This fall, the city of Mercer Island will continue to work with University of Washington’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute to provide adults over 50 with a venue to come together, share intellectual interests and meet new people.

Seniors on the Island, led by former Mercer Island Mayor Elliot Newman, were looking for continuing education opportunities to discuss topics that matter to them. Newman looked into the Osher program, though classes were only being offered on the UW campus at the time.

“I thought it was a great idea, but needed satellites,” Newman said, as it can be difficult and costly for seniors to get to and park at the UW.

Now, courses are offered at nominal fees, about $30-45, all around the Puget Sound. A $35 annual membership provides unlimited access to these classes, as well as special events like guided museum and garden tours, glassblowing classes and “50 Nifty Hints, Tips and More – For the iPhone and iPad,” scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sept. 1 at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center.

Newman also helped organize a new Osher current events study group, which meets once a week on the Island.

The program is made possible through a $1 million endowment from the Bernard Osher Foundation. Its goal is to offer classes to explore and discuss a wide variety of thought-provoking subjects and to exchange ideas with peers — without tests, grades, or papers — taught by current and retired UW faculty and community experts.

Osher members can also obtain a UW library card and use its resources during any quarter in which they are registered for a course. Topics have ranged from “Contemporary Ethics” and “Precursors to the Great Depression” to “Understanding Islam” and “Masters of the Baroque.”

There are three upcoming free events on Mercer Island: “Hamlet: An Audience Warm-Up” at 1 p.m. on July 26 at City Hall, “The Unwritten Constitution” at 11 a.m. on Aug. 1 at City Hall and “Your Gut Germs and Your Health” at 1 p.m. on Aug. 31 at the Community and Event Center.

Newman said that it’s important for seniors to be physically and mentally active, and these classes are one of the many resources for seniors on Mercer Island to use.

For more, see www.osher.uw.edu.