Local foundation helps fund fathers' program

White's Residential and Family Services has been awarded a grant from a local foundation that will allow the agency to begin a program series Jan. 23 to assist area fathers with parenting skills.

White's will provide the nationally recognized 13-week Nurturing Fathers Program to enable area fathers to substitute healthy, effective parenting behaviors for those that are potentially harmful. With hundreds of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect each year in Lake and Porter counties, there is a critical need to help at-risk families overcome their challenges. There are many more families that have not experienced abuse or neglect, but face family crisis situations for which they need parenting help.

This program is available at no cost to fathers. Call (219) 663-8640 to reserve a place for the series at Liberty Bible Church, 824 N. Calumet Ave., Chesterton.

Hospital cares For kids

As part of Franciscan Alliance hospitals annual support of the St. Joseph Carmelite Home, hospital employees raised $4,000 for the home.

Contributions came from luncheons, payroll deductions and donations. Physicians and staff generally give presents to the children at Christmas, but with state funding cuts leaving the home in a desperate situation, a collection was taken instead.

State funding covers about 70 percent of the homes costs, which leaves a large gap in providing care.

July 2, 2013 will mark the 100-year anniversary of the East Chicago Carmelite Home location, though further budget cuts are anticipated in the coming year. If interested in supporting the Carmelite Home, send a donation to 4840 Grasselli St., East Chicago, IN 46312.

Opportunity Enterprises team

Call out meetings for the Opportunity Enterprises Marathon Team will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Opportunity Enterprises, 2801 Evans Ave., Valparaiso, and at 9 a.m. Jan. 21 at Omni 41 Health and Fitness Connection, 221 U.S. 41, Schererville.

Runners who want to join the team, but are unable to attend the call out meetings, should contact Chris at (219) 464-9621, ext. 233.

Runners who join the team pay a registration fee of $50, with a commitment to raise an additional $300 for OE. Runners who register after open registration closes will have to pay a registration fee of $200, with a fundraising commitment of $550. Register early to take advantage of the lower fee structure.

Funds raised by this year's team will support OE's Early Intervention Program, All About Kids.

Team membership includes training programs for beginning, intermediate, and advanced runners to prepare participants to complete the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Oct. 7.

Training programs include long weekend runs supervised by experienced coordinators. Team members will enjoy complimentary race entry, use of a race day warm-up and reunite, a team shirt, race day transportation, a weekly e-newsletter and a catered pasta dinner and post-race party.

Sue Reed is president and CEO of Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce. Reach her at (219) 769-8180 or geninq@crossroadschamber.org. Opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.