The 2021 Mona Sherman Memorial Lecture: The New Normal with Dr. Jennifer Ashton

You are cordially invited to the

2021 Mona Sherman Memorial Lecture
featuring

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, Chief Medical Correspondent at ABC News
and author of The New Normal: A Roadmap to Resilience in the Pandemic Era

in conversation with Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President & Director of Creative Development at HarperCollins

Tuesday, May 25th, 7pm Eastern
Free & Online; Click here to RSVP

In March 2020, “normal” life changed, perhaps forever. In its place we were confronted with life and routines that were unusual and different. Even with vaccines, we aren't going back to the 'old normal.' We'll be in the new normal.  It’s about recognizing how to stay safe and sane in the world going forward. And no one understands this evolving landscape better than Dr. Jennifer Ashton. As ABC’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Ashton has been reporting on the novel coronavirus daily, helping Americans comprehend the urgent medical updates that have shaped the nation’s continued response to this public health crisis.

Now in The New Normal, Dr. Ashton offers the essential toolkit for life in our new reality.  Rooted in her reporting on COVID-19 and the understanding that the virus isn’t going anywhere overnight, The New Normal is built on a simple foundation: thriving in this evolving world demands accepting the new normal for what it is, not what we want it to be. No longer is wellness a buzzword, but an imperative for surviving this unprecedented time. Using her trademark practical, easy-to-follow advice, Dr. Ashton gives you all the necessary information to reclaim control of your life and live safely—from exercise, to diet, to general health—showing how to prepare your body and mind for challenges such as:

• Taking proper medical precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones
• Exercising during the pandemic, even if you no longer feel safe at the gym
• Finding emotional balance through these uncertain times
• Deciphering complicated medical news to learn what to trust and what to ignore

With these straightforward and accessible strategies and many more, Dr. Ashton helps empower you to make the unexpectedly hard decisions about socializing, food-shopping, seeing doctors, and most of all, finding normalcy. At once reassuring and urgent, The New Normal is a holistic roadmap through the ongoing struggles of the pandemic and beyond, providing the guidance you need to navigate this unsettling time and take charge of your future wellbeing.

Join us Tuesday, May 25th at 7pm Eastern for an online discussion of the new normal and how to ensure you thrive throughout it. Free and open to all; click here to RSVP. To purchase a signed copy of The New Normal to benefit the Mona Sherman Memorial Lecture series, click here.

About Mona Sherman

The annual Mona Sherman Memorial Lecture was established to honor the memory of the late Mona Sherman, a dynamic businesswoman and volunteer leader who played a transformative role in the growth and expansion of OLLI at BCC. The lecture series, established through the generosity of her family and friends, honors both her love of the Berkshires community and of lifelong learning.

For the past decade, the Mona Sherman Memorial Lecture series has featured extraordinary nationally known writers and commentators: past speakers have included Cokie Roberts, Jim Acosta, Mika Brzezinski, Joe Klein, Katy Tur and others. The lectures  have always been free and open to the public.

OLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College, provides over 120 diverse educational, social, and volunteer opportunities a year designed especially by and for people fifty years old and better. OLLI’s 1,300+ members organize courses, lectures, trips and special events online, throughout the Berkshires and beyond.  For more information visit www.berkshireolli.org.

We are grateful to the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center for being our co-presenter, and to the many friends and family of Mona Sherman for their continuing support.