April

Monday, April 13, 4:30 p.m.
OLLI Event: “Annual Meeting and Celebration of Community” (in-person + online)
Join OLLI staff and volunteers as we review the past year, highlighting the accomplishments of our committees and programs, offering an overview of our finances and presenting our slate of officers for 2026-2027. We will celebrate what we have achieved together and hope to inspire more members to be engaged in planning our future. Come to share ideas, ask questions, learn how OLLI works and look to the future of our organization. We will serve light refreshments.
, and .

Tuesday, April 14, 7 p.m. | Blue Ridge Naturalist Network
Partner Program: “Meetings with Remarkable Trees” (in-person + online)
We will take some time together to share the love of trees, how much we depend on them, how they heal us and what we might do to serve them in return. We will leave this visual and interactive talk feeling a greater appreciation and respect for these “one-legged people.”
GuruMeher is a graduate of the NC Arboretum’s Blue Ridge Naturalist Program. He lives among the trees in Fairview, working to restore native plants.
.

Friday, April 17, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Fridays: “The Impact of Aging on Ear, Nose and Throat Function (and What You Can Do About It)” (in-person + online)
Dr. Chip Currens is a board-certified otolaryngologist/head and neck surgeon (and ear, nose and throat doctor). Chip is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, where he got his undergraduate degree at Transylvania University and then attended and graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. From there, he went on to do his general surgery internship and ENT training at St. Louis University in Missouri. After completing his residency, he moved here to Asheville in 2001 where he has been practicing ENT ever since until retiring at the end of 2025. Chip enjoys all aspects of general ENT, caring for both children and adults through surgical and medical treatment. He is also committed to a more holistic approach, asking, “What is leading to these symptoms?” rather than simply making a diagnosis and prescribing medication.
.

Friday, April 17, 2 p.m. | Asheville Art Museum
Partner Program: “Get to Know Your Asheville Art Museum: Women of the Pacific Northwest” (in-person + online)
Join Asheville Art Museum associate curator Jessica Orzulak for an in-depth exploration of the artists and artworks in the exhibition . This exhibition highlights a group of female artists working in diverse media, from paintings to installation and video art, who explore connections to place, whether sociological, environmental or spiritual, in a region supportive of equality, ecology and enterprise. This lecture is open to all and will also provide valuable background for anyone who registers for the field trip to the exhibition on Saturday, April 25 (see below) or visits on their own time.
.

Friday, April 17, 5 p.m. | Death Café
Partner Program: “Death Café”
Death Café is an engaging gathering with storytelling and conversation about a topic that too often alienates people in our death-phobic culture. At Death Café, participants break into small groups of five or six people and discuss personal stories related to the death of loved ones; loss of jobs, relationships or marriages; or loss or death of parts of ourselves. These programs are facilitated by Karen Sanders, Greg Lathrop and Saïd Osio from Third Messenger. Learn more about Death Café by , or . If you have questions about meetings of Death Café at the Reuter Center, contact Karen Sanders at 828-778-8882.

Tuesday, April 21, 4:30 p.m. | STEAM Lecture Series
OLLI Program: “The Art and Science of Postage Stamps” (in-person + online)
Postage stamps relate to the components of STEAM not only by the vignettes pictured on the stamps themselves but also in the processes used to produce stamps. We will see artists, scientists, mathematicians, inventors and engineers (as well as their work) as depicted upon stamps. We will look at printing, forgery, reuse prevention, engraving, perforations and mail-sorting and -delivery methods.
George Pfeffer began collecting stamps in junior high, stopped in high school and began again several years ago. He is a member of the Asheville Stamp Club and the American Philatelic Society.
���Ի���.

Tuesday, April 21, 7 p.m. | Asheville Museum of History
Partner Program: “Affrilachian Testimonies: An Intimate Portrait of Black Appalachian Communities” (in-person + online)
This talk showcases Affrilachia: Testimonies (University Press of Kentucky, 2024), the first photography book to honor rural Black communities of southern Appalachia. The event explores Black life, memory and place in Appalachia through photography, oral history and poetry, offering a layered and intimate portrait of Affrilachian communities. Cost: Free for OLLI and AMoH members, $10 general admission.
, and .

