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The Renaissance Recorder Lifelong Learning
California State University, Sacramento
February 2017 Lifelong Learning for over 30 years Issue 163
President’s Corner By John Walker
Greetings All.
Well, our Spring 2017 has begun,
with 40 Friday afternoon seminars for
you to choose from. There are also
two Saturday seminars and many off-
campus seminars.
February will be a busy month for
Renaissance. We will be submitting a new Memo of Un-
derstanding (MOU), to the University. This MOU is for
five years duration-we may face additional charges for
the use of classrooms. We will see…
Additionally, we have formed a committee to rewrite
our by-laws as required from time to time. The last
changes were made over 15 years ago when we had just
500 members. The by-laws must be updated as we are
now over 2000 members!
We are also evaluating the feasibility of changing our
status to a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization.
Finally, we have begun the necessary work to outline
Fall 2017 seminars and forums.
I hope our Renaissance Spring is good for you!
Best to All,
John
New Member Orientation Friday, January 27
Hinde Auditorium in the University Union
9:00 to 10:45 a.m. Our semi-annual Orientation for our new members will
take place on Friday, January 27, 2017, from 9:00-
10:45 a.m. in the Hinde Auditorium. All members are
invited to attend, help us welcome our new members,
and see friends as we kick off our spring semester. This
program will review new aspects of our organization’s
activities as well as revisit “the basics” of participation
in our beloved Renaissance Society. Again, all are in-
vited and very welcome.
FORUMS Fridays at 3 p.m., Del Norte Hall 1004
February 3: Debora Ortiz, CEO Opening Doors Community, “Helping Refugees to Resettle in
Sacramento.”
February 10: Andres Resendez, Histor ian/Author , “The Other Slavery.”
February 17: Tom Suchanek, PhD, Scientist Emer itus, “The Reality of Climate Change: A Path
Forward.”
February 24: Jesus Hernandez, Sociology Professor , UCD, “Sacramento Residential Segregation.”
RENDEZVOUS
Friday, January 27 University Union Ballrooms Iand II
Noon to 1:30 p.m. New Years Resolutions? We hope that high on your list
is participating in Renaissance for the Spring semester.
And, that starts with Rendezvous, the event that offers
you the opportunity to talk with seminar leaders person-
ally about their ideas, welcome new members, and chat
with your returning friends over coffee and a cookie.
Please join us on Friday, January 27, in the Student Un-
ion, Ballrooms I and II. Rendezvous begins at noon and
ends at 1:30. See you there.
Online Spring-Only Membership and Seminar
Registration began on January 4, 2017.
February 2017 Page 2
David Abelson Starts Bob Dylan Seminar By Craig McCulloch
I had the pleasure of attending the first semester of “Bob Dylan -- the Man; the Music; the Masks & the Myths,” present-
ed by David Abelson in the Fall Semester, 2016. David gave us twelve weeks packed with slides, photos, videos and Dyl-
an’s music in very well-organized fashion. He picked an incredible time to start the seminar as it coincided with the award
of this year’s (2016) Nobel Prize for Literature to Dylan.
A fellow student, Allan Keown, observed, “David’s seminar enabled all of us to freely channel Dylan’s brilliance. It is
unquestionably the best seminar I’ve ever had.”
The course examined many of the significant influences on Dylan’s complete life. Many musicians that Dylan admired
helped develop his tastes starting with folk singers and beatniks in Greenwich Village. David made the point several times
during the semester that Dylan is difficult to categorize. He is known as a songwriter, artist, poet, musician and writer dur-
ing the tension and turmoil of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s.
Similarly, Dylan’s styles of music changed many times and very dramatically over his career. One well-known transition
point was his change as folk singer/balladeer to the electric rock and roll played at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1965. The
changes had an equally dramatic response from his fans from those who loudly booed and new fans who loved it. Later
phases in his music included periods performing country, gospel, electric rock, rockabilly, old standards, Frank Sinatra
songs, Irish and Scottish folk music.
Performing for over 55 years, Dylan has been one of the most prolific songwriters. For many years he also carried an ex-
hausting tour schedule of hundreds of concerts annually, traveling around the globe. His relentless schedule contributed to
some extended periods where he dropped out of view and stopped producing albums.
