Introduction
After being weekenders for 18 years, my husband and I moved to the Hudson Valley full-time in May 2018 when we retired from our corporate jobs at JPMorgan. We had a couple of friends in the area, and one, Tom Grabeel, was a member of Bard LLI. He kept telling us that he thought we would like it, so I was thrilled when we finally joined in 2019. I remember meeting Tom Esposito at the Annual Fall Welcome Luncheon that year. He mentioned that members should not only enjoy the courses but also take part in the social aspects of LLI—and he was right!
Meeting Like-Minded Friends
I met many people during my first semester and found Bard LLI to be very welcoming! I am lucky that I could join Bard LLI right before COVID hit. On the last day of classes, one of my classmates turned to me and said, “I hope you don’t mind sharing your phone number with me,” to which I replied, “I’m so glad you asked because I was going to ask you!” She had recently moved to the area from Tacoma, Washington. We had a lot in common and quickly became friends.
I was looking forward to classes in spring 2020 when COVID hit. I started volunteering more and got to know people on the Communications and Technology Committees and I was asked to co-manage the Online Team with Susan Christoffersen. While I was disappointed that we were online, I was surprised at how we could get to know one another over Zoom. It’s not as much fun as being in person, but it did allow for some socialization during what could have been a very dark time. Other members have had a similar experience.
A Journey of Self-Discovery and Activism
Eleanor Wieder moved to Rhinebeck in the fall of 2019. She was introduced to a local person who mentioned that she was going to enter the lottery for Bard LLI. Being new in town, Eleanor thought this sounded like a fantastic way to meet people, learn new and interesting things, and become involved in her new community. She joined LLI in the fall of 2020 at the height of the pandemic, when LLI was 100% remote.
While Eleanor enjoyed her online classes, the prospect of meeting people and becoming involved didn’t seem likely. However, surprisingly, through the Who Us? 2020 class, she met an incredible group of people, albeit two-dimensionally, through whom she has embarked on a wonderful journey of self-discovery and activism. This group is the core of the DEI/Social Justice Team. They have also formed a monthly reading group that includes members from Who Us? classes and other interested people. As things began to open up this year, Eleanor enjoyed meeting people “in real life.”
A Bocce Class Turns Into a Hiking Group
After bocce class in October 2021, Kim Sears mentioned to Joanne Meyer that she had really enjoyed the hiking class offered in the spring. Joanne asked Kim if she had ever hiked up Overlook Mountain. When Kim said no, Joanne pulled up her calendar and asked, “When should we do it, and should we invite anyone else?” Thus the Ad Hoc Weekly Hiking Group was born! It started with three people, and within weeks, there were anywhere from five to nine people taking walks throughout the area. They plan on hiking throughout the winter!
As much as Kim has enjoyed the mental stimulation of the LLI classes, it is the social aspects that have made the biggest difference in her life year-round. Kim feels she always has something to look forward to since she has formed a full range of connections from very close friends to casual acquaintances to people who participate in small interest-based groups inside and outside of LLI volunteer committees.
Make the Most of What LLI Has to Offer
With over 340 members, LLI has a large population with varied interests and backgrounds. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a class member, even if you’ve only met them on Zoom, and see if they want to get together for coffee. While taking an in-person class, try to get there a few minutes early and talk to other classmates or see if they want to meet for lunch or after class. If there’s a committee that needs assistance, volunteer to help out. While Eleanor, Kim, and I find the classes at Bard LLI to be terrific, it’s the people we’ve met while volunteering that have made the biggest difference to our lives in the Hudson Valley.
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