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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out backpacking events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the backpacking events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find backpacking events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Backpacking Events Today
Join in-person Backpacking events happening right now
COhPy Monthly Meeting
**NEW LOCATION: Improving Office in Franklinton**
Physical location:
Improving Office
330 Rush Alley Suite #150
Columbus, OH 43215
Schedule:
* 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages.
* 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s).
See the handy Parking Map - we recommend street parking.
[Street Parking Map](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1u2A4fLNlxwLJn0KA_hKc8bnFlFHLvsHBDh-_8wzX_tk/edit?usp=sharing)
We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact centralohpython@gmail.com
Italian Conversation Hour
Ciao a tutt\*!
Let's meet Monday at 6.30pm at the **Columbus Public Library (Northside Branch)** in **Meeting Room 2** to speak in Italian for 1 hour.
\*Note the change in location this week due to no space the Upper Arlington library.\*
Keeping Monday for consistency but we can discuss if there are better days/times/locations! Perhaps we can do two times a week as well. TBD.
Vibe and paint
⨠VIBE & PAINT EXPERIENCE â¨
Where creativity meets good energy, music, and unforgettable vibes!
Grab your friends, your favorite outfit, and get ready for a night of painting, laughing, and vibing in a beautiful atmosphere. Whether youâre an artist or just coming to have fun â this experience is for YOU!
Good music
Beautiful setup & ambiance
Guided painting session
Great energy & memories
Perfect for girlsâ night, date night, or self-care
Come catch a vibe, sip, paint, and leave with your own masterpiece
ď¸ Limited seats available â donât wait!
ď¸ Reserve your spot now
DM or text to book
Letâs paint, vibe, and create magic together! â¨
#VibeAndPaint #GirlsNightOut #CreativeVibes #PaintParty #ForeverYoursOfficiall
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.
"A Treachery of Swans" by A.B. Poranek
Can two girlsâone enchanted, one the enchantressâsave their kingdom and each other?
Two hundred years ago, a slighted deity stole the magic from AurĂŠal and vanished without a trace. But seventeen-year-old Odile has a plan. All her life, her father, a vengeful sorcerer, has raised her for one singular task: infiltrate the royal palace and steal the kingâs crown, an artefact with enough power to restore magic. But to enter the palace, she must assume the identity of a noblewoman. She chooses Marie dâOdette: famed for her beauty, a rumored candidate for future queenâŚand Odileâs childhood-friend-turned-sworn-enemy.
With her fatherâs help, Odile transforms Marie into a swan and takes her place at court. But when the king is brutally murdered and her own brother is accused, her plans are thrown into chaos. Desperate to free her brother, Odile is forced to team up with none other than elegant, infuriating Marie, the girl she has cursedâŚand the girl she canât seem to stop thinking about despite her best efforts.
To make matters worse, there are whispers that the kingâs murder was not at the hands of man, but beast. Torn between loyalty to her father and her growing feelings for Marie, Odile becomes tangled in a web of treachery and deceit. To save her kingdom, she must find the true path to magicâŚand find the real killer before theyâor itâstrikes again.
Marry me monday
⨠Marry Me Monday Pop-Up Wedding Experience â¨
Hosted by Forever Yours Officially LLC
Why wait for âsomedayâ when your forever can start on Monday?
Marry Me Monday is a beautifully styled, intimate pop-up wedding experience designed for couples who are ready to say âI doâ without the stress, long planning timelines, or overwhelming costs. This isnât the courthouse â this is romance, elegance, and magic⌠simplified.
Picture this:
⨠A stunning decorated ceremony backdrop
⨠Elegant florals and curated dÊcor
⨠A professional officiant
⨠Music to set the mood
⨠Photography moments youâll treasure forever
⨠A cozy, love-filled atmosphere
All you have to do is show up dressed in love â we handle the details.
Whether youâre eloping, making it official after years together, or choosing intimacy over extravagance, Marry Me Monday gives you a meaningful ceremony wrapped in style and intention. Itâs perfect for couples who want something beautiful, affordable, and unforgettable.
