Anchored Sports to host Dad & Me Day

FINDLAY — Anchored Sports is partnering with the Women's Resource Center (WRC) to host Dad & Me Day from 2 to 8 p.m. on Saturday at Anchored Sports in Findlay. The event offers an afternoon of family fun while supporting WRC's Fatherhood Program. Attendees can enjoy friendly competitions in mini golf, the batting cages, and the driving range, or at their own pace. Guests will also have the opportunity to share notes of appreciation and memories on the "Why Dads Matter" wall, which will remain on display the day of the event and throughout the week. A portion of the day's proceeds will benefit the WRC's Fatherhood Program, with Chick-fil-A donating food for guests. "We're partnering with Anchored Sports to give our clients an opportunity to come together and reconnect with the people that mentored them," Fatherhood Program director Ed Grable said. "It's also an opportunity to share our program with the community, so people can find out what we do and the importance of working with new dads." While the Women's Resource Center is primarily known for supporting mothers and expecting parents, the nonprofit has expanded its efforts to include men who want to become stronger fathers, mentors, and role models. Within the WRC Generations building is The Garrison, a dedicated space for the Fatherhood Program designed for supervised visits, mentoring sessions, and support groups typically held in the fall. A team of around ten mentors work one-on-one with participants through video lessons, group discussions, and mentoring sessions. The programs typically runs for eight to ten weeks and helps fathers learn how to positively parent, communicate, discipline, and practice child safety. Participants must also complete homework and follow-up discussions to apply what they've learned at home. Unlike most parenting programs, the WRC works directly with the Hancock County Child Protective Services (CPS). Many fathers are referred to the Fatherhood Program by CPS to reunite families and help parents regain custody of their children. "We've had some really great redemption stories, mom and dads who, in the eyes of society, had no chance of getting their kids back," Grable said. "By following CPS guidelines and doing what they were expected through the WRC, they've been able to get them back." Grable said the need for the program became clear after years of mentoring men who lacked strong role models. "When she comes out of the bathroom with a positive pregnancy test, the first thing that dad wants to do is puke, because he has no clue on how to raise a child," Grable said. "Women often have this natural, maternal instinct, but men usually don't. We believe they need to be taught how to be good dads because we don't have a lot of good examples out there." The program focuses on dismantling generational cycles of absent or reactive parenting. Grable said many fathers realized they've inherited patterns from their parents that they never noticed prior to the program. "There are these cycles of mistakes that we're making as fathers, because we learned them for our own fathers," Grable said. "The great thing about this program is, you're not broken, this is fixable, and you can recover from this. We give you the tools needed in your toolbox to be a better dad, so that you can share those things with your children." For Anchored Sports owner Jeremy Scheiderer, hosting Dad & Me Day was a natural fit. As a family-centered, religious-based recreation facility, Anchored Sports regularly partners with local nonprofits that strengthen families and community connections in Hancock County. "We've supported the Women's Resource Center in the past on things," Scheiderer said. "When I found out the men's program was coming into play, I wanted to do something nice for them and it grew from there. The goal really is to get dads and father figures out with their kids and focus on building those connections." For more information on the Fatherhood Program and the WRC, visit https://wrchancock.org.