LLI TIMES NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM THE MEMBERS AND STAFF TO THE MEMBERSHIP www.olli.fsu.edu AUGUST 2019 HOMELESSNESS AND AGING How many older Americans are homeless? by Anne Barrett, Director of Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy The aging of our homeless population Today, it is thirty percent. Why this is increasing at an unprecedented rate. growth in the homeless elderly? In 1990, about ten percent of the Several economic trends are at play. homeless population was over 50. Housing costs, along with other budged in four decades. Another necessities, like prescription drugs, contributing factor is the limited have increased dramatically – while supply of affordable housing. An wages have stagnated, especially for estimated nine people are waiting for low- and moderate-income workers. every one unit of affordable senior housing -- and the wait can last five The average home price has more than years or longer. All these factors quadrupled since 1980, and median converge to make the likelihood of rent has doubled. Meanwhile, the homelessness a very real possibility average wage after inflation hasn’t for many of the nation’s older adults. THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER John Kilgore, President, OLLI Members Advisory Council [email protected] Hey everybody! Summer is the time to any gathering of OLLI members. for travel. If you don’t believe me, go Travel is the number one topic OLLI provides several opportunities for This summer they toured Ireland and travel. last December Linda and I travelled with them to Iceland. They also meet Our chapter of Friendship Force has here and have “Armchair Travel” been growing in leaps and bounds. meetings where Members give Friendship Force is an international presentations on their travels. organization that facilitates cultural visits by its members to other chapters Contact: George and Harriet in the US and 65 other countries. Waas([email protected]). Members both visit and host other members in a home hosted There is also the OLLI abroad environment. Friendship Force will be program. These trips are run by the meeting over the summer to prepare OLLI staff and take advantage of the for a visit from the club from Mundo FSU Campuses abroad when possible. Maya de Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico in Tallahassee 10-16 November2019. It will be a good time to practice your The trips are two weeks long in the Spanish. Contact: Wendy Johnston summer, primarily in one location, and ([email protected]). include a local instructor who conducts on-the-ground lectures in art, The OLLI Travel Club also plans architecture, and history. travel for the OLLI members. They arrange medium sized trips in the US, This year’s trip was to Italy with Bill Canada, and Europe presently and may Walter. Debra and Arlene Pabon are expand. There are usually two working on the summer 2020 trip to opportunities to travel with your OLLI Greece. Contact: Debra Herman friends during the year. ([email protected]. CLUB NEWS OLLI FRIENDSHIP FORCE SETS NEXT MEETING; ANNOUNCES VISIT FROM MEXICO; SEEKS BROADER INVOLVEMENT Next meeting: Tuesday August 13 at 6 its people. By combining home PM at Westminster Pool house, bring hospitality with cultural exploration, a a covered dish for our pot luck social. new level of understanding is reached. Contact Jane Hudson, social chair, for ALL OLLI members are automatically more information, Email members of Friendship Force as a [email protected] Website: benefit of your OLLI membership fee. www.friendshipforce.org November 10-16, 2019 members Friendship Force is a non-profit from Mexico will be visiting. cultural organization focused on promoting understanding, cultural How to get involved: education and citizen diplomacy through homestay trips and personal 1. Be a home host. A member of the friendships. They are based in more visiting club will stay in your home than 60 countries and in six continents, and you will be responsible for with 15,000 active members and over providing breakfast each morning. 