We have had an amazing experience with Hydra Aquatics swim lessons. The time slots have been…read moreperfect for our schedule and the instructors are fantastic. My daughter started when she was 3 and is almost 5. She has shown tremendous growth and enjoys going to each lesson as they have accommodated to her abilities. We highly recommend Hydra!

Superb staff and such a wonderful opportunity to ho here each week and see what horses can do as…read moretherapy for the soul! Highly recommend

Dreams On Horseback is a nonprofit organization that offers interaction and riding experiences with…read moretheir horses and students and adults of all ages with multiple handicaps. Their horses mostly come from retirement or were rescued from poor situations. The staff spends lots of time training and working with the horses how to interact with people of varying disabilities. Our spec. ed class will be visiting for the day once a month throughout the this school year, and they seem to be loving it. Besides getting to ride around the stable, thus far, they've bathed, fed and learned to approach and walk beside a horse. The grounds are nice - not huge, but a good use of space. There's bathrooms and a space with tables and a fridge for eating our packed lunches. The staff is really, really well aware of the horses and the different spec. ed groups that come. They have done a fantastic job explaining and interacting with the students! I think it's awesome how DOH is reaching out to special needs people of all ages, and giving them a chance to learn new skills that they can use in their daily life.

Not sure how it's hard to find... Big sign along side the road and it kind of stands out since its…read morenot a subdivision. In any case, I would highly recommend Autumn Rose for anyone looking for riding lessons. The staff is not only very friendly, they are also very experieanced. The owners are coaches for the OSU team, and most of the staff are either current or former high level riders. I can't imagine that you kind find a more talented group of people to teach you. They have a extensive selection of horses to fit any skill set, so if you've been riding for years, or just starting, they will find a horse that suits you. Prices are very reasonable, and lesson availability has never been an issue. If you're on the fence about it, stop by sometime and check the place out, they welcome visitors and I bet you won't be disappointed. I would recommend Autumn Rose to everyone.

I had my first two private horseback riding lessons set to start at Autumn Rose Farm. The first was…read moreto happen the day before my birthday. I was very excited that my husband was giving me a series of lessons as my birthday gift. I map quested the directions directly from their website and was already to go! Much to my disappointment, I could not find the farm what-so-ever. I typically do not have a problem locating places as long as I have the route written out. I drove in circles for over a hour. I tried to reach someone at the stables to inform them of my situation, and have them assist me in the proper direction. Unfortunately no one answered the phone. I left a voice message asking someone to please contact me so that I could get the correct information and reschedule. Then, I called my husband to see if he could look up any helpful information off their website, but he too pulled up the same directions. Deflated, my only choice was to come home minus a horseback riding lesson. No one from Autumn Rose Farm ever bothered to contact me. Being a small business owner myself, I don't have the patience to deal with poor business practice, nor do I understand how places that conduct business in this fashion keep their doors open. The only conclusion I could come to was that this was not the place for me. I did end up finding another stable that is wonderful, a bit closer to home, and has a better price!

Another amazing event weekend just wrapped up and I'm so grateful for the chance to participate in…read moresuch a great event! I have biked for the past 6 years to help raise money for Pelotonia's mission of ending cancer. This nonprofit does a great job of creating fundraising events to help riders reach their goals, and the whole weekend of the actual ride is always very inspiring. There are lots of local companies that partner to help out this event on and I hope to continue to be a part of it.

Clarification: I have not been a rider in Pelotonia…read more Pelotonia 2013 was my first experience. Everything I've seen and done in just 2 days was first class and well-planned. Friends of mine are riders who support this grassroots effort to find a cure for cancer by riding in pelotons in 25 mile, 40 mile, 50 mile, 80 mile, 100 mile and, finally, 180 mile stages. I may have that wrong but there are plenty of choices to make when it comes to ride length. Columbus Commons is a perfect place to host Pelotonia. Huge lawn and amenities (ie. sidewalks, water, parking, places for tents and food service, etc). And with its stage there can be music, announcements, speakers and presentations. It's also the best place to tell riders, "I'll meet you near the stage" so no one gets lost. I attended Opening Ceremonies and was immersed in all that can and is Pelotonia. First and foremost, it's all about riders and their interest in beating down cancer. Riders have lost family members, relatives, friends and the likes....... we all have. Pelotonia is the actual material presence of the effort to satisfy the deep desire to eradicate cancer from our lives. The emotion running through the riders and their guests is heavy and palpable. Food and drink is everywhere. Songs and live music is strong. People arm in arm is so cool. Love in mixed with biking. But then.... there is the start. At 6AM riders roll in to Columbus Commons under an electric atmosphere. Wristbands announce the staging. A, B, C, D...... they all head to Rich Street when called upon and THEY'RE OFF! I am seriously considering my first Pelotonia in 2014. My parents were taken from my siblings and I by cancer and its evil enemies in disease. I really, really am looking hard at this. PELOTONIA - it is the real deal.

Kid K had a Girl Scout day camp here, and they have loads of classes and camps. Camp Ken-Jockety…read morehas been around awhile so I'm surprised it's not already on Yelp. As you enter there are two large new multi-purpose buildings, and farther back there's a wetlands area, a pond, shelters, cabins, a pool, and more. Trails run along Big Darby Creek. We used the kitchen classroom, and took a hike. The girls loved it. The staff were super friendly and helpful. Definitely would come back, and they have lots of activities throughout the year.

The pool restrooms and showers are overdue for some serious maintenance. If nothing more, maybe…read morebleach down the floor every now and then? Send your kid with shower shoes and insist they wear them anytime they're in there to avoid athletes foot or other germs. I don't think the camp does anything to shoo the geese along - there are geese droppings EVERYWHERE. Hand sanitizer your friend, all the time.

