The Cornell Retiree Newsletter brings together fun, enriching, and educational opportunities designed to keep our retiree community engaged, connected, and inspired. Check out what's new and upcoming below!
Saturday, August 22, 2026, 8:00 PM Robert H. Treman State Park, Upper Entrance Join Wharton Studio Museum and its producing partner, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, for what has become one of the region's most popular summer events! Come have fun under the night sky with live musical accompaniment. The event is free but there is a parking fee in the park. For more information visit the event web page.
Mindful Botany Walk
Friday, August 28, 2026, 12:00 - 1:00 PM Cornell Botanic Gardens Join Cornell Botanic Gardens staff on this free walk to observe the beauty and drama of nature unfolding on monthly nature walks. While exploring various paths and gardens each month, practice mindfulness by dedicating your attention to the present moment and fully observing and appreciating the amazing plant transformations that take place throughout the year.
Walks will be held rain or shine. For more information, visit the event web page.
Foraging Walk
Sunday, August 23, 2026, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Register
Join this foraging walk with CCE Tompkins to see what is edible along our trails! This walk will focus on mushrooms but discuss plants as well. The trail will be moderately flat over uneven terrain and we will cover around 1 mile, please wear proper footwear and bring water. Participants must be 18 years old or older. To learn about edible plants beforehand, check out thisPlant Foraging lecture!
Instructors' bio: Emma and Zack are co-founders of Maidenhair Mushrooms. Emma studied Mycology at SUNY ESF, and uses the lens of fungi to restore native ecosystems across the region as a Land Steward. She also has certificates in Bioregional Herbalism and Wild Mushroom Identification.
Zack fell in love with fungi as a chef in a commercial kitchen, after being exposed to the wonderful world of wild foods. He is now an expert mushroom cultivator and hobby forest farmer. Together, they have over a decade of foraging experience, and are passionate about teaching these skills to others to build a more resilient community.
Community Wellness Workshop: Printmaking
Saturday, August 29, 2026, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Johnson Museum of Art
Explore an approachable genre of printmaking with linocut. By carving linoleum panels with your own design, you can print original works of art, cards, and more. Facilitated by local artist and educator Rose Tirrito. This workshop is limited to participants 14 years and older due to use of sharp tools. Space is limited; email eas8@cornell.edu to register. This workshop is part of the Johnson Museum’s Art and Wellness series, made possible by a generous member of the Museum’s Advisory Council.
Sponsored by Tompkins Pollinator Pathways and CCE Tompkins Master Gardeners' Native Plant committee, a mix of public and private gardens in the downtown northside and Fall Creek areas will be open for viewing. Come see how native plants are being incorporated into gardens that serve both aesthetic and environmental interests. Our urban environments - from parks or natural lands to small spaces like backyards and flower boxes, can all be a part of a pollinator pathway.
Come meet the gardeners and their gardens, get inspired to grow more native plants, start thinking more about gardening with a purpose and creating gardens that not only surround us with beauty but also help support our native insects and birds.
The tour will be held rain or shine. It starts at the Cooperative Extension office and the entire route is just over 2 miles so you can walk, bike, or drive. No registration required.
On August 30th you may pick up a map at Cornell Cooperative Extension, Tompkins County, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca.
The Evolution of Trees - A Walk Through Time
Saturday, September 12, 2026, 9:00 - 10:30 AM F.R. Newman Arboretum Register How did the trees we know and love today come to be? Join David Weinstein, Forest Ecologist and Senior Research Associate Emeritus from Cornell’s Department of Natural Resources & the Environment, and Christina Stark, Senior Extension Associate Emerita, Division of Nutritional Sciences, on this walk through 380 million years of tree evolution, using representative trees in the F.R. Newman Arboretum to explore the major stages in the development of modern trees. Visit trees that have barely changed in over 200 million years and learn about what changes are happening right now. You will also gain insights into the importance of certain trees to various cultures. Walks will be held rain or shine; please dress appropriately for the weather. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. Please also review the cancellation policy.
Meet inside the Forest Home Drive entrance to the Arboretum, near the Flat Rock area and Plant Production Facility. Parking nearby.
Birds and Blooms
Friday, September 18, 2026, 9:00 AM Newman Arboretum Register Join guides from the Botanic Gardens and the Lab of Ornithology for combined bird and plant walks this summer. They will alternate between tours of Sapsucker Woods and the F.R. Newman Arboretum in search of summer birds and enjoy the trees and other plants found along the way. A limited number of binoculars are available to borrow. Fee: Walks are $14 per person general admission, or FREE for Members of either the Lab or Botanic Gardens, Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Newman Arboretum walks meet by the Sculpture Garden in the central part of the Arboretum (Sculpture Garden, 362 Arboretum Rd.).
