Civic Engagement Near Me

CMG Gives Back: Serve Brunch at FAITH MISSION GRANT KITCHEN!

Join us at this CMG Gives Back volunteer event as we get together to help those in need by serving brunch at Fath Mission Grant Kitchen! We have a great little community of Movie Group friends so rather than see a movie this time, we’ll help “create a better world” by helping serve those in need. Here are complete details and our plan for this event: FAITH MISSION – GRANT KITCHEN: The Faith Mission kitchen and dining room serves residents 3 meals a day, every day of the year. For this event, our group will help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents in the dining room, wash dishes, and clean surfaces. PLAN: We will be preparing / serving / cleaning for BRUNCH from 10:30am to 12:30pm and have space for a total of 7 volunteers. Please arrive at 10:20pm and wear closed-toe shoes and long pants. LOCATION: Faith Mission – Grant Kitchen is located at 245 N. Grant Ave. Enter the kitchen at Dock 1 (in the back of the building), indicated in the attached map. On-site parking in the adjacent lot and street parking are available in the surrounding area. Please see links / attachments for additional info / details. IMPORTANT REMINDER: Our group will be providing all of the volunteers on this day so a firm RSVP count is essential. Please only sign up if you are certain you’ll be able to attend. If something unavoidable comes up, please try to update your RSVP no later than one week prior to the event. With few exceptions, no shows or cancelations within 1 week of the event will not be eligible for future CMG Gives Back events. I appreciate your understanding as we try to ensure the agencies have the volunteers needed to provide the essential services they provide to the vulnerable population they serve. Our Partner Agency for this event is Lutheran Social Services! A huge THANK YOU to those volunteering at this (or any of our previous or future) CMG Gives Back events! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

🌳 2nd Annual Michigan–Ohio TI Community Picnic & BBQ

2nd Annual Michigan–Ohio TI Community Picnic & BBQ You're invited to join us for a day of fellowship, food, and community at beautiful Blendon Woods Metro Park in Westerville, Ohio. Whether you're reconnecting with old friends or meeting fellow Targeted Individuals for the first time, this annual gathering is a wonderful opportunity to connect with others who understand your experiences in a relaxed outdoor setting. Guests will enjoy a complimentary BBQ, great conversation, and a full day of community in one of Central Ohio's most beautiful parks. Advance registration is requested so we can accurately plan food, seating, and activities for everyone attending. For complete event details, directions, schedule, and to register, please visit the official event page: [https://tievents.org/michigan-ohio-ti-community-picnic-bbq/](https://tievents.org/michigan-ohio-ti-community-picnic-bbq/) We look forward to welcoming you on Friday, August 28, 2026! **IMPORTANT** Meetup is being used to help promote this event. The RSVP count displayed on Meetup is limited by the Meetup Starter plan and does NOT indicate that the picnic is full. To reserve your spot, please register through the official event page at TI Events: [https://tievents.org/michigan-ohio-ti-community-picnic-bbq/](IMPORTANT Meetup is being used to help promote this event. The RSVP count displayed on Meetup is limited by the Meetup Starter plan and does NOT indicate that the picnic is full. To reserve your spot, please register through the official event page at TI Events: https://tievents.org/michigan-ohio-ti-community-picnic-bbq/)

Walk & Talk About Life's Big Questions

[The Board Walks](http://www.theboardwalks.com/) are for curious people who love deep conversations. If that sounds like you, **bring a thoughtful topic** and join us for a 5-mile walk (10,000+ steps!). **HOW IT WORKS** **Step 1: Bring a topic** Before you arrive, think of **one** topic you want to explore. A question. A thought that's been on your mind. An obsession you want to geek out on. This is your ticket to the event. **Step 2: Circle up & share** We gather in a circle. Your friendly walk host gives a speech to set the tone. Everyone shares: your name, what you're grateful for, and your topic. That's it. 60 seconds. **Step 3: Walk, talk & float** We walk 5 miles. You naturally drift into conversation with 2-3 people at a time, pulled by topics that spark your curiosity. When you're ready to move on, just say: "I'm going to float!" **Step 4: Feel more alive** Two hours flies by. You're back where you started — but you feel different. More alive. More energized. More connected to yourself and others. That's why regulars join 20+ times. *For more details, read our [Orientation Guide.](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation)* **HOW TO BRING A GREAT TOPIC** A great topic = something you're genuinely curious about. Recent topics include: * "What are you passionate about right now?" * "What makes a good friend?" * "What's a belief you used to hold that you've completely changed?" * "How do you want to be remembered?" * "What would you do if money wasn't a factor?" Think of your topic like the dish you're bringing to our conversational potluck. If everyone brings an A+ dish (i.e. energizing, uplifting, expansive), we'll all walk away feeling lighter and brighter. **WHAT TO EXPECT** This isn't a fitness event with casual chitchat. It's a walking think tank where we explore life's big questions together, beyond small talk. *If you're looking for light banter or a standard networking event, this probably isn't the right fit.* But if you crave depth, genuine connection, and conversations that make you feel alive? You'll love it here. **FAQ** * Wear casual athletic attire and sneakers. It's a long walk! * We have multiple first-timers at each event. We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive, clique-free space. * We welcome people of **all** ages, backgrounds, and industries who align with the [intention](https://www.theboardwalks.com/ground-rules) of this space. * Rain or shine, we've been out here nearly every week since July 2022. If the event is cancelled, we'll let you know. * Dogs, babies in strollers, parents, and friends are welcome — please text/email them the event link so they can RSVP and prepare a topic! **LOGISTICS** * If you'll arrive over 10 minutes late, we suggest skipping the event. It's hard to find us once we start walking, and your host can't answer messages during the event. * This walk is designed for everyone to *move together at the same steady pace* (about 20 min/mile). This format works best when the whole group moves in unison. If you have mobility limitations, we kindly encourage you to find an event better suited to your needs. * Read our [Orientation Guide](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation) for full details. * If you enjoy the event, send **[this](http://www.theboardwalks.com/)** to a friend or sign up for our **[newsletter](https://theboardwalks.beehiiv.com/)**. We're in multiple cities with more on the way. 🤠👋 **IF YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER...** [The Board](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board) is the next step: a high-trust collective for renaissance people devoted to creating, connecting, and building lives that light us up. * This is a global HQ for people who crave big talk, deep connection, and dream collaborations with people across industries. If the walks feel like a spark... The Board is the fire. Apply [here](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board).

