There is a group of people in Central Ohio who recently have made other people's day in a fairly low-keyed way. Starting the middle of December they have: bought bicycles for people who need bicycles to go to work, given funds to a training program for young women in Guinea; funds to an AIDS organization in Ohio; bought chairs for an orphanage in India; gave money to Grandma's Attic, a charity organization that serves Appalachia, bought art supplies and more for an orphanage in Ghana, gave money to an orphanage in Bolivia, adopted an animal at the Columbus Zoo plus gave to a few more projects that I can't quite remember. These people have provided funds because they are Ohioans (or Ohio transplants) who have first-hand experience with seeing how a bit of money can make a huge difference.

The Central Ohioan Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Association (CORVA) members have seen all parts of the world among them. We're not talking the Club Med parts of the world, but the parts where the day to day things we take for granted like clean drinking water that comes from a pipe that goes all the way into our houses is unheard of. (Not every volunteer lives in a small village, but they've been there.) Because they lived in countries on grass-roots levels, these Ohioans know a thing or two about giving help when it's needed.

And where did the money they gave away come from? A lot of it came from watermelon. If you were one of the people who bought watermelon from the CORVA booth during ComFest, Thanks! If you missed the booth, look for it this coming June. Your watermelon purchase may help a person get a most needed bicycle. Check out Pedals for Progress.

Oh, and by the way. If you are interested in the Peace Corps, there is a Peace Corps recruiter at Ohio State University. The office serves the region, not just Ohio State students. The last week of March there is a recruiting event on the OSU campus.