Civic Engagement
Meet other local people interested in Civic Engagement: share experiences, inspire and encourage each other! Join a Civic Engagement group.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out civic engagement events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the civic engagement events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find civic engagement events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Civic Engagement Events Today
Join in-person Civic Engagement events happening right now
COhPy Monthly Meeting
**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).
Topic: This month Chris Pazsint will be talking about Agentic Coding. How does one use CLI Based Agents, and Agentic IDEs such as Cursor, Kiro, Antigravity? How to include agentic coding plugins for IDEs you already love such as Visual Studio Code.
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 Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.com
Libera Animae - Freeing the Soul
Main Library, Meeting Room 2B
Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen).
Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection.
All backgrounds are welcome.
Beginner and Intermediate Bachata Dance Classes with Todd Smith!
**✅ Bachata Mondays with Todd Smith!**
**👉 Beginner Bachata Class**
**$15 In Advance / $20 At the Door**
7:00 pm – 7:15 pm … Registration
7:15 pm – 8:15 pm … Beginner Class
**👉 Intermediate Bachata Class**
**= $15 In Advance / $20 At the Door**
8:15 pm – 8:30 pm Registration
8:30 pm – 9:30 pm Intermediate Class
**👉 If You Take Both Bachata Classes**
**= $25 In Advance / $35 At the Door**
**👉 Buy Advance Tickets Now at:**
https://columbussalsadancing.com/bachata-mondays-dance-class-tickets/
Italian Conversation Hour
Ciao a tutt\*!
Let's meet Monday at 6.30pm at the Upper Arlington Library (Tremont Branch) in **Meeting Room A** to speak in Italian for 1 hour.
Bachata Dance Classes: Beginner and Intermediate (Every Monday)
**✅ Bachata Mondays with Todd Smith!**
**👉 Beginner Bachata Class**
**$15 In Advance / $20 At the Door**
7:00 pm – 7:15 pm … Registration
7:15 pm – 8:15 pm … Beginner Class
**👉 Intermediate Bachata Class**
**= $15 In Advance / $20 At the Door**
8:15 pm – 8:30 pm Registration
8:30 pm – 9:30 pm Intermediate Class
**👉 If You Take Both Bachata Classes**
**= $25 In Advance / $35 At the Door**
**👉 Buy Advance Tickets Now at:**
https://columbussalsadancing.com/bachata-mondays-dance-class-tickets/
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.
Civic Engagement Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Volunteer Opportunity
Open Shelter has teamed up again with Red White and Boom! Friday, July 3rd & we are looking for volunteers to run the event’s alcohol booths. Proceeds from sales go to the Open Shelter’s organization.
There are two available shifts: 12-6p & 5-11p.
There will be an ipad-like device to process transactions in addition to cash. Everything will be in bottles or cans, so transactions should be very easy. Must be 21+.
There are multiple beverage stations along the Civic Center Bridge. The stations are covered and also have beverage trucks next to them, so volunteers can cool off in the trucks.
As far as parking, it is suggested those who are coming from the east use the Columbus Commons Garage, and those from the west use the Belle Street Garage.
Harry from the Open Shelter will be your contact.
(614)562-2169
mailto:harry@theopenshelter.org
More information about the event:
https://redwhiteandboom.org/
More information about the organization:
https://theopenshelter.org/
Rays Of Light Spiritualist Church Service
Rev. Steven Clevenger is an ordained spiritualist minister with over 40 years experience as a Spiritual Healer, Clairvoyant and Spiritual Teacher, educated and trained at the White Lily Chapel.
Rev. Siobhan Wolf Shaffer is an ordained spiritualist minister and certified medium and healer with over 20 years experience. She began her development in 1988 in Pennsylvania and continued when she moved to Ohio in 1998 where she studied at Rays of Lights Church with Rev. Steven Clevenger.
Our full worship services consist of an inspirational lecture, healing meditation, and messages from the spirit world that serve to demonstrate evidence of eternal life.
Please visit our Official Church Website (http://raysoflightchurch.com) for more information.
COUNT RMH Housewarmer Volunteering (Ronald McDonald House)
Some trained COUNT volunteers work together once a month at RMH (http://www.rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer.php) as Housewarmers (usually on the 1st Sunday from 1 – 5 PM). Some schedule other shifts at their convenience. You may try this out with less fuss by following a "Fast track" or go through the normal process.
