Rotary Club

Welcome! 😊 You can join us for a **unique experience** where you'll be allocated to a gathering/group **based on your interests** (more details on this below!). Come unwind, meet new people, and enjoy some drinks in a relaxed setting. Whether you're looking to make new connections or simply unwind after a long week, this event is perfect for you. **Here's how it works...** ✨ 1. **IMPORTANT:** To attend and be matched with a gathering, answer our quick, personality & interests quiz on [OkGather.com](https://OkGather.com) to become a member (*includes gatherings every week - you must be a member to attend*) 💭 🪄 2. We carefully match you with a gathering of amazing people 🫂 📍 3. We book the table for around 10 people in your gathering at a great venue & let you know **your** **venue** **& table details** (venues will be near the station mentioned in location section) 🥂 🎉 4. All you have to do is show up and have a great time! 🥳 If you have any questions, please email info@okgather .com It's the perfect way to meet people with similar interests and expand your network/social circle (while having a lot of fun!). Save your seat now at [OkGather.com](https://OkGather.com)

Join us at Pints & Pawns by Yas Queen! Chess Club for a fun evening of chess and drinks! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, come hang out with us at Lord Palmerston and enjoy some friendly games of chess in a queer friendly space. It's the perfect opportunity to meet new people, learn new strategies, and of course, enjoy some cold pints. We'll bring the boards, you bring yourselves. Don't miss out on this awesome evening! More about us on [yasqueen.uk](https://www.yasqueen.uk) Instagram [yasqueen.chessclub](https://www.instagram.com/yasqueen.chessclub) *Yas Queen! Code of Conduct:* We are an LGBTQ+ friendly club. All allies are welcome. We reserve the right to exclude anyone from our events in case of any behaviour (at our events or otherwise) which does not support our aim of creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ club members.

**With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s that time of year when celebrations of romance seem to pop up everywhere you look.** From supermarket aisles, shop windows to your phone screen, the city suddenly turns into a sea of red, flowers, and cheesy cards. But our view has always been that romance hardly needs another spotlight… it’s already woven into everything from the music we listen to, the films we watch, and so much of popular culture. And yet at the same time, friendship and the people who stick around, quietly shape our lives, and are there for us through thick and thin - too often gets overlooked. Despite being a huge contributor to our health and happiness... friendship tends to be the first thing to slip down the priority list when life gets busy and work piles up. And so for the fifth year running, we’re marking the occasion by giving it the airtime it deserves... with a **special evening dedicated to friendships - old and new.** And if you’ve not been to one before, don’t worry - it’s not quite what you might be imagining. You won’t be paired off, forced into frantic small talk, or whistled at every two minutes like some sort of fast-paced social boot camp! Instead, the evening will consist of a range of **group-based speed-friending games**, creative challenges, and quirky activities designed to get you laughing, thinking, and working together in unexpected ways. Each round lasts around 15–20 minutes, and after every one, half the group rotates - giving you loads of chances to meet new people and figure out who you really click with. To keep things fun, teams will rack up points quiz-style as the night goes on, with prizes up for grabs for the highest-scoring team by the end of the evening! It should be a great night, and a fantastic chance to meet some friendly new faces and celebrate all things friendship - and so hopefully you can join us for this! **\- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \-** **WHERE/WHEN** Venue Address: Balls Brothers: Minster Court - Mincing Lane, London EC3R 7PP ([https://maps.app.goo.gl/LBSm2uAB4AwzcNUw6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/LBSm2uAB4AwzcNUw6)) Nearest Tube Stations: Fenchurch Street (5 min walk), Bank (10 min walk), Aldgate (15 min walk) Start Time - 7:30pm Finish time: 11:00pm **\- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \- \-** **JOIN THE COMMUNITY** Set up in November 2021, the project was set up to help 20s and 30s in London meet, connect and hopefully build lifelong friendships. To help make this happen, we also host all kinds of events from free social walks, games evenings, day trips, activity nights to picnics. To learn more about our community or to follow us on social media, please follow one of the links below. **Website - [https://friendship-project.co.uk](https://friendship-project.co.uk/)** **Instagram - [https://www.instagram.com/great.friendship](https://www.instagram.com/great.friendship)**

