Local Issues

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

**🦋 Speed Dating Live on Zoom for Vancouver Locals Host Guided — Personality First** Joining means you'll spend your time in brief timed Zoom sessions with Vancouver locals paired by quiz results and age range, while a live host keeps things smooth throughout. Before the event, you take a quick personality and preferences survey — we use those answers to pair you with compatible Vancouver locals, so your conversations have a better chance of going somewhere. After the night, mutual match details are distributed — shared only when both sides chose each other — and what happens next is entirely up to you. **Sign up below — pick your age range:** - **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=537.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Vancouver&groupurlname=bloom-with-genuine-peers-through-events&ar=18-32&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=537.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Vancouver&groupurlname=bloom-with-genuine-peers-through-events&ar=30-46&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=537.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Vancouver&groupurlname=bloom-with-genuine-peers-through-events&ar=40-58&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=537.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Vancouver&groupurlname=bloom-with-genuine-peers-through-events&ar=55+&face_v=3.0) **⚠️ Do not skip this:** An rsvp here alone does not secure your place, so select your age range link above, fill in the registration, and answer the personality quiz — capacity is restricted so act soon, and RSVP plus full registration is what holds your seat. --- **Quick Details** - **Format:** Host-managed in a hosted Zoom session built around structured one-on-one video dates, compatibility-matched within your age range. - **Where:** At-home — from your desktop laptop or phone, just a webcam and a good internet connection, and any location with good Wi-Fi and a camera works perfectly. - **Host:** A real human host ensures the rounds flow naturally and without awkwardness, which means nothing technical or logistical is on your plate — every transition and every call to move on is handled. - **Vibe:** Casual speed dating sessions with Vancouver singles who are here for the same reason you are, and the whole thing is better than you would expect. - **Duration:** Usually 60-90 minutes all in, though it always seems to go faster. **Great for:** - Professionals from Vancouver who have had enough of digital dating that never converts to anything real and want actual face-to-face conversation. - Returners near Vancouver done with swiping left and right with no results and want to talk to real people tonight. - Someone who live in Vancouver wanting to escape matches that ghost after two messages and prefer structure over ambiguity. - People who live in Vancouver done with matches that ghost after two messages and are after something more than a swipe can offer. **How the night runs** 1. **Start here** – through the link corresponding to your age range, then finish the personality questionnaire, because this is the only way to be confirmed. 2. **Enter the Zoom room** – by opening the Zoom link at the event start, any device works and no download is required, and once you are in the host handles the rest entirely. 3. **Meet your matches** – timed one-on-one speed dates with personality-matched Vancouver locals in your group, with the host managing every round transition, because no round here is random — everyone was selected. 4. **Discover your matches** – mutual matches are shared post-event with your info staying private otherwise, since only mutual matches exchange details and everything else stays private, and from there you follow up at whatever pace suits you. ⭐ *"The host made everything comfortable — the personality matching really works"* – returning Vancouver attendee 💡 **Pre-event tip:** close unnecessary browser tabs before the event, so the rounds feel natural from the very start, since a short check now means no issues at the worst moment. --- ✨ One Zoom call, real conversations, real matches — grab your spot above and the host takes it from there in this batch. The rounds are better than you think. 🪷 ✨

Let's check out the Maker's Market in German Village, a large outdoor Artisan Market, featuring over 65 Makers, Goods, Art and Delicious Food Trucks! Admission is FREE! [GVMM](https://www.gv-mm.com/) Let's get outside and enjoy the New Spring Season and Warm Weather! We will meet at Stauf's Coffee Roasters in German Village on South 3rd Street at Noon, 12 PM and then take a brisk walk to the Maker's Market, just south of Schiller Park. We can initially get coffee at Stauf's Coffee Roasters, if anyone may want to do so. Parking is widely available at Schiller Park and surrounding side streets. Thanks and hope to see you come out!

