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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out biodiversity events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the biodiversity events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
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Biodiversity Events Today
Join in-person Biodiversity events happening right now
Hike Trails in NW DC to St. Sophia Greek Festival
Walk about 6+ miles on a variety of trails and some streets in NW DC to discover where SCPRO helped save a park, a trail that may be threatened by construction, the place where the UN was started, a Memorial to a Lebanese poet, and a lively Greek Festival at St. Sophia Cathedral where the hike will officially end – about a mile from the trailhead.
There will be some elevation changes and one stream crossing.
More information about the Festival here: [https://www.dcgreeks.com/event_display.asp?EventID=2026051502](https://www.dcgreeks.com/event_display.asp?EventID=2026051502).
Wear weather appropriate clothing and footwear, bring water, sunscreen and bug repellent and money to purchase some wonderful food at the Festival (and to give a $2 cash voluntary donation to the local Sierra Club).
A positive attitude is also recommended!
DMV Leadership, Business Networking & Wealth Building Event
Live Business Networking, Leadership & Entrepreneurship Event — Hyattsville, MD 🙌🏾
This Saturday, join Don Thompson, President of a multi-billion-dollar company, as he shares the mindset, leadership principles, lessons, and systems behind building one of the top organizations in his industry.
This is more than just a presentation. It's an opportunity to be in a room with ambitious, growth-minded professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, and individuals looking to expand their network and perspective.
Whether you're building a business, exploring additional income streams, focused on personal growth, or simply enjoy being around motivated people, this is the kind of environment that can spark new ideas and connections.
🗓 Saturday, May 16th
⏰ 12:30PM – 5PM ET
📍 College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
3501 University Blvd E
Hyattsville, MD
🎟 Guests attend FREE
Feel free to invite a guest, business partner, entrepreneur, or professional who enjoys networking and growth-focused environments.
Register here 👉🏾 [https://lsvalive.square.site/](https://lsvalive.square.site/)
Questions? Feel free to message me directly. Looking forward to connecting with everyone 🙌🏾
Glorious Blooms & Bishop's Garden -National Cathedral via Cleveland Park
Flowers are blooming gloriously in the Cleveland Park neighborhood. We will pass plenty of flowers on the way to the National Cathedral. We will spend extra time at the Bishop's Garden at the Cathedral, which should be in superb form.
Our hike will combine glorious architecture, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in DC, the least-known best trail in the city, and a shortcut through the woods past the International School to Macomb Street.
The featured photo is from a hike last Spring. John kindly updated the map to parallel the route we take.
The hike has some uphill stretches going to the Cathedral but tame stuff mostly.
Cleveland Park will be having a farmer/catch-all market on Saturday if you want to grab something there before the hike.
There is an [old-style Italian deli](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=vace%27s%20italian%20deli&tbs=lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!1m4!1u1!2m2!1m1!1e1!1m4!1u1!2m2!1m1!1e2!1m4!1u22!2m2!21m1!1e1!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e1!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:9&tbm=lcl&rflfq=1&num=10&rldimm=10778690468746188451&lqi=ChN2YWNlJ3MgaXRhbGlhbiBkZWxpSIrbzePngICACFonEAAQARACGAAYARgCIhN2YWNlJ3MgaXRhbGlhbiBkZWxpKgQIAxACkgEEZGVsaZoBJENoZERTVWhOTUc5blMwVkpRMEZuU1VRMk9EVjFNbXBCUlJBQqoBHwoJL20vMDl5MmsyEAEqECIMaXRhbGlhbiBkZWxpKADgAQA&phdesc=clTALiFHOKU&ved=2ahUKEwiK9_Te7bv8AhUoM1kFHZdeCKYQvS56BAgLEAE&sa=X&rlst=f#rlfi=hd:;si:10778690468746188451,l,ChN2YWNlJ3MgaXRhbGlhbiBkZWxpSIrbzePngICACFonEAAQARACGAAYARgCIhN2YWNlJ3MgaXRhbGlhbiBkZWxpKgQIAxACkgEEZGVsaZoBJENoZERTVWhOTUc5blMwVkpRMEZuU1VRMk9EVjFNbXBCUlJBQqoBHwoJL20vMDl5MmsyEAEqECIMaXRhbGlhbiBkZWxpKADgAQA,y,clTALiFHOKU;mv:%5B%5B39.1842519,-77.05127639999999%5D,%5B38.9198496,-77.1609544%5D%5D;tbs:lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!1m4!1u1!2m2!1m1!1e1!1m4!1u1!2m2!1m1!1e2!1m4!1u22!2m2!21m1!1e1!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e1!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:9) named Vace's a block from the hike start/finish point that has great pizzas by the slice.
