Conservation Groups Near Me

Open Barn Day in September at Sunrise Sanctuary!

## Time & Location Sep 19, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Marysville, 16730 Martin Welch Rd, Marysville, OH 43040, USA ## About the event Open Barns are a chance for us to open our doors to the public. You can come and meet our 140+ beloved animal residents, tour our scenic property, ask our dedicated volunteers questions, and capture it all on camera. Tickets are required. $10 for adults, $5 for ages 4-17, and under 4 are free. ***As a vegan, volunteer-run nonprofit, all*** ***proceeds from our Open Barns go directly to the care and keeping of our precious animals.*** ***Advance tickets are required.*** To register for tickets[ ](https://sunrisesanctuary.app.neoncrm.com/forms/september-19th-2026-open-barn-day-registration?event=1263&&fbclid=IwY2xjawStIuZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFSOE5FM0hFenFRcm9GZjg1c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjNL-3pyDbZKTQBRblmshYCP9VPrnZuRoHYf81oadvNRGuyQ7-E81rtSClJI_aem_hIeSy01ebVyG1ac_G8Xajw)**[CLICK HERE](https://sunrisesanctuary.app.neoncrm.com/forms/september-19th-2026-open-barn-day-registration?event=1263&&fbclid=IwY2xjawStIuZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFSOE5FM0hFenFRcm9GZjg1c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjNL-3pyDbZKTQBRblmshYCP9VPrnZuRoHYf81oadvNRGuyQ7-E81rtSClJI_aem_hIeSy01ebVyG1ac_G8Xajw)**. We also love produce donations, especially melons, apples, pears, carrots, pineapple, squash, pumpkins, and lettuce. For the safety of our dogs, please no grapes.

The Power of the Subconscious Mind - Free Lecture

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You’ll gain insights into: ✅ The true definition of the subconscious ✅ How it generates unwanted emotions ✅ Its real purpose and function ✅ What determines the pressure it exerts on you And the most important topic: **How do you take control of your subconscious!** But this isn’t just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It’s interactive and engaging—you can ask questions at any time. 📅 Reserve your spot now! Seats are limited, so don’t wait too long to sign up. Location: 1266 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 Hosted by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation

Fall Native Plant Field Day - Learn how to prepare your beds for Autumn

Fall Native Plant Field Day • Learn how to clean-up and manage garden beds this fall • Learn how to provide winter habitat and food source in your herbaceous perennial plants for bees, birds, butterflies, and other wildlife • **Registration is free, but required.** **• Space is limited. Register by September 10, 2026.** **Register at go.osu.edu/fallnativefieldday** EVENT SPONSOR Master Gardener Volunteer Program in Franklin County **DATE** Saturday September 12, 2026 TIME 10:00 a.m. - Noon LOCATION 2548 Carmack Road Columbus, OH 43210

CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group

Join the CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group for a dynamic afternoon of B2B networking! This event is perfect for professionals looking to expand their business connections, share insights, and foster collaboration within the community. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and grow your network in a supportive environment. Connect with like-minded individuals, explore potential partnerships, and discover new opportunities for professional growth. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your business network and take your career to the next level with CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group! We meet the 4th Monday of every month from 11am-1pm. Welcome and general networking from 11am - 11:30am with core meeting 11;30 - 12:30 and a final round of networking from 12:30 - 1pm.

Taylor Farms Hike

Join us for two miles of hiking at the beautiful Taylor Farms Park. This flat trail is a combination of paved paths and wooden boardwalks through meadows and over wetlands. Join us for a great evening of walking and talking together!

Westerville Queer Coffee Meetup

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

Humanist Program

In September we will hear from Fish Stark the American Humanist Association’s Executive Director. "The Religious Right Is Fighting a Holy War. Here's Our Plan To Win. The religious right is waging the most aggressive assault on secular values in a generation — defunding public schools, pushing religion into government, and attacking empathy itself as a weakness and a sin. But the picture isn't all bleak. Efforts to force the Bible into public school classrooms are being defeated in court. The AHA just won major federal cases in Florida and Arkansas. The Congressional Freethought Caucus we helped start is now larger than the Freedom Caucus. And from Minneapolis to Biloxi, humanists are showing what is possible when we show up for our communities." "AHA Executive Director Fish Stark will break down the threats the AHA's legal and policy teams are tracking right now, where the most serious attacks on the First Amendment are coming from, and what humanists can do to fight back and win — in the courts, in Congress, in the culture, and in our communities." The location for this meeting is Graystone Wine Cellar (544 South Front Street Columbus OH 43215). This meeting will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online. The formal presentation will start at noon. Soft drinks and coffee will be provided by the venue. Additionally, we will be providing catered appetizers from Blue Bow Tie Catering and so we would like an accurate count for that. We appreciate your response. Feel free to show up at 11:30am to hang out and talk. The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. We do request that you RSVP for this event as seating is limited. Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC)

A Garden of Compromises - A Native Habitat Journey, by Mark Pizzi (free)

Hosted by Wild Ones Columbus **A Garden of Compromises - A Native Habitat Journey, by Mark Pizzi** Saturday, September 26th, 2026 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Eastern Time) Innis House (Inniswoods Metro Park) , 940 S. Hempstead Road, Westerville, OH Public Welcome , Program/Speaker Presentation Public Restroom, Free Public Parking Mark will share how he and his wife, Maria are transforming their traditional suburban property into a thriving native plant habitat while working within neighborhood and HOA expectations. Their front garden showcases native plants in a formal landscape, while their wooded backyard is evolving into a natural woodland oasis. Learn about their compromises, challenges, and rewards of gardening with natives in a suburban setting.

