Presentations/Discussion Groups/Informational Opportunities   

As we get older we sometimes reflect on life's big questions; What are our most important responsibilities? How do we want to spend the rest of our time on this earth? In this session, we'll talk about another "big question:" How do we maintain gratitude for our many blessings? Some seniors become more aware of the many things we can be grateful for, like kids and grandkids, life itself. But for others that isn't true: growing physical limitations and health problems can make gratitude difficult.

In this session we’ll discuss how to maintain an attitude of gratitude, and help others do the same.

Reasons you may be unable to register:

1. You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership
2. You are not logged in (“Sign In” on the blue bar above)
3. You may need to refresh your screen

Have you ever wondered what to do if you encounter a Black Bear, at home or in the wild? Have you ever wondered how to prevent human-bear conflicts, like upended garbage cans and torn-down bird feeders? Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers Carol Diggs, Jack Day, and Beth Kuhn will help you find the answers to these questions and more, as they guide you in learning more about bear behavior and actions people can take to keep bears wild and people safe. This presentation is part of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources project “Living with Black Bears in Virginia”.

Beth Kuhn has been a Virginia Master Naturalist volunteer in the Rivanna chapter since 2014, and currently is coordinator for the RMN Black Bear education group and chair of the Outreach Committee. As an RMN, she enjoys stream monitoring, school nature walks, and Outreach tabling events. She retired from a middle school teaching career in 2019 but continues to be a dedicated science nerd and reading advocate.

Carol Diggs has been a member of the Virginia Master Naturalist program’s Rivanna chapter since 2021, and a trained Black Bear educator since 2025. Her volunteer work has included monitoring the trail at The Nature Conservancy’s Fernbrook Natural Area, working on a VDOT/Virginia Tech roadkill tracking project to identify the need for wildlife corridors along Route 29 south of Charlottesville, and checking local kestrel nest boxes for new broods. She retired to Charlottesville from a public relations career in 2016 and is happily busy with RMN volunteering and continuing education, freelance writing, and leading visitor tours at James Madison’s Montpelier.

Jack Day has been a Virginia Master Naturalist in the Rivanna chapter (RMN) since 2020. In 2023 he completed the DWR program about ‘Living with Black Bears’, which prepared him to participate in public speaking and information table events about black bears in Virginia. Before becoming a Master Naturalist, he was monitoring bluebird boxes on a trail at Lake Monticello to report population data to the Virginia Bluebird Society (VBS). Bluebird monitoring has been his main volunteer activity for RMN. In the fall of 2025, he became a County Coordinator for VBS where he advises and supports those who monitor bluebird box trails in Albemarle and Fluvanna Counties.

Reasons you may be unable to register:

1. You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership
2. You are not logged in (“Sign In” on the blue bar above)
3. You may need to refresh your screen

Reasons you may be unable to register:

1. You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership
2. You are not logged in (“Sign In” on the blue bar above)
3. You may need to refresh your screen

Reasons you may be unable to register:

1. You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership
2. You are not logged in (“Sign In” on the blue bar above)
3. You may need to refresh your screen

Reasons you may be unable to register:

1. You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership
2. You are not logged in (“Sign In” on the blue bar above)
3. You may need to refresh your screen

This 45-minute class followed by Q&A will demystify any of the issues you may have with controlling your Required Minimum Distributions (RMD)- answer any of your burning questions and ensure that You are the master of your IRA. Learn to harness the power of Qualified Charitable Distributions—the ultimate win-win scenario.

Graduating with an Ed.S. in Psychology, Margie Swanson worked as a School Psychologist before starting her own financial practice in the Midwest. She moved to Charlottesville in 1987, driving cross country during the crash of ‘87 and slowly built up a clientele of teachers, nurses, and everyday individuals who wanted to be involved in the process of growing their hard earned assets. Margie, who retired in 2023, learned early on that her background in psychology was valuable with steering clients into becoming more confident financial decision makers.