❶ **What we'll do:**
* Let's meet at Cleveland Park Metro (on the formerly TARGET side of Connecticut Ave NW) and walk down Connecticut Ave NW, cross at the Kennedy-Warren, follow Devonshire and Courtland Pl NW to 29th St NW, and follow 29th St south to Cleveland Ave SW. We'll turn right onto Cleveland Ave NW and follow in northwest to Garfield Ave NW, turn left, and follow Garfield to the cathedral grounds.
* After walking through the cathedral grounds we will exit on the north side, go down Woodley to Klingle, and then head down the Klingle Valley Trail. There is a dirt turnoff that leads via twists and turns up past the Washington International School and over to Macomb St NW, coming out very close to Cleveland Park Library. From there we will follow Connecticut Ave NW back to our startng point.
* Total distance is roughly 4 miles and should take slightly over 2 hours. The surface is mostly paved. It's uphill 266 ft to the Cathedral, fairly level in the Cathedral area, and then a downhill jaunt to Rock Creek and uphill 46 feet back to the Metro, for a total of 312 feet elevation gain.
* Google map: https://tinyurl.com/3zpy9aeh
❷ **How to get there:**
* Metro: Cleveland Park Metro Station is on the Red Line.
* Driving: The street address is 3599 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, and there is parallel parking available on surrounding streets:
○ From the north, along the I-495 Beltway, take the MD-185S / Connecticut Ave exit and drive south 5.1 miles on Connecticut Ave. The meetup location will be on your left.
○ From south of the Potomac, cross Arlington Memorial Bridge, turning right onto the ramp for Rock Creek Parkway/Kennedy Center. Merge onto Ohio St and turn left onto Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW, staying to your left onto Rock Creek Parkway/Shoreham Dr and continuing onto 24th St NW. Turn left onto Connecticut St NW and the meetup location at Cleveland Park Metro Station will be on your right, just past the zoo.
❸ **What to bring:** Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired. Dogs must be leashed at all times.
❹ **Weather:** The forecast is sunny and 82. Updates here: https://tinyurl.com/mrywcdte
❺ **Advisory:** As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is allowed at this event, either as members or as guests, to include babies in carriers and/or strollers.
❻ **Administrative stuff:** There are restrooms near Cleveland Park Metro and the Cleveland Park Public Library. The National Cathedral has accessible bathrooms as well.
❼ **Notes:**
* Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016
* Vace Italian Delicatessen, 3315 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008, (202) 363-1999, https://vaceitaliandeli.com/
PFS #1-15: The Blooming Catastrophe (1-4)
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1–4 (subtiers 1–2 and 3–4).
The Pathfinders travel to Iobaria, where elven druids and centaur warriors are united against an unlikely threat: a self-propogating horde of corrupted leshys! The source of the Abyssal corruption may be tied to a previous trip to Iobaria by the Pathfinder Society, so it falls to the PCs to seek out the source of the leshy incursion and restore balance to the woodlands.
Written by: Mikhail Rekun
Scenario tags: Faction (Verdant Wheel)
🔥 60-Minute Full-Body Circuit Training Workout
🔥 60-Minute Full-Body Circuit Training Workout
⏱️ Structure Overview
We will meet at the volleyball court in Founders Park in Alexandria, VA
Warm-up: 10 minutes
Main Circuits: 40 minutes
Finisher: 5 minutes
Cool-down: 5 minutes
🟢 1. Dynamic Warm-Up (10 Minutes)
Perform continuously, 30–45 seconds each:
Jumping jacks
Bodyweight squats
Arm circles (forward/backward)
Walking lunges
Inch-worm walkouts
High knees
Glute bridges
Push-ups (easy pace)
Goal: Increase heart rate + activate major muscle groups.
🏋️ Main Workout (40 Minutes)
Format:
3 Circuits
4 exercises per circuit
40 seconds work / 20 seconds rest
Repeat each circuit 3 times before moving on
Rest as long as you want between circuits
Cool down 5 Min
IMPORTANT!!!!!
