Portage Strack & Van Til Ribbon Cutting 2023

Families visiting the Portage Strack & Van Til location over the last month might have noticed a colorful new set of signs and posters scattered throughout the store or the stack of scavenger hunt lists set out near the entrance. They might have even found Ernie the Gnome, a tiny fellow lost in the aisles.

All of those new sights are a part of Strack & Van Til’s new Talking is Teaching In-Store Learning Adventure. The Porter County Community Foundation, First Things First Porter County, and Strack & Van Til crafted the scavenger hunt, with additional funding from United Way of Northwest Indiana. The adventure leads children throughout the store on a search for different fruits, vegetables, and other items as decals and signs offer parents and caregivers a chance to talk with their kids about what they eat, the shopping experience and more.