Fast track
• Arrange a time to shadow a COUNT volunteer. Call Dave Nohle at 614-268-9558 (cell).
• Show up and try it out.
• Complete application, etc. later.
Normal process
• Complete an online application (http://rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer/).
• Attend orientation in advance.
• At orientation you will complete forms agreeing to keep family/patient info private and allowing a background check and tour the facility.
• Complete one training shift. Daily shifts are: morning 9 AM - 1 PM, afternoon 1 - 5 PM and evening 5 - 9 PM.
• Schedule shifts online using the on the RMH scheduling system (http://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/?FROM=32895).
The Ronald McDonald House (RMH) provides housing and meals for families with sick children. The Columbus RMH is the largest in the world with 137 rooms. COUNT has been volunteering there since May 2014.
Housewarmers work with RMH guests to provide a home-like environment - greet, assist with family needs, answer phones, give tours, assist with checkin/checkout, prepare guest rooms after checkout, clean facility, laundry, restock supplies and staff the front desk. RMH Housewarmers volunteer at least one four-hour shift a month. All Housewarmers must complete an application and agree to a background check before they can be full fledged volunteers.
Conversation and Coffee @ Belle's Bread Bakery
Hey Everyone!
Let's meet at Belle's Bread Bakery and Cafe. There is lots of free parking and easy access to the cafe and many shops and restaurants as well. This is a great way to meet new and old friends while chatting about life and practicing English language speaking skills. All are welcome and encouraged to join us anytime between 11am and 1pm. Looking forward to seeing you soon.
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).
Creativity Circle: Simple Sun Catchers
Want to see your work shine and put your pride on display? Then come to July's Creativity Circle! We will be making simple Suncatchers with tissue paper! Seats and supplies limited! Come while you can for as long as you like! Westerville Public Library in Meeting Room D.
Civic Engagement Events Near You
Connect with your local Civic Engagement community
ServiceNow AI Deep Dive: Hands-On Learning Session
We're planning a hands-on technical session focused on building AI solutions in ServiceNow - think skills, agents, and real-world use cases. If you’re curious about AI on the platform, RSVP now and stay tuned for more details. Let's build together!
CMG Gives Back: Serve Dinner 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! 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. NOTE: We’re switching it up this time and going with a DINNER shift on Mon, 7/6. 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 DINNER from 4:30 to 6:30pm and have space for a total of 7 volunteers. Please arrive at 4:20pm 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. Below are some links / attachments with 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
AWS Columbus User Group - Topic to be announced
Topic to be announced.
**CALL FOR SPEAKERS**
Learn more: https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/
**THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: https://www.veeam.com/
**DIRECTIONS**
8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH
go to 4th floor.
**Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?**
Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com
Stop Guessing: How to Measure and Improve LLM Outputs
Most people use LLMs by feel: ask a question, read the answer, decide whether it “seems good,” and move on.
That works for casual use. It does not work when you are building software, automating workflows, writing important documents, or relying on AI for anything that needs to be repeatable.
In this talk, we’ll look at how to improve and evaluate the inputs and outputs of LLMs using practical measurement techniques. We’ll cover how prompt changes affect results, how to compare outputs, how to build simple evaluation sets, and how math-based methods like similarity scoring can help you move beyond guesswork.
This will be beginner-friendly, so even if you don't know anything about AI, you should get something out of it. However, this will be a little more technical than our intro talks. You do not need to be an AI researcher, but programmers and technically curious attendees will get a lot out of it.
We’ll cover:
* Why “it looks good” is not enough
* How to improve prompts by changing the input, context, and constraints
* How to compare LLM outputs more systematically
* Basic evaluation techniques for accuracy, consistency, and usefulness
* How embeddings, cosine similarity, and scoring can help evaluate results
* Where automated evaluation works — and where humans still need to stay in the loop
By the end, you’ll have a practical mental model for treating LLMs less like magic and more like systems you can test, measure, and improve.
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.
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. 💛
Alum Creek Trail Hike
Join us for a 2.4 mile hike along the Alum Creek Trail south from Casto park to Strawberry Farms park and back. This is a fully paved flat trail along Alum Creek. Come and enjoy a great hike with us!





























