The Salvation Army in Portage la Prairie held its second family night on Friday, Sept. 12, bringing together families for an evening filled with worship, fun, and plenty of animals. The idea for the theme came from organizer Justina Hamill, whose husband runs Best West Pet Foods in Winnipeg and frequently shares animals with schools and community groups.
“Well, we have started family nights. This is our second one. The reason we chose animal night is to be truthful. My husband is an animal nut. He runs Best West pet food store in Winnipeg. And we have animals. He loves animals and goes to many schools and places to do animal shows for them.” says Hamill.
Faith and community at the core
The evening combined family entertainment with the Salvation Army’s mission of building community and sharing faith. Guests gathered to connect with others, hear a Bible story, and spend time in worship.
“This event was because of the people that we care for and the people that we give food to, and we wanted to have an event for them to come to that would be a place where they can build community relations with other families, as well as for us to be able to share God with them. So, it’ll be an event of worship and fun, and we’ll also hear a Bible story too.” notes Hamill.
Animals and stuffed pets for kids
Families were introduced to a variety of animals, including a snake, a bunny, some rats, and even a hedgehog. Some could be touched, while others were only for display, giving children and adults a chance to learn more about how to care for them.
Every child who attended was also gifted a stuffed animal to take home, a highlight of the evening for many families.
“We have a bunch of stuffed animals that every child who came got to bring home their own pets. Promise parents we’re not sending them home with real animals, but a stuffed animal for every child who attended.” says Hamill.
Monthly events continue
The Salvation Army plans to keep hosting family nights each month with new themes, including a birthday celebration in October. Upcoming details and opportunities to volunteer are shared regularly at saportage.ca.
“Come and just enjoy, come together, get to know some new people. And we just really pray that this will be an awesome time for us as a community to have fun together and to learn more about God and faith values.” concludes Hamill.
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