Prince William wants to encourage fathers with Play Day event

To celebrate Father’s Day and encourage dads to spend more time with their children, the Prince William County Fatherhood Initiative is hosting “Dad’s Play Day”, a free event that will include games and lunch. The event will take place on Saturday, June 13 at 11am at the A.J. Ferlazzo Building in Woodbridge (15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22191). “Dad’s Play Day” includes a free lunch and fun activities for dads and their children, including games like basketball, wiffle ball, an obstacle course, ping pong, and water balloon toss, as well as activities like face-painting and arts and crafts.

When fathers are involved in the lives of their children, especially their education, kids learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behavior, according to the White House’s National Fatherhood Clearinghouse. Children in father-absent homes are almost four times more likely to live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Although approximately one of out every three children in America lives in a home without their dad, the active involvement of a father, even if they don’t live with their child, can have a lasting and positive impact.

To help the organizers prepare food, the Initiative is asking interested attendees to RSVP by June 5 by emailing or calling Tonya Blair at [email protected] or 703-792-7590. Businesses and individuals are also being asked to support the Initiative and the “Dad’s Play Day” event by making in-kind or monetary donations. Interested businesses and individuals should contact Prince William Department of Social Services Chief-of-Services Phyllis Jennings-Holt at 703-792-7500.

Although the event focuses on fathers and their children, mothers are welcome to attend with their children also.

Under the oversight of Social Services Director Courtney Tierney and Deputy County Executive Elijah Johnson, the Prince William County Fatherhood Initiative’s mission is to empower fathers to do what is in the best interest of their children. The Initiative is led by a Steering Committee made up of social service professionals and community partners to administer programs that engage parents with their children. The Initiative’s primary program is an 8-week long support group for men who desire to be better parents.

The Prince William County Fatherhood Initiative Steering Committee is led by Ms. Jennings-Holt and social worker Robert Rios. Other members of the Committee include: County employees Devina Martin, Barbara Nye, Angela Davis, Ebonie Williams, Shelby Holley, Milenka St-Clair and community advocates Derwin Overton (OAR Farifax), Jessica Dunn (Change In Action) D.J. Jordan (Virginia Board of Social Services), Kaffa Goda (Northern Virginia Family Service) and Raheem Turane (Youth For Tomorrow).