>>> THE OHIO AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE, RIGHT HERE IN COLUMBUS, OPENED ITS DOORS IN 1873.

BUT NOW, WE KNOW IT BY A DIFFERENT NAME.

IN 1878, THE OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED A LAW, CHANGING THE NAME OF THE COLLEGE TO OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.

OVER THE PAST 150 YEARS, OSU HAS GROWN CONSIDERABLY FROM ITS ORIGINAL CLASS OF JUST 24 STUDENTS, TO OVER 60,000 AND COUNTING.

AND TODAY, THERE ARE OVER 1,000 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS FOR STUDENTS TO GET INVOLVED IN.

NOW THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER OF CHOICES.

AND FOR A NEWLY ARRIVED INTERNATIONAL STUDENT, IT MAY SEEM DOWNRIGHT DAUNTING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH GROUPS TO JOIN AT THE SAME TIME THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ACCUSTOM TOED LANGUAGE AND CULTURE HERE.

WITH THAT IN MIND THERE ARE GROUPS THAT FOCUS ON INTEGRATING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS.

UP NEXT, WE CHECK IN WITH ONE OF THEM WHOSE SOLE MISSION IS TO CONNECT WITH THESE STUDENTS, EVEN BEFORE THEY GET OFF THE PLANE AND MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME.

♪♪ >> I'M FROM NIGERIA.

I GREW UP IN LAGOS.

I CHOSE TO COME TO THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY BECAUSE OF MY INTERESTS.

♪♪ >> INTERESTINGLY, I WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY BECAUSE I WAS ARRIVING SOME WEEKS EARLIER THEN WHEN I START.

I MET WITH MY PROFESSOR, AND HE MENTIONED INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS.

I FEEL LIKE THE WHOLE FAMILY THING AND THEN I GOT AN E-MAIL FROM JUDI SAYING I'M GOING TO BE YOUR HOST WHEN YOU COME TO THE U.S. >> I PICKED HER UP FROM THE AIRPORT AND BROUGHT HER HOME AND FED HER A NICE MEAL AND JUST WANTED HER TO MAKE HER FEEL AT HOME HERE.

>> I THINK THE NEXT DAY, WE JUST KIND OF LIKE DROVE AROUND.

SHE TOOK ME TO LUNCH AND SHE'S LIKE, OKAY, YOU NEED TO START GETTING USED TO AMERICAN FOOD SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU LIKE AND DON'T LIKE.

WE ALSO WENT TO VISIT THE COLUMBUS ZOO, AND I GOT TO LIKE SEE SO MANY ANIMALS I HADN'T SEEN IN REAL LIFE.

AND THE NEXT DAY, SHE ASKED ME LIKE, WHAT'S MY SCHEDULE AND WHAT DO I NEED TO GET DONE IN SCHOOL.

I REMEMBER THEY PRINTED OUT THE MAP OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY.

YOU NEED TO GET HERE, THIS IS HOW TO GO ABOUT HERE.

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE AS MUCH SUPPORT AS WE CAN TO RUTH BECAUSE COMING THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY INTO A NEW COUNTRY YOU'VE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH HAS GOT TO BE REALLY MIND BOGGLING AND WE WANT TO MAKE HER FEEL AS WELCOME AS POSSIBLE AND HELP HER AS BEST WE CAN TO MAKE HER FEEL COMFORTABLE TO SUPPORT HER, AND JUST TO BE THERE WHEN SHE NEEDS A FRIEND.

>> THEY HELPED ME GET SETTLED, KNOW SOME COMMON PLACES, SOME COMMON RULES, THE DOS AND THE DON'TS, THAT MIGHT BE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM WHERE I WAS COMING.

>> FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR APARTMENT?

YOUR MATTRESS IS WORKING NOW?

>> UH-HUH.

>> YOU LIKE THAT?

>> WE WANTED HER TO BE PREPARED ONCE SHE MOVED INTO HER APARTMENT AN SHE WAS ON HER OWN, SHE WAS AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT TO EXPECT.

>> SO ONE THING I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT COMING TO THE U.S. WAS AS A Ph.D. STUDENT, SOME STORIES I'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS, THIS COULD BE -- FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.

