LLI CELEBRATIONS & CONGRATULATIONS

July 2008

NEW YORK TIMES HONORS QUEST CENTENARIAN
Ruth Proskauer Smith, an active member of the QUEST Program in New York City will be 101 years old in August and she’s still going strong. In April, the New York Times devoted a large article in their Metro section to Mrs. Smith and her life. She teaches a class every Tuesday at QUEST about the United States Supreme Court, and runs a “tight ship” when coordinating and presenting that day’s lecture. Along with that, as a member of the Quest Acting Class, she played a lead role in their year-end performance. You can read the entire article, along with her memories about former Governor Al Smith, buying her Dakota apartment from the actress Lillian Gish, and learn her secret to longevity and more at www.nytimes.com/nyregion. The article is entitled “All Rise! A Centenarian Will Analyze the Supreme Court.” Congratulations, Mrs. Smith!

NEBRASKA OLLI AWARDED GRANT
The University of Nebraska -Lincoln OLLI program has been awarded a Million Dollar Endowment to the UNL foundation and a $50,000 dollar bridge grant to supplement the interest of the million dollars and the dues income from the now over 600 members. Congratulations to the program and to Deanna Eversoll in particular. It was her initiative starting back in 1988 that eventually launched the SAGE program ((Sharing Across Generations for Enrichment) in 1992, which evolved into the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. As Deanna says, it’s wonderful to know that the program now has the financial foundation to serve many generations to come.

GMU OLLI RECEIVES DONATION
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University in Virginia has received a donation of $5,000 in memory of Kathryn Brooks, a founding member of the Learning in Retirement Institute at George Mason in 1991. The donation comes from the trust of Phoebe Dexter, one of Mrs. Brooks’ daughters. Mrs. Dexter passed away last year and wanted to honor the passion of her mother’s life by designating this donation to the institute.

2008 “Q REVIEW” PUBLISHED
The 13th volume of the “Q Review,” a publication of QUEST: A Community of Lifelong Learners at City College Center for Worker Education in New York City, was recently published. Congratulations to all the QUEST members who contributed their talent and expertise. Filled with prose, poetry and art, “Q Review” showcases the many talents of QUEST members. This year’s edition was more than the usual challenge as QUEST was transitioning to a new home, while putting the journal together. Well done, QUEST!