Community Support and Respurces
Renee Stainrod of the Maryland Department of Aging (MDA) presented information on how to access the State's support system for older adults.
Events
The Towson University Retiree Association (TURA) offers many events throughout the year for the enjoyment, engagement and continued edification of members.
Event Information
TURA events are wide ranging and include such things as: timely talks on current affairs, social get-togethers, informative talks by invited speakers and by members on their areas of expertise, virtual and live tours of both on-campus and off-campus facilities, conversations with university administrators and project directors, film discussions, non-fiction book group discussions, bicycle rides and many other types of events.
Events are open to all members and typically are held all year long. Upcoming events are posted below. Event announcements and details are also sent to members via email. Frequently, members are invited to bring guests.
Both TURA members and non-members interested in attending additional events on campus are encouraged to explore Calendars & Events, Department of Music’s Events Calendar, College of Liberal Arts Events and TU Today.
TURA has a special relationship with the Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning at Towson. Osher offers discounted membership and tuition fees for TURA members giving discounted access to classes, lectures, trips and special events.
Members are encouraged to make suggestions for events or to create interest groups. Have an idea for an event? Email the TURA President Michael Bachman to share your suggestion.
Upcoming Events
TURA Film Club Virtual Discussion – February 20, 3–4:30 PM.
The film Perfect Days (Japan-Germany, 2023), directed by Wim Wenders is fiction, not documentary — presents a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo whose daily routine is simple, repetitive and evidently happy. This character chooses a unique path through life. For example, he has few in‑depth human contacts but spends time observing and photographing the play of light as it filters through the tree canopy. There are hints of a trauma in the character’s past, but this is barely suggested. We are asked to consider whether such a simple life is truly fulfilling, truly perfect.
The film began when a Japanese foundation asked Wenders to make a short film or series of films about 17 newly built public toilets spread around the Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo, each one designed by a famous architect, each one unique. Wenders decided to make an inexpensive feature film instead. He had for many years been fascinated by Japan, and particularly by the great director Yasujiro Ozu. The emphasis on visuals rather than dialogue and the importance of nature and landscapes in Perfect Days show the influence of Ozu. The film also may echo Kurosawa’s Ikiru (1952), about a man who creates and develops a simple project to enhance his community.
Wim Wenders, now 80 years old, has been making films since 1970. He is the director of 24 fiction features, including Paris Texas, Wings of Desire, Faraway So Close, Don’t Come Knocking, etc. He has also directed 12 feature-length documentaries, notably Buena Vista Social Club and Pina, as well as fiction and documentary shorts. And he is a widely admired still photographer. Several critics have said that Perfect Days is Wenders’ best film in many years.
Perfect Days can be streamed for free on Baltimore County and Pratt Library Kanopy. There are 9 DVD copies at Baltimore County Library.
Zoom link for the virtual meeting.
Contact Peter Lev if you have any questions.
Towson Men's Basketball Game – February 28, starting at 2 PM.
Join TURA members at the Towson versus Cambell University basketball game. Seating in the TU Arena Suite. A limited number of tickets are available.
For cost and more information, contact Tom Maronick.
TURA Non-fiction Book Group Virtual Discussion – March 12, 2–3:30 PM.
Join us for a lively discussion of the book – Bitch: On the Female of the Species by Lucy Cooke. (Pub. 2022, 400 pp.). This scientific manifesto challenges the sexist bias in evolutionary biology by detailing the aggressive, dominant, and dynamic behaviors of female animals, earning acclaim as a "Best Book of the Year" by publications such as The Telegraph and The Guardian.
For more information contack Jo-Ann Pilardi.
TURA Non-fiction Book Group Virtual Discussion –April 9, 2–3:30 PM.
Join us for a lively discussion of the book – The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel. (Pub. 2023, 240 pp.) This non-fiction narrative chronicles the true story of Stéphane Breitwieser, a prolific thief who stole billions of dollars worth of art for personal appreciation rather than profit, earning recognition as a #1 New York Times Bestseller and a "Best Book of the Year" by The Washington Post and The New Yorker.
For more information contack Jo-Ann Pilardi.
TURA Non-fiction Book Group Virtual Discussion –May 14, 2–3:30 PM.
Join us for a lively discussion of the book – The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon. (Pub. 2025, 464 pp.) This definitive historical narrative reconstructs the tragic 1975 sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald through over 100 interviews with victims' families and crewmates, earning critical acclaim for its compassionate and detailed examination of Great Lakes maritime history. One of the Smithsonian's "10 Best History Books of 2025."
For more information contack Jo-Ann Pilardi.
TURA Non-fiction Book Group Virtual Discussion –June 11, 2–3:30 PM.
Join us for a lively discussion of the book – Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home by Stephen Starring Grant. (Pub. 2025, 464 pp.) “A love letter to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a participant observer’s ethnography of a rural post office, an indictment of government austerity, and a witness statement attesting to the remarkable and at times ruthless efficiency of one of our oldest federal bureaucracies. Not least, Mailman is a lament for the decline of service as an American ideal ... [Grant] proves to be a compelling and empathetic guide, observing his country and its citizens, not just himself, with open and unjaded eyes.”—The Atlantic
For more information contack Jo-Ann Pilardi.
Additional Events Being Planned
- Thirsty Thursdays
- Discussion on topics of interest to members
- Bicycle rides
- Film group discussions
- Non-fiction book group discussions
Recent Past Events
- February 19 from 4 to 6 PM: TURA Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour at Racer's Cafe, Harford Road and Taylor Avenue.
- February 12 from 2 to 3:30 PM: TURA Non‐fiction Book Group Virtual Discussion – of the book Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools that Built the Civil Rights Movement by Elaine Weiss.
- January 14 from 3 to 4:30 PM: TURA Film Club – Virtual discussion of the film Arrival.
- January 8 at 12:30 PM: Towson versus Hoftstra Basketball Game. TURA members watched the game from the President's Suite in SECU Arena.
- October 30 from 2 to 4 PM: TURA Fall Forum in the South Campus Pavilion.
TURA Flicker Event Photos
- Check out photos from previous events on the Towson University Retiree Association Flicker page.
Groups
As the listing below shows, there are several active special interest groups.
TURA Non-Fiction Reading Group
This group meets regularly each month. If you are interested in participating please contact the group facilitator, Jo-Ann Pilardi.
TURA Film Group
The film group has been meeting regularly. If you are interested in joining, please contact Peter Lev.
TURA Bicycling Group
The bicycling group plans short rides depending on the weather. If you want to get involved, contact Jim Paulsen.
There are plenty of opportunities to take the lead and initiate a new group. Local theater, hikes, crafts, genealogy, etc., await a member with an interest to take the lead. TURA will support your efforts and get the word out to members.