Wednesday, April 22, 4:30 p.m. | Alzheimer’s Association
Partner Program: “Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia”
We will take a deeper look at Alzheimer’s and dementia and explain some of the differences between various types. We will also look at Alzheimer’s in the brain and discuss what is happening and how it impacts the person living with the disease. We will discuss risk factors, stages and FDA-approved treatments. We will also discuss ongoing research and clinical trials as well as resources from the Alzheimer’s Association.

Thursday, April 23, 4:30 p.m.
OLLI Program: “First Annual OLLI Poetry Open Mic”
We will celebrate National Poetry Month at OLLI’s first annual poetry open mic. You may read your own writing or the work of one of your favorites; reservations to read are recommended but not required. Listeners are welcome.
For more information, email Victoria Bender.

Friday, April 24, 9 a.m.
CFS information session: “You Too Can Teach!” (in-person + online)
Are you interested in (or curious about) teaching a course at the College for Seniors? You may have never thought that you could be an OLLI instructor, but you too can teach! Our instructors run the gamut from retired teachers and professionals to those with deep knowledge of a certain topic. The common thread with all our instructors is passion for their subject matter and a desire to share it with peers. The process of becoming an instructor is not daunting. Current CFS instructors will introduce what teaching at OLLI is all about and demystify the process from having an idea for a course through creating a good proposal. All of your questions about teaching will be answered!
.

Friday, April 24, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Fridays: “What We Really Know About Crime, Policing and Community Safety: How to Navigate Confusing Statistics, Political Bias and Misinformation to Advocate for Smart Strategies” (in-person + online)
Crime in American communities is a fiercely debated issue, brought to a head by the deployment of National Guard troops to American cities. Opposing positions clash in our polarized environment. Polarization is driven by contested perceptions, opinions and priorities, and filtered by biased assumptions, statistical confusion and misinformation. We end up with highly skewed understandings, often feeding on fear of personal victimization or law enforcement overreach. Our discussion will engage with what we actually know about crime, law enforcement and community safety. We will highlight key takeaways from decades of research on crime and its causes, and the growing body of evidence on what works to make our communities safer. We will apply new insights to Asheville, inspiring us with better understanding and enabling us to be more productively engaged with community safety initiatives in our own city. We can do better, and you can be part of that!
Phyllis Betts draws from more than 20 years’ experience working directly with law enforcement, human services and grassroots community groups to design and evaluate local community safety strategies.
.

Friday, April 24, 3 p.m.
OLLI Inclusion Committee Program: Documentary Screening
This documentary film recounts the life and work of Julian Price, whose philanthropic efforts were essential to the revitalization of downtown Asheville and the making of this vibrant city as we know it today. The screening will be followed by a moderated discussion with Joe Minicozzi. Joe Minicozzi will present a program inspired by Julian Price and Joe’s time working at Public Interest Projects. Following his work at PIP, Joe built Urban3, a nationally renowned urban-planning consultancy, and has focused on bringing fairness and equity to urban-planning and taxation policies. Joe’s program will be entertaining and enlightening, and we will learn more about how to make Asheville a more productive and equitable home for everyone.
.

Saturday, April 25, 1 p.m.
OLLI Field Trip to the Asheville Art Museum: Women of the Pacific Northwest
OLLI members will see the special exhibition , which highlights female artists working in diverse media who explore connections to place, whether sociological, environmental or spiritual, in a region supportive of equality, ecology and enterprise. These artists are among today’s pioneers, interpreting universality through personal observation and inventing poetic, transcendent works that inspire greater understanding and connect us to one another and to the world around us. Cost (includes guided tour and discussion; does not include transportation or parking): $15.
Space is limited; registration is required. To register, through April 23.

