Many families want to spend quality time together, but don’t know how.

Central Kitsap families have the chance to spend this Thursday evening together and learn valuable tips on how to bring that family filled evening into their own homes.

The third annual Central Kitsap Family Night will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the President’s Hall at Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Bremerton. The event is free to the public and includes musical performances by local school groups and family bingo with prizes of free books and other items to help the bingo winners create family nights in their own homes.

“The main goal is to encourage parents and children to spend time together and be bonded as a family,” said Joe Raymond, a member of the Family Night Initiative.

The Family Night Initiative began planning the event several years ago and now many local groups have jumped onboard. CK Family Night is supported by the Kitsap County Commissioners, the Central Kitsap Community Council, Kitsap Mall, Barnes & Noble, the Central Kitsap School District and the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce, among others.

A resource room will be comprised of nearly 40 booths hosted by family oriented non-profit organizations for families to peruse and glean information about how they support local families.

“They’re just there to show what they have that supports families,” Raymond said.

Central Kitsap Commissioner Josh Brown and Central Kitsap Schools Superintendent Greg Lynch will be in attendance and Jack, the Kitsap BlueJackets mascot, might make an appearance as well.

“Central Kitsap School District believes that student achievement is enhanced when families spend quality time together and this event is a wonderful way to support families across our community,” Lynch said.

Storytellers from Kitsap Regional Library will offer two story times throughout the event and food is available to purchase from the Central Kitsap PTSA.

The Fairview Junior High School jazz band, Clear Creek Elementary School choir and Central Kitsap Junior High School jazz band will perform at CK Family Night. The Filipino Ancestry International Dancers will perform Thursday as well.

Drawings for various prizes will take place throughout CK Family Night, including the grand prize, a weekend trip to Leavenworth. Barnes & Noble donated books to be given out as prizes during family bingo.

Last year’s CK Family Night attracted more than 600 people and Raymond said he would like to see many families turn out again this year.

Raymond said the Family Night Initiative would like to continue hosting CK Family Night for years to come “because it’s kind of a neat thing to do.” He said he would like to make the event countywide and hopes other counties and states will take notice and create their own family events.

“My vision is to get all of the school districts and all of the county to do this,” he said.

t CK Family Night scheduled for

April 17.

Many families want to spend quality time together, but don’t know how.

Central Kitsap families have the chance to spend this Thursday evening together and learn valuable tips on how to bring that family filled evening into their own homes.

The third annual Central Kitsap Family Night will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the President’s Hall at Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Bremerton. The event is free to the public and includes musical performances by local school groups and family bingo with prizes of free books and other items to help the bingo winners create family nights in their own homes.

“The main goal is to encourage parents and children to spend time together and be bonded as a family,” said Joe Raymond, a member of the Family Night Initiative.

The Family Night Initiative began planning the event several years ago and now many local groups have jumped onboard. CK Family Night is supported by the Kitsap County Commissioners, the Central Kitsap Community Council, Kitsap Mall, Barnes & Noble, the Central Kitsap School District and the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce, among others.

A resource room will be comprised of nearly 40 booths hosted by family oriented non-profit organizations for families to peruse and glean information about how they support local families.

“They’re just there to show what they have that supports families,” Raymond said.

Central Kitsap Commissioner Josh Brown and Central Kitsap Schools Superintendent Greg Lynch will be in attendance and Jack, the Kitsap BlueJackets mascot, might make an appearance as well.

“Central Kitsap School District believes that student achievement is enhanced when families spend quality time together and this event is a wonderful way to support families across our community,” Lynch said.

Storytellers from Kitsap Regional Library will offer two story times throughout the event and food is available to purchase from the Central Kitsap PTSA.

The Fairview Junior High School jazz band, Clear Creek Elementary School choir and Central Kitsap Junior High School jazz band will perform at CK Family Night. The Filipino Ancestry International Dancers will perform Thursday as well.

Drawings for various prizes will take place throughout CK Family Night, including the grand prize, a weekend trip to Leavenworth. Barnes & Noble donated books to be given out as prizes during family bingo.

Last year’s CK Family Night attracted more than 600 people and Raymond said he would like to see many families turn out again this year.

Raymond said the Family Night Initiative would like to continue hosting CK Family Night for years to come “because it’s kind of a neat thing to do.” He said he would like to make the event countywide and hopes other counties and states will take notice and create their own family events.

“My vision is to get all of the school districts and all of the county to do this,” he said.