Liability statement:
I understand that I am responsible for exercising at my own pace and within my own physical limits, and for monitoring my condition during participation. I voluntarily assume all risks associated with my participation and agree that I attend entirely at my own risk. I hereby release and hold harmless the organizer, and affiliated parties from any and all liability, claims, or demands arising out of or related to any injury, medical condition, loss, or damage that may occur as a result of my participation.
The Great Rock Creek/Capital Crescent Loop -- with E-Bike Lovers
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54635719
20.6 miles; mostly paved trail; some designated bike lanes and relatively calm neighborhood streets. Toilet facilities at beginning and middle of the ride. Lunch at Fletcher's Cove, 13 miles into the ride.
On this ride we explore two local gems: Rock Creek Trail/Beach Drive and the Capital Crescent Trail. Rock Creek Park is a national treasure and affords magnificent nature views. We'll ride on the trail and on sections of Beach Drive that have been closed to motor vehicle traffic. Feel free to stop for photos at Peirce Mill and the adjacent waterfall. We continue south past the National Zoo on the Zoo Loop and down into Georgetown.
At the Georgetown waterfront, we'll make an optional stop at mile 0 of the C&O Canal. You may also choose to stop and explore the Georgetown Waterfront Park and its terrific views of the Potomac.
From Georgetown we go west on the Capital Crescent Trail. After our lunch stop at Fletcher's Cove, we head further north to Bethesda then east through well-sculpted Chevy Chase neighborhoods before finishing the ride.
**Please charge your battery, pump your tires, and check your brakes. Consider packing a spare tire tube. The ride is on paved trail and asphalt roads, but there are a few hilly segments. As usual, analog bike riders are most welcome.**
**We highly recommend that you download the Ride With GPS route map.**
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54635719
**About Peirce Mill**
Peirce Mill was built on Rock Creek in 1829 at the behest of Isaac Peirce. Using the moving water as a power source, the mill ground corn, wheat, and rye. Succeeding generations further developed the mill, sawmill, orchard, and tree nursery. In 1890, an act of Congress incorporated the mill and 350 acres of the property into Rock Creek Park.
**About Fletcher's Cove**
Fletcher's Cove, called by many customers "Fletcher's Boathouse," has been in this location since the 1850s and is renowned as a fishing and recreational area.
The nearby Abner Cloud House is the oldest building on the canal, dating back to 1802. After 145 years of business, the fourth generation of the Fletcher family retired in 2004, and a National Park Service concessionaire assumed responsibility for the operation of the boat rental and fishing tackle/bait operation. The area surrounding the boathouse was then officially named Fletcher's Cove, though most people still call it Fletcher's Boat House.
**About the C&O Canal**
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal operated from 1831 until 1924 along the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland. The canal's principal cargo was coal from the Allegheny Mountains.
The canal’s roots begin with George Washington’s dream of a waterway trade route. 74 locks were built. The full canal towpath is 184 miles long. See our September calendar for 4-day adventure on the towpath.
**About the Capital Crescent Trail**
The Capital Crescent Trail follows an abandoned Georgetown Branch railroad right of way and extends 11 miles from Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, to Bethesda, MD. It will eventually link to Silver Spring.
The trail, one of 500 rail-to-trail projects in the nation, traverses’ park land and neighborhoods and includes stretches along the Potomac River. We'll cross a railroad trestle at Arizona Avenue and ride through the Dalecarlia Tunnel near the DC/MD border.
**Free Ride With GPS for E-Bike Lovers**
The Ride With GPS E-bike Lovers club membership is now free as [www.ebikelovers.com](http://www.ebikelovers.com/) generates sufficient income from ads to cover the costs.
Here is the link to activate your free membership:
[https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Club/6746/Zwa5jhttF5mJrFbN](https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Club/6746/Zwa5jhttF5mJrFbN)
**More information about using GPS files:**
[https://ebikelovers.com/2021/03/15/download-our-trails-and-never-get-lost/](https://ebikelovers.com/2021/03/15/download-our-trails-and-never-get-lost/)
**More information about e-bike ranges:**
[https://ebikelovers.com/2020/12/31/e-bike-longer-and-happier-15-smart-strategies-to-reduce-your-e-bike-range-anxiety/](https://ebikelovers.com/2020/12/31/e-bike-longer-and-happier-15-smart-strategies-to-reduce-your-e-bike-range-anxiety/)
Did you know that E-bike Lovers is an Amazon Affiliate?