Reasons you may be unable to register:

1. You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership
2. You are not logged in (“Sign In” on the blue bar above)
3. You may need to refresh your screen

overwhelming — but you don’t have to do it alone. Join licensed healthcare professionals Jennifer Perry from Benchmark Senior Solutions for an informative session exploring the full spectrum of senior care options available in the Charlottesville area. In this session, you’ll:

• Learn about different levels of care, including in-home services, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing communities.

• Understand the types of support offered in each setting and how they align with individual needs.

• Explore insurance and payment options, including what is (and isn’t) typically covered.

• Gain practical tools and questions to ask providers as you navigate the healthcare and senior living continuum. By the end of the discussion, attendees will have a clearer understanding of the services and resources available — and the confidence to make informed decisions for themselves or their loved ones.

Jennifer Perry has worked with the geriatric population for over 20 years in both clinical and operational roles. As an occupational therapist, Jennifer provides a focus on function and safety in the home environment as well as a keen eye when considering senior living options. Jennifer has a strong familiarity of the senior living business with experience in management at the community level as a rehab director and at the corporate level as a regional rehab director. Jennifer has a high expectation of quality care and positive outcomes, with an eye for details and excellence. This combination provides her clients at Benchmark Senior Solutions with a compassionate and factual resource to provide advice in the process of selecting the best resources to meet individual needs. Jennifer obtained her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. She is Licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine and certified by the National Board of Certification of Occupational Therapy as an Occupational Therapist. She is an independent contractor and owner of OnPoint Solutions LLC, and is a Certified Geriatric Care Professional as well as Certified Dementia Practitioner.

Reasons you may be unable to register:

1. You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership
2. You are not logged in (“Sign In” on the blue bar above)
3. You may need to refresh your screen

Change. Change. Everywhere change! That’s the state of college football today. The old axiom that “you have to have a program to know the players” has never been truer. In this age of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) money and the transfer portal, college football rosters are in constant flux. Coaches are changing jobs. New powerhouses are emerging from larger, sometimes exorbitant, roster budgets. Everywhere you look, there’s change. It’s a lot to unpack. But that’s exactly what we’ll do, along with some special guests, in the sixth year of this fun OLLI at UVA Discussion Group. Coaches and three of the Power Four conferences — the Big Ten, the ACC, and the Big 12 — favor expanding the current 12-team playoff to 24 teams. The SEC leadership favors playoff expansion, but only to 16 teams. Only 12 teams will compete in this season’s playoffs, and we’ll examine who may still be playing come December. Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana have won the last three national titles, giving the Big 10 a three-peat. Can they make it four in a row? Michigan and Penn State both have new coaches who are proven winners. Ohio State and Oregon are loaded with talent. Will Indiana’s miraculous run continue? Notre Dame is getting a lot of preseason love. Speaking of new coaches, what will James Franklin’s first Virginia Tech team look like? Can Tony Elliott continue UVA’s winning ways after posting the first 11-win season in school history? We’ll take a long look at both schools, as well as the rest of the ACC, where Miami is the favorite. In the Big 12, Texas Tech, Utah, and BYU again look strong. Oklahoma State could be the next Indiana with a dramatic roster makeover that includes 85 new players. Lane Kiffin’s coaching move to LSU from arch rival Ole Miss generated hours of talk show commentary and a whopping $42 million roster makeover. Can all of that compete with Texas, Georgia, and Texas A&M for SEC supremacy? What about the Ivy League and the Group of Six schools? We’ll talk about it all. Join us, have some fun, hear from special guests, and get ready for the 2026 season.

Early in his career, while working at The Tuscaloosa (AL) News—before spending four decades in Washington, DC, as a congressional press secretary and a public relations professional—Steve Bevis had the opportunity to cover one of the nation’s premier college football programs. While his career moved on from sitting in press boxes on crisp fall afternoons to time on Capitol Hill and a public relations career that included projects with historians, members of Congress, Senators, and Presidents, his passion for college football never waned.