OLLI@DU / 2023 FALL / COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Genealogy: Breaking Through Brick Walls

MISC 1007

Thursday

Dates: 9/21 to 10/12 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Carol Darrow

Location: Online

Class Limit: 40 Participants

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Identifying and overcoming brick walls in genealogy is challenging. Sometimes there are minor roadblocks and sometimes they are merely picket fences. Learning the twists and turns of census records, marriage records, wills, probate, military, and naturalization records will help you to solve the mysteries that are keeping you from assembling a clear picture of your family history.

Mahjongg Wow!

MISC 1003

Wednesday

Dates: 9/20 to 11/8 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Colleen Hope

Location: Jefferson Unitarian Church Class Limit: 12 Participants

Sponsoring Site: West

Mahjongg is a historical and exciting game with Chinese origins that uses tiles with symbols and pictures. Instructor Colleen Hope will teach the fundamental components, etiquette and rules plus provide playing time in a patient and fun learning environment. The lessons are based upon the National Mahjongg League materials and are taught in a specific sequence, so it is critical not to miss any of the initial classes. Ideal for beginners, this is a great game to register together with friends!

Potpourri MISC 1008

Wednesday

Dates: 10/18 to 11/8 (4 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Jan Friedlander, Master Facilitator

Location: Columbine United Church Class Limit: 45 Participants

Sponsoring Site: South

Like variety? If you answered “YES”, this class is for you! This is a 4-week speaker series class

WEDNESDAY MORNINGS, OCTOBER 18 –NOVEMBER 8.

Presentations include:

“Prelude to Chernobyl, Soviet Nuclear Accidents”/Wayne Cassell, “The Theft of the Mona Lisa”/Sylvia Trujillo, a TBD presentation, and “Is it Rigged?”, field Trip to the Douglas County Elections Office for a tour of how our ballots are processed/Jan Friedlander. Join Jan and your other OLLI buddies to have fun learning about these varied and interesting topics!

Potpourri MISC 1006

Thursday

Dates: 9/21 to 10/12 (4 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30

Facilitators: Danielle Anderson/Rick Rokosz/ Patricia Raybon/Shaun Boyd

Location: Online

Class Limit: Unlimited

Sponsoring Site: Regis

This is a four-week speaker series class on Wednesday mornings, September 21 to October 12. Join various presenters on interesting topics.

1) September21 - Long duration space flight poses unique training demands and environmental challenges leading to many known and well-studied multisystem physiologic changes within the astronaut corps. There is now over 20 years of compiled evidence outlining the training and environmental effects. As humans prepare to explore these austere environments that are beyond the scope of standard physiologic limits, it will be important to understand the human reactions as well as the measures to protect against these known changes.

2) September 28 - Come along on this two-hour fact filled, fun space odyssey adventure. You will hear from a first-hand observer little known facts and stories about “Manned” space flight. Topics about the astronauts; things they ate, pranks they pulled, things you’ve not heard them say or do, their missions, rockets, and more will be presented.

3) October 5 - Join Colorado author Patricia Raybon for a fresh, candid, early Fall discussion on history, mystery, book writing, and race based on her new historical detective novel, “All That Is Secret: An Annalee Spain Mystery.” Set in 1923 in Denver when the Ku Klux Klan ruled the state, it features a young, Black theologian—a fan of Sherlock Holmes—who comes home to Denver to solve her estranged father’s murder. But as she grapples with multiple questions about life, love, and identity, what did the fictional detective teach the novelist about facing life’s toughest puzzles while learning insights about mystery, writing and ourselves.

4) October 12 - Did you know that the KKK ruled Denver in the early 1920s? Or that there was a robust reaction from those who did not agree with the Klan’s goals? That History Colorado has the list of the names of the men who joined the Klan in Denver? Come hear the history of the Klan in Denver, its downfall, and how modern technology is revealing new information.

She was well versed in the material and the presentation was well organized. She was a phenomenal facilitator and treated each of the participants with care, kindness, and understanding.