 Message from the President
Dear <<First Name>>,
A Time to Reflect
This is a good time to reflect while we enjoy the holidays and spend time with friends and loved ones. The past three years have been very difficult due to the pandemic and the obstacles we all faced day-to-day: social distancing, masking, shots, and more shots. The simplest tasks, like shopping or attending doctors’ appointments, presented new challenges, and we dutifully navigated our way through unfamiliar territory we only knew from the history books. You know the details.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the staff at Bard College for their tremendous support of LLI, not only through this tough period but for the last 20-plus years.
In addition to the very efficient administration of all that the college manages for its students and staff, Bard staff members work with us to handle classroom assignments and provide technology in the classrooms, parking tags and IDs, large event spaces, private tours of exhibits at Hessel Museum, and so much more. We are also very fortunate to have professors at Bard present a wide variety of courses and parts of courses on science, math, music, and more, every semester.
As we cruise into 2023, let’s make sure to take advantage of our membership in this wonderful organization and this beautiful campus.
If you have not had the chance to check out the benefits of LLI membership, here’s the link on our website: Benefits of LLI Membership – Lifetime Learning Institute (bard.edu)
Best,
Robert Beaury
president@lli.bard.edu
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Elections: An Invitation to Run for Council
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by Mary McClellan
Nominations are now being accepted for our 2023 election cycle for Council, the main governing body of LLI. Council comprises five elected officers and four elected members at large, as well as six standing committee chairpersons appointed by the President. Terms for all elected officers are two years. Elections are held every year, with different positions becoming available each year.
This year we will nominate and elect:
2nd Vice President
Secretary
Two Members at Large
Council meetings will give you the opportunity to contribute your ideas about how LLI can be run while working with some interesting, dedicated people. Every member is welcome to run for office.
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New Members Share Their Perspective
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by Deborah Lanser
Every influx of new members provides an opportunity to see the strengths and limitations of LLI through fresh eyes. And this year, as in previous years, 24 newcomers had some definite opinions to share on the new member survey, with the understanding that their insightful comments will be taken to heart as we strive to improve our functioning and offerings. Here’s an overview of their reactions.
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by Gary Miller
Bard LLI has good news and bad news. The good news is we have one of the hardest-working and most skillful and diplomatic volunteers we could have ever wished for. The bad news is we can’t clone her. She is Carmela Gersbeck, a three-year veteran of LLI, who co-managed the Online Team during the most dramatic technological change in our 21 years of existence. It was the adoption of Zoom classes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her experience with the Online Team led to the Hybrid Team, and thence to Curriculum, Council, and on down the line.
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With sorrow, we share with you that longtime LLI member Bobbi Katz died on December 3, 2022. Bobbi was an eager and delighted participant in LLI classes and had a long and wonderful career as a writer for children and as a poet. You can read more about her amazing accomplishments here.
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Upcoming Walks in January
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by Carmela Gersbeck
The Bard LLI Walking Group will be on hiatus for the month of January, and will resume in February. Stay tuned for February's walks, which will be posted on the web at the end of January, and here in the newsletter on February 7th.
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Council Notes for December
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by Deborah Lanser
At the meeting of December 19, 2022, Council agreed to:
- Increase the amount of LLI’s donations to Bard College by approximately 20% to $30,000.
- Support separate luncheons for all committees in appreciation for the efforts of those volunteers.
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Highlights of the Bard Calendar
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by Felice Gelman
Bard is on vacation this month.
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Important Dates for LLI Members
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December 22 - January 13: Call for Council nominations.
Wednesdays, January 4 - January 25, 2023: WinterFest will be held on Zoom on four Wednesdays beginning January 4, 2023.
Tuesday, January 10: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. Anyone interested in joining a meeting can email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu
Tuesday, January 17: Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom. (MLK Day is on Monday, so this meeting has been moved to Tuesday.) Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Mary McClellan at mmcclellan@lli.bard.edu.
Wednesday, February 8: Membership Development Committee meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Membership Development meeting should email Robert Inglish at ringlish@lli.bard.edu.
Tuesday, February 14: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. Anyone interested in joining a meeting can email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.
Tuesday, February 21: Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom. (Presidents’ Day is on Monday, so this meeting has been moved to Tuesday.) Any member interested in observing a Council meeting should email Mary McClellan at mmcclellan@lli.bard.edu.
Thursday, February 23: Spring catalog released.
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This newsletter is a publication of Bard LLI Council. Communications Team Chair: Cathy Reinis. Writers and editors: Susan Christoffersen, Kathryn Clark, Felice Gelman, Carmela Gersbeck, Deborah Lanser, Jill Lundquist, Gretchen Lytle, Kathy OConnor, Susan Phillips, Margaret Shuhala. Photographers: Gary Miller, Chair, Carol DeBartolis, Carmela Gersbeck, Kathy OConnor
The opinions and views expressed in the LLI Newsletter are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of LLI or its members. In addition, any link to a website or content belonging to or originating from third parties are not investigated, monitored or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability or completeness by LLI, nor does LLI accept any responsibility for such content.
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