Columbus Women’s Drum Circle to raise funds for CRIS Ohio

The Columbus Women’s Drum Circle will turn Columbus Mennonite Church into a fundraising space on July 25, when it meets from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. for CRIS Ohio. All donations from the community event will benefit CRIS, and that is what makes this more than a standard open jam: it is a low-barrier way into percussion with a clear civic target.

For first-time attendees, the appeal is in the format. A drum circle does not ask for a full kit, formal reading skills, or the nerve to sit behind a stage setup. It runs on listening, repetition, pulse, and shared timing, which makes it one of the easiest ways for a beginner or returning player to get back into music without getting buried under gear or notation. The women’s focus gives the room a different social feel too, creating space for connection, visibility, and collective expression instead of the more anonymous energy of a loose jam.

That local identity is already part of Columbus’ percussion scene. A separate Central Ohio women’s drum circle meets from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Glen Echo Presbyterian Church, 200 Cliffside Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43202, and the Columbus Women’s Drum Circle has its own visible presence in the city. The July 25 event fits into that pattern, showing that women-centered drumming in Columbus is not a one-off novelty but a recurring part of how community percussion happens here.

The fundraising side gives the session its weight. CRIS, short for Community Refugee & Immigration Services, says its mission is to help refugees and immigrants reach safety and stability, sustain self-sufficiency, and achieve successful integration into the Central Ohio community. The organization says it was established in 1995 to fill a critical gap in refugee services, starting in a humble garage next to the Lao Temple on Columbus’ east side before growing into an organization that has served tens of thousands of refugees and immigrants over 30 years.

That background makes the setting at Columbus Mennonite Church feel right for the event. The congregation describes its community life as participatory and collective, which lines up with the mechanics of a drum circle, where the groove depends on everyone locking in rather than a single featured player. CRIS has also built its calendar around public gatherings such as its 13th annual CRIS 5K & Advocacy Fair and World Refugee Day programming, so this July 25 session lands as part of a broader pattern: rhythm used as a practical way to raise money, bring people together, and make space for the players who need an entry point.