I WANTED TO BE MORE OUTGOING, CONNECT WITH MORE PEOPLE, BUT THE QUESTION WAS HOW?

♪♪ AND SO TRUE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS, THEY REALLY GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY -- MY TO-DO LIST.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE WELCOME PARTY WHICH HAPPENS ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, IS REALLY LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OTHER FRIENDS FROM LIKE SO MANY COUNTRIES AND JUST SO MUCH FUN.

>> WE START OFF WITH A WELCOME PICNIC AND A WELCOME PARTY TO KIND OF GET THE STUDENTS TOGETHER AND TO BE MINGLING WITH VOLUNTEERS THAT SERVE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS AND STAFF AND ONE ANOTHER.

THEY GET TO MEET OTHER STUDENTS FROM VARIOUS CULTURES.

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE AMERICAN LIKE THE THANKSGIVING, A CHRISTMAS HOSTING PROGRAM.

>> I GOT A CHANCE TO GO TO INDIANA AND EXPLORE A NEW PART OF THE U.S. GETTING TO LIKE KNOW MORE ABOUT THE TOWN, THE AMISH COMMUNITY, IT IS SO MUCH FUN.

♪♪ >> THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY IS A HUGE CAMPUS, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE FROM VARIOUS CULTURES.

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS ALLOWS THEM TO CONNECT WITH AMERICAN FAMILIES, TO HELP THEM PERFECT THEIR ENGLISH LANGUAGE, TO HELP ACCLIMATE THEM TO THE CITY OF COLUMBUS, TO GIVE THEM SOME EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE OF THE LARGER CITY OF COLUMBUS, AND JUST BE FAMILY TO THEM.

THAT IS JUST A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN COLUMBUS WITH THESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS.

THEY'RE COMING TO US, AND WE JUST WELCOME THEM AND HELP THEM TO FEEL AT HOME.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND IT REALLY DIFFICULT SETTLING IN A NEW COUNTRY, IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT, DIFFERENT FROM THEIRS, BUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING AN ORGANIZATION LIKE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS THAT KIND OF SUPPORTS THEM UNTIL THEY ARE STABLE, NOT JUST HELP YOU SETTLING AND THAT'S IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO ALSO FOLLOW UP ON HOW YOU'RE DOING IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

SOMEONE OUT THERE CARES.

>> INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS STARTED HERE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, BACK IN 1979, WHO JUST HAD A VISION OF WELCOMING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO THE UNITED STATES.

>> JUST TRACING HOW FAR BACK INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS HAS BEEN HERE IN COLUMBUS AND THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THAT THEY SERVED, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKES IT MORE SPECIAL AND ALSO THE HEART THAT THEY HAVE TO SERVE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

♪♪ AS A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY ONE OF THE CORE VALUES IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE ARE LOVE BEINGS.

WE SHOW LOVE TO PEOPLE IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'RE FROM OR WHATEVER THEIR BELIEFS ARE IN AND SO THIS IS LIKE THE DRIVING FORCE.

THIS IS WHY EVEN IN IFI WE CELEBRATE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR WITH THE CHINESE STUDENTS, WE GET TO CELEBRATE THE INDIAN FESTIVAL WITH THE INDIAN STUDENTS, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TELLING THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WE CELEBRATE YOUR CULTURE AND RESPECT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.

INTERESTINGLY, MOST OF THE PEOPLE I REALLY HANG OUT MOST NOW ARE ACTUALLY PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, AND SO THAT'S A UNIQUE GIFT THAT I'VE COME TO CHERISH.

>> THE LAST SEVERAL TIMES THAT RUTH HAS COME, SHE HAS BROUGHT FRIENDS WITH HER.

I THINK THIS PAST INDEPENDENCE DAY WE HAD SEVEN OF THEM, SO IN SOME WAYS, WE ARE ALREADY WELCOMING OTHER STUDENTS INTO OUR HOME AND EVERY PERSON IS UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT AND THEY ALL BRING DIFFERENT BLESSINGS TO US.

I STARTED THIS IN THE BEGINNING TO HELP A STUDENT BECOME MORE ACCUSTOMED TO BE MORE WELCOMING HERE, BUT I THINK I'VE GOTTEN AS MUCH OUT OF THIS AS RUTH HAS.