Cat Caper 5K Run/Walk with Kind Meals passing out free vegan cookies!

Cat Welfare Association is having their 20th anniversary 5K Run/Walk at the Westerville Sports Complex on Sunday, September 13th. For more info on how to sign up for the race **[CLICK HERE](https://catwelfareassoc.org/cat-caper-5k)**. **Kind Meals** is one of the proud sponsors of Cat Capers this year, and will be passing out **FREE VEGAN** **BAKED GOODS** before, during and after the race. We are looking for vegans who love to bake to prepare anywhere from 2-5 dozen cookies, brownies, etc, to pass out at our table. Please contact Joy if you are interested by contacting me at 614.406.5613. If you don't bake just come and hang with us at the Kind Meals table. **PORTIA'S CAFE FOODIE TRUCK** will be there too, serving up her famous vegan dishes! No vegans will go hungry at this event. Come a little earlier than 10 since we want to have a great group of vegans to support our furry obligate carnivores for a day of fun, socializing and supporting one of our favorite cat rescues in town... **[CAT WELFARE ASSOCIATION](https://catwelfareassoc.org)**. Check out **[KIND MEALS](kindmealscolumbus.org)** online and see all the wonderful things we do to promote healthy vegan food to the community and support fellow nonprofit groups! We hope you can join us!

Drunken Philosophy: "What is Art?"

Welcome to Drunken Philosophy, a casual, curious, social discussion club. Come grab a drink and a seat at The Oracle. Optional Discussion Questions * Defining Art: Plato viewed art as an imitation of reality—can art even be objectively defined, or is it entirely subjective? * Artist vs. Audience: Arthur Danto suggests art is defined by its interpretation within the "artworld." Who ultimately decides what counts as art—the creator, the critic, the viewer, or society? * Limits of Art: Duchamp’s "Fountain" challenged our boundaries of art. Can anything—even ordinary objects or actions—become art? * Art and Meaning: Kant argued true art should evoke "disinterested pleasure." Does art need to have a message or deeper meaning, or can it exist purely to please aesthetically? * Art for the Masses: According to Benjamin, mass-produced art (film, photography, digital media) can democratize culture. Does widespread accessibility improve art or diminish its value? * Art and Truth: Heidegger suggests art reveals hidden truths about existence. Has an artwork ever fundamentally changed how you understand the world? Can a work of art change the way an entire society views the world? * Art and Emotion: Tolstoy believed the purpose of art is to transfer emotions. Must art evoke emotion to be valid? * Cultural Impact: How do cultural backgrounds influence our definition of art? Could something be art in one culture but not in another? * Art and Skill: Does art require technical skill or craftsmanship? Should a portrait of a crude person be painted crudely? * Art Museums: Are museums gatekeepers of culture, preservers of history, or something else entirely? What role do art museums serve? * NFT Art: Does art lose its value or authenticity if it only exists digitally? * Moral Art: Should art strive to morally improve us as Plato and Tolstoy argued, or should it be free from moral duties, as Wilde proposed? * Beauty and Meaning: Can art still be meaningful if it isn't traditionally "beautiful"? What qualities might make an artwork significant beyond aesthetic beauty? * Rejection of New Ideas: Why do new artistic ideas often face initial rejection? Are groundbreaking works inherently challenging to accepted tastes, or is rejection more about comfort and familiarity? \#\# Additional Thought Experiments \#\#\# 1\. The Found Object If an artist presents an everyday object—like a urinal or a banana taped to a wall—in a gallery, does this automatically transform it into art? 2\. AI Art Can art created by artificial intelligence truly be considered "art"? Does the absence of human intention diminish its artistic legitimacy? 3\. The Invisible Artwork Imagine an exhibition showcasing an "invisible" artworkan empty space labeled as art. Does such a piece hold artistic value or communicate meaningful ideas? 4\. Time\-Traveler’s Art Would classical artists like Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo recognize modern abstract or conceptual art as meaningful, or dismiss it entirely? 5\. Beauty vs\. Innovation Consider two artworks—one aesthetically pleasing yet conventional, another innovative but visually unpleasant. Which has greater artistic value, and why?

Blendonwood Ravine Day Hike, 10:30 am

Country road trip and apple picking!