Interest groups bring learning and joy of belonging
UMRA members who have started and convened some of our interest groups gave us a taste of what happens in their group and what they get out of exploring this interest with others.
UMRA interest groups offer joy in belonging
Tue, September 20 2022, 11am
Members of UMRA interest groups, including the Hiking Club, will speak.
Event to be held via Zoom.
If you’re new to an organization like UMRA, have been a member for a while but haven’t been involved much lately, or have recently lost a spouse or partner, attending a large event can feel overwhelming. You may think, “What if I don’t know anyone?” “Who will I sit with for have lunch?” “What if I don’t have anything in common with the people I meet?” If that rings a bell for you, UMRA’s interest groups, social activities, and University Retirees Volunteer Center offer a range of opportunities for trying something new, continuing to learn, and meeting others who share your interests.
Our September 20 Living Well Workshop via Zoom will feature UMRA members who have started and convened some of our interest groups. They’ll give us a taste of what happens in their group and what they get out of exploring this interest with others.
Shared interests
UMRA members have found ways to get together around many shared interests: reading and reflecting on books together, hiking, taking photographs, armchair travel, researching family history, becoming better informed and more skilled at managing personal finance, volunteering in the community, traveling abroad with other U of M retirees, visiting local and regional points of interest.
These interest groups, social activities, and volunteer opportunities are open to all UMRA members and are free in the best sense of the word. You can participate in as few or as many as you like, with no long-term obligation. It’s a great, low-key way to get acquainted with others and share the joy of new experiences.
Might you have an idea for an interest group you’d like to propose or organize? The workshop will also be an opportunity to learn how to start a new UMRA interest group and get tips from the leaders who’ve done it. The ideas are limited only by the enormous diversity of interests of UMRA’s members.
Please register for this Zoom webinar and join us from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20.
—Jan Morlock, UMRA past president
Upcoming Events
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.
Topics relevant to managing investments in retirement. By David Foster, CFP©, CRPC©, CRPS©
This trip begins in Madrid and ends in Barcelona with stops 3 cities in between. International round trip airfare from NYC is included in the quoted price. See the attached a copy of the e-brochure with highlights and complete itinerary. Register by May 1.