May

Monday, May 11, 5 p.m.
Osher Online Program: “After the Artemis II Journey: What We Know (and Don’t Know) About the Moon” (online)
Now that the Artemis astronauts have returned safely, we look ahead to renewed exploration of our nearest neighbor, the Moon. July 20 marks the 57th anniversary of humanity’s first steps on its surface. Since then, Apollo missions, robotic probes, and Earth-based observations have revealed a surprising world. In this non-technical talk, Andrew Fraknoi explores the Moon’s past, present, and future including its violent origins, the mystery of frozen water at its poles, and its gradual drift away from Earth. With striking images from orbit and the surface, he brings the Moon to life as an eerie world next door, a changing object in our skies, and a possible future destination for humanity and its ambitions.
Osher Online Community Events are free and available to all members of our participating Institutes like OLLI at ���ϲ����� Asheville, even if they are not enrolled in an Osher Online course. Events are presented in webinar format. Participants are asked to register on a first come, first serve basis through. .

Tuesday, May 12, 4:30 p.m. STEAM Lecture Series
OLLI Program: “Understanding the Chemistry of Lithography” (in-person + online)
Lindsey Sigmon works as a collaborative fine-art printmaker, utilizing traditional print techniques to support international artists in the production and publication of limited fine-art editions, including projects now held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art. She also owns and operates an independent graphic design and letterpress studio. Her practice is driven by her engagement with the worlds of both fine art and functional commercial design, and she finds that bringing these professional experiences into the classroom is a particularly meaningful part of her creative practice. She has been teaching as an adjunct at ���ϲ����� Asheville since 2023, and at CFS as an OLLI Summer Fellow in 2024 and 2026.
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Wednesday, May 13, 5 p.m.
OLLI program: “Welcome to Improv”
Do you love the Upright Citizens Brigade or “An Evening at the Improv”? Join us for an improvisational comedy show hosted by participants in Bob Sack’s spring 2026 course, Introduction to Improv, for an hour of unscripted laughs.

Friday, May 15
Last day of CFS spring 2026 classes

Friday, May 15, noon
Deadline to pay OLLI membership and CFS tuition to participate in summer 2026 lottery

Friday, May 15, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Fridays: “Alpha Gal Syndrome: A Commonly Overlooked Emerging Health Threat ” (in-person + online)
Simply, Alpha Gal Syndrome is a severe allergy to red meat triggered by a tick bite. Alpha gal is a sugar molecule found in the saliva of the lone star tick; it is also found in many red meats. Some people have a heightened immune response triggered by this tick’s bite, which, if followed by a meal containing red meat, can rapidly advance to anaphylactic shock. The Centers for Disease Control estimated in 2023 there may have been up to 450,000 U.S. cases of this allergy; however, most carriers are unaware of their exposure until later becoming ill after dining on red meat. Most cases are not diagnosed because health professionals do not seek confirming test given awareness of the disorder is so low. North Carolina’s housing and climate change patterns combine to increasingly expose a disproportionate share of the population to infected ticks. Older adults and others with overactive immune responses are especially susceptible.
Kenneth W. Zamkoff holds a graduate degree in public health from Harvard University and a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and he earned board certifications in internal medicine, hematology and oncology. He has an active license in North Carolina and served in the National Health Service Corps. His most recent academic appointment was as professor of medicine at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
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Friday, May 15, 2 p.m. | Asheville Art Museum
Partner Program: “In a New Light: American Impressionism, 1870-1940 – Works from the Bank of America Collection” (in-person + online)
Join Asheville Art Museum assistant curator Robin Klaus for an in-depth exploration of the artists and artworks in the exhibition, In a New Light: American Impressionism, 1870-1940, a sweeping survey that provides a thought-provoking historical context for American Impressionism by positioning it between the Hudson River School—whose majestic landscapes influenced, and then gradually gave way to, French Impressionist-inspired works. This lecture is open to all and will also provide valuable background for anyone who registers for the field trip to the exhibition on Saturday, June 13 (see below) or visits on their own time.
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Friday, May 15, 5 p.m. | Death Café
Partner Program: “Death Café”
Death Café is an engaging gathering with storytelling and conversation about a topic that too often alienates people in our death-phobic culture. At Death Café, participants break into small groups of five or six people and discuss personal stories related to the death of loved ones; loss of jobs, relationships or marriages; or loss or death of parts of ourselves. These programs are facilitated by Karen Sanders, Greg Lathrop and Saïd Osio from Third Messenger. Learn more about Death Café by , or . If you have questions about meetings of Death Café at the Reuter Center, contact Karen Sanders at 828-778-8882.

Tuesday, May 19-Tuesday, June 2, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
OLLI Program: “The Gift of Time”
The Gift of Time program will encourage you to think about how to plan and communicate your end of life wishes to spouses, partners, children and parents. Take control of what you want for yourself and help others address the myriad issues that face all of us in times of crisis. The workshop will be an extended conversation with trained facilitators as well as outside speakers who will converse holistically on key legal, medical and spiritual issues. The objective is to provide participants with compelling reasons to prepare an end of life plan and prepare them to deal with both the rational and emotional elements of such a plan. Cost (includes program materials and administration): $100; a 2025-2026 OLLI annual membership is required to participate in this program.
. If you do not have a current membership, .

