Thanks to generous donations by local community organizations, the Carmel Youth Assistance Program was able to host its first-ever Family Fun Night for children and their families who have been served by the Youth Assistance program. The event was held recently at The Ice at Center Green ice skating rink, an afternoon event that included complimentary ice skating, food and hot chocolate for youth, families and mentors who volunteer for the program.
More than 70 people attended the private event, many of them taking the opportunity to lace up their skates and take a turn around the ice. Both adults and children enjoyed the sunny afternoon event.
One participant shared this comment: “The program helped make our holiday so much brighter. Thanks for delivering a bit of magic this holiday season.” He and his children are spending their first Christmas without his wife, their mother, who passed a few months ago. The family was referred to Youth Assistance by the school.
“We have been able to connect both the dad and the children with support groups, art therapy and provide some enjoyable family experiences for them. This event was one way they could be together and make new, happy memories,” said Maggie Figge, Early Intervention Advocate for the Youth Assistance Program.
Another family that enjoyed the event has relocated here from Venezuela for political asylum. One of their daughter’s has Juvenile Parkinson’s and Youth Assistance was able to help connect them with medical assistance, and get her into a couple of camps that helped her both emotionally and socially.
“The Carmel Youth Assistance Program is always striving to offer opportunities for our youth, families and mentors to connect,” said Guenter Haines, President of the Board of Directors that oversees the non-profit organization. “This Family Fun Night came together thanks to our generous community partners as a way to provide a fun and relaxing afternoon for families who benefit from our services. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our local partner organizations that were willing to step up and offer donations of their time and resources to help make this event possible.”
Ice time, skate rental and staffing were provided free of charge for families by the City of Carmel and the Carmel Ice Skadium. Families were able to enjoy complimentary food from Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream food truck. No afternoon of skating would be complete without hot chocolate and cookies which were provided by Xchocol’art thanks to a donation by the Carmel United Methodist Church and Duke Energy. Families were also able to leave the event with Kroger gift cards to take home thanks to a donation by Old Town Design Group.
“The holiday season can be a busy time for many families and having some time to enjoy each other in a fun way means so much to those we serve,” said Haines. “We appreciate everyone coming together to make this event happen. None of it would have been possible without their support.”
About the Carmel Youth Assistance Program
Affiliated with the Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program, the Carmel Youth Assistance Program strives to build a healthy community for tomorrow by investing in the youth of today. Its goal is to reach at-risk children through family assistance, tutoring and mentoring programs, providing services to family and youth to enrich their lives. Corporate sponsorships at a variety of levels are available for individuals and companies wishing to support the youth of Carmel. More details on sponsorships and ticket information can be found at CarmelGala.org.