**Yas Queen! Chess Club** is thrilled to present an exciting opportunity to meet and play **WGM Jennifer Shahade**. Spots are limited and our last event with her sold out - **get your tickets now**! Jennifer is a three-time U.S. Women's Champion, author, speaker, poker player, and a champion of women in chess. Come join us on **Friday February 13, 19:00 - 22:00** to meet Jennifer, and have your copy of her latest book **Thinking Sideways** signed. We also have a limited number of tickets to play a **Chess960 Simul** with Jennifer, with a chance to win some of her other books as prizes! All ticket prices include a copy of Jennifer's book **Thinking Sideways** \ * Book signing tickets are **£22.99** for hardcover. * Simul tickets with book signing are **£29.99** for hardcover. **IMPORTANT - the Meetup ticket is for a hardback copy of the book + signing only.** **For Book Signing + Simul, get your ticket on Eventbrite:** https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-signing-and-simul-with-wgm-jennifer-shahade-book-included-tickets-1979768397571 Please message us if any issues. The event will be located in a private venue close to Tufnell Park. A small number of copies of Jennifer's other book Chess Queens will be available to purchase. *Yas Queen! Code of Conduct:* We are an LGBTQ+ club. All allies are welcome. We reserve the right to exclude anyone from our events in case of any behaviour (at our events or otherwise) which does not support our aim of creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ club members.

**\*FREE FOR MEMBERS, JOIN WHEN YOU ARRIVE!\*** Come and join us at the **Living Room Club Glengal Groove** on Fridays between 1 p.m. and 3 pm to upcycle second-hand clothes. We gather for creative transformation and upcycling of second-hand clothing items and materials to sell in our cafe. The income from this project supports our Homeless Project in Soho. For further information, please contact Neide on 07585560345

Visitors fee is £10 per session. Bank transfer to: Vib Wataranan 02140973 04-00-04 Feather shuttles included. Please pay online at least 24 hours before the session starts, to avoid being removed. Club sessions take part in the large sports hall on 6 courts at: The King's Club, Woodhayes Road, Wimbledon Common, SW19 4RJ If you RSVP and don't pay, and don't turn up without marking yourself as not going, you will immediately be BLOCKED from attending future sessions for having wasted a space. Games are arranged using a peg board. There is plenty of street parking. For more details check out our website: www.penguinbadminton.co.uk Or visit our Facebook Page Or WhatsApp Vib on 07711 643 116

