Non-violent Communication

In the midst of life’s storms—whether in relationships, work, or within ourselves—it can be difficult to find clarity and calm. The “I” Of the Storm: Embracing Conflict, Creating Peace, based on the work of Dr. Gary Simmons, invites you to discover the steady center within—the part of you that remains grounded even when everything around you is in motion. Led by Brian Drafton-Griffin, this engaging workshop offers practical tools and meaningful insights to help you navigate conflict with greater awareness, compassion, and confidence. Through guided discussion and reflection, you’ll learn how to shift from reaction to response and transform challenges into opportunities for growth and connection.

Come assist Van Buren Shelter (https://ymcacolumbus.org/locations/vanburen) staff in serving dinners and cleaning up on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Dinner for the women is 5-6 pm and for the families is 6:15-7:15 pm. There is ample free parking available in the shelter's lot. The recommended area to park is in green in the image above. There will be a new entrance for the time being. We are asking all volunteers to enter through the Donation Dock door, the orange mark on the image above. This door is located between the Single Adults and Family Shelter. You will see 2 large garage doors with a large green trash compactor in the center. Please head to the closest garage door to the building wall, with a ramp leading up. There, you will see a door with a sign stating instructions on how to enter the building. Please ring the doorbell, and a staff member will come and escort you into the building. If a staff member takes longer than 5 minutes, please call the front desk at 614-689-2020. This is a new process for us, and we do not want to keep you waiting! We appreciate your patience as we navigate this temporary change. The shelter needs a volunteer count the day before the event so sign-up ends Monday at 4:50 PM. Afterwards some of us go to the Omnipresent Atheists Weekly Meetup in progress to have a bit to eat or drink (http://www.meetup.com/omnipresentatheists/). Volunteers must be 14 or older. Since we will be working around families, the YMCA does not permit volunteering by individuals with convictions for violent or sexual crimes. The YMCA reserves the right to run background checks on volunteers. For questions, comment on this page or contact: Andrew, awhit12@yahoo.com, (614)937-5802 (cell). Please let Andrew know if you volunteer anytime other than our COUNT events so that he can count your hours toward our service record.

Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 11 at Streetlight Guild. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. **SCHEDULE:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. **BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.

We connect you with up to 30 Men or Women tennis partners close to your PLAYING REGION and skill level. This program is less competitive, no champions crowned, no league standings just dedicated tennis partners who want to meet up with you on the courts. Players will meet up to play a tennis match or just to hit around. Just go through the [Join Page](https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program) to enter this program. [https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program](https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program)

How to be a Better Communicator Communication is everything in life Sunday, 23 February at 2pm. You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024

**You're invited to join local Columbus animal advocates as we watch PETA's workshop together on cage-free campaigns. Free vegan pizza will be provided! After the workshop Q&A, we'll have a group discussion and brainstorm on future activism plans. Hope to see you there!** **Here are the details:** **WHEN: Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 6pm EST** **WHERE: KTC Columbus** **If you cannot attend in person, you can still view the workshop virtually at https://www.facebook.com/events/1567122777711333** **Here's some background on the workshop:** **Please join us for an eye-opening online PETA Playbook discussion with PETA’s Associate Director of Vegan Campaigns, Amber Canavan, where we’ll ask the hard-hitting questions about the cage-free campaigns and their impact on both hens and vegan efforts.** **Whether you’re looking to strengthen your outreach or sharpen your messaging around the egg industry’s humane-washing tactics, this workshop will give you practical tools to help others understand what “cage-free” really means for hens and why the label is misleading.** **We’ll explore how to keep conversations respectful, fact-based, and focused on the animals’ reality while encouraging others to take effective action.** **Please join us for this important workshop to learn how you can cut through cage-free marketing and help animals.** **Come ready to learn, ask questions, and ignite your activism for animals!**