EAGLE, Idaho — Foster, kinship, and adoptive families gathered Saturday evening at Eagle Island State Park for an event focused on connection, appreciation, and outdoor experiences.
The gathering is part of Fostering Family Adventures, a program launched about a year ago by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to bring foster families together in outdoor settings across the state.
WATCH | The fun Fostering Family Adventures program brings to the community—
“This is probably the most fun we get to have in our jobs is just to bring foster families out to celebrate the outdoors. This is something that families throughout Idaho love,” said Laura Denner, division administrator for family and community partnerships with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Denner said the program is meant to recognize the commitment of foster families while also creating opportunities for children.
“It's a huge thank you to the families that choose to foster. We hope that it keeps them fostering, um, and keeping kids safe in their homes, but we also hope that it exposes foster youth to outdoor experiences that they might not otherwise get to experience,” Denner said.
About 250 families signed up to attend the Eagle Island event. Activities included tubing, hot cocoa and s’mores. Denner said each event is tailored to the season and the location.
Susan Buxton, director of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, said state parks provide important opportunities for families to connect and for children to benefit from time outdoors.
“Foster families are so important to Idaho to take care of our kids. Idaho kids are the most important thing that we have in Idaho, and to teach kids about the great outdoors and why Idaho is so wonderful and it's such a great mental health way to get families together, to get kids together, to, you know, to have self-esteem and understand, where can they go to get away, where can they go to like really sit and see someplace beautiful,” Buxton said.
Denner said the department also hopes events like this spark curiosity among other park visitors who may want to learn more about fostering or find other ways to help.
“They'll see these kids having a blast and just getting to be kids, and they might consider fostering, or they might realize it's not their time to foster, but there are other ways that they can get involved and help. These kids,” Denner said.
The program has expanded into a quarterly series of events held in different regions of Idaho. Organizers say future gatherings will continue later this year, including a return to the Treasure Valley.
The Department of Health and Welfare says more Fostering Family Adventures events are planned and could be coming to parks near you.
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