to each performance.

Tuesday, April 30, 6 p.m. | Leadership Asheville Forum
Partner Program: “Gun Violence, the Second Amendment and Mass Shootings: Is IT Safe Out There?” (in-person + online)
Guns are a challenging topics in social, community and political circles. What are the causes of gun violence in this country? How much gun violence is there across the country and in Buncombe County? We hear about mass shootings on almost a weekly or daily basis. Are these incidents a unique form of gun violence, or is there more to mass shooting than meets the eye? We have an ongoing debate about the Second Amendment. What does it guarantee? What does it not? Is there anything that can be done to reduce gun violence in our country?
Our panel includes Loy Waldrop, of counsel to Lewis Thomason, P.C. D; Professor Carmela Epright, Furman University; and Sheriff Quentin Miller, Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department. All have insights gained through their professional experience and informed perspectives addressing these and related questions. The discussion will be moderated by John Boyle, reporter/columnist, Asheville Watchdog.
Registration is required; register for the April 30 LAF meeting. A link to attend online will be sent to those who register for the event.

May

Wednesday, May 1
Last day for College for Seniors fall 2024 course proposals

Wednesday, May 1, 7 p.m. | Sierra Club WENOCA
Partner Program: “Explore Asheville’s Beautiful Hiking Trails“ (in-person + online)
Marcia Bromberg
The Sierra Club – Western North Carolina Group (WENOCA) is active in educating leaders, the public and the media about environmental issues at the local, state and federal level in order to promote environmental leadership. All meetings are offered in person and on Zoom.
Join online via Zoom and read more.

Thursday, May 2, 7 p.m. | Astronomy Club of Asheville
Partner Program: “Cosmic-Ray Mysteries in the Light of the Sun and the Shadow of the Moon” (in-person + online)
Enrique Alberto Gómez, associate professor of physics and astronomy, Western Carolina University
Join online via Zoom. For more information, visit the Astronomy Club of Asheville’s website.

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Friday: “Weight Management as We Age” (in-person + online)
We will discuss basic nutrition and weight management recommendations to implement as we age.
D. David Baldwin, M.D., received an undergraduate degree in biology from UNC Greensboro and earned his doctorate at East Carolina University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in emergency medicine at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville before serving as a staff emergency physician at Mission Hospital 1990-2020. David is currently the staff physician at The Bariatric Clinic.
Join online via Zoom and find a complete list of spring 2024 Fab Friday lectures.

Friday, May 3, 2 p.m.
OLLI Life Transitions Workshop: “Honoring Grief: Community, Ritual and Resilience”
As we age, we tend to experience more loss, but we don’t necessarily ever get used to managing grief. In this program offered as part of OLLI’s life transitions program, five local psychotherapists (four oncology social workers and one holder of a doctorate in psychology) will share their knowledge and experience working with people facing many different forms of and responses to grief. Using a combination of lecture and small group discussion, these experts will guide participants in ways to take care of themselves and one another in times of pain and transition, including a review of rituals used to offer comfort and closure after loss. Join with fellow OLLI members to honor the universal experience of grief, loss and the potential for healing that occurs in community. In preparation for the program, you are invited to consider the following questions:

What rituals or skills have you used during periods of grief that have been helpful?
Are there any things you can identify that were hurtful/harmful?
What have others done or said that made an impact/validated your grief?

This event is free to OLLI members and the UNCA community, but registration is required. Register to attend the Honoring Grief Workshop here and read more.

Saturday, May 4, 3 p.m.
Special Program: “Asheville New Horizons Band Spring Concert: ‘I Got Rhythm'”
Join the Asheville New Horizons Band for their spring 2024 concert and tap your toes along to the music! This community ensemble of senior adults will present a festive celebration of old favorites and new music for band. You’ll enjoy dancing to “I Got Rhythm” and singing along with “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” We will transport you out West to hear the “Ghost Riders in the Sky” and participate in the “Running of the Bulls.” All fun and family friendly music!
Read more about the Asheville New Horizons Band.

Sunday, May 5, 3 p.m. | Reuter Center Singers
OLLI Program: “Through the Years”
A memorable journey through the years enjoying such musical delights as Already Home; Up, Up, and Away; the theme from CHEERS; Come Fly with Me; and more! Director Chuck Taft will conduct with piano accompanist Eric Fricke.

