Food For Thought at Family Fun Night

A Family Fun Night on Tuesday at Ledyard Middle School provided delicious spaghetti, courtesy of Valentino's restaurant, and also some food for thought.

Sponsored by the Ledyard Safe Teens Coalition, the event featured a "Power of Parents" presentation by MADD program specialist Lauren Iannucci, and also a presentation on the coalition's "Be The Wall" campaign.

The "Be The Wall" campaign acknowledges that parents are the wall between their children and harmful activities, such as underage drinking, said coalition Coordinator Kerensa Mansfield. "It lets parents know that it's OK to talk to their kids about these things," she said. 

Mansfield said the "Power of Parents" initiative similarly offers tips to parents on ways to engage their children and help guide them toward making good choices. "Parents have far greater influence on their kids than they realize, more than anyone else," she said.

Lest the event's sponsors be accused of false advertising, the Family Fun Night really was fun, with delicious food and a drawing for great door prizes, including a Kindle, the grand prize. 

But the evening's message was underscored even in the event's format. According to Mansfield, children from families that have dinner together at least once a week are less likely to become involved in destructive behaviors.

Door prizes were donated by A.J.'s Veranda, Alice Acres Farms, Colonel Pizza, Fireside Brick Oven Creations, Holdridge's, Felicia's Sweetface Pastry Shop, The Clay Room and Edible Arrangements. The event was one of 30 or more being held this month as part of Ledyard's 175th Birthday Celebration.