Tuesday, April 28, 7 p.m. | World Affairs Council
Partner Program: “The Canada-U.S. Relationship” (in-person + online)
Rosaline Kwan is a diplomat with more than 25 years’ experience in international trade and foreign policy. As Canada’s consul general to the Southeastern U.S., she oversees the dedicated team stewarding the bilateral relationship between Canada and the states of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Prior to arriving in Atlanta in October 2023, Consul General Kwan was the director of operations at the Privy Council Office of Canada, supporting the prime minister and cabinet, and advancing Canada’s foreign policy and trade interests across the Americas and the Indo-Pacific region.
.

May

Friday, May 1
Last day to submit a course proposal for fall 2026
Visit the Forms page to access the CFS Fall 2026 Course Proposal form.

Friday, May 1, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Fridays: “Advance Directives: Update Yours Now” (in-person + online)
An advance directive is a crucial legal tool that allows you to make decisions about your healthcare in advance, ensuring your wishes are honored even if you are unable to speak for yourself. The presenters will clarify your options and guide you through the process of creating or updating these essential documents. Take control of your future healthcare decisions and provide peace of mind for yourself and your loved ones.
Karen Sanders has more than 40 years of nursing experience. A board-certified advanced holistic nurse patient-advocate, Karen is a frequent lecturer at OLLI, heads up the Fab Friday Healthcare Education Series and is passionate about helping others.
Jan Nickerson is a former business executive dedicated to enabling people to make informed decisions. When she is not knitting in an OLLI course, Jan is arranging speakers and topics about aging well for her continuing care retirement community, OLLI and Blue Ridge Center for Lifelong Learning.
.

Sunday, May 3, 3 p.m. | Asheville Senior Chorus
Partner Program: “Laurel Canyon Echoes”
Step into the sun-dappled hills above Los Angeles, where a generation of songwriters changed American music forever. “Laurel Canyon Echoes” will bring the warm close-harmony sound of the late 1960s and 1970s to the choral stage—The Mamas & the Papas, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills & Nash, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds and The Eagles—from “California Dreamin’” to “Teach Your Children” and “Desperado.” With iconic melodies, heartfelt storytelling and a touch of rock-and-folk groove, the Asheville Senior Chorus invites you to relive the soundtrack of a remarkable era: tender, hopeful and unforgettable.

Tuesday, May 5, 6 p.m. | World Affairs Council
Partner Program
The World Affairs Council organizes fascinating lectures and discussions that aim to advance international awareness and foster Western North Carolina’s global ties. These lectures are sponsored by the WNC chapter of the World Affairs Council, OLLI at Ģ����ý and Ģ����ý Department of Political Science.
.

Wednesday, May 6, 7 p.m. | WNC Sierra Club
Partner Program: “Hiking Lesser-Known Gem Trails in WNC” (in-person + online)
Join the WNC Sierra Club as they discuss lesser-known hikes in Western North Carolina and explore the many benefits of visiting less-popular outdoor recreation spots.
Marcia Bromberg is a retired university administrator who move to Asheville to enjoy the beautiful WNC mountains. When she is not hiking (including leading hikes for the Carolina Mountain Club), she spends her time swimming, gardening and volunteering for various community organizations. She serves on the board of MANNA Foodbank and is past board president of Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail and CMC.
Rob Campbell has spent his professional career working in the environmental field and volunteers with WNC Sierra Club as a member of the executive committee, co-chair of the political action committee and an outings leader. Rob currently works as a clean energy policy analyst for EQ Research, but he previously spent several years working with the U.S. Forest Service to help reduce visitor impacts and conserve sensitive species on popular public lands.
and .

Thursday, May 7, 7 p.m. | Astronomy Club of Asheville
Partner Program: “Mercury: A Speedy, Elusive and Mysterious Planet” (in-person + online)
Of all the naked-eye planets, Mercury is surely the one that most naked eyes have not seen! It never orbits far from our Sun in the sky, making it challenging to observe. You always need to plan ahead to wittingly locate it in our twilight skies.
Bernard Arghiere, a past Astronomy Club of Asheville president and a lifelong sky observer, will discuss locating Mercury in our skies, its rare but wonderful transits across our Sun’s disk and its unique planetary statistics. Furthermore, Bernie will describe the special connection of Uranus and Neptune to solving a problem with Mercury’s orbit, as well as summarize the three exploratory missions to Mercury.
and .