**Local Cantina -** We'll shut down wine club at 8 pm this evening and take a short walk to our neighborhood Tex-Mex eatery - Local Cantina. Join us after wine club for a snack or meal. Please RSVP early AND Please let me know in the comments if you plan to join us after at the diner so I can have accurate numbers for the reservations. **On Freestyle night** \- just bring a bottle to share\. There is NO formal wine tasting like on other weeks\. Door charge is $10 \(cash or Venmo only please\)\. We may have some left over wines to clear out\! Glasses are provided\. Take Care\. See you there\. **Parking**: There are several public parking lots near the Alive614 hall. Please be careful to NOT park in private parking lots. They do tow. Check Google maps to scope out your space. Anyone who is early could easily find a parking space on the street nearby. I am told that the Chase parking lot is safe after hours. **Glasses**: …will be provided. Please note that after the wine tasting, the EMPTY glasses need to be returned to the boxes at the service table. Please do not make me hunt down your empty glass. Please be gentle, our glasses are fragile. Uh, they are made of glass! **Food**: You are welcome to bring a snack to share. It is not required. Most people do though. If no one brings anything, there will be nothing. **Code of Conduct**: Though mostly understood, it’s still worth mentioning. We don’t have rules per se, but we highly discourage the following topics of discussion because they are likely to incite anti-social responses - Sex, Politics, Religion. Please don’t mistake this as an attempt to limit your free speech rights but rather a guide to a place and time for appropriate discussions. Again, We look forward to meeting new members and reuniting with old friends. Sincerely, ***Paul Uttermohlen***, **Red 1 Realty** *Your Hilliard Wine Club Host*

**History** The history of [Blendon Woods Metro Park](https://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/blendon-woods/) began long before its 1951 opening, rooted in a landscape of rugged ridges and deep ravines that made the land unsuitable for traditional farming. In 1945, a report proposing a metropolitan park system for Franklin County specifically highlighted these cliffs of Bedford Shale as some of the "wildest land in the vicinity". Following this recommendation, the recently formed park district purchased the first 229 acres in early 1949. Because the terrain was so uneven, developers had to cut a mile-and-a-half-long roadway through dense woods just to bring in heavy equipment. This initial preservation effort ensured that the mature second-growth hardwood forests remained largely untouched by the urban expansion spreading toward Westerville. Opening day arrived on Labor Day, September 3, 1951, marking Blendon Woods as the second park in the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system. The final push to open was a frantic race; the State Highway Department only finished the primary gravel access road four days before the gates opened. Early staff members, consisting of just four full-time employees, had to hand-dig pit toilets and learn construction skills on the fly to build the first picnic shelters. Despite the dusty conditions and limited facilities, the park was an immediate success, drawing massive crowds from across Central Ohio. By the end of the 1950s, annual visitation had already climbed to over 190,000 people. As the surrounding suburbs grew in the 1960s, the park faced severe overcrowding that threatened its natural habitats. In response, Franklin County voters passed the first Metro Parks levy in 1960, providing the funds necessary for a decade of steady expansion. During this era, the park nearly doubled in size, growing from 264 acres to over 570 acres by 1968. Planners also addressed a critical water shortage by collaborating with the U.S. Soil and Conservation Service to build a lake in 1964. This body of water originally served as a temporary reservoir before its role shifted toward conservation and wildlife support. The 1970s marked a transition toward the specialized wildlife and educational focus for which the park is known today. In 1971, the Walden Waterfowl Refuge was established around the 11-acre Thoreau Lake, creating a sanctuary that remains restricted to provide a quiet habitat for migratory birds. A formal nature center was also developed during this period, expanding on the guided Sunday walks that had been a park staple since the early 1950s. The park’s famous "Monarch Mansion" also became a prominent fixture, starting a long tradition of raising and releasing thousands of monarch butterflies each September. These initiatives cemented the park’s reputation as a premier destination for birders and nature enthusiasts. In more recent decades, Blendon Woods has continued to modernize while maintaining its wilderness character. The 10-acre Natural Play Area was added in 2017, encouraging kids to explore the ravines and woods off-trail. This was followed by the opening of a $1.5 million inclusive playground in April 2025, designed to accommodate children of all physical abilities. The nature center also underwent major renovations to include immersive, three-dimensional exhibits and a new butterfly house. Today, the park encompasses 653 acres, preserving a unique geologic and biological corridor amidst the bustling Westerville and Northeast Columbus area. **Map of the Park** Here is a map of [Blendon Woods](https://www.metroparks.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/BLN_map_Inclusive-Playground-and-Butterfly-Trail_May-2025_1980px.png). **Summary** For this event, we will hike the Lake View, Hickory Ridge, Ripple Rock, Overlook, Brookside, and Sugarbush Trails. This sounds like a lot, but it will really be only a little over five miles. Blendon Woods has a few hills here and there, but it's not one of the more strenuous metro parks. **Where We'll Meet** We'll meet just in front of the Nature Center. This is about a mile into the park from the main entrance. You have to go past the Ranger Station and the Shadblow Reservable Area to get to it, so don't stop too early at the Ranger Station and get it confused with the Nature Center. **After the Hike** Afterward, we will head over to [Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/) at Easton for [drinks](https://forbiddenroot.com/restaurants/columbus-ohio/#dinner-menu) and [food](https://forbiddenroot.com/wp-content/uploads/Cbus-Food.pdf). We should be there by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to join us for drinks. The brewery's actual address is [4080 Worth Ave, Columbus, OH 43219](https://www.google.com/maps/place/4080+Worth+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43219/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88388a86d10b6619:0x4d42b470a5cf11d3?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111); however, I recommend pointing your GPS to the [Worth Garage](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worth+Garage/@40.0542293,-82.9137962,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88388b4df6082825:0x17582f0eccd9dda1!8m2!3d40.0542293!4d-82.9137962!16s%2Fg%2F11rzfvvv8b?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) across the street. Parking in this garage is free as long as you're not on the first floor, and it is literally right next to the brewery.