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ ✳️You must have an event confirmation to attend this event ✳️ Welcome to the Highest Rated International Language Exchange group in London,🏆 with 1400+ reviews rated 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Join us on **Friday** for our weekend global language exchange and social 😊🍻🥂 TO ATTEND THIS EVENT YOU **MUST**👇👇 1. Have your Meetup confirmation visible on your phone when you arrive. 2. Collect & wear your badge as soon as you arrive and always BEFORE buying your drinks and food. 3. Pay the £2 event fee. The event starts at 7pm. **The event fee is £6 if you arrive after 8:30pm** Start meeting the community and having fun...lots of fun! https://www.languages.london/ 🇬🇧🇪🇸🇫🇷🇯🇵🇮🇹🇩🇪🇮🇳🇨🇳🇧🇷🇰🇷🇪🇬🇭🇰🇺🇸🇨🇴🇺🇦🇹🇷🇷🇺🇦🇺 WHEN & WHERE This Friday we'll be returning to The Craft Beer Co, St Mary Axe.** **Address: 29-31 Mitre Street, London, EC3A 5BU** https://maps.app.goo.gl/49HnHGap8hQMbQNWA **HOW WE DO IT** It's simple .... \~ When you arrive please collect your personalised language badge from us. We'll be waiting to give you a warm welcome 😃 \~ Please wear your badge during the event and always return it before you leave ♻️ \~ Start meeting the community and having fun...lots of fun! Please buy something from the bar to support the venue, who kindly offer us a dedicated space. 🇵🇱🇹🇼🇲🇽🇻🇳🇧🇬🇵🇸🇸🇪🇮🇱🇨🇦🇳🇱🇿🇦🇭🇺🇹🇭🇵🇪🇧🇴🇳🇬🇳🇿🇨🇭 **WHO** Languages in London events are organised for our community - being social, making new friends, building cultural bridges and always very relaxed. We have the largest number of languages and countries represented in our weekly language exchange and social events in London. This is **not** a dating event. Our events are open to Internationals, Locals, Expats, Students, Travellers..... Everyone! Are you an 18 to 24 year old? Come and explore our events. This is the event for a truly global community and for citizens from around the World. Is this the Intercambio you've been looking for? Want to practice your ingles, espanol , francais, italiano, Deutsch, portugues or other European languages? Asian languages ? Or maybe prefer to only speak English.... that's just fine. **All languages and all fluency levels are welcome** Spread the love...Bring your friends 💙 The creator and organiser of **Languages in London - Girish**, will always be visible at the event and there to support you and help with introductions, if you prefer. We want to remain the BEST language events group in London, being the biggest isn't our focus. These are real events with real people. We don't fill our events with inflated numbers and fictitious attendees 👻 **Community members that no-show at our events and inactive members are regularly removed from our group.** **LANGUAGES** Here's a selection of some of the languages that our community speak or have been practicing ... English, Spanish (incl Latin American), French, Italian, Portuguese (incl Brazilian), German, Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese), Russian, Korean, Hindi, Turkish, Arabic, Ukrainian, Polish, Hebrew, Swedish, Bulgarian, Vietnamese, Hungarian, Bengali, Dutch, Catalan, Farsi, Greek, Urdu, Welsh, Romanian, Norwegian, Czech, Slovak, Estonian, Danish, Finnish, Turkmen, Latvian, Lithuanian, Nepali, Yoruba, Filipino, Thai, Albanian, Croatian, Serbian, Ebo, Afrikaans, Tamazight, Tagalog, Creole, Malagasy, Mongolian, Tok Pisin and more... you get the idea! 🇷🇴🇬🇹🇨🇿🇳🇴🇩🇰🇫🇮🇨🇾🇺🇾🇪🇬🇧🇬🇦🇷🇰🇪🇱🇰🇲🇦🇹🇳🇩🇿🇸🇬🇲🇾 **SUSTAINABLE** 🌎🌳 Like you, we really care about our planet. We don't like single use paper name tags, stickers or wristbands as they can't be reused or recycled and can even damage your clothing ☹️ The Solution? ...Our personalised and completely reusable Languages in London badges! 🏆👍 So, please make sure you return your badge to us, before you leave the event. We'll sanitise it (anti bacterial & disinfectant cleaners) and use it again & again & again. Thanks for helping us do the right thing and keep our costs down🙏 **SAFE SPACE FOR EVERYONE** 👮‍♂️ We don't tolerate prejudice or harassment of any kind, at any time. Be polite and respectful to everyone else and they will reciprocate. Let's keep the space safe, welcoming for everyone and free of any political agendas. Please report any concerns to the Organiser immediately. Please look after your belongings, the venue is a public place. We may take photos or video at the event for future promotional use. Let us know if you'd rather not be included, we respect your choice 📸 **SPREAD THE WORD** 🗣️💬 If you enjoy our events, please tell your friends and colleagues and help us grow **your** community, thank you ♥️ Join our community - https://www.languages.london/ We're looking forward to welcoming you at Languages in London 😊😃👋 🇲🇰🇳🇵🇧🇩🇵🇭🇦🇪🇦🇱🇧🇪🇮🇪🇰🇿🇱🇦🇯🇴🇱🇹🇱🇻🇪🇪🇰🇭🇨🇱🇲🇳🇨🇺