Tuesday, May 7, 7 p.m. | World Affairs Council
Partner Program: “Security in a Challenging World: Terrorism, Kidnapping and Emergency Evacuations” (in-person + online)
Managing operations in some of the world’s most challenging locations requires an ability to respond quickly and effectively to terrorist incidents, kidnappings, airplane hijackings, and emergency evacuations from countries at war. Real-world case studies reveal the extremely challenging and complex nature of these events and hold lessons that may be surprisingly applicable to our daily lives.
Jonathan C. Tetzlaff has been involved with international risk management since 1980. Throughout his career, he has managed and consulted on complex situations and problems for government agencies, corporate entities and educational institutions. Jonathan provides globally-oriented presentations and training to a wide range of organizations including the U.S. State Department, the University of North Carolina Asheville, the U.S. Army’s Worldwide Long-Range Planners’ Conference, the Conference Board, CISO Executive Summit, Security 500, National Business Aviation Association, the University of Chicago, the International Security Management Association and the National Defense University.
Join online via Zoom.

Friday, May 10, 2 p.m. | OLLI Inclusion Committee
OLLI Program: “Just Films: Dolores”
This 2017 documentary chronicles the life of labor activist Dolores Huerta as she bucks 1950s gender conventions by starting the country’s first farm worker’s union with fellow organizer Cesar Chavez. What starts out as a struggle for racial and labor justice soon becomes a fight for gender equality within the same union she is eventually forced to leave. As she wrestles with raising 11 children, three marriages, and is nearly beaten to death by a San Francisco tactical police squad, Dolores emerges with a vision that connects her new found feminism with racial and class justice.
The 95-minute film will be followed by a discussion facilitated by Kimberly Nava Eggett, director of the Center for Diversity Education, UNC Asheville.
Register to attend. Read more about the film and about Dr. Eggett.

Sunday, May 12, 5:30 p.m. | Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association
Partner Program (in-person + online)
The Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association (CNPA) was founded in 1992 to promote nature photography in the Carolinas, to help conserve and preserve the diverse natural ecosystems in the Carolinas and to educate others interested in nature and wildlife photography. The CNPA-Asheville Region’s goal is to develop a group that will more fully experience the beauty of Western North Carolina through photography. Activities in the Asheville region include monthly meetings, photo outings, seminars, workshops, exhibits, photo contests and image critiques.
For more information, visit the CNPA-Asheville Region’s website.

Tuesday, May 14, 4:30 p.m. | STEM Lecture Series
Partner Program: “Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence Synergies and Issues” (in-person + online)
We have explored several applications of artificial intelligence in the STEM lecture series this year. In this talk presenter Don Martin will consider the broad aspects of A.I. development and capabilities; how artificial intelligence learns from and can teach human intelligence explore the issues we will face from the growth of AI in our society; and provide an opportunity for those who have participated in the A.I. STEM series to express their thoughts on the potential benefits and harms of A.I. in our future.
Don Martin moved to Asheville in 2001 when he retired from his research and development career in the chemical industry. He then shifted his scientific interests to the biological sciences and neuroscience in particular. In addition to teaching several courses for CFS on the chemistry and physics of life and the science of mind, he has presented several lectures in the OLLI STEM Lecture Series.
Join online via Zoom. The STEM Lecture Series is interdisciplinary with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Tuesday, May 14, 6:30 p.m. | Asheville Museum of History
Partner Program: “History Hour – The Town and the Dam: Proctor Revival” (in-person + online)
At the outbreak of American involvement in World War II, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) began construction of the massive Fontana Dam in western North Carolina, inundating several communities and requiring the relocation of residents.
Dedicated to the preservation of the history and culture of Western North Carolina, the Proctor Revival Organization reveals hidden secrets of WWII’s Manhattan Project and its connections to the construction of the Fontana Dam. Now, after eighty years, PRO gives recognition and honor to those whose sacrifice sealed the success of the war. In 2007, Judy Andrews Carpenter and Ron Carpenter opened the historical home of Judy’s grandparents using material from a church demolished due to construction of the Fontana Dam and the filling of Fontana Lake. The two developed a site where the unique, intriguing history of their ancestors is on display and where the story of their beloved mountain people is captured, in a unique way, through a “living history” experience they call the “Proctor Revival.” The Proctor Revival Organization, an entity of the Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team, (GREAT), continues to seek out and promote ways to honor the memory of those who made the success of WWII possible and to enhance economic prosperity throughout western North Carolina by promoting this important history.
Tickets: Free for AMoH and OLLI members/$10 for general admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.
Register to attend.

Tuesday, May 14, 7 p.m. | Blue Ridge Naturalist Network
Partner Program: “Bird-Friendly Communities for Migratory Songbirds” (in-person + online)
Twice a year, millions of neotropical songbirds migrate thousands of miles between their breeding and wintering grounds in North, Central and South America. Migrating birds face many challenges during these periods, the greatest of which are human imposed. Fortunately, many of these threats are well understood, and numerous tools are available to help us provide safe passage for songbirds during their perilous migrations. Paulina Jones will provide an overview of neotropical songbird migration, the unique challenges created by human-built environments, and solutions to enhance the bird-friendliness of our communities.
Paulina Jones is a Western North Carolina local working to improve human-wildlife coexistence in her community. She is passionate about science communication and the intersection of wildlife ecology and policy. Jones is a cofounder of the Coalition for a Bird-Friendly Asheville and, in close coordination with the Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter, has been advocating for the adoption of bird-friendly community practices since 2020.
Join the May 12 BRNN program online via Zoom.