Dylan received many awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, thirteen Grammys, a Golden Globe, an Acad-
emy Award and membership in many music halls of fame. He is credited with sales of over 100 million records.
In addition to his seminar presentations, David emailed his complete PowerPoint slides to the class and thoughtfully in-
cluded detailed instructions for their use. Many of the songs heard in class included a slide with the words as Dylan’s grav-
elly voice can be difficult to understand. David Abelson plans to offer this seminar again in the Fall semester, 2017.
L to r: Betsy Marks, Ellie Thomas, Teresa Yates, Noel Hinde and Johanna
Walker made it all possible! (Missing from the picture are Sue Leber and
Therese Ruth)
Holiday Reception on December 2, 2016.
Tasty food, good conversations.
Photos courtesy of Jeff Hendy.
Come Join Us!
‘First Friday’ Happy Hour At 4:15 p.m. after the Forum
Round Table Pizza in the Student Union
The Membership Committee
invites you to a ‘no-host’ get-together
on the
first Friday of each month,
after the Forum
Enjoy no-host beverages, snacks and conversa-
tion with our expanding new and returning
members and students.
Clinical Pearls By Dolores J. Eitel, BSN, MA, NYc Family Nurse Practitioner
IMMUNIZATIONS for OLDER ADULTS:
The best insurance bargain available
Immunizations provide a foundation for staying healthy throughout life. Being aware of preventable diseases and com-
pleting prevention and treatment courses is essential in reducing disease transmission. The following 2016 CDC Im-
munization recommendations follow evidence-based research:
Seasonal influenza vaccine: one dose optimally October -November. High Dose is
recommended for age 65+. Standard dose is recommended for adults under age 65.
Pneumococcal Vaccine: PPV23 & PPV13: PPV23 once at age 65. PPV13 once, 6-
12 months later.
Tdap Vaccine [tetanus, diphther ia, acellular per tussis]: CDC recommends that if
you have had this vaccine as a child or do not know, you should get a single dose of
Tdap in place of the Td (tetanus-diphtheria) booster recommended every 10 years or
less as determined by your physician. If you anticipate having close contact with ba-
bies younger than 12 months it is recommended to have the Td booster ideally 2 weeks
before having that contact.
Zoster [shingles]: once at age 60.You should have this vaccine even if you have had shingles and if you can’t re-
call if you have had chicken pox or not.
Immunizations needs, doses and schedules are determined in collaboration with your Health Care Provider in consider-
ation of your family & medical history, your current medical conditions, medications, lifestyle, and health risks. Other
Vaccines that may be considered are: Measles, Varicella, HPV, Hepatitis A, B and Influenza B.
If traveling outside of the USA, consult with an Infectious Disease Heath Care Provider 6 weeks prior to your depar-
ture to discuss immunizations that will be required.
Further references: www.CDC.gov; www.adultvaccination.org.
Renaissance members enjoying a ‘First Friday’
Happy Hour
February 2017 Page 3
February 2017 Page 4
Travel and Adventure 10:00 to 11:30 am, Library Room 1533
*Arrive early, seating is limited
Richard Peter, Seminar Leader
February 3: Birds, Berries and Beautiful Fall Color. In
September 2016, Bud Getty and Dorene Clement joined an
Earthwatch expedition in Maine’s Acadia National Park,
assessing the effects of climate change on the migratory
bird population. When not counting berries, collecting in-
sects and examining bird poop under a microscope, they
explored Maine’s spectacular rocky coast and New Hamp-
shire’s stunning White Mountains, while enjoying Northern
New England’s glorious early fall color.
February 10: Biking the Great Allegheny Passage. Rich-
ard and JoAnn Peter, joined by friend Susan Sundell, biked
335 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Washington,
D.C. on a route commonly known as The Great Allegheny
Passage, or simply “The GAP.” The GAP includes about
155 miles of old railroad right-of-way and approximately
180 miles of towpath on the C&O Canal, nearly flat and a
pleasure to ride. The route comprises lush green forests,
Civil War sites, numerous tunnels, aqueducts, white-water
rivers, and an architectural masterpiece by Frank Lloyd
Wright, plus four states and the District of Columbia.