[https://ebikelovers.com/reviews](https://ebikelovers.com/reviews)
For the E-Bike Lovers group to be successful, we need to grow our membership carefully. Please feel free to invite other E-Bike lovers spread the word, and let’s have fun!
**When you register for this ride, you are agreeing to the terms of the disclaimer below.**
**DISCLAIMER**
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW, NEITHER GREGORY MAASSEN, NATHAN MERRIS, RICHARD CAMER, TRIP COORDINATORS, THEIR AFFILIATES, FAMILY AND FORMER AND CURRENT EMPLOYERS NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS IS LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF A USER’S ACCESS TO, OR USE OF THE E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS.
See for full disclaimer: [https://ebikelovers.com/disclaimer](https://ebikelovers.com/disclaimer)
Biodiversity Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
May 17 Invasive Plant Removal at TRI
April showers bring May flowers! We are NPS Weed Warriors and Arlington Regional Master Naturalists and you should volunteer with us on Sunday, May 17 to learn about nature and remove invasive plants from everyone's favorite urban island.
Meet us at the entrance to the bridge (on the parking lot side, look for the sign) at 10:00 and bring your garden gloves and loppers/pruners if you have them. If not, we can provide gloves and tools. Wear long sleeves and pants and don't forget a water bottle.
We will have tasks ranging from easy (cutting English ivy and honeysuckle vines from trees) to hard (sawing down bush honeysuckle).
Parking at TRI can be tight if it's a pretty day. When the parking lot is full, you can park in Rosslyn and take the trail down. If you can bike or walk or take public transit, that's wonderful.
We'll see you there!
Erica, Stephanie, and Heidi
P.S. If you can't wait until then to RIP (Remove Invasive Plants!), go here to find more volunteer opportunities in Arlington parks:
[Volunteer to Restore Native Habitat – Arlington Regional Master Naturalists (armn.org)](https://armn.org/volunteer-opportunities/)
Meaningful Conversation and Coffee. At Caffe Amouri in Vienna
Join us for conversations that go beyond small talk, diving into topics like the shifting nature of spirituality, the challenges and joys of midlife transitions, the impact of culture and capitalism, and the search for meaning in art, travel, and daily life. Our gatherings are about genuine, thought-provoking dialogue, with no set leader or strict agenda—just an open space to share ideas, perspectives, and experiences that matter to us. The direction of the discussion is shaped by everyone who shows up, making each event unique and enriching.
Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others who are also seeking deeper conversations. Let the conversation flow from topic to topic. Optional questions are listed below.
Optional Questions: Life Stages & Transitions
1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging?
2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists?
3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about?
Optional Questions: Identity After the Roles
4. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you?
5. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed?
6. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted?
Optional Questions: AI & Being Human
7. What human experiences will AI never truly understand?
8. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do?
9. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated?
Optional Questions: Belief & Meaning
10. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space?
11. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live?
12. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self?
Optional Questions: The Modern Psyche
13. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have?
14. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire?
15. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept?
Optional Questions: Work & Purpose
16. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you?
17. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors?
18. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years?
Optional Questions: Relationships & Connection
19. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why?
20. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best?
21. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others?
Optional Questions: Time & Mortality
22. What are you running out of time to say or do?
23. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite?
24. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail?
Optional Questions: Society & Culture
25. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense?
26. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing?
27. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years?
Optional Questions: Personal Philosophy
28. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way?
29. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out
30. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?
Meaningful Conversation and Coffee - Northside Social Falls Church
**Join us in Falls Church for conversations that go beyond small talk.**
Higher Grounds – Falls Church is where this growing network of gatherings began: a space for thoughtful, authentic dialogue about what matters most. Whether we’re exploring the nature of happiness, the challenges and possibilities of midlife, spirituality, culture, capitalism, parenting, or the role of art and travel in a meaningful life, every conversation is shaped by the people in the room.
There’s no set leader or rigid agenda—just a shared commitment to listen as much as we speak. We start with brief introductions focused on what makes you *you* (not your LinkedIn bio), then dive straight into whatever is on people’s minds. The direction of each meetup emerges organically, making every event unique.
MANDATORY: PLEASE REVIEW OUR COMMUNITY GUIDELINES IN THE GROUP DESCRIPTION. Everyone is expected to engage in respectful conversations and listen deeply as well as share. We have a zero tolerance policy of sexual harassment and hate speech.
Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others in Falls Church who are also seeking deeper conversations.
**Suggested Questions: Life Stages & Transitions**
1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging?
2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists?
3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about?
**Suggested Questions: Identity After the Roles**
1. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you?
2. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed?
3. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted?
**Suggested Questions: AI & Being Human**
1. What human experiences will AI never truly understand?
2. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do?
3. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated?
**Suggested Questions: Belief & Meaning**
1. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space?
2. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live?
3. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self?
**Suggested Questions: The Modern Psyche**
1. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have?
2. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire?
3. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept?
**Suggested Questions: Work & Purpose**
1. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you?
2. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors?
3. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years?
**Suggested Questions: Relationships & Connection**
1. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why?
2. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best?
3. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others?
**Suggested Questions: Time & Mortality**
1. What are you running out of time to say or do?
2. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite?
3. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail?
**Suggested Questions: Society & Culture**
1. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense?
2. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing?
3. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years?
**Suggested Questions: Personal Philosophy**
1. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way?
2. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out
3. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?
Join Team VSDC at Poplar Spring 5K Run (or 1 mile Walk) for the Animals
**Important: you must go to the Poplar Spring website to [register](https://www.classy.org/team/811995) for the race and [join Team VSDC.](https://www.classy.org/team/811995) (It is very helpful to RSVP here on Meetup as well, for communication purposes.)**
Join [Team VSDC](https://www.classy.org/team/811995) as we support the [Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary Annual 5K Run for the Animals and 1-Mile Fun Walk ](https://www.animalsanctuary.org/events/)on Sunday, May 17th. All funds raised will go towards [Poplar Spring's](https://www.animalsanctuary.org/) lifesaving work every day. The funds will care for and feed the farm animals who live at Poplar Spring and educate the public about compassion towards all animals. The VSDC has been a participant in this event for many years.
Registration Fee for both the Run and Walk by April 5, 2026: $28.00
April 5 – May 16, 2025: $30.00
Race Day: $35
To join the Team VSDC register [here.](https://www.classy.org/team/811995)
More[ info on the 5k run and fun walk is here.](https://www.classy.org/event/poplar-spring-animal-sanctuarys-run-for-the-animals-2026/e766174) If you register on this page, be sure to select "Join a Team" and [choose Team VSDC](https://www.classy.org/team/811995)!
There is also a virtual race option that takes place anytime during the week of May 17th.
For important updates regularly monitor the "comments" section below.
Don't be a no show! If your plans change, update your RSVP.
**VSDC: More Than A Meetup**
We are delighted to have you as part of The Veg Society of DC Vegan Meetup group, and we look forward to seeing you at our events. Did you know that [VSDC](https://vsdc.org/%20) is a nonprofit organization with membership benefits?
With VSDC membership, you will save money at area restaurants and businesses, attend VSDC member-only events, and, most importantly, support us as a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle.
The membership fee is minimal, but the impact is significant! [Join today](https://vsdc.org/membership/)!
**Ways to Stay In Touch with Us**
Thank you for being part of our Meetup presence and bringing like-minded people together. We invite you to:
* Become a [VSDC member](https://vsdc.org/membership/) to save money at area restaurants and support us in being a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle.
* Sign up for our[ monthly e-newsletter](https://vsdc.org/about/newsletter/) to hear more about our activities.
* Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/vegsocietydc/) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/vegsocietydc/) to engage with us.
**Interested in Volunteering with VSDC?**
VSDC offers many events each month, thanks to the dedication of our event planning team. Would you consider volunteering? To learn more and get started, [please visit our website](https://vsdc.org/volunteer/).
**Only Vegan Food, Please**
While VSDC welcomes people wherever they are on the path to an all-plant, vegan diet and lifestyle, it is our policy that only vegan food be served and consumed at our events. If you would like to [explore a vegan diet or get support in making lifestyle changes, consider these resources](https://vsdc.org/exploringvegan/).
**Liability Waiver and Code of Conduct**
When you sign up to attend, you automatically acknowledge [VSDC's Liability Waiver](https://vsdc.org/activity-waiver/) and commit to follow the code of conduct found at [Policies - VSDC - Veg Society of DC](https://vsdc.org/policies/).