Thursday, May 16, 5:30 p.m. | Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter
Partner Program: “Grief and Loss with Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Understanding the Grieving Process for Caregivers and Their Loved Ones”
Often people think that grief happens when someone dies; however, it is possible to grieve deeply for someone who has a progressive cognitive illness. A grief coordinator from Four Seasons Grief Services will explore myths and truths of grief and loss as Alzheimer’s or dementia progresses and offer strategies for effective coping, prior to and following the death of a loved one, followed by an opportunity for dialogue and connection.
Amy Entwistle, a board-certified music therapist, is an adult, child and adolescent grief coordinator at Four Seasons Hospice. Amy graduated with an undergraduate degree in music performance with a minor in psychology from High Point University. She earned her graduate degree in music therapy from Appalachian State University. She has worked as a hospice music therapist and bereavement counselor. Amy uses a body-mind-centered approach and various creative art modalities to meet the needs of grieving adults, children, adolescents and their families.
This program is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association – Western North Carolina Chapter in partnership with Four Seasons Hospice.
Alzheimer’s Association programs are free and open to everyone. Find a list of all Alzheimer’s Association programs being offered at the Reuter Center during Spring 2024.

Friday, May 17
Last day of College for Seniors spring 2024 classes

Friday, May 17, 5 p.m. | Death Café
Partner Program
Death Café is an engaging gathering with storytelling and conversation around a topic that is often avoided or feared. Participants discuss personal stories related to the death of loved ones, loss of jobs, relationships or marriage, or loss of parts of ourselves. Programs are facilitated by Karen Sanders, Greg Lathrop and Said Osio from Third Messenger.
For more information visit the Third Messenger website or visit the Death Café of Asheville and Hendersonville Facebook page.

Tuesday, May 21, 7 p.m. | Blue Ridge Audubon
Partner Program (in-person + online)
Blue Ridge Audubon is the local chapter of the National Audubon Society. Its mission is to protect birds and the places they depend on, believing that a world in which birds thrive is a world that benefits all living things. By engaging the public through educational programs, outreach and birding events, they raise awareness of the critical role of birds in the natural environment and the joy they bring to people’s lives.
Visit the Blue Ridge Audubon Chapter’s website to learn more about free monthly programs and bird walks.

Tuesday, May 24, 6 p.m. | Asheville Museum of History
Partner Program (in-person + online)
The mission of the Asheville Museum of History (formerly the Western North Carolina Historical Association) is to preserve and promote the history and legacy of Western North Carolina through interpretation, education, collection and collaboration. Throughout the year, the Asheville Museum of History hosts select panel discussions on timely, community topics and to educate and inspire curiosity about WNC history and culture. All meetings are offered in person and on Zoom. To learn more, visit the Asheville Museum of History’s website.

Friday, May 31, 2:30 p.m. | Council on Aging of Buncombe County
Partner Program: “Introduction to Medicare: Understanding the Puzzle”
In workshops presented by the Council on Aging in Buncombe County in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Insurance Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, learn how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties and ways to save money. Anyone who is ready to join Medicare or is a caregiver or family member helping older adults with the Medicare insurance may want to attend this informative session. To register visit the Council on Aging of Buncombe County’s website or call 828.277.8288.

June

Friday, June 7-Sunday, June 9
OLLI Program: “Creative Retirement Exploration Weekend”
Have you, a family member or friend considered relocating in retirement? Discover the challenges and opportunities of choosing where and how to relocate in retirement at the Creative Retirement Exploration Weekend (CREW). CREW is an educational program that gives participants an understanding of retirement lifestyle choices. Participants will gain increased confidence in whether, where and how to relocate, no matter where they are thinking about moving. For those interested in the Asheville area, we offer an optional Sunday program that includes information sessions and virtual tours. Cost: $500 per person for Friday and Saturday sessions only; $575 per person for Friday and Saturday sessions plus optional Sunday program; cost includes program administration, materials and most meals but not lodging or transportation.
Read more and register.

September

Friday, September 6-Sunday, September 8
OLLI Program: “Paths to Creative Retirement”
Let us help you create a meaningful retirement that matches your values and priorities. This highly interactive three-day workshop helps you achieve your desired personal goals in retirement. With guidance and support from facilitators and other participants, you will discover your values, identity and long-deferred dreams. In the process, you will gain valuable insights and inspiration to create tangible next steps.
Read more and register.