Backyard OASIS - Older Adults Seeking, Inspiring, Serving

Greenfield Community College

Backyard OASIS reaches out to older adults who seek knowledge to help them live more thoughtfully, healthily, and happily; who hope to inspire others with their ideas; and who serve their communities in the interest of greater good. Join us frequently for wide-ranging conversations with a diversity of people who are growing older...and want to talk about it! Created by Dennis Lee, Denise Schwartz, Chad Fuller, Christine Copeland, and Judy Raper Produced by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College's Teaching and Learning Innovation Center Contact us at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com and check us out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BackyardOasisPodcast

  1. 5d ago

    105 – Christine and Bill Copeland Host: Exploring, Preserving, and Appreciating the Tropics and South Africa with Julissa Larios of OTS

    In this podcast, we hear about a special trip to South Africa in a conversation with Bill and Christine Copeland and Julissa Larios, the trip host from the Organization for Tropical Studies, or OTS. OTS began its work in Costa Rica in 1963 to promote research and education in tropical biology, primarily for college and graduate students. Since then it has broadened its audience to all ages and now includes tropical field sites in South Africa. This trip was offered to older adults with a high level of curiosity, ready to benefit from academic talks about ecology and conservation issues between daily outings into the field where we saw predators and prey in highly diverse vegetation. Each member of the trip was able to indulge their particular fascination and share it with the others, making for a rich and unforgettable experience. Learn more about the Organization for Tropical Studies here: https://tropicalstudies.org/ots_experiences/ What is OTS: https://youtu.be/lig2r9Cd288?si=DIL9_76MW0Y32Ido OTS, Where Learning Becomes Legacy: https://youtu.be/GoosV6gyAkA?si=Vqoadm6DSwNRnFOh Ideas for the show? Want to be a guest? Reach out at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com Be sure to subscribe to the Greenfield Community College Backyard OASIS Podcast and check back regularly for new episodes as well as other enriching GCC content! Hosted and Produced by Christine and Bill Copeland Contributors: Julissa Larios Produced and Engineered by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College in Franklin County, MA

    105 – Christine and Bill Copeland Host: Exploring, Preserving, and Appreciating the Tropics and South Africa with Julissa Larios of OTS

  2. Oct 30

    104 – Denise Schwartz Hosts: John Olszewski's "Still Walking In The Dark;" He's talked with some of society's notorious killers. Krista Pike is one of them. Hear what he has learned about people who kill.

    John Olszewski has corresponded with and met some infamous serial and one-time killers. He believes that killers are damaged humans and he has wanted to know about them since he was a kid who sat in the library and read about them. He wrote The Long Dark Walk, his journey into the mind of a killer, in 2019. His newest book is Still Walking in the Dark, out now. Listen to John Olszewski‘s podcast The Long Dark Walk on any of your favorite podcast platforms. Purchase Still Walking In The Dark here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9PQK6TC?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Ideas for the show? Want to be a guest? Reach out at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com Be sure to subscribe to the Greenfield Community College Backyard OASIS Podcast and check back regularly for new episodes as well as other enriching GCC content! Hosted and Produced by Denise Schwartz Contributors: John Olszewski Produced and Engineered by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College in Franklin County, MA

    104 – Denise Schwartz Hosts: John Olszewski's "Still Walking In The Dark;" He's talked with some of society's notorious killers. Krista Pike is one of them. Hear what he has learned about people who kill.

  3. Oct 28

    103 – Denise Schwartz Hosts Writers Read Us The Stories They Love: Lee Wicks Reads Her Memoir "Muriel and the Grocer's Daughter"

    On this episode of Backyard OASIS, host Denise Schwartz introduces us to author, memoirist, mother (and daughter) Lee Uttermark Wicks. Lee reads several passages from her 2021 memoir Muriel and the Grocer's Daughter, her attempt to tell her mother's story in her mother's voice. Lee is also the author of her latest memoir, 2026's A Five Dog Marriage. Praise for Muriel and the Grocer's Daughter: “We may think we have read books such as “Muriel and the Grocer’s Daughter” before, about mother/daughter power struggles, but this duet has a force field like none other. Written in alternating monologues, initially there is no let-up in the sense of disparate points of view. Think of waves, relentless, riveting, crashing on competing beaches. Yet, the more the daughter mulls and imagines her mother’s point of view, the deeper their bond becomes. In the end, candor leavened with humor and compassion leads to wisdom and, best of all, a story you can’t put down.” —Madeleine Blais, author, Pulitzer Prize winning journalists and professor emerita at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Praise for A Five Dog Marriage: "Lee Wicks used a myriad of innovative narrative techniques to catapult Muriel and the Grocer’s Daughter (2020) to the very top ranks of creatively written biographies. A Five Dog Marriage (2026) confirms and expands her placement in this rare and exclusive pantheon. Weaving a continually melding braid of reflection on her beloved dogs, her complicated self, and our troubled times, Lee’s readily accessible, deeply personal, and brilliantly insightful second memoir will resonate in the mind and heart of anyone who reads it. A true work of art without a single strand of ego.” — Richard Andersen, professor emeritus of English at Springfield College and author of We Called Him Bunny. Ideas for the show? Want to be a guest? Reach out at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com Be sure to subscribe to the Greenfield Community College Backyard OASIS Podcast and check back regularly for new episodes as well as other enriching GCC content! Hosted by Denise Schwartz Contributors: Lee Uttermark Wicks Produced and Engineered by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College in Franklin County, MA

    103 – Denise Schwartz Hosts Writers Read Us The Stories They Love: Lee Wicks Reads Her Memoir "Muriel and the Grocer's Daughter"

  4. Oct 26

    100 – Jason Molony Guest Hosts: The Backyard OASIS 100th Episode Spectacular!