February 17: Westfjords of Iceland. The 2011 volcanic
eruption that for a few days interrupted air travel in Europe
created more interest in Iceland. Since then tourism to Ice-
land has tripled. Few of those tourists, however, travel to
the northwest area call the westfjords. This year Ed Weiss
took a tour of the Westfjords to study the geology of this
part of the country. He will share his experiences with some
video images he took during his travels.
February 24: Bolivian Altiplano. Prior to joining an
OAT tour through Peru and the Galapagos, Steve Lavezzo
spent two weeks on his own exploring the altiplano of Bolivia.
Documentaries 9:30 to 11:30 am
Location TBD
Claire and George Roper, Leaders
February 3: Prescription Thugs – 2015
This hard-hitting and thought-provoking documentary is
an expose of Big Pharma, its marketing practices and
their impact on the staggering level of addiction to pre-
scription drugs in North America. It questions the mo-
tives and ethics of these pharmaceutical manufacturers
that earn huge profits from promoting dangerously addic-
tive products. (87 mins.)
February 10: Coming To Light: The Edward S. Curtis
Story – 2001
Edward Curtis set out in 1900 to photograph traditional
Indian ways that he thought were vanishing. He aban-
doned his career as a successful portrait photographer
and sacrificed his health, marriage and all his assets to
create an astonishing body of work. Curtis produced a
twenty volume photographic record of Native Americans
that was both art and a record of a vanishing people. This
documentary tells the story of his life and how he went
about taking these wonderful pictures. (83 mins.)
February 17: Divorce Corp – 2014
This arresting documentary examines the aspirations and
failures of the nation’s family court laws, regarded by
many as brutal and deeply flawed. Rather than helping
solve families’ conflict issues, governmental authorities
often do just the opposite. Featured are interviews with
whistleblowers, attorneys, judges, mediators, investiga-
tors and especially the victims of egregious government
misconduct and corruption. The segment on Sacra-
mento’s Family Court is particularly unsettling. (90
mins.)
February 24: Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me – 2015
In 2011, when music legend Glen Campbell was diag-
nosed with Alzheimer’s disease, he was told to hang up
his guitar and prepare for the inevitable. Instead, he set
out on an unprecedented “Goodbye Tour” across Ameri-
ca which he thought would last 5 weeks. Instead it went
for 151 spectacular sold out shows over a triumphant
year and a half. This film documents this extraordinary
journey as he and his family attempt to navigate the wild-
ly unpredictable nature of Glen's progressing disease us-
ing love, laughter and music as their medicine of choice.
Special appearances include Bruce Springsteen, The
Edge, Paul McCartney, Blake Shelton, Keith Ur-
ban, Brad Paisley, Steve Martin and Chad Smith among
many others. (104 mins.)
February 2017 Page 5
Member Profile By Judy A. Lewis
Beth Mann Hums a Happy Tune
Don’t be surprised to hear Beth Mann humming a tune or tapping her toes as she
scurries around campus. Although she’s retired after a 25-year career with the
State Department of Aging, she has not forgotten the elderly population that she
served. Her most recent endeavor, the “Music and Memory Project,” involves col-
lecting unwanted CDs. With the help of volunteers, playlists are developed which
match the personalities and interests of elderly patients. Studies have shown that
familiar tunes can brighten the lives of those with dementia.
Beth has lived most of her life in Sacramento, and is proud to report that she was
a member of the second graduating class of El Camino High School.
A history buff, she graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in that
subject. This was followed by a year of employment as a child welfare worker,
and then a year as an audiometrist, testing the hearing of elementary school stu-
dents statewide in Oregon. Next it was back to college at CSUS for a teaching
credential.
After 13 years as a stay-at- home mom, Beth discovered that there were few
teaching jobs available. Undeterred, she rode her bicycle to American River College, where she completed a shorthand
class in order to get hired into the California State employment system. “It worked!” she enthuses.
Beth’s career with the State Department of Aging spanned from 1977 to 2002. Her last position before retirement was
that of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, appointed by Governor Gray Davis. Along the way, she earned a Mas-
ter’s Degree in Gerontology at CSUS. And she taught the “Issues in Aging in America” class at CSUS for five years.
