On the sunny morning of May 1, community members from across the Region gathered at the Avalon Manor banquet hall for Geminus’ annual Spring Provider Fair. There were 109 organizations from across the Region, including the Social Security Administration, Franciscan Health, KidsPeace, MySchoolOptions.org, and Paladin, who sent representatives to the Spring Provider Fair. The representatives manned information tables, ready to hand out branded merchandise, treats, and promotional materials to passersby.
Geminus has been sponsoring the Spring Provider Fair for over 15 years. Although everyone is welcome to attend the event, its target audience is largely lower-income families who require anything from financial counseling to therapy. The Geminus staff hope these families can learn about new services they may not have been aware of and receive the support they require. Nicholas Neal, Geminus Vice President of Community Services, considers the Spring Provider Fair to be an important event for several reasons.
“This event gives the community’s service providers a chance to come together and show one another what they're doing,” Neal said. “They can exchange business information, network, and have lunch together. We have probation officers and workers from the Department of Child Services come to participate. We also have members of the community visit and perhaps learn about some services they’ve never heard about before. The Spring Provider Fair is a great opportunity, not only for Geminus and our Community Partners for Child Safety program with the Department of Child Services, but also for the community as a whole.”
Sherilyn Brown, content creator for Best Version Media and its affiliate magazine “Merrillville Living,” attended the Spring Provider Fair with her husband Adam Brown. She regards the fair as a vital and hugely beneficial community event.
“Although we now have the Internet, it is still possible to miss out on some of the services that are available in the area,” Sherilyn Brown said. “Events like this help make information about the services offered in the area easily accessible. I’ve not only found helpful information for myself, but also for my friends, family, and coworkers. I hope these kinds of events continue to be held in our community because they are very useful for those of us who are seeking out information.”
Neal believes that Geminus is uniquely suited to bring these organizations from all over the Region together at an event like the Spring Provider Fair.
“Having been the recipients of the Community Partners Contract for Lake County since 2008, we at Geminus have the opportunity to partner with every other entity in our area,” Neal said. “The state awards this grant to only one agency per county and we're the only prevention agency in Lake County to receive it. It’s imperative that we use that authority to bring organizations together at events like the Spring Provider Fair and help everyone work together for the betterment of the community.”
The event continued into the afternoon as attendees made new connections, chatted with longtime friends, and talked with the representatives at the tables. Events such as the Spring Provider Fair help establish a more solid network of support for community members throughout the Region.
To learn more information about Geminus and the social services it offers, please visit geminus.care.
