RICHMOND, Ind. – Three community organizations are partnering this summer to launch a youth workshop series focused on mental, physical and spiritual wellness.

The Dwyer Community Center, Townsend Community Center and the Wayne County Family Resource Center will host “Northside Community Connection,” a three-part program taking place on Tuesdays in June at Townsend Community Center.

Organizers say the goal is to help young people build life skills while strengthening community ties through hands-on, interactive sessions. The idea formed over lunch.

“Our goal is to unite the community through a series of empowering and fun workshops that will be held at the Townsend Center,” said Dr. Lucinda Wright, executive director of Townsend Community Center.

Each organization will lead one session of the series, which runs June 3, 10, and 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All sessions include lunch.

The series will begin on June 3 with Dwyer Community Center leading the first workshop.

“What we will do is we will have morning sessions and an afternoon session. We feed the kid’s lunch. They’re going to get all kinds of stuff,” said Patty Trace of Dwyer Community Center. “And its not all day, it’s only from 11 to 1, so kids can come, get the workshops.”

The June 10 session will be led by the Wayne County Family Resource Center and will focus on physical wellness. The final session, June 17, will be focused on spiritual wellness.

“We’ll be dealing with the soul. It’s important that the children know about the soul. Actually, it’s important that adults know about the soul,” Wright said.

The program will also include lessons on peer pressure and decision making. “We tell kids to just say no. Say no to drugs, say no to peer pressure,” said Patty trace of Dwyer Community Center. “But we don’t teach them how to say no when you’re in a situation like that.”

The program is free for participants.

Additional programming includes the Townsend Community Center summer academy, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and provides daily activities and meals.

Image source: Townsend Community Center.