>> I CALL THEM MY MOM AND DAD NOW.

I CAN SAY IT'S GONE BEYOND THEM BEING MY HOST FAMILY.

I CAN SAY THAT THEY ARE MY FAMILY HERE NOW IN COLUMBUS IN THE U.S. >> OUR INITIAL INTENTION WAS TO WELCOME A STUDENT FOR FOUR DAYS, AND WE UNDERESTIMATED HOW THAT STUDENT WOULD BECOME PART OF OUR HEARTS.

AND THAT FOUR DAYS, HOPEFULLY, WILL END UP BEING SIX YEARS OR LONGER.

♪♪ >>> EVERY YEAR, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VISIT THE SMALL TOWN OF CLIFTON, OHIO, FOR ONE REASON AND ONE REASON ONLY.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

AND NOT JUST A FEW.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN 4 MILLION DAZZLING LIGHTS.

NEXT WE VISIT THE HISTORIC CLIFTON NOIL GET AN INSIDE LOOK INTO THE WORK THAT GOES INTO MAKING THIS BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY DISPLAY.

♪♪ >> MY FAMILY, WE BOUGHT THE MILL IN 1987.

MY FATHER AND I IN OUR OTHER LIFE WERE A BIG PART OF THE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S FRAGRANCE BUSINESS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

WE GAVE UP THE SUITS AND TIES, AND BOUGHT THIS AND SAID LET'S MAKE A GO OF THIS.

MY FATHER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG HOLIDAY KIND OF GUY AND WE BOUGHT ALMOST, I DON'T KNOW, 10,000 LIGHTS THINKING WE WOULD NEVER NEED ANOTHER LIGHT AGAIN AND DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ELECTRICITY HARDLY AND JUST THREW UP LIGHTS AS BEST WE COULD.

PEOPLE STARTED PULLING IN SAYING, WOW, THIS IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD SHARE THIS.

THAT WAS LIKE AN AH-HA MOMENT FOR MY FATHER.

HERE WE ARE 4.8 MILLION LIGHTS LATER AND COUNTING.

♪♪ THIS YEAR WE STARTED THE END OF AUGUST.

WE WILL BE DONE PROBABLY THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING.

END OF THIS SIDE OF THE GORGE, WORK OUR WAY TO THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE NOW.

WE'LL GO ACROSS THE BRIDGE EVENTUALLY AND THEN CLEAR THAT SIDE AND PUT THEM ALL UP ON THE GORGE OVER THERE AND THE MILL AND THEN DO THE ANIMATED MINIATURE VILLAGE AND THEN BASICALLY DONE.

WE START DOWN THERE WITH A LINE AND JUST START LINING IT.

THERE'S THREE LAYERS, THE GORGE LAYER, THE MIDDLE LAYER AND THIS UPPER LAYER.

BUT IF YOU COME OVER AND LOOK CLOSELY AT ANY OF THIS, THESE ARE LITERALLY INDIVIDUAL STRANDS, STRING THEM, STRETCH THEM, PUT THEM DOWN, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

THE ONLY NETTING WOULD BE WHAT WE CALL THE WATERFALL OF LIGHTS.

THIS IS A RIVER COMING DOWN OUT OF THE HILL, DOWN AND AROUND AND SPLASHES OVER THE END MIMICKING THE FALLS.

TO ME IT'S THE CENTERPIECE OF IT.

THERE'S SO MANY LIGHTS.

IT'S LIKE -- ♪♪ ORIGINAL MILL IS 1802, THE YEAR BEFORE OHIO WAS EVEN A STATE.

THE ORIGINAL OWNER WAS OWEN DAVIS.

HE GOES WAY BACK TO GENERAL WHITEMAN AND PEOPLE FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR THAT FOUNDED THIS AREA, BASICALLY THE OHIO TERRITORY, AND STARTED UP A MILL.

WE'RE LIKE NUMBER SEVEN FAMILY.

I BELIEVE OTHER NOTABLE OWNERS WERE LIKE THE PATTERSONS WHO WENT ON IN DAYTON HISTORY AS PATTERSON PARK, WRIGHT PAT, NCR.

