05/30/2026
I wanted to share what I see as the OAKS Program Manager.
What a beautiful evening we had last night at our Play Together, Stay Together event at Ribbon Rink! 🌞
We truly could not have asked for more perfect weather or a better group of families to spend the evening with. It was so wonderful seeing so many foster, adoptive, and kinship families come together, relax, and enjoy time as a community.
We rented six cabanas, and the kids were able to enjoy pizza, ice cream, pop, outdoor play, free rock climbing, skating and most importantly, time together. One of my favorite parts of the evening was watching the children and teens reconnect with friends from the group. From the tiniest little baby all the way up to our oldest teens, it was amazing to see every age group having fun, laughing, and simply enjoying the night.
I also have to laugh a little because I brought a first aid kit with me, just knowing we might have a few scraped knees along the way — and sure enough, it came in handy! I was glad the kids knew they could come find me when they needed help. A little bandage, a little care, and they were right back to having fun.
It was also such a blessing to see parents sitting together, talking, relaxing, and connecting with one another. We had familiar faces and many new faces too, and I am so thankful each of you came out to be part of such a relaxed and fun evening.
One parent shared something with me that really touched my heart. She said she is so thankful for events like this because she has six children, and when it is just her taking them out, it can be very difficult to keep track of everyone at once. She shared how much it meant to be at an event where she knew there were so many familiar, caring people around — people who knew her children and would help look out for them if she was busy on the other side with one of her other kids.
That was amazing to hear because that is exactly what community is supposed to feel like. It is the freedom to show up, enjoy time with your children, breathe a little easier, and know you are not doing it all alone. I am so thankful that OAKS gets to be part of creating that kind of support for families.
Events like this remind me exactly why the OAKS program means so much to me. We are not just planning activities — we are building community. We are creating a place where foster, adoptive, and kinship families can feel seen, supported, encouraged, and connected.
As an adoptive parent myself, this has always been close to my heart. My mission has always been that no family should have to walk this journey alone. I hope OAKS continues to be a place where you feel supported, valued, and reminded that there are people walking alongside you.
Thank you to everyone who came out and made the evening so special. I hope you all had an amazing time. Please keep OAKS in mind whenever you run into roadblocks, need encouragement, or have ideas for support, events, or programs that would help your family. We are here to listen, grow, and continue building this community together. đź’™
