Welcome back to Week 2 of the OLLI Connects To Tell the Truth Contest. This time your challenge involves two entries by female writers. Strikingly different, yet uniquely emotional and evocative, these stories should hopefully provoke some head scratching. Please enjoy the ride and let us know your vote (True or False) in the comments section below the authors’ biographies. If you happen to be a little late for the party and missed the first installment, never fear! Just scroll back one week to cast your vote on Bob Strozier’s and Pete Terzian’s November 7th edition.
Click here to read My Champion by Patricia R. Antolino and Coloring Santa by Bobbie Muir. Enjoy! — Editor Read more
Like many girls raised in the 1960s, I dreamed that I would marry and adopt my husband’s last name. I even practiced writing my first name followed by the last name of my latest crush in beautiful cursive handwriting.
We now know that Climate Change (aka Global Warming) is happening. But who’s keeping track of it? And what have they learned? And who will it affect? And in what ways? And how soon?
My job as a medical equipment sales representative took me to a new hospital in Port Charlotte, Florida. It was late August, and the moment I stepped off the plane I was met with the smothering effects of the humid heat and tropical vegetation. Before I had left home in Atlanta there had been a report of an impending hurricane in Florida, but no one had mentioned it, so I assumed it had moved on to another target, as hurricanes will do.
Eva excitedly tore into the long awaited package that held the most innovative, must have, technologically advanced travel brochures. They were very expensive but considering the cost of the wedding it was a small price to pay and was definitely worth it.
On November 22, 1963, nearly 60 years ago, John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States, was assassinated in Dallas.
My family arrived from Austria in New York’s Idlewild Airport (now Kennedy) on a very cold January 17th, 1957. The family included my parents (Johann and Herta Barthmus), aged 46 and 48, sisters Brigitte, and Sieglinde (aged 14 and 16 years respectively), and my 12 year old brother Hans-Jürgen. I was just over 20 years old. We landed after a harrowing 28-hour flight in a Flying Tiger Airlines prop plane. Because of two major storms over the North Atlantic we had to land on the Azores, and at Gander Airport (Newfoundland, Canada). As we were landing in New York we saw the impressive skyscrapers of Manhattan in the distance. After going through customs (each with one suitcase) we were welcomed by a representative of the Lutheran World Federation, and taken by bus to the Pennsylvania Station. It had snowed that day in New York City, but the snow had started to melt, and was mostly gray and dirty. A shocking first impression was 
When you first look at this photo, I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself, “What a beautiful sunrise.” But if you look closely, you will see a threat lurking on the sand. The remains of a sandcastle built the day before and half washed down by the ocean is more than troublesome to sea turtles.