26th Annual Meeting & Picnic Update

OSHER PICNIC and 26^th Annual Meeting  – August 27, 2018

Did you make it to the August 2018 Back-to-School-Picnic & Annual Meeting? We hope you didn’t play hooky – it was a great event!  

Long-time members along with some brand new were talking about the program year and getting in touch again. There was a spread that included hot dogs, fried chicken, veggie burgers, fruit salad, coleslaw, lemonade and cake. Red and white checkerboard tablecloths were accented with sunflowers. And all were treated to an excellent performance by CMU’s award-wining a cappella group The Originals. (http://www.cmuoriginals.org)  

That was the story of Osher’s Back-to-School-Picnic and 26^th Annual Meeting Monday, August 27 in Rangos 3 at University Center.

President Jim Reitz noted substantial contributions from Osher staff especially highlighting the beautiful catalog members receive 3 times a year, which is entirely prepared by our staff. Jim also addressed some rumors that have been bouncing around our Osher membership.

The first rumor is that Osher has been granted space in the new Tepper Quad building.  Not True.  What is true is that Osher WILL be allocated more space than we now have in one of two locations: the fourth floor of Wean Hall or the first floor of the new Tepper Quad.  Tepper Quad is a long shot as 70 or more CMU departments and organizations are also seeking the same space – but we are making our claim. Work on the proposal is currently underway, and it will be submitted soon.

The second rumor we have heard is that our Osher program is going bankrupt.  This, too, is not true.  Osher at CMU is not going bankrupt and continues to operate well within budget.

The follow up rumor-question was – then isn’t the increase in membership fees awfully high?  Jim cited about a dozen other Osher chapters scattered across the country from California to Boston with annual fees ranging from $150 to $900.  Of all the other Oshers, our fees are still on the lower end.  Many in the room agreed that the new fee structure is still very reasonable.

Executive Director Lyn Decker reported that Osher at CMU’s gift of five yellow Adirondack chairs, to recognize CMU celebrating its 50th year as Carnegie Mellon University, have arrived on campus.   Look for them and the 25 other Adirondack chairs Osher gifted last year as you walk cross campus.  They are all a big hit.  She also announced that going forward the Annual Reports will be sent to the full membership each year.