    On this very special edition of Backyard OASIS, friend of the show and Age- & Dementia-Friendly Program Director Jason Molony fills in as host to speak with all of the amazing people who contribute the most to the show about what their journey with the show has been like. Hosts Henry Balzarini, Christine Copeland, Chad Fuller, Judy Raper, and Denise Schwartz are all here fielding Jason's thoughtful questions, and producer and engineer Alex Audette even makes a brief appearance. The group reflects on what they think makes the show a success, why they started it in the first place, and why they plan to keep it going for 100 more episodes. Thank you to all our listeners who make this show possible. Ideas for the show? Want to be a guest? Reach out at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com Be sure to subscribe to the Greenfield Community College Backyard OASIS Podcast and check back regularly for new episodes as well as other enriching GCC content! Hosted by Jason Molony Contributors: Henry Balzarini, Christine Copeland, Chad Fuller, Judy Raper, and Denise Schwartz Produced and Engineered by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College in Franklin County, MA

    100 – Jason Molony Guest Hosts: The Backyard OASIS 100th Episode Spectacular!

  5. Oct 15

    102 – Denise Schwartz Hosts Writers Read Us Stories They Love - Judy Podell reads from her memoir "Monkeyface"

    Written as a group of essays that serve as thought points on the timeline of her life, artist and writer Judy Podell candidly explores her life as the daughter of immigrants in New York in the 1940s and 1950s. There is a constant tension that pulls the reader through the book as Podell wrestles with a lifelong desire to both fit in and stand out. She describes Monkeyface as "an honest and truthful self-portrait of an opinionated, big-mouthed New York Jewish woman that I hope readers who are not at all like me will relate to." She says she'd like readers to be glad they met her and that the "$20 they spent to buy the book was money well spent!" Ideas for the show? Want to be a guest? Reach out at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com Be sure to subscribe to the Greenfield Community College Backyard OASIS Podcast and check back regularly for new episodes as well as other enriching GCC content! Hosted and Produced by Denise Schwartz Produced and Engineered by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College in Franklin County, MA

    102 – Denise Schwartz Hosts Writers Read Us Stories They Love - Judy Podell reads from her memoir "Monkeyface"

  6. Sep 9

    101 – Denise Schwartz Hosts "Where In The World Is Suzanne Patnaude?"

    On this episode of Backyard OASIS, host Denise Schwartz talks with Greenfield, MA resident and world traveler Suzanne Patnaude about her recent ventures aboard the Queen Mary cruise line. Suzanne talks about some of her favorite places to visit, how she spent time at sea on her months-long cruise around the world (hint: a whole lot of ballroom dancing!), and offers some advice and words of reassurance for any listener who may be considering traveling solo. It's a world-wide tour on today's episode, so hop aboard and enjoy! Ideas for the show? Want to be a guest? Reach out at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com Be sure to subscribe to the Greenfield Community College Backyard OASIS Podcast and check back regularly for new episodes as well as other enriching GCC content! Hosted and Produced by Denise Schwartz Produced and Engineered by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College in Franklin County, MA

    101 – Denise Schwartz Hosts "Where In The World Is Suzanne Patnaude?"

  7. Aug 26

    99 – Denise Schwartz Hosts "You Can't Fill From An Empty Vessel" - A Sandwich Generation Caregiver's Story

    Jennifer Ferrara describes her journey as her father's caregiver and the moment she realized that to continue to care effectively for him she had to begin to care for herself. A heartfelt and open conversation with import for Sandwich Generation caregivers and others. Ideas for the show? Reach out at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com Be sure to subscribe to the Greenfield Community College Backyard OASIS Podcast and check back regularly for new episodes as well as other enriching GCC content! Hosted and Produced by Denise Schwartz Produced and Engineered by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College in Franklin County, MA

    99 – Denise Schwartz Hosts "You Can't Fill From An Empty Vessel" - A Sandwich Generation Caregiver's Story

  8. Aug 24

    98 – Gloria Ratcliffe Hosts: Depression – Different Types, Different Causes, and How To Avoid And Fight It, with Guest Anna Morrison, LICSW

    Gloria Ratcliffe, alumnae of Greenfield Community College and host of the Ms. Americana Podcast on Backyard OASIS invites guest Anna Morrison, LICSW, a licensed clinical social worker, into the studio to discuss depression. They discuss the different types of the disorder, the different causes, and how to both avoid and fight it. During the conversation they attempt to de-stigmatize depression and mental illness and leave listeners struggling with depression with a sense of hope. Ideas for the show? Reach out at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com Be sure to subscribe to the Greenfield Community College Backyard OASIS Podcast and check back regularly for new episodes as well as other enriching GCC content! Hosted and Produced by Gloria Ratcliffe Produced and Engineered by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College in Franklin County, MA

    98 – Gloria Ratcliffe Hosts: Depression – Different Types, Different Causes, and How To Avoid And Fight It, with Guest Anna Morrison, LICSW
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About

Backyard OASIS reaches out to older adults who seek knowledge to help them live more thoughtfully, healthily, and happily; who hope to inspire others with their ideas; and who serve their communities in the interest of greater good. Join us frequently for wide-ranging conversations with a diversity of people who are growing older...and want to talk about it! Created by Dennis Lee, Denise Schwartz, Chad Fuller, Christine Copeland, and Judy Raper Produced by Alex Audette at Greenfield Community College's Teaching and Learning Innovation Center Contact us at backyardoasispodcast@gmail.com and check us out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BackyardOasisPodcast

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