🌌Ever look up and marvel with insatiable curiosity at both the beauty and wonder of the **universe?** That wild sobering thought that somewhere in the chaos of creation - the emergence of life - the universe became **conscious** enough to look back and ask the existential questions; How it all started, our evolution and place in it, and where else in the cosmos other complex life might exist (we know almost every star you see has planets orbiting with up to **20 billion habitable exoplanets** easily in our galaxy alone!)? 🪐🌟🌟🌟 🌍Then RSVP to view the potential life harbouring moons of **Jupiter**, comets, the famous **Orion Nebula** where stars like our sun were born, the majestic rings of **Saturn**, the international space station, well known star fields, remnants of **supernova** witnessed by our early ancestors, multi-star solar systems (think the double sun in Starwars), the Tau Ceti star with **2 Earth like planets** orbiting in the habitable zone, plus a range of other fascinating celestial wonderments (comets, galaxies) over drinks and engaging chats and banter this Jan fully hosted by a passionate amateur astronomer and former global Journalist covering big picture stories including cutting edge science related ones. 🚀In between observing - we'll have **drinks and engaging chats** on all astronomy related topics for those inclined - space exploration, Fermi Paradox, Astrobiology, Cosmology, paleontology, SETI/Drake Equation (I have my own augmented version giving more realistic estimates of likely alien civilisations!), exoplanetology etc as well as non space chatter and banter too. No doubt we'll hear the usual jokes we've all heard before! If those don't make you laugh, my impersonation of Los Angeles ET will! 👽 And to help set the mood and make the night feel even extra galactic, I’ll put my DJ hat to play some space‑themed tunes and songs about the stars! **======= Joining Astronomers Group & Telescopes =======** I'm able to take a limited number of people (please only RSVP if you can make it) to join my friendly informal relaxed London amateur astronomers' club that have been for over a decade with their regulars made up of up to about 150 people. As there will be people attending from this private Astronomers group as well as others from one of my other groups - the total attendees will be far higher than rsvps here and the public liability insurance only covers a max number of people - hence I need to impose strict limits on attendance. Over the years we have enjoyed numerous social evenings of stargazing and thought provoking chatter with people of all ages and varying levels of astronomy knowledge - so complete beginners that are genuinely curious about the universe are very welcome. If you are just looking to meet generic randoms then there are others groups that will better cater for that. The world renowed **BBC Television Sky at Night** also attended our events pre covid and interviewed some of us for it's show that aired on BBC1 in Feb 2019. BBC **Radio London** (94.9 FM / digital) were there Aug 2023 to cover our meteor shower event broadcasting live to millions of Londoners for 3 hours You don't need a telescope as you will be able to view through scopes belonging to me and other club members (as long as you behave responsibly and don't temper with expensive equipment). If you have your own telescope/binoculars feel free to bring along and I can help you setting it up if you're a newbie **==== Food & Drinks With Seating From Warm Indoor Cafe ====** Alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, cider only), hot drinks and food/snacks will be available to purchase from an indoor cafe at the observation point which Regent's park keep open exclusively for the astronomers group so please don't bring your own drinks **==== ITINERARY =====** We will meet outside Camden Station. After a short wait for anyone delayed, I will escort everyone to our observation point in the local park 15 minutes walk away and brief you in terms of what to expect, observing etiquette, tips, equipment handling and take any questions you have - weather general or astronomy/cosmology related. **After Drinks:** Unless I have a very important 9AM Thursday deadline for a client presentation or something that I'm still gonna be writing 2 mins before start - most of us usually head our way back to Camden for another drink. If so - I will annouce the pub when we leave the park **==== What Can You Expect To See (this time of year)? ====** * Orion Nebula * Jupiter and 4 moons * Meteors * Andromedia Galaxy * Saturn, rings & moon * Star clusters such as the Pleiades & Owl Cluster etc * International Space station fly by * Venus & Mercury * Binary & tripple star systems (think planet *Tatooine in* Starwars!), * Neptune * Uranuus * Mars * Our moon * A look towards the galactic centre where that supermassive £22b Labour black hole sits (Sagittarius A) More here from Jodrell Bank Observatory/Astrophysics Centre: [http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/](http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/) Guide to viewing the cosmos for beginners: [https://phys.org/news/2018-05-universe-distant-starstips-cosmology-backyard.html#jCp](https://phys.org/news/2018-05-universe-distant-starstips-cosmology-backyard.html#jCp) **===Weather Dependent=====** The event is subject to clear skies forecasts on the night so if on the actual afternoon of the event the weather forecasts looks unsuitable beyond doubt then I will postpone so please check the event status on the day of the event . If this event is still listed here at 5PM on the day, it will be going ahead at the designated day and time! Happy Stargazing Lucas Skywalker - The Singin, Dancin, DJ-in Astronomer

**​Founders Running Club (FRC)** brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer—pets, friends, family, are welcome. ​9:15 Bag drop at the Regent's Bar and Kitchen, Regent's Park: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MmZdAVM8yXT9euKc7 ​9:30 Warm Up starts at the Inner Circle & York Bridge, South Gate: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/qw45ehLmDQY7maMD6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/qw45ehLmDQY7maMD6) 🗓️ Launched in San Francisco, July 16, 2022 🌍 Now in 27 cities 📅 Running + Networking events + Community **Join the community [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats)** **Stay updated:** **Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/)** **Podcast [http://podcast.foundersrc.com/](http://podcast.foundersrc.com/)** **LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/](http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/)** **Strava [http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC](http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC)** **Website [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)**