THESE BUILDINGS ARE ALL WHAT YOU SEE IS ORIGINAL.

IT'S OLD.

BASICALLY LIKE A TIME CAPSULE.

THE MID 1800s, THERE WAS A SAWMILL AND THEN PATTERSON HAD A WOOL MILL AND PAPER MILL AND STRAW MILL AND BARREL MAKING MILL, CIDER MILL, GUN POWDER MILLS.

THERE WERE NO FACTORIES SO THAT WAS EARLY INDUSTRY.

THIS WAS PART OF THE ACCOMMODATION LINE THAT WENT FROM COLUMBUS TO CINCI.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BRANCHES.

THE SAWMILL SHARED THE SAME MILL THAT POWERS US.

IT WAS OVER ACROSS THE ROAD.

IT'S LONG GONE.

THIS MILL HAS ALWAYS BEEN WHAT'S CALLED A GRIST MILL, WHICH IS JUST AN OLD WORD THAT MEANS TO GRIND.

FLOUR, WHEAT, CORN, BUCKWHEAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE PRIMARY PRODUCT HERE.

PEOPLE WHO MARCHED OFF TO THE CIVIL WAR CAME HERE AND GOT THEIR LITTLE BAG OF CORNMEAL AND FLOUR TO TAKE WITH THEM AND STUFF.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST REALLY CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT THAT KIND OF THING.

♪♪ SO MANY PEOPLE EVERY YEAR SAY, OH, IT'S JUST CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

ANYBODY CAN DO THAT.

I'M LIKE ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE YOU CRAWL OUT ON A BRIDGE 40 FEET ABOVE THE RIVER IN WEATHER WITH ALL THESE CORDS.

OR UP ON THIS ROOF, THAT HIGH ROOF.

I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT GOES UP THERE.

I DON'T ASK ANY OF MY PEOPLE TO GO UP THERE.

♪♪ HE AND I ARE THE MAIN PEOPLE.

WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE GUYS WHO COME AFTER THEIR REAL JOBS OR, YOU KNOW, EVERY OTHER DAY, PART TIME, TO GIVE US A HAND.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE UP AGAINST CITIES AND PARKS AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WITH BIG BUDGETS AND BIG CREWS.

IT'S JUST LITTLE OLD US.

THAT DECK IS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.

YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE WOODEN BOX.

THAT IS THE SWITCH.

14 200 AMP PANELS ALL KICK IN, IT GOES FROM TOTAL DARKNESS TO JUST -- ♪♪ ♪♪ THE MINIATURE VILLAGE IS A LOT OF FUN.

I'M THE GENERATION PARENTS WOULD TAKE ME AND MY SISTERS SAY DOWNTOWN, LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT STORE WINDOWS WITH ALL THE COOL STUFF GOING ON, SO THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO RECREATE.

SANTA COLLECTION, THAT'S MY MOTHER'S DOMAIN.

THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 2500 SANTAS OF ALL DIFFERENT AGES IN THE SANTA COLLECTION.

AT MY AGE, AND STAGE OF DOING THIS NOW, HONESTLY, YOU'LL SEE ME SMILE A LOT WHEN NOW I GET GENERATIONAL PEOPLE COMING UP, CHILDREN OF CHILDREN, WHO CAME HERE AND HAD SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND THEY'RE LIKE WE WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN.

I'M LIKE WOW, THIS IS PART OF WHY WE KEEP GOING.

♪♪ >> IN OUR BUSY MODERN CULTURE, COMMUNITY FESTIVALS ARE ONE OF THE WAYS PEOPLE CAN SLOW DOWN AND CONNECT EACH YEAR.

AND HERE IN CENTRAL OHIO, THE HOT TIMES FESTIVAL ON THE EAST SIDE OF COLUMBUS IS NO EXCEPTION.

WHETHER YOU'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR YEARS OR YOU'RE NEW TO THE AREA, THE PEOPLE AT HOT TIMES WORK HARD TO BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER.

WE SAT DOWN WITH A COUPLE OF LONG-TIME VOLUNTEERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.

♪♪ >> HOT TIMES FESTIVAL IS INTERESTING.

WE WERE THERE FROM THE BEGINNING.

IT STARTED ON 18th STREET.

THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE A TABLE AND BRING OUT AND BRING SOME STUFF THAT THEY COULD SHOW AND THEN TALK ABOUT IT AND MAYBE SELL, TOO, AS WELL.

IT WAS A CHANCE TO BUY THOSE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE BRINGING OUT OF THEIR HOUSES THAT WERE LIKE HEIRLOOMS AND STUFF.

♪♪ >> WE WERE THE ONES THAT BEGAN TO SHOW WEST AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE BECAUSE THAT WAS DURING THE ERA AND AGE OF THE DRUMS AND THINGS COMING ABOUT.

>> THIS WAS A CHANCE FOR US TO LEARN MORE AND SHARE MORE ABOUT THE AFRICAN CULTURE WHICH WE WERE LEARNING.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, AT THAT TIME YOU HAD ALL THE OTHER CULTURES HERE.

THEY WERE SHOWING TOO.

IT WAS KIND OF LIKE LET'S EVERYBODY COME TOGETHER, SO IT WAS FUN.

>> THEN THE MUSIC, OF COURSE, WAS INTERESTING.

AND NOT UNTIL IT MOVED, THAT YOU GOT TO REALLY START DOING WITH THE BIG BANDS AND STUFF.

JAZZ AND ALL THAT STUFF, REALLY, REALLY STARTED GOING ON.

>> THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING AND THE BLOOMING OF EVERYTHING.

♪♪ >> NOW IT USED TO BE JUST ONE TENT, YOU KNOW.

NOW THEY HAVE THREE STAGES OR FOUR STAGES, YOU KNOW.

BECAUSE AT ONE POINT, ONE OF THE STAGES IS THE ONE OVER THERE IN THE WAY, WE STARTED THAT BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING AND WE JUST GOT ON THE PLATFORM AND STARTED DOING THINGS AND THEN IT CAME UP.

THERE'S A PLACE FOR A STAGE.

>> PEOPLE COME ALL OVER BECAUSE THEY WANT SOME RELIEF, SOME ROW LEAF.

>> IT'S WAY TO GET AWAY FROM THE NEWS AND ALL OF THAT STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW.

WHEN YOU COME IN FOR THAT FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, THAT SATURDAY MORNING WITH THE PARADE WITH THE CHILDREN AND WHEN YOU COME HERE, YOU GET AWAY FROM IT FOR A WHILE.

>> IT'S LIKE A REUNION, LIKE A MEETING PLACE.

OLDER PEOPLE, YOUNGER PEOPLE, GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE, AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO IT BECAUSE THE CONGENIALITY IS JUST THERE.

IT'S THERE.

THE SPIRIT HERE IS NOT LIKE IT IS SOMEWHERE ELSE.

>> IT'S A GENERAL GROUP, PRETTY MUCH CAN FIND THEIR OWN GROUP HERE.

WE HAVE AFRICANS COMING FROM SENEGAL, GUINEA, GHANA, NOT ONLY SELLING STUFF BUT TALKING.

LIKE ONE OF THE PERSONS USED TO BE PHOTOGRAPHY.

PEOPLE WHO MAKE JEWELRY.

PEOPLE THAT -- IF YOU NAME IT IN THE CULTURE THEY'RE HERE DOING THAT.

FOR ME IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I CAN SEE MY AFRICAN CENTERED COMMUNITY OUT HERE, PEOPLE ENJOYING THEMSELVES THAT WAY AND I CAN SEE OTHER COMMUNITIES ENJOYING THEMSELVES LIKE THAT AND THEN IT'S NOT EVEN -- WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK POLITICS.

WHEN WE GO OUTSIDE OF THIS HERE IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE OUTSIDE OF THE MAGIC KINGDOM.

>> YEAH.

>> IT'S REALLY -- >> YEAH.

>> IT'S REALLY DIFFERENT.

♪♪ >> AS THE HOT TIMES COMMUNITY SEES IT WOULD AND SEES ITSELF GROWING, IT ALWAYS HAS TO TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT THE VOLUNTEERS AND WHEN HOT TIMES CALLS ON THEIR VOLUNTEER, THE FIRST THING THEY ASK, WHAT AM I GETTING OUT OF IT?