Tuesday, May 19, 5 p.m.
University Program: “Brews and Bequests: Retire with Purpose: Turning Retirement Assets into Lasting Impact”
Introduction and welcome: Buck Bragg, OLLI member; speakers: Tim Prosser, senior relationship manager, TIAA Kaspick; and Kinna Clark, esq., senior director of development and gift-planning services, UNC System
Discover tax-smart approaches to charitable giving and the meaningful legacy you can create through a range of philanthropic options. Whether you already have a will in place or are revisiting your plans, you will gain valuable insights to help you make informed future decisions. Plus, sample some of Asheville’s local “brews” (beers, teas and coffee) along with light hors d’oeuvres!
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Friday, May 22, late afternoon
Lottery results sent to participants in CFS summer 2026 lottery

Monday, May 25
UNC Asheville, OLLI and the Reuter Center closed for Memorial Day holiday

Tuesday, May 26, 10 a.m.
Open registration begins for summer 2026 CFS courses
Live registration assistance will be available by telephone at 828.251.6140 during regular business hours, and in person at the Reuter Center 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
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Friday, May 29, 2:30 p.m. | Council on Aging of Buncombe County
Partner Program: “Introduction to Medicare: Understanding the Puzzle”
In workshops presented by the Council on Aging in Buncombe County in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Insurance Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, learn how Medicare works, the enrollment process, how to avoid penalties and ways to save money. Anyone who is ready to join Medicare or is a caregiver or family member helping older adults with the Medicare insurance may want to attend this informative session.
To register, or call 828-277-8288.

June

Monday, June 1
Winter 2027 CFS course proposals open
Visit the Forms page starting June 1 to access the CFS Winter 2027 Course Proposal form.

Monday, June 1, 6:30 p.m. | Science Book Club
Partner Program: “What an Owl Knows: The Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman”
What an Owl Knows is an enthusiastic account of recent research into owl behavior. Science writer Jennifer Ackerman visited research sites where dedicated owl researchers worked under challenging conditions, variously using radio telemetry, DNA analyses, video recordings, AI, drones, mist nets and direct observation. Studies of wild and human-imprinted rescue owls revealed surprisingly complex vocal communications, emotional lives, social structures and migration patterns. Features of owls that have enchanted people for millennia (such as silent flights, nocturnal calls, and almost-human faces) have high survival value in the wild. Ackerman’s writing is engaging and vivid, clearly presenting scientific findings to the lay public. Numerous color photos and sketches of owls (including burrowing, snowy, great grey, great-horned, eagle and screech) greatly enhance the text.
Discussion will be moderated by Jean-Ann Marshall, who is a faculty member at Evergreen Community Charter School and Lucy S. Herring Elementary School. Jean-Ann has also directed student groups in outdoor education and research through Muddy Sneakers (in two forests, ponds and streams), Expedition Outward Bound (featuring bats and local wildlife) and Camp Invention (studying cuttlefish).

Thursday, June 4, 7 p.m. | Astronomy Club of Asheville
Partner Program: “Variable Stars, the AAVSO, Eclipsing Stars, and Backyard Astrophysics” (in-person + online)
Cataclysmic variable stars (CVs) are bizarre systems that vary their light output (as well as ultraviolet and x-rays) in dramatically rapid sequences (hours and minutes – not days!). The presentation will discuss variable stars in general, as well as the strange behavior of CVs.
Don Collins, professor emeritus, Warren Wilson Collegewill also discuss how amateur astronomers can contribute significantly to the research of variable stars through the AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers).
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Friday, June 8
Deadline to apply for partial CFS tuition scholarship for summer 2026 (open registration)
Visit the Forms page to access the CFS Summer 2026 Scholarship Request form.

Thursday, June 11, 7 p.m. | NC Wildlife Federation ReWild AVL
Special Program: “Bearwise: How to Live Responsibly with Bears”
Join NCWF ReWild AVL alongside The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission for a conversation on how to live responsibly with bears. Bearwise is a national program in the United States that shares ways to prevent conflicts with black bear, provides resources to resolve problems with black bears, and encourages community initiatives to keep black bears wild. Ashley Hobbs is the Special Projects Biologist with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission
This program is free and open to everyone.

Friday, June 12, 10 a.m.
OLLI Program: “New Member Welcome/Returning Member Refresher” (in-person + online)
Are you new to OLLI at ���ϲ����� Asheville and the Reuter Center? Are you returning after being gone awhile? Do you just want to catch up on organizational developments, learn more about volunteering, figure out how things work and meet new people? Come learn about all that OLLI has to offer.

Friday, June 12, 3 p.m.
Deadline to drop all summer 2026 courses for a full refund
Visit the Forms page to access the CFS Summer 2026 Drop Request form.

Saturday, June 13, 1 p.m.
Field Trip to the Asheville Art Museum: “In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870-1940”
OLLI members will visit the special exhibition In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870-1940, which explores the ways regional artists interpreted rural, maritime and urban spaces in the U.S. using Impressionist techniques including brisk brushstrokes, a vibrant palette and atmospheric effects. Cost (includes guided tour and discussion; does not include transportation or parking): $20.
Space is limited; registration is required. To sign up, through June 11.

Sunday, June 21
Priority registration deadline for summer 2026 Osher Online courses
Registrations may be accepted after this date based on availability. No refunds will be provided after this date.
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August

Saturday, August 1
Last day to submit a course proposal for winter 2027
Visit the Forms page to access the CFS Fall 2026 Course Proposal form.