INSIDE OLLI -
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The Lobby at 160 Spear St. - San Francisco
Home of the OLLI Program
Photo by Kathy Bruin
Home of the OLLI Program
Photo by Kathy Bruin
Interview with Kathy Bruin,
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Mike: Hello Kathy: When I read the weekly OLLI e-newsletter each Friday, I am struck with the number of Interest Groups that are now operating in our program. The number of such groups seems to be more than several years ago. What’s going on here?
Kathy: Interest groups definitely fluctuate a little bit, and the pandemic affected them in both positive and negative ways. I think there were 10 before the pandemic and 2 have not returned. Meanwhile, there are about 12 now, with several new ones created in the last few years.
Mike: Which of the groups have been running the longest?
Kathy: When I started this job, several groups we currently have were already running: Share-a Book, Share-a-Film, Hiking, and the Poetry groups.
Mike: Which of the groups are relatively new?
Kathy: Several started during the pandemic lockdown. For instance, the Creativity group was born of a collage class taught by Lola Fraknoi. Just this year, longtime member Peter Tannen started the Aging Actively support group which meets in person twice a month, and we recently started a German Conversation group.
Kathy: Interest groups definitely fluctuate a little bit, and the pandemic affected them in both positive and negative ways. I think there were 10 before the pandemic and 2 have not returned. Meanwhile, there are about 12 now, with several new ones created in the last few years.
Mike: Which of the groups have been running the longest?
Kathy: When I started this job, several groups we currently have were already running: Share-a Book, Share-a-Film, Hiking, and the Poetry groups.
Mike: Which of the groups are relatively new?
Kathy: Several started during the pandemic lockdown. For instance, the Creativity group was born of a collage class taught by Lola Fraknoi. Just this year, longtime member Peter Tannen started the Aging Actively support group which meets in person twice a month, and we recently started a German Conversation group.
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Mike: What has been the impact of the COVID pandemic and the use of online Zoom meetings on our interest groups?
Kathy: Most of the groups navigated to Zoom with no problem, but a few groups, like the Adventure Group and the Current Event groups went on hiatus. Since then, the Adventure group has started up again and they meet monthly for an outing to places like Treasure Island, the Transamerica Pyramid, or Swedenborgian Church. A few groups meet in person at 160 Spear St: Share-a-Book, and Aging Actively, and the OLLI Plus bi-monthly lectures at the main SFSU campus.
Mike: How many OLLI members are currently participating in the Interest Groups?
Kathy: There is often a rotation of participants, but over 100 people participate in our interest groups. It’s a great way to engage in OLLI even if a person isn’t interested in taking classes.
Mike: How do you recruit people to lead these Interest Groups?
Kathy: Recently, someone asked if we would consider a German conversation group, so I asked in the Friday newsletter. Several people responded and one stepped up to lead it. It’s a fairly organic process based on the interests of OLLI members.
Kathy: Most of the groups navigated to Zoom with no problem, but a few groups, like the Adventure Group and the Current Event groups went on hiatus. Since then, the Adventure group has started up again and they meet monthly for an outing to places like Treasure Island, the Transamerica Pyramid, or Swedenborgian Church. A few groups meet in person at 160 Spear St: Share-a-Book, and Aging Actively, and the OLLI Plus bi-monthly lectures at the main SFSU campus.
Mike: How many OLLI members are currently participating in the Interest Groups?
Kathy: There is often a rotation of participants, but over 100 people participate in our interest groups. It’s a great way to engage in OLLI even if a person isn’t interested in taking classes.
Mike: How do you recruit people to lead these Interest Groups?
Kathy: Recently, someone asked if we would consider a German conversation group, so I asked in the Friday newsletter. Several people responded and one stepped up to lead it. It’s a fairly organic process based on the interests of OLLI members.
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Mike: What Interest Groups are now operating - here in November 2023?
Kathy: Here is a list of the current Interest Groups and their current leaders:
Kathy: Here is a list of the current Interest Groups and their current leaders:
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Adventure Group: Elaine Porter, Ana Linder
Aging Actively: Peter Tannen Share-A-Book: Pat Keenan Share-A-Film: Maryellen Buckley Hiking Group: Ana Linder Creativity Group: Ana Linder Poetry Group: Corey Weinstein Human Evolution: Charles Vella French conversation: Graziella Danieli Italian Conversation: Ruth Weinberg German Conversation: Samy Hernandez OLLI Plus: Richard Soward, Margaret Grant |
Mike: If an OLLI member wants to try out participation in an Interest Group, how should he/she go about it?
Kathy: We receive emails every week from people who want to be put in touch with an interest group leader. We confirm that the person is a member and then connect them. Periodically, we get lists of participants from each group leader and confirm the person is still a member.
Mike: If an OLLI member has an idea about starting a new Interest Group, how should he/she go about it?
Kathy: If someone is interested in starting a group, just send me a blurb and we will add it to the Friday newsletter. If others are interested too, we may have a new group!
Mike: Thank you, Kathy, for sharing this information with Vistas & Byways.
Kathy: We receive emails every week from people who want to be put in touch with an interest group leader. We confirm that the person is a member and then connect them. Periodically, we get lists of participants from each group leader and confirm the person is still a member.
Mike: If an OLLI member has an idea about starting a new Interest Group, how should he/she go about it?
Kathy: If someone is interested in starting a group, just send me a blurb and we will add it to the Friday newsletter. If others are interested too, we may have a new group!
Mike: Thank you, Kathy, for sharing this information with Vistas & Byways.
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