President’s Message
I want to call your attention to the special election supplement at the back of this newsletter. The membership will elect a new slate of officers for the LLI at our June 4 Forum. Candidates’ bios are located in this supplement. If you have questions, contact the chair of the Nominating Committee, Derick Malis (see member directory).
I am now completing my monthly “President’s Corner” series by covering the last two Special Interest Groups (SIGs) below:
Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)
Chairman Anna Dixon encourages members to help shape in-person arts experiences for 2025–26! Her committee is looking for your ideas and preferences for VPA activities that make you want to show up! The DMV area offers an unparalleled range of cultural and educational treasures—why not enjoy them together? Imagine once-a-month painting sessions with the Fairfax Arts League or LLI/NOVA classes, followed by in-person group visits to major exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art. The VPA SIG makes the most of our proximity to museums, universities, galleries, and studios, offering a mix of film screenings, speakers, member-led sessions, and field trips. All LLI/NOVA members are welcome to join any activity that sparks their interest. Events are planned and coordinated by our members. Share your ideas—and if you’d like to participate in or join the VPA SIG, contact Anna (see member directory).
Anyone who enjoys a good meal, getting together with friends, and exploring some wonderful dining opportunities is welcome in the Foodies & Friends SIG. As one of the oldest of LLI’s SIGs, this group has been going strong since 2004 when it was established to increase opportunities for members to get better acquainted with each other in a more casual manner than afforded in meetings or classes.
Foodies get together about once a month. Members take turns being host and deciding and planning events that in some way involve food. The meetings are usually a weekday lunch at a restaurant, often to sample some of the area’s delicious ethnic cuisines. However, a host has flexibility to choose a weekend date, or a different meal of the day, if that means achieving unusual menu offerings or sites, such as dim sum, weekend cooking class, a food festival, a food-related tour, demo cooking class, pot luck picnics in parks, lunch in a member’s home, afternoon tea, or holiday celebrations.
Please consider joining us and feel free to invite a friend. If you would like to be added to the Foodies & Friends email list, please contact Patti Volz (see member directory).
Help Us Attract New LLI Members
Finally, as a general reminder, our membership is currently below our optimum number. As I’m sure you can all agree, LLI offers a terrific deal, considering that the annual membership fee of $125 covers Forums, over 120 classes, excursion opportunities, and SIGs. Your help is critical to attracting new members. If you belong to another senior group and believe we should speak to it to recruit members, please let a Board member know! We have been speaking to many groups and are always ready to brag about our organization. If you have neighborhood cookouts this spring, tell your neighbors about us! LLI/NOVA needs you to get involved!
Remember: Our strength is our members!
Patti Volz
President, LLI/NOVA