**VSDC. Creating communities. For your health, the animals, and the planet.**
COURS DE CONVERSATION FRANÇAISE INTERMÉDIAIRE
http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/b/3/8/event_83263832.jpeg (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZA8SWMLWS7WHA)
NOTES :
1.Les cours de conversation sont une éducation continue qui a pour but d'améliorer les compétences oral en français des étudiants.
2.Le cursus des cours est d'une durée de douze semaines.
3.L'annulation d'un cours en cas de force majeure sera rétabli à la fin du cursus.
4.Aucune nourriture et boissons n'est autorisées en classe de cours. Merci de s'y accommoder.
5.Accès par le métro: Les stations de métro les plus proches sont Farragut West and Farragut North.
6.
7. Le parking métrique est également une option. Il coûte environ $ 0.25 pour 8 minutes.
8. Le paiement pour chaque cours est de 15.00 $, de l'heure par personnes. Il sera de 20.00 $ de l'heure, par personne pour les visiteurs. Cependant cela dépendra de la disponibilité des places.
9. Les étudiants peuvent solliciter des amis à venir assister aux cours pour 20 $ de l'heure pour deux personnes. Mais le règlement doit se faire en avance.
Svp, n'hésitez pas à contacter les organisateurs, si vous avez des questions.
Poplar Spring Animal Santuary's 5K Run for the Animals!
Join Team Rockville Vegan's for the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary's Run for the Animals 5K!! This annual event is a great way to run in a fully vegan race (that means no worrying about the post race snacks... you can eat ALL of them!) and hang out with local vegans! The race has options for both runners and walkers! There is also a virtual event if you are unable to be there on a Sunday morning.
You can join our team here: [https://pro.gofundme.com/team/818034](https://pro.gofundme.com/team/818034)
**Please note that you must join the team and register for the race in order to participate.** RSVPing to this event only lets us know that you are interested.
**We will not be at the entrance off of Arcola, please make sure you use this address for your GPS:**
Wheaton Regional Park
2000 Shorefield Road
Wheaton, MD US 20902
(Shorefield Road is off Georgia Avenue.)
SOLD OUT-Profs & Pints Northern Virginia: How AI Alters Thinking
**This talk has completely sold out in advance and no additional tickets will be sold at the door. A repeat of the talk at Penn Social in DC on Monday, May 18 still has tickets available.**
[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“How AI Alters Thinking,”** on dealing with artificial intelligence’s capacity to change and undermine our thought processes, with Eli Alshanetsky, assistant professor of philosophy at Temple University, principal investigator at its Cognitive Integrity Lab, and author of an upcoming book on AI and freedom of thought.
[Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-how-ai-alters](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-how-ai-alters) .]
Doctors who give bad advice can be sued for malpractice. Teachers belong to a profession with set standards. When artificial intelligence guides you, however, that guidance comes with a disclaimer: Use at your own risk.
Every day millions of people take that risk, and usually AI seems genuinely helpful. But even if AI gives us good answers, might its use over time do bad things to how we think?
Explore the relationship between AI and our own minds with Eli Alshanetsky, whose Cognitive Integrity Lab studies how artificial intelligence changes how we think, learn, and build trust. Author of *Articulating a Thought* and the upcoming book F*reedom of Thought in the Age of AI*, he’s on the cutting edge of efforts to answer AI-related questions such as: How can we tell when work is truly our own? How can technology support rather than replace authorship and reflection? What does trust mean when AI mediates our relationships with others and with our own thoughts?
To set up his discussion of potential consequences of AI, he’ll describe how social media’s impact on society serves as a preview.
Social media didn’t just give people what they wanted to click on, it actually changed what they regarded as click-worthy. It broke attention spans and fueled radicalization across millions of very different people. It left us with people who doom-scroll for hours, who can’t focus, who don’t know what to trust anymore.
If you’d shown people this version of themselves ten years ago, would they have chosen it?
Artificial intelligence is making a similar deal with us, but the stakes are higher. It isn’t chasing clicks. It’s optimized for giving you the most satisfying response to whatever is on your mind right now.
The risk over time isn’t just that you’ll get lazy. More profoundly, even when you think hard, your sense of what counts as good thinking—as well as what sounds like you—will shift to match what AI has been feeding you.