Can You Trust Your LLM? A Practical Guide to AI Security

LLMs can write code, search documents, call APIs, and automate entire workflows—but what happens when they get access to sensitive data or make the wrong decision? In this talk, we'll look at the practical security risks that come with using and building LLM-powered applications. We'll cover how to use hosted AI tools without unnecessarily exposing private information, when local and self-hosted models can provide stronger privacy guarantees, and how to design secure applications around models that shouldn't be blindly trusted. We'll explore topics including prompt injection, data leakage, RAG security, secrets management, tool permissions, authorization, least privilege, and limiting the blast radius of AI agents. The goal isn't to make LLMs perfectly trustworthy. It's to build systems that stay secure even when the model isn't. Whether you're experimenting with ChatGPT, building RAG applications, or developing autonomous agents, you'll leave with a practical framework for thinking about AI security from prompt to production. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.

COUNT Discussion Meeting: Topic: Current Events

We may pick a specific topic and post in advance or may discuss current events and various ad hoc topics . We would love to spend time hanging out and getting to know one another. Atheist, agnostics, other non-theists, and atheist-friendly people are welcome to join us. Note: COUNT operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions (http://www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions/) to promote discussions among members and visitors.

Saturday Mornings @ East Market

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who enjoy talking to people from other countries, and those who would like to discuss international travel and culture, and who enjoy getting together for good conversations."

Columbus Museum of Art, Free Admission Sundays

Let’s meet and wander the galleries! General admission on Sundays is free. We'll be meeting in the sculpture garden area at the meeting time, which is just outside the cafe area by the main entry. When you approach the front desk/main entry area there will be some seating just outside the cafe area. If you can meet us there by 11:15 we'll head into the gallery area as a group, but if you arrive after that time feel free to message us through the meetup app, and we'll do our best to connect you with the group!

Sunday funday: let's play dodgeball at Scioto Audubon park

Dodgeball is back again! If you’ve been wanting to come out, this is an easy one to join. We’ll be playing for about 1.5 to 2 hours, you do not need to bring any equipment, and no experience is needed. We use a specific set of rules and equipment to make the games run better and keep them fun for everybody, not just people who already know how to play. If it rains, the event will be canceled.

Unity of Columbus Resource Group for the Homeless – Volunteers Needed

The Unity of Columbus Resource Group for the Homeless is seeking compassionate volunteers who would like to help serve and uplift members of our homeless community. This group is dedicated to sharing kindness, resources, and support with individuals who may be experiencing difficult circumstances. Anyone with a heart for service is welcome to join us as we work together to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Community members are also invited to contribute by bringing helpful items for those in need. Donations of items can be contributed at the meeting and will be distributed to assist members of the homeless community. Please consider joining us and sharing this opportunity with friends, family, or associates who may also wish to help. Learn more about Unity of Columbus at www.unityofcolumbus.org or call (614) 267-4959. Together we can extend compassion, dignity, and support to our community. 💛

Quarterly Community Gathering

Join the Columbus AI community for our quarterly gathering — a casual, community-focused evening where everyone has a chance to share, learn, and connect. These open mic–style events give anyone in the community up to **5 minutes** to present a project, share a tool, pose a question, or offer a perspective on the evolving AI space. No slides required — just a welcoming space to exchange ideas and keep the local AI conversation moving. If you’d like to take the stage, message \*\*Chris (the organizer)\*\*with a **title and short description** of what you’d like to share. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformlabs/)

Memorial Hike

Join us for a two mile hike along the Big Walnut Trail leaving from the Gahanna Veterans Memorial and hiking to the end of the trail and back. This is a flat paved trail so it won’t be muddy with all the rain we’ve had. Join us tomorrow night at 6:30 pm!

Pool Day!