**💗 Live Video Speed Dating for Richmond Locals Live — Personality First** The format means you'll be guided through guided one-on-one video rounds with age-matched personality-sorted Richmond locals, while a host ensures nothing feels forced. When you sign up, a personality questionnaire is built into the sign-up — the results from that questionnaire to pair you intelligently with Richmond locals, making every round feel more natural from the first minute. Post-event, match notifications go to both parties — with nothing shared unless both parties agreed — and there is no pressure on timing. **Your age group is your key — pick it below:** - **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=537.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Richmond&groupurlname=bloom-with-genuine-peers-through-events&ar=18-32&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=537.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Richmond&groupurlname=bloom-with-genuine-peers-through-events&ar=30-46&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=537.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Richmond&groupurlname=bloom-with-genuine-peers-through-events&ar=40-58&face_v=3.0) - **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=537.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Richmond&groupurlname=bloom-with-genuine-peers-through-events&ar=55+&face_v=3.0) **⚠️ RSVP is not enough:** An rsvp here alone does not secure your place, so select your bracket link, complete the registration form, and finish the personality quiz — capacity is restricted so act soon, and that combination is your actual confirmation. --- **About the Event** - **Format:** Real-time on a dedicated Zoom session with short one-on-one video rounds, compatibility-matched within your age range. - **Host:** A seasoned host guides every round from start to finish, giving you the space to just enjoy the conversation — from start to finish your only job is to have good conversations. - **Vibe:** Casual Zoom date rounds with genuine Richmond singles, and it never feels forced or awkward. - **Duration:** Around an hour to 90 minutes from first round to last, and the pacing keeps it fresh throughout. **This is for you if:** - Women and men living in Richmond bored of app fatigue and empty match queues and prefer structure over ambiguity. - Residents within Richmond who have given up on the app treadmill that goes in circles and want to meet real locals without the faff. - Returners in Richmond leaving behind profiles instead of real people and prefer meeting people in person first. - Residents around Richmond moving beyond digital dating that never converts to anything real and are ready for a genuine first impression. - People from the Richmond area looking beyond apps that waste evenings for no return and want to talk to real people tonight. **What to expect** 1. **Lock in your place** – through your age range link above, then fill in the personality matching questionnaire, since your spot is held only once this is done. 2. **Get online** – at the event start time via your Zoom link, works on any modern device with a camera, and everything from that point is handled by the host. 3. **Chat** – quick private video rounds with personality-matched Richmond locals in your group, while the host runs the clock so you can focus on the conversation, knowing the matching already happened before you got on Zoom. 4. **Get your match notifications** – after the night mutual match results are sent to both parties, as your data only goes to someone who matched you back, and you follow up at your own speed from there. ⭐ *"The format is brilliant — real conversations with real people"* – anonymous Richmond attendee 💡 **Before the event:** connect via wired internet if that is an option, which means you can focus entirely on the conversation, since it only takes five minutes and makes everything smoother. --- ✨ Meet Richmond people tonight from home — grab your spot above and we will have you matched and ready for this session. The rounds are better than you think. 💖 ✨

Wild Ones Columbus Annual Native Plant Sale Saturday, May 23th, 2026 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (Eastern Time) Overbrook Presbyterian Church Parking Lot, 4131 N High St, Columbus, OH, 43214 Public Welcome, Family-Friendly Free Event A wide variety of native flowering plants, grasses, shrubs, and trees will be available from Wild Ones Columbus and local vendors Natives in Harmony, Leaves for Wildlife, and Scioto Gardens. Wild Ones will publish a list of plants that will be available at this year's sale closer to the event date. Be sure to stop by! Show up anytime!