We’ll consider what kind of person this produces and whether this is someone we want to be or want children to become. Professor Alshanetsky will lay out a practical framework, which he calls “the interaction layer,” for using AI without letting it replace the thinking it’s supposed to support. He’ll also talk about what AI-related concerns should be the focus of parents and educators. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.)
Image: Illustration by David S. Soriano / Creative Commons.
Biodiversity Events Near You
Connect with your local Biodiversity community
Stream Adventure Night, Test Your Local Water - Granville
Hosted by Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District
**Stream Team Sampling Events**
Are you interested in the health of local rivers and streams? You can join the Licking County Soil and Water in a Stream Team assessment. These events are a night filled will fun in the water. We look at habitat, biology, and chemical parameters in waterways that indicate how healthy our water is!
We would love to see you at one of these events!
Family friendly. Free to attend.
June
Wildwood Park, Granville
Where: 785 W Broadway, Granville, OH 43023
Date: 6/11/2026
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 P.M.
July
Velvet Ice Cream, Ye Olde Mill
Where:11324 Mount Vernon Rd, Utica, OH 43080
Date: 7/9/2026
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 P.M.
Ticks in Licking County - Diseases and Prevention -Johnstown Library - Free
The number of ticks and tick diseases in Ohio have quickly multiplied over the last 10 years. Dean Kreager discusses tick species, tick pathogens, tick-borne diseases, tick bite prevention, and proper tick removal. Kreager is an Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator with OSU Extension in Licking County
* Lakewood Public Library (in Hebron)- May 26 at 7pm [https://events.lickingcountylibrary.org/event/tick-talk-29621](https://events.lickingcountylibrary.org/event/tick-talk-29621)
* Johnstown public library at 7:00 pm June 8
[https://events.lickingcountylibrary.org/event/ctick-talk-29622](https://events.lickingcountylibrary.org/event/ctick-talk-29622)
Free to attend, no RSVP needed
Nature Printing with Gelli Plate - $30
Nature Printing with Gelli Plate
Thursday
May 21, 2026
Join local artist Diana Andrews to explore the process of gelli plates. This hands-on, creative experience is suitable for all skill levels, focusing on creating unique monoprints without a traditional printing press. All materials will be provided, but participants are asked to bring additional leaves.
Class Fee - $30
6PM - 8PM
Location: James Bradley Center, Infirmary Mound Park
Register and pay here: [https://www.lickingparkdistrict.com/269/May-2026](https://www.lickingparkdistrict.com/269/May-2026)
Wild Ohio: The Best of Our Natural Heritage. Jim McCormac
June 17, 2026: Worthington Library. Wild Ohio: The Best of Our Natural Heritage. Jim McCormac. Worthington, Ohio. 7 pm.
Free- Backyard Conservation Workshop - get $50 voucher for your yard! - Gahanna
Community Backyards Workshop
Join us at the Ohio Herb Center in Gahanna to learn about sustainable home gardening. We can make small changes in our yards to make a BIG impact for a better environment and healthier waterways while saving money. This workshop is presented by Friends of Alum Creek and hosted by Ohio Herb Center.
By attending, any participating community resident can receive a voucher for a rain barrel, compost bin, or native plants for attending. Vouchers are limited to one per household per year.
Registration in advance is encouraged but NOT required. Click here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/65f65aw
(Free Workshop Registration: Registration is free. Registering in advance provides your information to Franklin Soil and Water ahead of time, so when you come to the workshop, we will have your voucher ready for you when you arrive)
* Location: Ohio Herb Center, 110 Mill St, Gahanna, OH 43230
* Date and time: Sat, May 23, 2026 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
* Organizer: The Community Backyards Program, (614) 486-9613, communitybackyards@franklinswcd.org
**FAQs**
**Our Community Backyards workshops are FREE and a great way to participate in the rebate program. Our workshops are typically 1 to 1 and a half hours long and held in-person. Our workshops cover the same content as the online course, but they are more detailed and allow the chance to ask questions and have discussions with the presenters and other residents. We occassionally have "advanced topics" classes where you dive deeper into one topic of Community Backyards such as invasive vs. native plants or rain gardens.**
**Registration is encouraged but not required.** You can register in advance to receive your voucher at the workshop. If you don't register in advance, that's okay - you can still show up (unless otherwise noted - which is very rare) and sign up for a voucher at the class, and we will send you one via email or mail within a few business days after the workshop.
