Feb. 12 - Long-time HCCO member Doug Berger shared his thoughts on compassion as a humanist value and then led a general discussion in which other members shared their thoughts. (We also celebrated Darwin Day with a dinosaur-studded cake. Mmmmm!)

March 12 - Secular Student Alliance rep Lisa Swinehart brought us up to date on the many things SSA and its 40+ campus affiliates are doing to organize students in Ohio and across the US.

April 9 - Open mic meeting. Members shared their earliest memories as well as matters and readings of interest to them.

May 14 - American Atheist’s Frank Zindler detailed some of the things about the Catholic Church that the media failed to mention in the wake of the recent death of Pope John Paul II.

June 11 - HCCO President Amy Birtcher led us in a general discussion of issues of interest to those present.

July 9 - OSU’s Emeritus Professor of Philosophy Andrew Oldenquist discussed the nature of morality.

Aug. 13 - Fred Parker, former president of the local chapter of the NAACP, told us about the history, activities, and current concerns of the NAACP.

Sept. 10 - Members watched the Columbus premiere of Brian Flemming’s new movie, The God Who Wasn’t There.

Oct. 8 - Candidates’ Forum. Members enjoyed a lively discussion with Eddie Pauline, a candidate for Columbus City Council, and Barbara Bryson, a candidate for the Columbus Board of Education.

Nov. 12 - HCCO member and OSU graduate student Amanda Metskas gave a lecture on the influence of religion on the foreign policy attitudes of Americans. Member Chuck Pitstick also reviewed the many good things being done by the Clintonville-Beechwold Resources Center and HCCO’s role in supporting it. Lisa Swinehart gave us a brief update on SSA’s international activities.

Dec. 10 - Mark Weber, a Humanist Celebrant from the Jewish Secular Community of Cleveland and the Dean of Kent State’s library, shared his thoughts about the history of humanism and what we can do to better promote it.