[Vital Aging] Rituals: Exploring What We Practice and Why

Special Event

[Vital Aging] Rituals: Exploring What We Practice and Why

Thursday, December 11, 2025
Thursday, December 11, 2025

Our Rituals: We all have them — not just the big holiday traditions like what we serve with the turkey or the customary meals for Passover and Yom Kippur, but also the everyday ones, from Saturday-morning doughnuts to annual family camping trips.

In this month's in-person-only Vital Aging gathering led by Sara Orem, we'll reflect on the big and small rituals of both our families of origin and our current circles — partners, children and grandchildren, close friends, even pickleball groups — and share the traditions we love as well as those that have sparked tension, whether in interfaith families or between differing partner or friendship traditions.

Please join us at OLLI HQ (1995 University Ave., Suite 365) on Thursday, Dec., 11, at 3:30 PM, to share, listen, and learn about one another’s cherished practices during this rich season of holidays and ritual.

Limited to 40 members.

 

[Vital Aging] Rituals: Exploring What We Practice and Why

OLLIday Open House: All are Welcome!

Special Event

OLLIday Open House: All are Welcome!

Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Tuesday, December 16, 2025

'Tis that time of year! Join us for our annual OLLIday Open House on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 1:30–3 PM, at OLLI HQ (1995 University Ave., Suite 365, Berkeley.) Enjoy good cheer and great company as you meet and mingle with members, faculty and the OLLI team. Please bring a nosh (sweet or savory) or beverage to share, if possible. All are welcome!

RSVPing isn't necessary, but appreciated!

OLLIday Open House: All are Welcome!

Planned Giving and How to Create a Lasting Legacy, with Melanie Keilholtz

Special Event

Planned Giving and How to Create a Lasting Legacy, with Melanie Keilholtz

Friday, December 12, 2025
Friday, December 12, 2025
Join us for an online presentation with Melanie Keilholtz, Associate Director of UC Berkeley’s Office of Gift Planning, as she demystifies the many ways you can create a lasting legacy through thoughtful giving. Using UC Berkeley as an example, Melanie will break down how planned gifts work, the benefits they can offer, and how these strategies can be applied to support any nonprofit or organization that matters to you. Whether you’re just beginning to explore your options or thinking about your next step, this session will offer practical insights to help you shape a meaningful legacy.   
 
[Free and open to all • Livestreamed]
Planned Giving and How to Create a Lasting Legacy, with Melanie Keilholtz

[Field Trip] Treasure Island Museum

Special Event

[Field Trip] Treasure Island Museum

Thursday, November 20, 2025
Thursday, November 20, 2025

Join us for a docent-led tour of the Treasure Island Museum in historic, WPA-muraled Building One. Learn about the island’s fascinating past — from the splendor of the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition to the courage of African American sailors who challenged injustice after the Port Chicago disaster — and see how Treasure Island is being reimagined for the future. Organized by OLLI's Member Engagement Committee.

Details👇

  • Tour takes place Thursday, Nov. 20, at 10 AM and will last about one hour
  • Please arrive by 9:50 AM
  • $10 (cash) per person — OLLI staff will collect when you arrive and then give to the docent
  • Limited to 25 members
  • Museum is located at 39 Treasure Island Rd #111 — smack dab in the middle of San Francisco Bay
  • Tour is on rain or shine
  • If interested, members are welcome to join OLLI staff for a bite to eat afterward (place TBD)

Getting there📍

There is no direct AC Transit or ferry service from the East Bay to the island.

Ways to get there:

  • Car: From East Bay, keep in right lane on Bay Bridge. Take Exit 4 toward 4/Treasure Island/Yerba Buena.
  • Muni 25 Treasure Island: Bus runs regularly from the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco directly to the island.
  • BART/AC Transit > Ferry: Take BART or AC Transit to Embarcadero Center. Go to Ferry Building (Gate B) to catch the ferry to the island. It docks just steps from the museum. Here's the schedule.

[For members only]

[Field Trip] Treasure Island Museum

[Field Trip] Tour of Julia Morgan's Berkeley City Club

Special Event

[Field Trip] Tour of Julia Morgan's Berkeley City Club

Monday, November 17, 2025
Monday, November 17, 2025

Join us for a docent-led tour of Julia Morgan’s Berkeley City Club. Learn about the trailblazing architect and first woman certified by the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris as we explore the vaulted halls, arcades, and courtyards of this 1930 architectural gem, originally built as a women’s community clubhouse. Organized by OLLI's Member Engagement Committee.

Details ✨

  • Tour takes place Monday, Nov. 17, at 2 PM and will last about one-hour
  • Please arrive by 1:50 PM
  • $10 (cash) per person — OLLI staff will collect when you arrive and then give to the BCC
  • BCC is located at 2315 Durant in Berkeley

[For members only]

[Field Trip] Tour of Julia Morgan's Berkeley City Club

[Vital Aging] Music, Memory, and Brain Aging, with Julene Johnson

Special Event

[Vital Aging] Music, Memory, and Brain Aging, with Julene Johnson

Thursday, November 13, 2025
Thursday, November 13, 2025

This month's Vital Aging gathering explores the vital role music plays in enriching our lives as we age, highlighting both its scientific and social dimensions. UCSF professor Julene Johnson will share insights into how and why engaging with music — whether through listening, singing, or playing — supports cognitive vitality, emotional well-being, and social connection in later life. 

About the Speaker

Julene K Johnson, PhD is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the UCSF Institute for Health & Aging. Her research program focuses on developing and testing music-based interventions to promote health among older adults, and understanding cognitive function among diverse older adults.

Details

  • This event is for members only
  • It will be held online
  • Free for OLLI members; $15 for Best of OLLI subscribers
[Vital Aging] Music, Memory, and Brain Aging, with Julene Johnson

Winter Term Begins

Special Event

Winter Term Begins

Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Tuesday, January 20, 2026

On the course roster? AI, the Supreme Court, the Declaration of Independence, female sexuality in fiction, California noir, "The Boss," art that wows, Naples, film, and more. Learn about all the benefits of an OLLI @Berkeley membership — access to dozens of courses, speaker events, field trips, town halls, workshops on healthy aging, socials, travel and more — as well as our special offer for new members and our fee assistance program.

Winter Term Begins
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