Celebrating our 55th year, the Columbus Free Press will honor five outstanding community activists and a community organization at our November 2025 Salon and Awards event on Saturday, November 8 from 1:30-4:30pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Road. One honoree for the Free Press 2025 Outstanding Community Activist is Lezlie Combs. Facebook Event.

Lezlie started the local organization Central Ohio Rainforest Action Group in the late 80s, that provided free educational presentations at schools and other events, held numerous protests, letter writing parties and a benefit concert every year at Chelsea's during World Rainforest Week – among many other activities. The Rainforest Group helped co-found Community Shares of Mid-Ohio (COSMO)and Lezlie served as Vice President and President.

During this same period, she worked with the New Age Native American Association, Niches, and the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio, helping the latter two join COSMO. She helped establish Friends of the Scioto River as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, served as President of that group and represented them on the COSMO Board. Other accomplishments include serving on the Steering Committee of the 1990 Earth Day Celebration held at the Whetstone Park of Roses, creating a Trap-Neuter-Release process of feral and stray cats in her neighborhood, became an avid Code Pink! activist leading up to the 2004 presidential election, and starting several Nonviolent Communications Study groups.

The Free Press event is free and open to the public. Also honored will be: Bob Krasen, Paul Becker, Julialynne Walker,  Jawhara Qutiefan and Heer to Serve. The event is free and light refreshments will be available.