How Croquet Opened the Door to Community
When Gary and Deb Castille moved to St. Francisville in 2020, they had never lived in Louisiana before. They had never lived in a small town, either. They were retired, with no kids in the immediate area, and they knew no one.
Six years later, they are energetic members at the center of the West Feliciana community—involved in planning local festivals, taking mixology classes at the Oyster Bar, and discussing current events with their neighbors. How? It all goes back to a croquet class offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at LSU.
“OLLI was really our entrée into the community,” said Gary. “It led to an invitation to join other players for coffee a few times a week, which led to us getting involved in the arts community. And on and on from there.”
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Participants in OLLI at LSU classes find fellowship and companionship, as well as lifelong learning.
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A Spanish wine tasting class underway
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Liz Williams of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum leads an OLLI at LSU cooking class
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What is OLLI?
Tailored for adults fifty and older, OLLI at LSU offers a vast and diverse slate of non-credit educational courses and workshops—on subjects ranging from watercolor painting and yoga, to music appreciation and wine tasting, and everything in between. OLLI at LSU has four chapters—Crescent City (New Orleans & Metairie), Camellia City (Covington & Slidell), Felicianas (St. Francisville & New Roads), and Lagniappe (Baton Rouge). Members can choose classes that fit their interests and schedules and can even take part in many of them remotely, via Zoom.
All-In on OLLI
As members (and current co-chairs on the Curriculum Committee) of the Feliciana Chapter, the Castilles have gone all-in on OLLI. They’ve taken, and helped organize, classes in pickleball, Tai Chi, artmaking, and scores more. The courses provide not only an opportunity to keep learning new things, but also opportunities to stay physically active, and to meet new people with shared curiosities and interests.
“As you age, it’s so critical for your mental and physical status that you continue to interact with other people, that you continue to get out, that you don’t get isolated. For us, it’s really important not only to do this for ourselves, but to help provide that in our community, to keep our community going. And OLLI gives us so many opportunities to do that, to try things we’ve always wanted to learn, as well as things outside of our comfort zones, that we never imagined we’d love, but usually do!”
Deb Castille
And still, six years after signing up for that first OLLI at LSU class, she and Greg still enjoy playing croquet. “That class has led to a continuing community, even beyond OLLI,” said Greg. “We play twice a week with different groups, including people from Baton Rouge, Slidell, and Covington. It’s become more than we could have initially imagined and has been such a gift.”
Become a Member
Registration for Annual OLLI Memberships (valid July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027) opens on June 8. Don’t miss your chance to get access to the full course schedule, starting with summer classes starting on July 6. What’s more, members have opportunities to explore destinations throughout South Louisiana and surrounding states through OLLI Field Trips, regular lunch and coffee events with other members of the community, and more! All for only $50.
Learn more, and explore the Summer Course Catalog, at ce.lsu.edu/olli.
