I first came across this fantastic organization by reading Spirit Magazine on Southwest Airlines in…read moreNovember. The cover story was about Alex Sheen, founder of because I said I would, and I read it with earnest. I was so moved by it that I talked about it at the conference I was attending. When I returned home I e-mailed the article from Spirit Magazine's web site along with the Ted Talk on the organization web site to my family. The organization is based on its founder's realization that his father who had recently passed away had always kept his promises. He was so struck by this that he quit his job and started this non-profit organization. The organization mails out 10 promise cards to people that are the size of a business card and say "Because I said I would" on the bottom. The idea is to write a promise and hand it to the person the promise for, and upon completion of the promise, the person would get the promise card back. I ordered a few shirts from the organization that read "because I said I would" on them and each time I received 10 promise cards for free. There are some cool things for purchase. It is really a small operation with volunteers so any donations or purchases will really help them. Alex is also very philanthropic - he has donated money to send 100 children (in Nevada!) to Disneyland, and has raised money and awareness for other causes (including walking across the state of Ohio to raise awareness of Sexual Violence). I have rarely been so moved by what someone is doing but I stand behind this organization and recommend that you check out the web site and facebook page, and start using those promise cards!

"United Way of Licking County is uniting the community to improve people's lives. They have a…read moresuper, hard working staff that is truly committed to making a difference. The Board is comprised of leaders from all areas of the county, and it is a privilege to serve with them."

Upper Arlington's department of Lifelong Learning (a division of the city's Parks and Recreation…read moredepartment) is a great way to explore a whole gamut of adult, self-enrichment. I currently teach armchair travel and history seminars for Lifelong Learning, but have also taken a bunch of different classes through this program, including yoga, pottery, craft and cooking classes. The instructors are reputable professors, tradespeople and professionals within their industry. Prices vary depending on how many sessions are taught for the one class. A class like pottery will meet 7 or 8 times and the cost is around $100, whereas my one-class travel or history seminars only cost about $18-$20 for a 2-hour presentation. Cost is also based on whether or not you are a resident of Upper Arlington. The difference isn't very much for non-residents, but there is a slight price break for those who live in the neighborhood. If you want to explore your artistic side, drawing, photography, oil painting, watercolors, and craft classes are among the offerings. If you prefer something more physical, choose from a variety of fitness, meditation and dance courses. Each quarter also brings random "one-off" seminars focused on topics like speed reading, local history or political issues. Classes are offered year-round and catalogues come out every quarter. The classes are open to the public and you can register on line, via telephone or the sign-up form in the catalogue, which you can request be mailed to you.