Because Mondays arenât just for workâŚ
Sometimes, theyâre for forever.
Backpacking Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
The Fit Experience: February Edition
The Fitness Experience
This is not just a workoutâitâs a vibe.
The Fitness Experience is a high-energy, feel-good outdoor fitness meetup designed for every body and every level. Whether youâre just getting started, getting back into it, or already living an active lifestyle, this experience meets you where you are and pushes you just enough to level up.
Expect movement, fresh air, challenges, laughter, and real community. We sweat together, encourage each other, and stay accountableâbecause consistency is easier with friends!
Motivation with meaning:
⨠Show up for yourself
⨠Progress over perfection
⨠Consistency creates confidence
Each month, we pop up at a new scenic outdoor locationâparks, waterfronts, city greenspaces, and hidden urban gemsâbringing fitness to life in the most inspiring settings possible.
Come solo. Bring a friend. Leave energized.
Hike Bexley
Meet at Wolfe Park parking lot by tennis courts. We willl walk along Alum Creek trail, through Jeffrey Mansion Park then along Bexley neighborhood and back.
Optional lunch at Trolley District.
CMG Gives Back - March: Serve Brunch at FAITH MISSION GRANT KITCHEN!
Join us as we get together to get together to help those in need at this CMG Gives Back event! For this event, weâll help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents, wash dishes and clean surfaces at Fath Mission â Grant Kitchen. We have a great little community of Movie Group friends so rather than see a movie this time, weâll help âCreate a better worldâ by helping serve those in need. Here are complete details and our plan for this event:
FAITH MISSION â GRANT KITCHEN: The Faith Mission kitchen and dining room serves residents 3 meals a day, every day of the year. 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 10:15am and wear closed-toe shoes and long pants.
LOCATION: Faith Mission â Grant Kitchen is located at 245 N. Grant Ave. Enter the kitchen at Dock 1, indicated in the attached map. On-site and street parking are available in the surrounding area. Below are some links / attachments with additional info/details:
\* LSS Volunteer Guidelines: Uploaded to photos.
\* Parking Map Info: Uploaded to photos.
\* LSS Faith Mission Orientation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp46_6ay6iA
\* Link with Additional Details / Info: https://lss.vomo.org/opportunity/faith-mission-grant-kitchen-2025
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Our group will be providing the all of the volunteers on this day so a firm RSVP count is essential. Please only sign up if you are certain youâll be able to attend. If something unavoidable comes up, please update your RSVP no later than one week prior to the event. With very 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.
THANK YOU: This CMG Gives Back event provides an opportunity for YOU to get involved in helping others! Benefits go well beyond the help we give to others. Volunteering provides a wide range of personal benefits, including positive effects on mental and physical health, reduced stress/depression/anxiety, increased happiness and improved purpose, life-satisfaction and personal well-being! Plus, the opportunity to get involved, connect with others and help those in need.
PARTNER AGENCY: This event is hosted by Lutheran Social Services (LSS), which serves thousands of people in need each day in 27 Ohio counties by addressing the four core societal issues of food, shelter, safety and healing. LSS offers food through the LSS Food Pantries, housing and supportive services through LSS Faith Mission and LSS Faith Mission of Fairfield County homeless shelters, domestic violence services through LSS CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence, senior living and health care, affordable housing communities, and other services that uplift families and strengthen communities.
Look forward to seeing you there, Dan
Rhino Barn Tour @ The Wilds
**Summary**
For this event, we will do the [Rhino Barn Tour](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour) at [The Wilds](https://www.thewilds.org/), a ten-thousand acre conservation center in Muskingum County. It is the largest such center in North America and one of the largest in the entire world.
During this tour, we'll visit The Wilds' rhino herd in their state-of-the-art heated barns and learn how The Wilds' animal management team takes care of one of the largest herds of rhinos outside of Africa and Asia.
