The Portage Township YMCA, Valparaiso Family, Duneland Family YMCA, and Union Township Middle/High School will each host a Family Day picnic and game day on September 21st from 2-4pm at their locations.
This event is an opportunity created by the "Around the Table" initiative and it is meant to brings families together through food, fun games, and conversation.
"The Family Day picnic is a way to promote awareness for 'Around the table' and let them know about future activities. It's in four places at once and each one is a little different. Each one will have have lead families that will help with conversation starters. Table captains will make people comfortable and get everyone talking," Around the Table Program Manager Kay Frataccia said. "This is a great opportunity for the community to find out about 'Around the Table' and all of the future events that we will be hosting and for families to connect with each other."
Though each location will conduct their picnics differently, the structure remains the same. From 2pm to 3pm, families will be able to sit and eat while engaging in meaningful conversations, and from 3pm to 4pm, fun activities will be available
"Around the Table" believes that creating authentic and transformative relationships and inspiring intentional communication one of the best ways to prevent substance abuse in Porter County. Their mission is: "To provide opportunities that foster interpersonal engagement, compassionate dialogue and resilient relationships in all sectors of the Porter County community."
The National Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University conducted 18 years worth of studies which examined the connection between the amount of family dinners, the quality of the relationships that teenagers had with their parents, and the level of use and abuse that teenagers reached with tobacco, alcohol and marijuana. The accumulated information is the basis on which the "Around the Table" initiative was created.
"Around the Table" is one of many initiatives that com from Empower Porter County. It is a year-long campaign of weekly dining activities that encompasses all of Porter County.
All four events are free and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP for one of the Family Day picnics contact kfrataccia@empowerpc.org. Also be sure to check out "Around the Table" on Facebook and follow @Around_theTable on Twitter.