300 trips taking place each year. You also will join your guest during Through these exciting personal the week on the events planned each encounters, strangers become friends – day around the Tallahassee area. You and by experiencing different views, will be invited to participate in the you can discover common ground. welcome, farewell and also the small dinners which are provided by OLLI The programs bring diverse people members for you and your guest. together into each other’s cultures and homes to share one-of-a-kind 2. Be a day host. A day host helps out experiences not available to regular the home host by taking their guest for tourists. By sharing a home, meals, a day when the home host has another conversation and everyday obligation which prevents them from experiences, people become friends, participating in the day’s activities. seeing beyond governments and This is a great way to get involved on borders into the heart of a country and a more limited basis. As you can imagine, it’s difficult sometimes to 4. Translators. We need help completely free your calendar up for a translating. Practice your Spanish and 6-day visit. Day hosts are a vital part of be a part of this experience. ALL OLLI our program in Tallahassee. members are automatically members of Friendship Force as a benefit of your 3. Small dinner host. During the OLLI membership fee. visitors stay, we try to give them the opportunity to meet other OLLI It takes a lot of OLLI volunteers to members. OLLI members are asked to make this program successful. host between 2-6 people (visitors and their home host) for a dinner in their WE NEED VOLUNTEERS Please home to facilitate friendships in a contact Wendy Johnston at small group setting. [email protected]. OLLI WALKING CLUB SETS FALL FIELD TRIPS The OLLI Walking Club is offering Marie Clewis has organized a guided two hikes this fall. Many thanks to two hike on November 18th with a outstanding members of the walking naturalist at St. Marks Wildlife club for organizing them, Debbie Refuge. We will follow the trail to the Justice and Marie Clewis. Cathedral of Palms and the Shepherd Spring. I was on this hike when OLLI Debbie Justice, a member of the offered it before, and I highly Florida Trails Association, is leading recommend it. Our guide was so us on the Fort Braden Trails Hike in knowledgeable, and it's a truly the Lake Talquin State Forest. The beautiful area -- one which I think trailhead is off the Blountstown Hwy. would be difficult to find without a (SR20). guide. This is a beautiful hike along the You'll find more details of the hikes lakeshore. The mess created by when the fall catalog comes out. Both Hurricane Michael stopped us from of these hikes are described as going there earlier this year. moderately strenuous. If you are not sure about your hiking abilities, you Here's hoping we don't have another can always join the Walking Club. hurricane before the November 8thfield That way, you can get in some practice trip date. before November. CULTURE AND ARTS COMMITTEE OFFERS A CULTURE AND ARTS KALEIDOSCOPE FOR THE FALL In our ongoing efforts to expose or electrically, blues-style, by The OLLI’s to the great variety of culture New 76-ers, or vocally by a mighty and arts events to be found in our fair 200-voice chorus singing Mozart! city, your Culture and Arts Committee Visit the Roaring 20’s via “Chicago,” presents a veritable kaleidoscope of the hit musical presented by the FSU offerings for the Fall semester! Theatre! Experience everything from a walk among the art downtown, to a tour of Always dreamed of painting a the magnificent handmade quilts at masterpiece, but didn’t know how? Museum of Florida History, to a walk We’re going to “Paint with a Twist,” back in time at Mission San Luis! where we will realize that dream, with wine!! Who knows what masterpieces Love music? We have it all, from will emerge!! Check it all out in the Baroque to the Blues, delivered on Fall catalog of classes and activities, period instruments by the Bach Parley, coming soon!! CURRICULUM CHAT by Susan Yelton Chair, OLLI Curriculum Team By the time you read this column, the instructors, I also have some behind OLLI Course Catalog will be headed the scenes OLLI helpers. to the printer. It looks like it will be mailed out on August 22. Some great Some of you who read this column courses will be offered as well as field may not know that the past presidents trips/cultural events. of OLLI meet once a year and continue Summertime is when I sit at the to contribute to OLLI. We just had our computer and think about Spring 2020. annual meeting and devoted it to I can’t believe it is time for me to find curriculum issues. I got some great instructors for the Spring program! suggestions and assistance meeting While I do spend a lot time contacting with potential faculty. There is a saying that I think is has a personal relationship with the attributed to Gen. Arthur MacArthur: Dean of the College of Social Work “Old Soldiers Never Die: They Just and we are planning to meet with him Fade Away,” but in the case of your during the next few weeks. Not sure past presidents, they are still very what the College has to offer, but you active and continue to provide never know unless you ask. leadership for the OLLI program. A little history about your past And, I can’t imagine the curriculum presidents and curriculum...