Back to Naguib ❤️ We are reading Palace Walk, the first novel in Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy, offers a richly detailed portrait of family life in early twentieth-century Cairo. Centered on the authoritarian figure of al-Sayyid Ahmad and the inner lives of his wife and children, the novel examines power, repression, gender, faith, and the tension between tradition and modernity against the backdrop of Egypt’s political awakening. بين القصرين، الرواية الأولى في ثلاثية القاهرة لنجيب محفوظ، تقدم تصويرًا ثريًا ودقيقًا للحياة الأسرية في القاهرة في مطلع القرن العشرين. وتتمحور الرواية حول شخصية السيد أحمد عبد الجواد السلطوية، والعوالم الداخلية لزوجته وأبنائه، حيث تتناول قضايا السلطة والقمع والهوية والإيمان، والتوتر بين التقاليد والحداثة، على خلفية اليقظة السياسية في مصر. We will meet on the 14th of February from 2-4 pm to discuss it ( you still have the rest of ther day for Valentine celebrations 😁). Location TBD

**Welcome back to LCC's Trail Running Club!** For this instalment, we're taking on another one of the great parks of central London (for everyone's ease and convenience): the Regent's Park, situated just a few minutes' walk from Euston station or Great Portland Street and right on its own Bakerloo line station, also called Regent's Park. **We'll be looking at a roughly 30-40 minute run, covering around 3 kilometres (2 miles) on flat surfaces, suitable for beginners and experienced runners alike. The terrain will be about half paved, half compacted dirt trail.** The Regent's Park, much like our other regular route at Hyde Park, doesn't get much love from London locals. With the rest of central-central London it's more or less consigned to the hell of tourism, shopping and offices. It's not hard to see why: Regents' is home to the London zoo and even the US Ambassadors' residence. Tourism and commercialism are practically in its geographic DNA. But nothing can stop us LCC runners: we'll enjoy the space and reclaim it for the people, one step at a time. Our route will take us from our meeting-point at Great Portland Street station, over to the park (\~2-3 mins), up the Broad Walk trail for about 1km, westward past the Zoo to the "Monkey Gate", down past Winfield House (the US ambassador's residence), over Hanover Island (where toilets are available) and around the boating lake to finish back where we started. Take care and see you on the trails! Our standard bit of info about our running group and why it's good is provided below: \-\-\-\-\- Humans evolved to run and sprint; no wonder then that when we do it regularly (within moderation and with plenty of rest days), our brains as well as bodies thank us. Running has recently been shown to [improve neuroplasticity,](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6148340/) heal [brain damage](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6148340/) in affected individuals, and foster [better mental health](https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running) including elevated mood at rest and enhanced task-switching ability. Doing all this in nature, as opposed to busy London roads dodging commuters and street cleaners, also helps deliver the well-known [benefits](https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/the-mental-health-benefits-of-nature-spending-time-outdoors-to-refresh-your-mind/) of time spent in nature to mood, anxiety levels, cognition and memory. All these things matter a great deal in an age where burnout and exhaustion are a constant presence either in our own lives or those of the people we care about [who you should totally invite along]. It matters especially for people trying to eke out a percentage of their time and mental capacity for transformative social and political organising: the better we feel, the more we'll be able to do. In a nutshell, running is great for you and you should do it. Trail running is even better. Best of all is doing all this with a supportive group of comrades, especially one which includes knowledgeable folks who can provide some structure to what can be a puzzling sport to get started with if building up to something, like a 10k or half marathon, is your goal. Part of our running group's programming will be building a series of events aimed at building people up, slowly but surely, towards specific goals, using progressive programmes similar to the [NHS's Couch to 5k](https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/get-running-with-couch-to-5k/) system. \-\-\-\-\- Take care and see you on the trails!

