Summer camp sessions are only start of the connection-building activities provided through Victory Lane. Events happening throughout the year make it possible for the Victory Lane community to form lasting friendships. Over the past 10 years, Victory Lane has hosted more than 50 events for families. These events range from the classic Chili Cookoff to the more recent addition of movie nights.

“We enjoy being able to connect with others who make us feel wanted and loved,” shared Partner Dad Chad Cooper. “We also enjoyed Parents Night Out. Being able to have fun with the kiddos was a great blessing while seeing the excitement in their faces.”

Attending activities requires both Victory and Partner families to get out of their comfort zones. The Men’s Recharge retreat gives the guys in a group a chance to get to know one another better, but Victory Dad Josh Whitaker was hesitant to attend at first.

“I didn’t think I would like it and almost didn’t go. I did anyways and I was completely wrong in my thinking. I had a blast with all the other men,” Josh explained. “I really learned a lot about what it means to be a mentor to my kids and my family. I wouldn’t have traded that experience for anything.”

Partner Mom Tiffanny Youngquist has a vivid memory of missing a chili cookoff and regretting it afterwards. Tiffanny and her family have been part of Victory Lane since 2014 and can attest to the impact of the relationships formed through Victory Lane activities.

“We are a part because we believe in the mission,” she explained. “The Victory Lane community has helped shape our family and made fostering and adopting a possibility because we knew we had a community we could count on.”

The primary purpose of year-long events is to allow families to spend time together, but some events are open to the general public and help inform people about the mission of Victory Lane. The Amazing Wheel Race is one of these occasions, and this year’s fourth annual race is happening on Saturday, April 15. Participating groups race one another around New Castle performing various challenges. The fundraising event also includes a car show and other activities near the Victory Lane offices at 1912 Bundy Avenue.

As both Partner and Victory families take part in events happening through Victory Lane, they see growth in their own lives.

“Victory Lane connected us to parents and resources that could help us when we needed that extra hand or the needed advice. It has been a huge help knowing other parents that are in the same situation as you and knowing that you’re not alone,” noted Josh Whitaker.

Chad Cooper encourages others to get involved with the connections happening through Victory Lane: “Jump in and experience the excitement, the heartaches, and passion of Victory Lane. You can see the excitement in not only the children but that of the parents. The relief that they have someone there they can count on if needed and to just relax.”

To get involved as an event sponsor, contact Natasha Hamilton at [email protected] or call 765-591-7487.