Friday, May 8, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Fridays: “Why The World’s Religions Still Matter” (in-person + online)
Religion has long been used to justify the best and worst of human behaviors. Conversations about religion often lead to lively discussions. We will share both recent research and thought-provoking ideas about how religion continues to play an important role in one’s identity, how we interact with our neighbors and how we care for the earth.
Rev. Vicki Garlock, Ph.D. is founder of World Religions 4 Kids and education director for Religion Matters. She has a doctorate in psychology and served as a full-time psychology professor at Warren Wilson College for more than a decade before becoming the curriculum specialist at Jubilee! Community Church. As well as publishing many articles on religion, Vicki has written two award-winning children’s books on the world’s religions. Recently, she earned a Guinness World Record for the most places of worship visited in one month.”
.

Friday, May 8, 1:30 p.m.
Reuter Center closed
The Reuter Center will be closed beginning at 1:30 p.m. for commencement events. Please plan accordingly.

Sunday, May 10, 5:30 p.m. | Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association
Partner Program (in-person + online)
The Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association 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 community that will preserve, celebrate and create a sense of appreciation for the beauty of nature through photography. Activities in the Asheville region include monthly meetings, photo outings, seminars, workshops, exhibits, photo contests and image critiques. Meetings are held on the second Sunday of the month 5:30-8 p.m. in room 206 and online via Zoom.
For more information, .

Tuesday, May 12, 4:30 p.m. | STEAM Lecture Series
OLLI Program (in-person + online)
The STEAM Lecture Series presents interdisciplinary lectures with a focus on science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Ģ����ý faculty, OLLI members and scientists from our community present on a variety of topics. Programs are typically held on select Tuesdays throughout the year in room 230 and online via Zoom 4:30-6 p.m.
.

Wednesday, May 13, 5 p.m.
OLLI program: “Welcome to Improv”
Do you love the Upright Citizens Brigade or “An Evening at the Improv”? Join us for an improvisational comedy show hosted by participants in Bob Sack’s spring 2026 course, Introduction to Improv, for an hour of unscripted laughs.

Friday, May 15
Last day of CFS spring 2026 classes

Friday, May 15, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Fridays: “Alpha Gal Syndrome: A Commonly Overlooked Emerging Health Threat ” (in-person + online)
Simply, Alpha Gal Syndrome is a severe allergy to red meat triggered by a tick bite. Alpha gal is a sugar molecule found in the saliva of the lone star tick; it is also found in many red meats. Some people have a heightened immune response triggered by this tick’s bite, which, if followed by a meal containing red meat, can rapidly advance to anaphylactic shock. The Centers for Disease Control estimated in 2023 there may have been up to 450,000 U.S. cases of this allergy; however, most carriers are unaware of their exposure until later becoming ill after dining on red meat. Most cases are not diagnosed because health professionals do not seek confirming test given awareness of the disorder is so low. North Carolina’s housing and climate change patterns combine to increasingly expose a disproportionate share of the population to infected ticks. Older adults and others with overactive immune responses are especially susceptible.
Kenneth W. Zamkoff holds a graduate degree in public health from Harvard University and a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and he earned board certifications in internal medicine, hematology and oncology. He has an active license in North Carolina and served in the National Health Service Corps. His most recent academic appointment was as professor of medicine at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
.

Friday, May 15, 5 p.m. | Death Café
Partner Program: “Death Café”
Death Café is an engaging gathering with storytelling and conversation about a topic that too often alienates people in our death-phobic culture. At Death Café, participants break into small groups of five or six people and discuss personal stories related to the death of loved ones; loss of jobs, relationships or marriages; or loss or death of parts of ourselves. These programs are facilitated by Karen Sanders, Greg Lathrop and Saïd Osio from Third Messenger. Learn more about Death Café by , or . If you have questions about meetings of Death Café at the Reuter Center, contact Karen Sanders at 828-778-8882.

Friday, May 29, 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, or call 828-277-8288.