**"Do I have to be a resident of that community to attend that workshop?"** Nope! Our workshops are open to everyone (unless otherwise noted - which is extremely rare). You can attend a workshop that best suits your schedule even if it is in a different community than your own.
**"Why is registration closed?** Can I just show up?" Yes, you can show up without registering! We close registration typically 1-2 days before the workshop to give the vouchers and materials to the presenters. However, you are always welcome to just show up and fill out a short form to request a voucher at the workshop. If eligible, we will send one to you within 1-2 business days after the workshop.
**Voucher note**: Classes are free for everyone but vouchers are for residents of Franklin county or participating community (list here: https://www.communitybackyards.org/participate)
2026 Participating Vendors: City Folk's Farm Shop, Fisher's Gardens, Leaves for Wildlife, Scioto Gardens, Hoover Gardens & Gift Center, and the FSWCD/SWACO Compost Bin Sale.
*when redeeming your voucher at a vendor, Please bring a physical copy of your voucher to receive an immediate discount on your purchase.
Additionally, to keep up with number of vouchers that are given out, we have changed the expiration date on the vouchers to 30 days
Free In-Person Meeting: Get Over Losses & Betrayals, Build Lasting Relationships
This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships.
Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse.
Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well.
Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship.
Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action?
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships!
Break free from self imposed limitations
Here we will discuss:
• How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes.
• Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you?
• Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it?
• Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love?
• Fights & arguments - what's really behind them?
• What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others?
• How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change?
• Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them?
• How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about?
• How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career?
Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general.
Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person.
Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life.
We look forward to having you join us!
This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
Free Backyard Conservation Workshop - get $50 voucher for your yard! Westerville
Community Backyards Workshop
.Community Backyards Workshop - Westerville
Join us for the Westerville Community Backyards workshop! This is a FREE class on how you can protect our waterways and environment with small changes in your gardening habits. We will discuss rain barrels, rain gardens, composting, and native plants. This workshop is presented by Friends of Alum Creek.
By attending, any participating community resident can receive a voucher for a rain barrel, compost bin, or native plants for attending. Vouchers are limited to one per household per year.
Registration in advance is encouraged but not required.
* Location: Westerville Community Center, 350 N Cleveland Ave, Westerville, OH 43082
* Date and time: Sat, May 30, 2026 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
* Organizer: Community Backyards Program, (614) 486-9613, communitybackyards@franklinswcd.org
(Free Workshop Registration: Registration is free. Registering in advance provides your information to Franklin Soil and Water ahead of time, so when you come to the workshop, we will have your voucher ready for you when you arrive)
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/h2w5ms8
**FAQs**
**Our Community Backyards workshops are FREE and a great way to participate in the rebate program. Our workshops are typically 1 to 1 and a half hours long and held in-person. Our workshops cover the same content as the online course, but they are more detailed and allow the chance to ask questions and have discussions with the presenters and other residents. We occassionally have "advanced topics" classes where you dive deeper into one topic of Community Backyards such as invasive vs. native plants or rain gardens.**
**Registration is encouraged but not required.** You can register in advance to receive your voucher at the workshop. If you don't register in advance, that's okay - you can still show up (unless otherwise noted - which is very rare) and sign up for a voucher at the class, and we will send you one via email or mail within a few business days after the workshop.
**"Do I have to be a resident of that community to attend that workshop?"** Nope! Our workshops are open to everyone (unless otherwise noted - which is extremely rare). You can attend a workshop that best suits your schedule even if it is in a different community than your own.
**"Why is registration closed?** Can I just show up?" Yes, you can show up without registering! We close registration typically 1-2 days before the workshop to give the vouchers and materials to the presenters. However, you are always welcome to just show up and fill out a short form to request a voucher at the workshop. If eligible, we will send one to you within 1-2 business days after the workshop.
**Voucher note**: Classes are free for everyone but vouchers are for residents of Franklin county or participating community (list here: https://www.communitybackyards.org/participate)
2026 Participating Vendors: City Folk's Farm Shop, Fisher's Gardens, Leaves for Wildlife, Scioto Gardens, Hoover Gardens & Gift Center, and the FSWCD/SWACO Compost Bin Sale.
*when redeeming your voucher at a vendor, Please bring a physical copy of your voucher to receive an immediate discount on your purchase.
Additionally, to keep up with number of vouchers that are given out, we have changed the expiration date on the vouchers to 30 days
