**The date and time of this tour**
We will be doing the 1:00 p.m. [Rhino Barn Tour](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour) on Saturday, February 28. The tour is scheduled to last 90 minutes.
**What you need to do to attend**
Signing up here on Meetup will not get you into The Wilds for the tour. You must go out to The Wilds' [website](https://www.thewilds.org/) and [buy a ticket](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour).
Please [purchase your ticket](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour), then sign up here on Meetup so I know how many to expect.
**Attendance cap**
There are only eight total slots/tickets available for this tour. As I obviously have already bought one of the tickets, that leaves seven spaces for everyone else.
If you are interested in this event, I urge you to [buy a ticket](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour) at The Wilds' website as soon as possible. Since their website is obviously public, nothing prevents other people having nothing to do with *GOhio!* from buying their own tickets, thereby potentially taking an available slot away from you.
**Additional notes on attendance**
I have now run several events at The Wilds. While the location of The Wilds and the pricing of the tickets generally leads to small turnouts, the people who have gone have all enjoyed it and were glad they went.
If you've never been to The Wilds and you like zoos or animals at all, you are likely to find any tour at The Wilds to be a rewarding experience.
**Tickets and pricing**
[Tickets](https://www.thewilds.org/rhino-barn-tour) for this tour are $95, or $76 if you're a Wilds' member. I've posted screen shots, below, to help you be sure you're buying tickets for the correct event.
Wilds' memberships pay for themselves if you go to The Wilds at least twice a year, and [Columbus Zoo members](https://www.columbuszoo.org/membership) get a discount on memberships to The Wilds. I will always run at least two events a year at The Wilds.
Tickets for all Wilds' tours must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance of the actual tour.
**Cancellations and refunds**
Per The Wilds' [Cancellation Policy](https://www.thewilds.org/policies): *In order to be eligible for refund and accrue no rescheduling fees, cancellations must be made at least 14 days in advance of reservation. Cancellations made within 14 days of reservation will not receive a refund.*
You may [contact The Wilds](https://www.thewilds.org/contact) at (740) 638-5030 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., or you can email them at information@thewilds.org.
**Waiver of liability**
After you purchase your ticket, you will likely be asked to fill out a waiver of liability. This is a very short document and should take you no more than two minutes to complete.
**Where we'll meet**
We will meet at The Wilds, whose actual address is [14000 International Rd, Cumberland, OH 43732](https://www.google.com/maps/place/14000+International+Rd,+Cumberland,+OH+43732/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8837dae07a595557:0xa1ceca93325a8bd1?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111).
Please try to be there by 12:30 p.m. For most Wilds' tours, a shuttle bus will take you to the actual spot of the tour. So think of this as though you're going to the airport to catch a flight. It helps to be on time.
The Wilds generally asks that people arrive at least thirty minutes because the scheduled start time of their tour.
**GPS / Getting to The Wilds**
The Wilds is in a very rural area, but I've never had a problem getting there with my GPS (I have Verizon). I've also uploaded a JPG map, below, of Muskingum County.
Sometimes, though, it's hard to get a signal when you're at The Wilds and getting ready to leave. So you might want to consider downloading an offline map in Google Maps. Your cell phone should pick up a signal, however, within a few minutes after you leave.
The Wilds' Visitor Center does have free Wi-Fi.
**Carpooling?**
If you want to carpool, I recommend discussing this in the comments, below, to this event. While I don't myself carpool, I will do what I can to help you arrange something if I can.
**The weather**
Dress for the weather. Just because the barn is heated doesn't mean it will be warm. And wear closed-toed shoes.
Wilds' tours typically run no matter what the weather is.
**After the tour**
Once we're done with the rhinos, we'll head over to the very highly rated [Y-Bridge Brewing Company](https://ybridgebrewing.com/). The brewery is about thirty minutes from The Wilds, and it will be on the way back to Columbus for most, if not all, of us. The brewery's actual address is [1417 Linden Ave Ste D, Zanesville, OH 43701](https://www.google.com/maps/place/1417+Linden+Ave+d,+Zanesville,+OH+43701/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8837edd6cc50824f:0xe3a0af1ccb2aefbf?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111).
