Message from the President

Dear <<First Name>>,

Thank you to all who attended our 2022 LLI Annual Meeting on May 13. We conducted our important membership business and shared Council farewells and introductions. The faces of LLI were a joy to behold, in person and then on-screen, thanks to Gary Miller and our LLI photographers. Thanks also to Irene Esposito and the hospitality team members who hosted our delectable brunch. I hope you tasted everything and were pleased to participate in the estimable work of LLI.

LLI’s 2021-22 program year draws to a close this month with our quite ambitious SummerFest. It is a pleasure to welcome non-members once again to experience a taste of LLI. Thanks to all attendees for carefully regarding the latest indoor mask recommendation issued for our area by the CDC. 

We continue to offer new and exciting courses and opportunities for our members to learn together and share experiences. A big part of our planning comes directly from the responses to the latest annual member survey. Leadership is very encouraged and energized by every constructive comment as well as the generous acknowledgment of our many accomplishments. 

I hope you read your LLI email on May 27. Council is hosting a big bash to celebrate our fabulous LLI volunteers, so please register now in ProClass and come to Montgomery Place on June 15 at 4 p.m. We’ll honor everyone for work well done and encourage every member to join in continuing the magic of LLI. Come to dance in the sunshine with our members and presenters and share the pleasure of volunteering at LLI. All are welcome, so get ready to party!

Have you renewed your LLI membership for 2022-23? Do so by June 21! Our president-elect, Robert Beaury, is excited and very well-prepared to lead the 2022-23 LLI Council into our new program year and beyond. We are all in very good hands!

I am grateful to have served as president of LLI at Bard College, as I remember my husband, Jack, who fully supported me in embracing this office. Volunteering with some of the finest people I have ever known to serve LLI’s purpose has been a deeply rewarding collaboration; I have cherished your trust. Especially during these difficult years of the pandemic, our stalwart Council, committee, and team members have overcome the incalculable challenges of COVID-19 to make LLI even more relevant and accessible to our community of lifetime learners. 

LLI is a Community Partner in the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) at Bard College. It has been my privilege to represent LLI in sustaining and enriching our ongoing relationship with the College, teaming with Jill Lundquist, LLI’s exceptional liaison to CCE. We’ll soon conclude the two-year recognition of our 20th anniversary in community with Bard. The special logo will be retired, but LLI’s connection to Bard is ever strong.

I am most blessed to know many at LLI as dear and abiding friends. I will remember these days with joy and hope to see you soon.

Yours,
Nanci 
president@lli.bard.edu

Guided Hiking at Minnewaska

by Carmela Gersbeck

Combine a love of hiking with a docent who can stop and explain environmental changes, different types of trees, and vernal ponds, and you have this spring’s Guided Hiking at Minnewaska class. Laura Connor, our docent, planned five hikes that took us on various paths throughout Minnewaska State Park with all the earmarks of a great class: learning, socialization, and exercise!

The hikes included both the cultural history, featuring the story of the Lake Minnewaska Resort and its connection with the current conservation of the site, and the natural history, including topics as diverse as plant identification, animal life, and an overview of local geology of this beautiful park preserve. We have Marge Moran, Vicki Hoener, and Robin Berger to thank for bringing this class to LLI. To see some photos, click on the link below.

The Annual Survey: Strong Opinions and Constructive Suggestions

by Deborah Lanser

This year’s annual survey elicited some strong and varied opinions from the 97 members who answered it. For the most part, people were pleased with the course offerings, although they had numerous suggestions for additional subjects. Likewise, many greeted the possibility of forming small separate interest groups with enthusiasm. Some members were able to easily navigate the technology, while many found it cumbersome. Members were also divided about volunteering opportunities and the social justice initiative.  Following is a representative sample of the many comments.

Member Thoughts on the Spring Semester

by Deborah Lanser

This spring, most members were pleased with their courses, giving them the top rating of 4 or 5 on the evaluation form. Some had a mixed reaction, giving their courses a 3, and a few expressed their dissatisfaction by rating the courses 2. Likewise, the presenters were generally given top marks, albeit sometimes with some constructive suggestions for improvement. All 226 comments will give the Curriculum Committee information about which courses to repeat, how they can help presenters improve, and which courses didn’t succeed. Here’s a sampling of some of the many interesting responses.

LLI's 2022 Annual Meeting

by Kathy OConnor

Never mix business with pleasure, so some people say. Not Bard LLI. On May 13th, members had a wonderful time gathering together in Olin Hall to celebrate life, catch up on old times, enjoy some culinary tidbits, and finally get down to business. See a photo montage of the event here. 

Art on Campus

by Dona McLaughlin

In front of the Bard Avery Arts Center stand two land-locked red sails. This winged rusty metal sculpture is part of the Hessel Museum’s permanent collection. It is untitled, and was constructed of steel in 1977 by the late Jake Grossberg, Professor of Sculpture.

The sails have waited patiently, through many sunsets—perhaps remembering the old Platters hit from 1960:

Red sails in the sunset
Way out on the sea
Oh, carry my loved one
Home safely to me

She sailed in the morning
All day I’ve been blue
Red sails in the sunset
I’m trusting in you

Swift wings you must borrow
Make straight for the shore
We get married tomorrow
And she goes sailing no more
ooh-wee=ooh-we-ooh...

In Memoriam

by Cathy Reinis

With sorrow, we learned of the death of our LLI member Shirley Ann Burroughs. Shirley and her husband, Bob, were recent members of LLI who enjoyed their classes and getting to know LLI members. Shirley was a longtime friend of founding member Carol Lee who introduced her to LLI. You can read more about Shirley here.

by Felice Gelman

Bard students have departed for their summer work, vacations, or, for the graduates, new jobs and, with them, many of the free events we love to highlight in this column. Don’t despair; there are still some noteworthy free events. 

Thursday, June 16, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. is this month’s date for Bard’s monthly Arboretum walks. They will continue the third Thursday of each month through November, rain or shine.  A Bard horticulturist will talk about the campus plantings. Meet in the Admissions parking lot, North Ravine Road. 

Wednesday, June 15, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. via zoom, the Bard Center for Community Engagement will screen College Behind Bars, a four-part documentary film series directed by award-winning filmmaker Lynn Novick, produced by Sarah Botstein, and executive produced by Ken Burns. Filmmaker Lynn Novick and Bard alumnus Jule Hall will discuss. Register here for the webinar. 

Every Thursday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. the Bard Farm stand will be open to offer seasonal vegetables. Don’t forget to bring reusable bags to carry off your goodies. In June it may be cash only. The Farm Stand is located on Library Rd on the east side of New Annandale Rd (north end of Kline parking lot) in front of Gilson Place.

Important Dates for LLI Members

June 1 - June 21: Bard LLI’s membership renewal takes place, and new member applications are accepted.

June 3 - June 24: SummerFest 2022 takes place on four Thursdays: June 2, 9, 16, 23 and on four  Fridays: June 3, 10, 17, 24. Invite a non-member friend to take a class for $25.

June 8: Membership Development meeting at 10 a.m. on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Membership Development meeting should email Kim Sears at ksears@lli.bard.edu.

June 14: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10 a.m. on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Curriculum meeting should email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.

June 21: Council Meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom. (Juneteenth is celebrated at Bard so Council will meet on Tuesday.) Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Linda Stanley at lstanley@lli.bard.edu.

July 1: New Council starts

July 1: New applicants are notified of admittance

July 1 - July 10: New member payments are due

July 12: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10 a.m. on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Curriculum meeting should email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.

July 19: Council Meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Mary McClellan at mmcclellan@lli.bard.edu.

July 30: New member welcome letter sent