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GARNET AND GOLDEN YEARS Osher Lifelong Learning Institute proves that curiosity never retires
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STORY BY EMMA WITMER // PHOTOS BY THE WORKMANS
ave you ever wondered what happened to the once thriving shade tobacco industry in the Red Hills region? Or how your favorite movies were made? Maybe you are curious about quantum reality and our place in the universe? There is a wealth of knowledge out there that — whether due to work, personal struggles or the simple desire to graduate college as quickly as possible — we never get around to learning. Thanks to the dedicated staff, instructors and volunteers at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Tallahassee seniors have a second chance to broaden their horizons and form
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meaningful relationships with their peers in the community. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, or OLLI, as it’s known around town, is a membership-based program that offers dozens of classes, unique excursions, engaging club activities and international travel geared toward people ages 50 and up. OLLI Program Coordinator Terry Aaronson states that there are no age restrictions on membership. “The average age of our members is around 70, but we have people in their 40s and younger,” Aaronson said. “On our previous study abroad trip to
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OLLI members complete a guided tour of the demonstration gardens at the UF/IFAS Leon County Extension Office. Beds within the garden have differing light and water requirements. Students note the approach taken to the bed that most closely mirrors the conditions at their homes.
Greece, we had a 30-year-old. People love intergenerational interaction. We’ve had classes where graduates and undergraduates participated.” Annual membership fees for OLLI are $95, while a semester membership costs $60. In-person OLLI classes are held either on Florida State University’s (FSU) campus at the Claude Pepper Center or at off-campus facilities like Westminster Oaks, Red Hills Village Retirement Resort and Allegro. According to OLLI Executive Director Debra Herman, history, science and the arts are among the most popular topics selected by the member-run curriculum board, but ultimately, the course catalog is as diverse as the members themselves. These courses are taught by subject matter experts, retired deans and professors from FSU, Tallahassee Community College