There are 2 distinct views I hold of United Way. They are the before I volunteered with them - and…read moreafter. aka the ignorant one and the knowledgeable one. Before - I thought they were useless and likely highly overstaffed and paid. But then, I heard a recipient of one of their programs and services speak to how her life had been changed. She spoke of her prior life consumed with addition, homelessness and unemployability. Through the services of the United Way - and specifically a program called E3 - she had turned her life around. She had earned a degree, got clean, and would find out later that day - she was hired by our company. I saw so moved that I joined that United Way affinity group that runs the E3 program that very day. Around the same time, I heard that VITA was looking for volunteers - Volunteer Income Tax Assistance - a program I had volunteered with while in Law School. I agreed to give it a try and catch up with the tax changes that had evolved in the 20+ years since I last did VITA. Soonafter getting trained, I learned VITA was another United Way program. Through my ongoing membership and leadership roles, as well as my volunteerism, I've come to learn about the mission of United Way to eliminate poverty. This sparked an interest in me to learn more - so I've intentionally listened to, read, and attended all kinds of programs providing information on poverty - causes, effects, proliferation within our systems, efforts to reduce and eliminate, etc. And in the center of it all is the United Way and its funded partners. At one time, United Way was just a way to donate to charitable causes through workplace payroll withholding. Now it's the connector of so many organizations which serve our community and strive to reduce and eliminate poverty. If you want to do more than just give - they have all kinds of volunteer opportunities. I highly recommend you check them out and learn all about their programs and successes!

I've been doing a lot of volunteer work with United Way of Central Ohio for the past 2 years, so I…read morefind myself there about twice a month. Since my first visit to the facility, what I find really helpful is the easy on and off expressway access and the off the street parking. Those two aspects make it so easy to get to the building and be on my way. When you get in the building, you'll immediately notice that it's very colorful and there are plenty of diverse faces that decorate the halls and walls. I appreciate that as well because it demonstrates to me how important diversity is to the organization. Since it's a secure building in downtown Columbus, there's no ability to wonder in and roam around, but the staff are always very helpful and ensure you find the right person to assist you in what you're searching for. Since I'm there fairly often, I would love it if the added an unsecure or public wireless network so that I can use my laptop online during meeting -- which would be really helpful in some instances. Other than that, I encourage you to check out United Way of Central Ohio and see some of the awesome ways you can get involved in your community.

SCUBA has been on my Bucket List, and with a pending trip to Australia, I looked into getting…read morecertified ahead of the trip. I took a sample dive with Dennis just to see how it would work out (I have a collapsed lung, though my oncologist says it would be okay to dive). The dive was great - fun and informative. Dennis took the time to explain the basics to me without being overly technical. We had great fun for the hour or so in the pool. Unfortunately, Australia requires a local doctor give you a medical certification, whether or not you are certified, and passing that is not a sure thing for me, so I am going to put off lessons for a while.

I decided that I finally wanted to scuba dive, and I researched all the available options in…read moreColumbus. I chose Captain Rick's, and I'm very glad that I did. Rick's is like taking lessons from folks who are in your family. The entire staff is very knowledgeable, friendly, and accommodating. The program is very affordable, more so than the other options in Columbus. There is no requirement to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment before you learn. They provide you with the equipment. This is important, because you won't know what you like, or the best options, until after you learn and experience what it's like to be in the water. One of the best things about Captain Rick's is that you can do your check out dive in the warm ocean off the coast of Florida, not in a cold uninteresting quarry in Ohio, though that is an option if you cannot afford the cost of travel and boat fees. I feel my life was enriched after taking the Open Water course at Captain Rick's. Not just because I learned to scuba, but because I gained the pleasure of now having new friends in the instructors and fellow students. Our trip to Florida felt just like taking a trip with long time close friends! Rick's is very flexible with your time in the class and can accommodate most schedules. It is affordable, and I can't stress enough the most appealing aspect to the whole experience: I feel I have become a part of the family!

I have coming to the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion since it opened in 2006. I have done everything…read morethere such as swimming in the State Swim Meet for Special Olympics Ohio and upcoming Indoor Winter Games at Ohio State, Sync Cancer Swim for Pelotonia each year, and doing the 50-meter pool swim; volunteer for Ohio State swim meets along with Men's and Women's B1G Big Ten Championships, NCAA Division I Championships (Women's in 2008 & 2018 and Men's in 2010), and more there. It is a fast pool that is home to The Ohio State Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Teams, and The Ohio State Artistic Swim team. McCorkle is frequently used for swim and diving meets. My goal is to jump off the 10-meter platform one. I love swimming at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion so much when getting an opportunity to swim at a meet or gathering.

The McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion is exactly what it sounds like: the aquatic facility of the Ohio…read moreState University. So what's so great about some pools, anyways? Well, okay, not much. The pools are pools, mostly, except... there's this one pool. I call it the "Fun Pool" but I doubt that's an official title. But it is a pool. And it is fun. It is filled with built-in pool toys, like a whirlpool tub (spin!) and a series of chain-pull showerheads (splash!). It's a fun way to cool down from a hard workout over at the RPAC, or just a fun way to swim if you don't want to do laps in the "real" pools. McCorkle also houses saunas- a great combination is to hit the sauna, then hit the pool, then hit the sauna, repeat. I don't know if you're supposed to do this- it's probably unsanitary in some fashion and it's probably unhealthy to so drastically alter your core temperature or whatever blah blah. I love it. So yeah, you could say McCorkle is just a pool facility- and you might as well, if it keeps you from crowding up my fun pool! But really, if you are a student at OSU and you aren't using this place (and the adjacent RPAC) then you are really missing out on some of the better things our fees have paid for in recent years.