Members and their guests may participate in any or all of the following groups.
SPEAKER SERIES
These events will be held at a branch of Austin Public Libraries (Yarbrough, Howson and Old Quarry), generally on the second Wednesday of each month. Speaker Series includes Finance/Investments, Interdisciplinary Topics, Health and Discussion Topics.
UPCOMING SPEAKERS:
October 30, 1:30 PM: “Topic TBD”, Speaker TBD, Howson Library Branch. Stay tuned for updates soon!
September 25, 1:30 PM: “Basics of DNA Testing for Genealogy”, Phyllis Zumwalt, Professional Genealogist. Howson Library Branch.
Ms. Zumwalt obtained an online master’s degree from the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, Scotland) in genealogy and heraldic studies during the pandemic. She teaches genealogy classes for the Austin Lifetime Learning Institute, and does genealogy research for clients. View her website: https://shapingyourfamilytree.com.
Co-Chairs: Phil Kelton, 512-466-9120, Alice Reinarz, 979-571-7723
View photos from the Speaker Series
TRAVEL
ANNOUNCING EXCITING TRAVEL ADVENTURES FOR RFSA 2025!!!
The Travel Committee is excited to share our 2025 Travel Adventures Line Up!! These trips are VERY POPULAR and in HIGH DEMAND. So early registration can save your spot! We are offering three unique tours and destinations, designed to appeal to senior travelers. Each trip fee includes $100 designated for the RFSA fundraiser, supporting all of our programs and activities. So travel with us AND support RFSA as well!
- Mystical Peru: April 29 – May 7, 2025, for a “bucket list” trip to “Mystical Peru”, featuring a visit to Machu Picchu and many other excursions.
- Historic Trains of the Old West: June 2 – 10, 2025, a trip through Colorado and New Mexico, featuring three historic train rides and many sights in between. We will experience 3 different historic railroads along the way.
- Treasures of Tuscany: October 1 – 10, 2025, ten days in the beautiful Tuscany region of northern Italy, with Florence and Siena as hubs for several excursions. You are invited to a Zoom meeting to preview our fall trip to the beautiful Tuscany region of Italy on September 26 (11:00 AM). Register in advance for this meeting.
Travel Agent Information: Contact Lori Threatt from Relaxed Escapes at lori@relaxedescapes.com or by phone at 737-228-3680, or visit www.relaxedescapes.com/groups.
UPCOMING 2024 TRIPS:
RECENT TRIP PHOTOS:
- BRITISH ISLES CRUISE (June, 2024)
- PORTUGAL TOUR (April, 2024)
- View a lot more photos from the Travel Group
Co-Chairs: Kathy and Richard Armenta 512-262-7019
FOODIES
The purpose of this group is to provide an opportunity for RFSA members and a guest to experience interesting restaurants in Austin and to socialize. Guests will be responsible for their own costs.
Chair: Robert Lawrence, 512-585-6208
View photos from the Foodies group
ARTS AND CULTURE
This group informs our members of all types of art and culture events: Museums, Music, Dance, Theater, Lectures and more (both on and off campus).
Co-Chairs: Hillary Hart, 512-423-5022 and Madeline Sutherland-Meier, 512-565-0906
ARTS AND CULTURE INTEREST GROUP EVENTS AND ARTS OPPORTUNITIES:
- Austin Classical Guitar
- Austin Shakespeare Company
- Blanton Museum of Art
- Marie Watt (Closes October 20, 2024)
- Native America (Closes January 5, 2025)
- Briscoe Center (American History)
- Bullock Museum
- Butler School of Music
- DO512 Theater (Do Awesome Stuff in Austin)
- Harry Ransom Center
- September 26, 5-7PM: Percival Everett Reading and Book Signing
- Hyde Park Theater
- Jones Center and Laguna Gloria (The Contemporary Austin)
- Texas Today (UT Events Calendar):
- Texas Performing Arts
- Umlauf Sculpture Garden
- Vortex Theater (Fearless Theater Exchange)
View photos from the Arts & Culture group
BRIDGE
The Bridge Group meets on the first Monday of each month in the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. Texas Exes provides free parking in the garage, as well as free iced drinks and coffee.
We play party bridge, not duplicate, and you do not need to provide your own partner. If you want to join the group or have your name added to the mailing list, you may reserve a spot by contacting Mary Kay Hemenway (mkhemenway@utexas.edu).
Chair: Mary Kay Hemenway, 512-913-6058
View photos from the Bridge group
EXERCISE
A weekly class, designed for RFSA members, meets in Gregory Gym on Monday mornings from 8:30 until 9:30 a.m. To participate, you need to join Rec Sports if you are not already a member; you can join at their office just inside the entrance to Gregory Gym. There is an additional fee of $10 per month to cover the cost for the class instructor.
Experienced exercise instructor Sandy Erickson leads us in a variety of exercises designed for all ages and fitness levels. She can adapt the exercises for anyone with special needs.
Chair: Carolyn Wylie, 512-453-2556
ADDITIONAL UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES
TEXAS EXES SUPPORT and COORDINATION: Carol Barrett [512-840-5657]
OLLI (Oscher Lifeling Learning Institute) – The University of Texas at Austin Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (UT OLLI) is where curious adults can enjoy classes in a relaxed community of friends, among leading scholars and experts, who share a fascination with exploring new areas of knowledge and traditional disciplines.
AROHE (Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education) – RFSA is a member of this international organization. AROHE champions transformative practices to support all ages of faculty and staff retirement, the mutually beneficial engagement of retirees with one another and with their institutions, and their continuing contributions to campus and family life. By sharing research, innovative ideas and successful practices, AROHE supports the development and enhancement of campus-based retirement organizations and programs which support retirees’ lifelong engagement in higher education. The association is an excellent resource for retirement organizations and their membership in assisting with the varying stages of retirement.
Several informative virtual AROHE events are scheduled for this fall:
- September 18 – AROHE Virtual Summit focusing on the importance of Social relationships for a happy and successful retirement
- October 24 – AROHE Cyber Fraud and Personal Security Insights focusing on cyber threats and how you can protect yourself, presented by Fidelity Investments.