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:

slynnsearch@yahoo.com, 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; dwh633@aol.com).

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, booktalk@me.com).

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, Clarencei@icloud.com). 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-

ry_mossman@yahoo.com). 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, jennifer1945@hotmail.com,

Phone: 916-425-9350

Cheryl Huffman, chuffman79@aol.com,

Phone: 530-708-0499

Renaissance Society ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

E-mail: rensoc@csus.edu

Website: www.csus.edu/org/rensoc

(916) 278-7834

Office: Adams Bldg. Room 106

Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:30-noon

Friday 10-1