MOST OF THE TIME IT'S A SENSE OF COMMUNITY FOR WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS DOING AND HOW DOES THAT ADD TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

>> THEY HAVE SOME OF THE BEST VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THEY'RE GIVING TO THEIR COMMUNITY.

THEY'RE GIVING BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DO.

THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY CAN DO AND GIVE.

WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE SHARING OUR TALENTS AND WE'RE SHARING IT.

YOU SEE A COUPLE OF GUYS GO BY AND PICKING UP THE TRASH AND YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT SHOWS RESPECT AND CONCERN AND CARE.

IT MAY SEEM SMALL TO SOMEONE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT'S GOOD TO THAT PERSON THAT CAN DO IT.

AND YOU GET SO MUCH OUT OF EVEN JUST THAT.

EVEN FOR THE VOLUNTEER PERSON THAT GIVES OUT THE PAMPHLET OR T-SHIRT IT'S RELATIONSHIP AND COMMUNITY AND FEELING SAFE, FEELING CLEAN, FEELING GOOD.

IT'S JUST LIKE HOMECOMING.

WHEN YOU HEAR HOT TIMES, I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH, PEOPLE WILL COME.

THEY WILL PASS IT ON DOWN TO THEIR FAMILY LINES.

I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU GO FROM THE GREAT GRANDPARENTS, THE GRANDPARENTS, TO, YOU KNOW, THE MOTHER, THE CHILDREN.

>> DIFFERENT GROUPS MEET HERE.

>> THEY LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

>> IT MAKES YOU HAPPY TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON IT AND KNOWING THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON IT THIS YEAR AND THEN NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AND IN THE FUTURE THAT'S GOING TO BE HEALTHY.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HEALTHY FOR THE COMMUNITY.

♪♪ >> THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS IN THE COLLECTION.

THIS IS CALLED GIVING THANKS.

IT'S A PHOTO OF THE FAMILY, EUGENE AND ESTER AND THEIR SON DAVID AND THEIR FIRST THANKSGIVING IN COLUMBUS NOVEMBER 1949.

THE STORY BEHIND HOW THEY GOT TO COLUMBUS IS REALLY JUST A PHENOMENAL ONE.

ESTER AND EUGENE WERE BOTH IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS IN EUROPE DURING WORLD WAR II.

ESTER'S FAMILY AND BUSINESS WAS RAIDED AND THEY WERE SENT TO A CONCENTRATION CAMP FIRST.

ESTER'S MOTHER AND THREE SFRRS WERE MURDERED THERE.

SHE WAS SENT TO AUSCHWITZ AFTER TRYING TO ESCAPE AND IN A DISPLACED PERSON'S CAMP AFTER THE WAR IN 1945 WHERE SHE MET EUGENE.

THEY MET IN DISPLACED PERSON'S CAM, TRYING TO GET TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1945 WHEN WHERE ARE II ENDED AND EASTER AND GENE MADE THEIR WAY TO COLUMBUS AND THIS IS A PHOTO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRINTED IN THE NEWSPAPER.

EUGENE WENT ON TO WORK AS A TILE SETTER HERE IN COLUMBUS AND THEY HAD THREE MORE CHILDREN AFTER DAVID.

FOR ME IT SHOWS ALL THAT WE DO HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR AND HOW RESILIENT PEOPLE CAN BE THROUGH SUCH TRAGEDY TO BE ABLE TO START A NEW LIFE.

>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US AND REMEMBER YOU CAN CATCH ALL OF OUR EPISODES ON YOUTUBE, OR COLUMBUSNEIGHBORS.ORG AND SEE OUR STORIES ON THE WOSU MOBILE APP AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON "COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS."

♪ ANGELS AND COWBOYS ♪ ♪ LIGHTS FLASHING MY WAY ♪ ♪ WITH MORE THAN JUST ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ SAY VERY CLEAR CHRISTMAS DAY IS HERE ♪ ♪ CHRISTMAS DAY IS HERE ♪ ♪♪ ♪ MY DADDY TOLD ME THAT UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE ♪ ♪ THERE WOULD BE GIFTS WITH RIBBONS AND BOWS ♪ ♪ SANTA CLAUS PAPER WHITE POWDER SNOW ♪