Y-Bridge Brewing does not serve food; however, they have several [food options](https://ybridgebrewing.com/food-options). I encourage you to check these out ahead of time on their website for yourself. However, here are a few of them:
*Within walking distance -- 120 feet away*
* [Angry Bull Saloon](https://www.facebook.com/AngryBullSaloonZanesville/) (pizza & subs)
* The Corner Pub Sports Bar and Grill (classic bar food)
*Delivery options -- [Door Dash](https://www.doordash.com/)*
* [4 Star Pizza](https://fourstarpizza.com/), (740) 452-9300
* [Donatos](https://www.donatos.com/), (740) 452-7900
* [Pizza Cottage](https://www.pizza-cottage.com/), (740) 455-6000
* [Dominos](https://www.dominos.com/), (740) 455-3126
* [Papa John's](https://www.papajohns.com/), (740) 450-4100
If you live in the area or can't make The Wilds but still want to meet us at the brewery, that's fine too.
Backpacking Events Near You
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BrowserStack QA Meetup | Columbus (March 12)
**Hello Columbus!**
**The community is buzzing and growing well.**
**We are thrilled to bring our third BrowserStack QA Meetup on March 12th!**
We are creating a space for deeper insights, meaningful connections, and a vibe you won't want to miss.
**What to expect:**
* **Connect:** Network with Columbus' top engineering and QA minds.
* **Learn:** Real-world tactics and trends you can use immediately.
* **Enjoy:** Food, drinks, and great community spirit.
**Agenda**
* **[Sam Gomez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/samueljgomez/)** is presenting "AI is more than LLMs: Choosing the right AI for your needs."
**RSVP Essential:** Space is limited, and we want to ensure a great experience for everyone. **RSVP now to secure your spot!**
**Venue:** Leading EDJE, 6515 Longshore Loop, Suite 300, Dublin, OH 43017
**Free Parking:** 6725 Longshore Street, Dublin, OH 43017
**Date & Time:** March 12, 6:00 PM
**Stay Connected!**
Want to continue the conversation beyond the meetup?
Join our **BrowserStack Discord Server** to get updates, connect with fellow QA professionals, and be part of an ongoing discussion. **Donât miss outâclick below to join!**
[\[](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW)**[Join the BrowserStack Discord Server](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW)**[\]](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW)
**A Few Notes:**
â
This is an **in-person event**
â
**RSVP does not guarantee a seat** â A confirmation email will be sent one day before the event.
**TALK ABSTRACT:**
AI is all the hype these days; however, despite (or maybe because of) the excitement around it, a high percentage of AI projects fail. Projects that are over budget, delayed, or that fail to scale past the POC phase are very common. In many of these scenarios, choosing the right approach can be as critical as the solution itself. Should you build a tailored machine learning model, leverage the power of large language models (LLMs), or integrate with AI copilots? Each option has unique strengths, trade-offs, and resource requirements, and the key to success lies in aligning your choice with your business goals and technical constraints.
In this talk, we will go beyond the basic concepts and definitions to provide a practical guide that allows attendees to navigate these decisions through real-world case studies. We will examine scenarios in which different AI paradigms were chosen, discuss the factors that influenced those decisions, and outline the process for evaluating needs, constraints, and outcomes. From assessing data availability and team expertise to balancing cost and scalability, you'll gain insights into the critical considerations that guide the selection process.
By the end of this session, youâll have a clear process for determining whether machine learning, LLMs, or copilots are best suited to your AI challenges and understand the resources and strategies needed to bring your chosen solution to life. This talk is ideal for decision-makers, technical leads, and innovators seeking to demystify AI implementation and maximize the impact of their investments.

























