OCTOBER 2026
PRC PATHWAYS
Your monthly guide to Family Support, Community Resources, and Positive Action!
October is here, bringing cooler days, colorful leaves, and new opportunities to connect with our community. In this month’s newsletter, we’re sharing upcoming events, program updates, community highlights, and resources available to families. As we settle into the fall season, we look forward to all that October has in store!
OUR CORE PILLARS
FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES
The evening Parent Connection group is going well. We have about seven families that have attended and I have gotten positive feedback. I also have two couples that I am doing one on one coaching – one in person and one on a zoom. I have been sending relevant videos for them to review and then we discuss them each week.
We are starting a morning group on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. beginning October 13th. At this point we will not be serving a meal or providing childcare but hopefully it will be an opportunity for those parents whose kids are at school or work evening and can’t come to the evening class.
I am excited about our upcoming Family Fun Events. We had our first one on Wednesday, September 30th. Families enjoyed a complimentary meal and a variety of fall activities. We’ll be having a Halloween Party on Wednesday, October 28th and a Pizza, Popcorn and movie night on Wednesday November 18th. We are asking parents to register for these events by the Monday before the event by noon, so we can have enough food prepared.
On Saturday, December 19th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. we are hosting a Breakfast with Santa. The kids can come and talk to Santa and have their picture taken. There will be donuts, cinnamon rolls, juice and coffee available. The fun part is we will have a shop for kids to purchase presents for their parents for $1. We’ll have people wrapping the gifts for the kids. To prepare for this event, we are looking for new or slightly used items to have in our “store”. If you have any items you would like to donate, please bring them to the PRC. We also could use donations of gift bags and gift wrap. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please let Diane know by calling her at 507-438-1270. We need gift wrappers, elves to escort children in the store and food servers.
These family focused events help parents and children engage in activities. Family engagement is crucial for supporting children’s learning, development, and well-being, fostering stronger connections between families, schools, and communities.
SEIBEL CENTER
At the Seibel Center, every visit provides an opportunity for parents and children to spend meaningful time together and strengthen their relationship. While reunification may look different for every family, the time spent together can be an important part of building trust, communication, and connection.
The Seibel Center provides services designed to support children and families while helping create safe and structured opportunities for parents and children to maintain their relationships. Supervised visitations provide parents and children with a safe, supportive environment where they can spend time together while a trained monitor is present. Visits can include activities such as playing games, reading, talking, or simply enjoying time together. Supervised exchanges allow children to transition between parents in a structured setting while minimizing contact between the parties.
Every family has different needs, and our services are designed to provide consistency, safety, and support throughout the process. Whether a parent is spending time with their child during a visit or participating in an exchange, these services can help create opportunities for families to maintain important connections. Our goal is to provide a professional and supportive environment where children can feel comfortable and parents can focus on their time with their children.
WELCOME CENTER
September was a wonderful month of connection at the Welcome Center! We celebrated Welcoming Week with our Inviting Table, bringing community members together for an evening of food, music, culture, and connection. A special highlight of the evening was a Zumba class led by the Latin Cardio Dance Team, with many attendees joining in and having fun together!
Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated with us. Welcoming Week is about creating opportunities for people of all backgrounds to connect, build relationships, and feel a sense of belonging. These connections help create stronger, more welcoming communities where everyone has the opportunity to participate and feel at home.
As we move into October, the Welcome Center continues to be here to help our community navigate important forms and resources. We have recently seen an increase in appointments for assistance with SNAP forms. If you need help completing SNAP forms or another county form, our team would be happy to assist you.
To schedule an appointment for assistance, please call the Welcome Center at 507-437-8330.
PREVENTION
Alcohol and drug use can impact individuals, families, and our community. Having access to support and positive resources can help individuals make healthy choices and work toward positive change.
The Parenting Resource Center, in partnership with Recovery Is Happening, offers a Women’s Recovery Meeting every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. This group provides a supportive space for women to connect with others, share experiences, and encourage one another.
Whether someone is working toward recovery, making changes in their life, or looking for additional support, connection can make a difference.
A Space for Healing, Every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
Executive Director’s Corner
A Season to Rest, Renew, & Connect
There is something about the changing seasons that reminds us that we aren’t meant to operate at full speed all the time.
As the days get shorter and the world around us begins to slow down, nature seems to give us permission to do the same. The trees let go of what they no longer need. Gardens become quiet. The work of growing moves beneath the surface.
Maybe we need seasons like that, too.
Fall also gives us so many simple opportunities to reconnect with the people we love. Maybe it’s cheering together at a football game, wandering through a pumpkin patch, dressing up for a Halloween party, taking a drive to see the changing leaves, or piling around the table for a warm meal.
These things may not feel particularly important while they’re happening. They’re just a Saturday afternoon. A messy kitchen. A child insisting on carrying the biggest pumpkin they can barely lift. Someone laughing way too loudly. A picture you almost didn’t take.
But those are often the moments that become the memories we hold onto.
In the middle of busy schedules, work, school, appointments, practices, and everything else competing for our attention, it’s easy to keep moving toward the next thing. This season, give yourself permission to slow down enough to notice the little moments happening right now.
Rest when you need to. Let go of something that’s become too heavy. Connect with the people who matter to you.
You don’t have to create perfect moments to make meaningful memories. Sometimes the best ones are already happening—you just have to be present enough to notice them.
— Crystal Vandevender
Executive Director
