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Omnilore 2015 May Newsletter:

Message from the President on Omnilore’s 25^th Anniversary Initiative:

"A Silver Anniversary that began on 'the 405' ”

What stands out in Omnilore history is the dedication of overlapping groups of volunteers, some of whom are still active Omniloreans, and their drive to pursue a meaningful activity in the South Bay. Our gratitude for their efforts is deeply felt.

In the 1988-89 time frame, Burt Cutler and some friends decided that the trip to UCLA for Plato Society activities had become one “405 experience” too many. Although Burt had not yet retired from his business, he and those friends decided to eliminate the freeway commute and create their own learning-in-retirement experience in the South Bay. For months they met in homes and restaurants as they developed their idea. Rather than attempt to replicate the Plato Society, which had a stringent, demanding format and also required submission of an application form, Burt and his friends opted for a flexible, open activity with academic rigor but a member-friendly format. They extended an invitation to anyone in the area who was interested in independent, peer-led learning and a volunteerbased organization. Wide-ranging recruitment of friends and acquaintances, contacts in Elderhostel and similar groups in the South Bay, and notices in The Daily Breeze were undertaken to build a group of about 14 members.

Everyone in the group participated in planning and the tradition of volunteer work on behalf of the group was set. The volunteer ethic became the foundation of Omnilore. As part of that ethic, the group agreed to one basic requirement, which we continue to uphold: Each member was required to engage in personal research and contribute a presentation to enhance group learning. Today, we continue that tradition of independent research and shared learning in our study/discussion groups (S/DGs).

With a framework set, Burt and the founding group launched the first S/DG in basic resource for that January-April trimester. Mike Scordan, not then an Omnilore member, attended the last session of that S/DG. After his visit, he joined Omnilore and is now in the ranks of early volunteers and tradition-setters still contributing to Omnilore. Also included are Diana Cutler, Burt’s widow; John Taber, who joined early in 1991and became our second president, and Whit Wilson, who succeeded John as president. Other early – and active -- Omnilore members are: Bob Bacinski (1994), Lindie Banks (1992), Merle Culbert (1994), Anne Faas (1994), Kathleen Fitzgerald (1992), Helen Leven (1994), Norman Morris (1993) and John Vehrencamp (1994). All have contributed to Omnilore’s success as volunteers in a broad span of capacities, from group coordinators and co-coordinators to Board of Directors positions. Other early members instrumental in the development of Omnilore were Ray and Ethel Allen, Will and Vi Graham, Stan Church, Myrtle Mandell, Elsie Shullman, Lorraine Nagy, Lois Buchanan, Tom and Ceil Woods, Peggy Houghton, and Sunny Golombek.

During the first two years, a core group developed and, although a number of interested individuals joined, the group lacked consistent participation. Ethel Allen and other dedicated members worked diligently to increase membership and develop continuity among members. Group meetings were held in a bank conference room, which was one limiting factor in terms of broadening membership and programming. But by 1992 an organizational foundation was settled and the first election was held. Ethel Allen became our first president, to be followed by John Taber, our second president, who was then succeeded by Whit Wilson. The tradition of two successive one-year terms of service by the president was established during the transition from Ethel to John to Whit.

That same year, Omnilore became affiliated with California State University, Dominguez Hills. At the time members felt that Omnilore would benefit by association with an educational institution, much as Plato’s ties with UCLA provided stability to Plato. A fortuitous interaction between John Taber and Margaret Gordon, then Dean of CSUDH Extended- Education Department (now the College of International and Extended Education), led to a meeting of Dean Gordon with Burt, John and other Omnilore members. Dean Gordon proposed a lecture series to be presented by CSUDH Faculty as the programming of choice for Omnilore in its affiliation with CSUDH while Burt, John and other members pressed to keep the S/DG format. In the end, Omnilore retained its structure and the faculty lecture activity became an “added attraction” instead of supplanting the S/DGs.

With the CSUDH affiliation, we gained use of University facilities and then the Knob Hill Community Center in Redondo Beach. Membership increased from about 60 members to close to 300 by 2003. The number of study groups grew to more than 20 from the original one, and the range of topics grew accordingly. In 2003 the University applied for a grant from the Osher Foundation, which supports development of learning-in-retirement programs throughout the nation. Omnilore provided the core of the 500 participants required to secure the grant and thereby became the foundation of OLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at CSUDH. More history to come in the next Newsletter. . . .

Meanwhile, remember to make reservations for our 25th Anniversary celebration at the July 30th Forum. Mark your calendars . . . and remind everyone that we can party just as well as we can learn. . . .Cheers!

Arturo (Art) Irizarry