Special Events   

OLLI Member Exclusive: Spring Walk at Bent of the River

Enjoy a FREE guided spring bird walk at the beautiful Bent of the River Audubon Center in Southbury—exclusively for OLLI members!

Join us on May 19 (rain date: May 20) for a morning immersed in nature. We’ll meet at 9:30 AM in the visitor parking lot and enjoy a guided walk through 12:00 PM. An experienced guide will lead us along the trails, help identify local birds, and share insights along the way. Binoculars will be provided, and no prior birding experience is needed.

A suggested donation of $5 to Bent of the River is appreciated.

Location:
Bent of the River Audubon Center
185 E. Flat Hill Road
Southbury, CT 06488

Come celebrate spring, enjoy fresh air, and connect with fellow OLLI members in one of Connecticut’s most scenic natural settings!

We are delighted to welcome Professor Gina Barreca to OLLI!

Join us for the OLLI at UConn End-of-Semester Celebration on May 8, with Professor Gina Barreca, inspired by her newest book, Gina School. In this witty, warm, and deeply relatable collection, Barreca offers bite‑sized lessons on living, learning, aging, and finding humor in the everyday—delivering reassurance, insight, and laughter in equal measure. Sure to appeal to lifelong learners, Gina School blends sharp observation with compassion and encouragement, inviting readers to keep growing, questioning, and laughing at every stage of life.

This free, members‑only event is an exclusive opportunity to hear directly from one of Connecticut’s most beloved speakers in an intimate, engaging setting. Whether you’re already a fan of Barreca’s writing or discovering her work for the first time, this promises to be an event of insight, humor, and spirited conversation.

A light lunch including pizza will be served. This event was made possible by donations to the OLLI fund.

REGISTER NOW - Advance registration required - space is limited for this members-only event.

Parking

If you purchased a Spring parking permit, you have the option to park in UConn's attached parking garage (55 North Elm Street) or the Scovill Street garage (33 Scovill Street). There is a physical parking attendant on the Scoville Street garage that will need to see the hangtag that UConn Parking Services mailed to you. If you do not have a parking permit, you can pay the attendant and park in the Scovill Street garage or you can use the University's Pay-By-Phone system to park in the attached UConn Waterbury garage. More information about this system can be found at: https://park.uconn.edu/pay-by-phone/.

Please register for the OLLI Café Lunchtime series if you plan on attending some or all of the presentations. Registration for OLLI Café entitles you to a seat for each event, even if you cannot attend every café lecture! OLLI Café is a venue for the exchange of ideas and experiences focusing on improving the quality of life. The goal of OLLI Café is to present a potpourri of presentations and activities that provide information and new knowledge to OLLI members. The events feature a guest speaker followed by a short question and answer session. For information on each OLLI Café presentation, please visit: https://olli.uconn.edu/olli-cafe-lecture-descriptions/.

If you were invited to OLLI Café by a friend as part of the "Bring A Friend to OLLI Café" program, then please register for this OLLI Café section. Please Note: you can only attend one free OLLI Café session as part of this program.

OLLI Café is a venue for the exchange of ideas and experiences focusing on improving the quality of life. The goal of OLLI Café is to present a potpourri of presentations and activities that provide information and new knowledge to OLLI members. The events feature a guest speaker followed by a short question and answer session. For information on each OLLI Café presentation, please visit: https://olli.uconn.edu/olli-cafe-lecture-descriptions/.