PRESIDENT'S CORNER: November 4, 2016

Election: Please don’t forget, if you haven’t taken advantage of early voting, that Election Day is next Tuesday, November 8.  It is taking every ounce of restraint I possess to keep my mouth shut about politics this year but suffice to say, it should be the civic duty of every citizen registered to vote to do their duty and help insure that our democracy flourishes.

''Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.'' [Mark Twain]

Oh, and the OLLI office will be closed on Election Day, November 8.

Bryan Stevenson Lecture: Just a reminder that the author of Just Mercy will be speaking at the Mountainlair Ballrooms on November 7 at 7:30 PM as part of the Festival of Ideas series. It is free and open to the public but advance tickets are encouraged and can be obtained at either the Mountainlair or Creative Arts Center Box Offices. If you don’t want to go to that trouble, the lecture will be streamed at tlcommons.wvu.edu/webcasts. Bonnie and I heard him speak at Chautauqua when his book first made its appearance. He is a magnetic speaker with an unforgettable story to tell.

Chicago Cubs: Congrats to all you Cubs fans for a long overdue World Series championship. I keep wondering (and I know NOTHING about such things) why the Second City can’t afford to buy the best talent out there like that team in NY…is it the Yanks? Somebody needs to stop me in the halls and explain this to me…

End of Term: Today marks the end of our fall term. The curriculum committee has already been meeting to consider submissions for the winter term. You’ll be hearing about that soon. It has been so gratifying to see so many classes with high enrollments and great enthusiasm.  Won’t you tell all your friends what they are missing by not being OLLI members and classmates? Word of mouth advertising is, by far, the most effective way to sell something so get those mouths moving, folks!  I don’t have to tell you how much we senior citizens love to hear the sound of our own voices! How else are we gonna become legends in our own minds? Sheesh!

Vote!

Jim Held, President