Beth continues to serve on Gerontology Advisory Boards at both American River College and CSUS.
Following her retirement, Beth served as the President and a board member of the California Culture Change Coalition
for five years. This involved working with local nursing homes to improve the quality of life for their residents. Among
the proposed changes are allowing patients to go to bed and get up when they choose, and to select food choices from a
menu.
The proud grandmother of 10 grandchildren spread from Vancouver, Washington to Texas to Sacramento, ages 4 to
26, Beth relishes babysitting every chance she gets.
In keeping with her interest in history, Beth researched each of the 30 countries she has visited. After retiring, she
spent a month in Florence, Italy as a student of art and architecture. She fondly remembers three weeks she spent in Tur-
key with “four other wonderful Renaissance members.”
In her “spare” time, Beth volunteers at the Sacramento Arts Center in Carmichael.
Currently, she is the chairperson for the Renaissance mini-seminars and has previously served as a member-at-large.
She has coordinated four Friday afternoon seminars and co-coordinated several off-campus seminars. And still she’s
humming along.
Dining Together will meet at Zinfandel Grille, 2384 Fair
Oaks Blvd. at 5:30 PM on February 8, 2017.
Zinfandel Grille has a parking lot but also offers
complementary valet parking. Dining Together members
who wish to attend should RSVP to: Cheryl Nelson:
[email protected], or call (916) 421-0407, no later
than February 3, 2017. Separate checks will be provided.
Dining Together
February 2017 Page 6
Elder Mentor Celebration Reception By Pam Flohr
The CSUS Gerontology 121 Healthy Aging course assignment paired 40 students with an individual Renaissance Soci-
ety volunteer. Dr. Donna Jensen randomly assigned her class and the mentors to practice professional testing and inter-
view skills and to develop techniques for relating to elders. To celebrate completion of the Fall 2016 project, volunteer
mentors were honored at a lovely, student-organized and provisioned-potluck dinner on December 13 in the CSUS Glob-
al Engagement Lounge. Dr. Jensen showed a DVD about the semester work and the students commented on their experi-
ence.
Dr. Jensen said, “There is more to aging than sickness. There are rich, vibrant, amazing older people with life experi-
ences that can help young people think differently about aging and careers related to it. Thank you all for taking the risk
and for enriching these students immensely by building rapport skills.”
Students described how nervous they had initially been about the interviews but quickly recognized commonalities and
delighted in “their” senior. “I wasn’t expecting to meet a friend.” “We shared so much in spite of our differences of age
and politics.” “I wasn’t expecting to meet my twin 30 years from now.” “It’s shocking we have so much in common.”
Many in the class expressed their personal stories. “I went through a hard time this semester and she was there for me.”
“I was going to drop out but she talked me out of it.” “You taught me I can get through anything in life.” “I learned to
live day by day and not stress out.” “He showed me you can only control so much, not other people.” Life skills, indeed!
Others described how their mentor showed them “it’s always okay to ask for help,” “...not to sweat the small stuff.” “I
learned to grow faith in myself.” “I learned financial responsibility and how to organize.” “...a ‘get over it’ attitude.”
“...the value of truth: never buy a timeshare.”
Some told of having found a deeper relationship with their mentor who filled an empty place left by not having experi-
enced a grandparent. “You’re like the grandmother I never had.” Many said they hoped to continue the friendship devel-
oped in the project. Hugs were in abundance as student/mentor pairs expressed what the opportunity to work together
had meant to them. “You have motivated me in many ways. I want to be just like you.” A young man spoke of not being
sure he wanted to continue the Gerontology program but had learned its value through the class project, “I want to pur-
sue this.” Another said, “I wanted to become a nurse, but I’ve never been so excited as I am about Gerontology.” “I had
an outstanding time. Your stories and dedication have inspired me to give back in my life.”
There was a time when such a role was common...older adults guiding and teaching the young who would replace
them. Now there seems little opportunity for these kind of trusting, honest relationships between generations. Hearing
the impact on young, upcoming professionals and their Elder Mentors, who have so much to share, demonstrated the
power of these personal, symbiotic relationships. Just the sort of gifts Renaissance Society can share with our communi-
ty.