Our pick for February is Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Te Ching, or -The Classic of the Way and Its Virtue, - is one of the true classics of the world of spiritual literature. Traditionally attributed to the legendary -Old Master, - Lao Tzu, the Tao Te Ching teaches that the qualities of the enlightened sage or ideal ruler are identical with those of the perfected individual. Today, Lao Tzu's words are as useful in mastering the arts of leadership in business and politics as they are in developing a sense of balance and harmony in everyday life. To follow the Tao or Way of all things and realize their true nature is to embody humility, spontaneity, and generosity.

Start your weekend by watching the sunrise from one of London's best viewpoints. Meet fellow early birds. Get a big dose of nature: wild sky, abundant green space, and occasional wildlife. And then warm up in a nearby cafe. Conversations fuelled by early morning light and coffee tend to be good ones. On Saturday 14th February, we will: * Meet from: 7:00AM at the top of Primrose Hill * **Sunrise at: 7:16AM** * Take in the view for a little while * Walk to a nearby cafe (Roots on Regent's Park Road) * Warm up with coffee (with 10% off) Become part of our community of regulars, or just drop by for a one off experience. We meet frequently - sometimes weekly, sometimes fortnightly - to create and sustain community. New people are always welcome :-) **[WHATSAPP GROUP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/C2KwIp79riz1A71dNF6pgF)** to keep up to date **[INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/thesunriseclubetc)** to see what these meetups look like **[SUBSTACK](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/)** for the newsletter and occasional extras **[WEBSITE](www.alltogether.one)** for all other groups We are easy to find because we will be at the top of the hill with a big flag that says 'THE SUNRISE CLUB'. These are free meetups, but if you’d like to make a donation in support of my mission - to get people together, to create connections, and have fun - you can donate here: '[buy me a coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bonnyastor)' ❤️ \*\*You can also join us on [TRIBE](https://tribeirl.com/the-sunrise-club)\*\*

Join us as we get together to get together to help those in need at this CMG Gives Back event! For this event, we’ll help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents, wash dishes and clean surfaces at Fath Mission – Grant Kitchen. 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. 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. 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 – 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 you’ll 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

**Our February novel is: Julia by Sandra Newman** **This month is a classic, dystopian, fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction, and science fiction novel. The book is 394 pages in print and 14 hours and 20 minutes on audiobook.** **An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.** Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. This unique perspective lays bare our own world in haunting and provocative ways, just as the original did almost seventy-five years ago.

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Welcome, readers! Our February read is **_1984 by George Orwell._** In 1984, George Orwell imagines a world where the government watches everyone, rewrites reality, and punishes even private thoughts. Winston Smith dares to question this system, believing that truth and love might still exist. His rebellion draws him into a chilling struggle against a power that knows him better than he knows himself. The novel leaves readers asking whether freedom is possible when reality itself can be controlled. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

**I’m planning future book club meetups and would love your input. Please choose your top three from the list below—your picks will help decide what we read next!** **Book Options** *The Hong Kong Widow* – Kristen Loesch *American Spy* – Lauren Wilkinson *God of the Woods* – Liz Moore *Listen for the Lie* – Amy Tintera *The Swallows* – Lisa Lutz *The Drowning Kind* – Jennifer McMahon *The Eights* – Joanna Miller *The Quiet Librarian* – Allen Eskens Thanks so much for sharing your pick! Please **reply in the comments** with your top three. I can’t wait to see which books rise to the top and to discuss them together at our next meetups.

[Social Softball 2026 - Calendar - Columbus Ski Club](https://www.columbusskiclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=4002&club_id=686961&item_id=2871538&actr=3) CSC Softball is a competitive but friendly co-ed league. This is CSC’s largest activity with over 200 participants. Each team typically consists of 6 men and 6 women players. Some teams also have a Non-Playing Assistant (NPA) who helps keep score and organize cookouts. **2026 Regular Season:** Thursdays April 30th - July 30th 6:15pm/7:15pm \*No games the week of July 4th\* **End of Season Tournament:** August 8th-August 9th (All Day) \*5 Game Min., 7 Game Max\* **Location:** Anheuser Busch Fields 4990 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43214 **Ratings Clinic:** March 14th or March 21st 10:30am - 11:30am @ Busch Fields \*All New Players must attend 1 of the clinics\* **Team Accouncements:** April 3rd 6:00pm @ Coaches Bar & Grill **Team Practice Dates:** April 16th & April 23rd **Fees:** Coach/Player - $72 Sponsor - $310 Non Playing Assistant/Party Coordinator/Base Coach - $25