Garrison Keillor did “A Prairie Home Companion” for forty years, wrote fiction and comedy, invented a town called Lake Wobegon where all the children are above average, even though he himself grew up evangelical in a small separatist flock where all the children expected the imminent end of the world. He’s busy in retirement, having written a memoir and a book of limericks and is at work on a musical and a Lake Wobegon screenplay, and he continues to do “The Writers Almanac” sent out daily to Internet subscribers (free).
Cornell's Project ReCollect collects items from students leaving campus in May and resells them to the community each August. In addition to diverting tons of reusable items from the waste stream, the annual sale proceeds support the purchase of holiday toys and gifts to families and children in need throughout Tompkins County. The Project ReCollect Sale will be held at the Shops at Ithaca Mall. They are located next to Target, across from Michael's. Check their web page for dates and times.
Grief and "Off Ramping" Experience for Caregivers
Thursday, September 10, 2026, 12:00 PM, virtual
When caregiving comes to an end, caregivers often experience a complex mix of emotions, life transitions, and questions about identity and purpose. Join Laura Ward, Manager of Psychosocial Services at Hospicare of Ithaca, for a discussion on grief, loss, and the “off-ramping” experience after caregiving. Questionsmay be submitted in advance to Ruth at rem64@cornell.edu. All are welcome.
Upcoming Cornell Financial Webinars
TIAA and Fidelity have some virtual financial webinars coming up this summer - check them out!
Investing with Intention: Strategies to Manage Risk and Shape Results - Tuesday, August 18, 2026, 10:00 AM, virtual. When it comes to building long-term financial security, having a clear, intentional investment strategy makes all the difference. Discover how to build a more intentional investment approach, so you can make smarter decisions and work toward a more confident financial future. With TIAA.
Healthcare in Retirement - Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 2:00 PM, virtual. Health care is one of the biggest expenses you’ll face in retirement—but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to estimate potential costs, understand your coverage options before and after age 65, and help create a plan to fit these expenses into your retirement budget. Presented by Fidelity.
September is a month full of bounty! If you've found yourself with too many tomatoes for fresh eating, or if you're just curious about food preservation, join us for a workshop on how to preserve tomatoes and other seasonal foods at their peak flavor. Participants will learn about the safety, equipment, and benefits of preserving seasonal foods. The class will also include hands-on demos where participants will get to practice canning. Due to the hands-on nature of the topic, this workshop will be offered in-person only.
Instructor's bio: Aly Trombitas is the Agriculture & Horticulture Educator at CCE Tompkins. She is a Master Food Preserver and started formally (and enthusiastically) teaching food preservation in 2023. She has many years of experience teaching all ages about food, environment, and agriculture.
This program is valued at $35, however, please pay what you are able. Paying more than $35 will help others attend the class.
Renewable Energy Tour
Saturday, September 12, 2026, 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lawrence Doody & Sons Farm, 1626 Barker Road, Tully, NY 13159
Join this free educational field day to explore distributed wind energy as a viable resource to diversify your property's power production. Distributed wind systems usually provide power directly to the end-user — in this case, the Doody Farm, who have been using wind and solar to help power their operations since 2013. You will tour an operating small-scale (distributed) wind installation, learn about the technology, and hear firsthand from the Doody family about their 13 years of practical experience utilizing on-site wind and solar power.
Preregistration is requested to attend this free event. For any inquiries, please contact Jordan Clements, Distributed Wind Educator, atjc3853@cornell.eduor by phone at (607) 272-2292, ext. 225.
2026 AROHE Conference
AROHE is preparing for the 2026 AROHE Conference in Gainesville, Florida. Cornell played a major role in shaping their programming and strengthening our national community. Cornell’s participation meant a great deal to them, and it continues to matter.
The conference begins on Tuesday, October 6 at 4:00 PM with the AROHE Business Meeting, where vital updates to the Strategic Plan will be shared, along with the President’s and Treasurer’s Reports. These discussions will help shape the future of retiree engagement nationally, and they want Cornell’s insights in the room.
Immediately following the meeting, there will be a celebratory reception at the Harn Museum of Art, a joyful opportunity to reconnect, meet new colleagues, and start the conference with warmth and inspiration.
The remainder of the conference offers a rich learning experience centered on wellness, wisdom, and wonder, with speakers who bring fresh perspectives and practical ideas. There will be opportunities to connect with committees, affinity groups, Association Presidents, Liaisons, and functional‑area networks, spaces designed to help us learn from one another and move beyond the silos of individual associations.
Cornell’s presence has always strengthened AROHE’s collective work. They warmly encourage you to register and ensure Cornell is represented among the national community gathering in Gainesville.