Photos courtesy of Alan Scheckter
February 2017 Page 7
Mini-Seminar Schedule 10:00—11:30 am, Library 1522
Beth Mann, Leader
February 2: James McRitchie, Understanding and
Influencing Corporate Behavior. Think corporations
have too much power? Learn how investors in pensions,
mutual funds and stocks can redirect corporate power
from within. James McRitchie has over 20 years of expe-
rience strengthening those democratic mechanisms. Class
will discuss how to make corporations more democratic
and productive, while reducing costs to society and the
environment.
February 10: Touger Vang, From the Mountains of
Laos to the Sacramento Valley: The Odyssey of the
Hmong People. Since the mid-1970s, the Hmong have
been resettled throughout the United States. A large popu-
lation of Hmong has made Sacramento Valley their new
home. Come and learn about their history, culture and the
journey of coming to the United States. Touger Vang is a
Hmong refugee from Laos and has lived in the US since
age 10. Mr. Vanghas a Master of Library and Information
Studies and has been a guest lecturer for universities for
many years.
February 17: Brigette Jaensch and Patricia Daugh-
erty, Sister Cities: Connecting People to People. What
are Sister Cities? Are they something new? Who creates
them? What do they do? Does Sacramento have any?
Learn about Sister Cities, both generally and with Sacra-
mento specifics, from Brigitte Jaensch (a long-time Re-
naissance Society member) and Patricia Daugherty - two
of the co-founders of the Sister City friendship between
Sacramento and Bethlehem.
February 24: Michelle Teran, United Farm Workers.
Michelle Teran is the Legislative Advocate for United
Farm Workers. Her presentation will cover the history of
the farm worker movement and a review of farm worker
rights. She will also share with us what victories have
been won for farm workers over the years and the issues
farm workers continue to face today. She will conclude
with ways to get involved with the farm worker move-
ment.
Ronald Anderson, a member since 1999, passed away
on Nov. 11.
Member Theodore David Taylor died on Dec. 3 at the
age of 85. He was a CSUS professor emeritus and had
been a professor in the Counselor Education Department
for 30 years.
Susan O'Brien, a member since 1991, died December
29, at her home. She was 102. She had fallen and broken
her hip this fall while getting her newspaper, her first
broken bone in her life!
Renaissance Society Partnership
with Asian Community Center
(ACC) Wednesdays, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. ACC Admin Bldg, 7334 Park
City Avenue, Sacramento, 95831
Allan Keown, Leader
February 1: “Hamilton,” David Warren: (916-422-
6330; [email protected]).
David gives his inaugural performance of Alexander
Hamilton, introducing us to this pivotal player in our
revolutionary history who has now become an iconic
figure on Broadway and who is soon to arrive in San
Francisco.
February 8: “The River Runs Through It – Food,
Wine, and Agriculture in the Sacramento Region,”
Maryellen Burns (916-456-4930, [email protected]).
Maryellen takes us through our regional agricultural and
food history, providing us with the background of those
who established the groundwork for the recent moniker
“farm to fork Capital.”
February 15: “SUISEKI: The Japanese Art of Stone
Viewing and Appreciation,” Clarence Smith, (916-
391-1862, [email protected]). Stone collecting is
enjoyed by many; stones are admired for their beauty as
shaped by nature. Clarence will give a talk on the his-
torical background of the art, show slide photos of
stones, and also show some of the suiseki that he has
collected over the years.
February 22: “Easy Magic Tricks for Grandpar-
ents,” Harry Mossman ( 916-200-9146, har-
[email protected]). Harry shows us why magic
tricks are an easy way for grandparents to entertain,
teach life lessons, and demonstrate that they really are
cool. And as an added benefit, we’ll learn that they
keep your mind sharp.
The Renaissance Society
California State University Sacramento
Adams Bldg., Room 106
Sacramento, CA 95819-6074
80700128
Renaissance Recorder
Editors
Jennifer Cummings, [email protected],
Phone: 916-425-9350
Cheryl Huffman, [email protected],
Phone: 530-708-0499
Renaissance Society ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.csus.edu/org/rensoc
(916) 278-7834
Office: Adams Bldg. Room 106
Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:30-noon
Friday 10-1