More wet weather meant fewer students walking around.  I went back to the student union for much of the day. I talked with Stephanie who organizes trips for students to local food pantries. She asked for and got many message stickers to pass along. I received an email from the President of Northern Kentucky University, named appropriately James Votruba.  Nice coincidence, we must be related somewhere back in the archives.  He invited me to come and meet with him as soon as I get in the area.

I received a few emails including a copy of a great article that was in the Wooster, Ohio newspaper.  The writer of the article, Angela Bases, called and said that she and our friend, Kate, will be talking to a group of students about the Kindness project.  It was really great to see that my visits are leaving the project alive and working.

It rained all day so I went to the student union to talk to the kids there.  That night I attended a speech on campus on the religion of Islam.

I received an email from Mary Alice Casalina, who is involved in “Project Love,” a social effort in the Cleveland area for high school and junior high school students.  My buddy Bill Ryan sent my name to her.  She invited me to speak on November 17^th at the Wolstein Center of Cleveland State University.  There will be about 2,000 kids attending the event from schools all over the region.  “Kickoff to Kindness” it’s called and it took me about a nanosecond to decide to accept her offer.  That will be great. 

I then left Columbus for Urbana, Ohio and Urbana University.  On the way I stopped at a coffee shop in Plain City where I talked to a grandmother and her grandson about the Kindness project and where it could lead.  The bus remains a real attention getter as we had a short, but really great conversation. 

I was on the campus for a few hours, passing out stickers and visiting a traveling Ben Franklin exhibit that just happened to be there.  Then it was on to Springfield, Ohio and Wittenberg University.

I set things up by the medical center on Neil Street.  Small groups walked by, a very steady stream, still I probably talked to 150-200 people.  The rain was light, but one of those constant weather days that you knew would hang around indefinitely.  Later, the coffee shop was a nice relief.

A day to do laundry, answer emails and review the upcoming week’s plans. I was feeding Bogart when I noticed a lady and her teen age son reading some of the captions on the bus. She told me that her family is from Jamaica and that kindness is needed throughout the world. On to a burger place to watch the Browns almost win.   Then on to The Ohio State campus late in the day.

I went to the Otterbein football game, which they won, 49-20.  That was really great since it put everyone in a good mood.  Bogart and I did a great job of working the crowd; I must have talked to 200 people there.   After the game, I went to the edge of the field to visit with more people.  Then Bogart started to run.  And run. And run.  Then on about the 40 yard line, He assumed the unmistakable No. 2 position.  Before he could do his deed, I whisked him off to an area across the track past the fence.  He wasted no time in fulfilling his need.  He has no shame.

Westerville has a great downtown  street of local shops and a lot of foot traffic. Bogart and I walked and I talked to many people who were very interested. Driving the Kindness Bus around makes it hard to not be noticed. It seems that before I can get the bus door open, someone walks up and asks me questions… I love that there is so much interest.

Later I went to a local pub in Westerville to rest and watch the Ohio State Football game.