Opportunity to connect

Picture it — swapping stories with locals and sharing a meal over the Salamonie River during golden hour.

That’s the concept behind the first community dinner on the bridge in Jay County. It’s slated for 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday on the green bridge that connects Hudson Family Park and Weiler-Wilson Park in Portland.

Michele Goldman, a Portland resident, has been cooking up the idea since January. She took inspiration from a similar event offered along the Washington Street bridge in Muncie. 

“I’ve always wanted to bring one here and just, I said, ‘We could do that in Jay County,’” she said. “I just felt like there’s been a lot of divisiveness all across the U.S., and, you know, there’s something to be said when people share a meal and get to know each other, and kind of share stories — you find out about people’s lives, what they have experienced, and it just builds a deeper connection.”

Plans are to set up tables and chairs along the bridge. Attendees may take a seat, meander along the river or grab a bite to eat from Ryzone’s Food Truck, Tayo’s Taqueria and Two Mama’s On Tap in the area between the bridge and Portland Junior League diamonds.

Bringing food items for a picnic is also an option.

The tables will seat up to 80. Overflow space could be used with park benches and picnic tables, although Goldman noted the event will boast more of an open-house style for folks to come and go as they please.

East Central Indiana Regional Planning District and Barry and Elizabeth Hudson sponsored the event to help with table rentals and other fees. Homeschool Art Group, Lydia Rowles and Lindsay Edwards crafted and donated paper flowers in small metal watering cans for table decor.

Event organizers are hosting a decorating contest, with participants asked to bring their own items and jazz up tables. Goldman plans to add craft paper runners across tables for coloring opportunities, as well as add icebreaker questions to the runners to get conversations started.

Musician Mark McKinley of rural Portland will also perform folk music with his guitar, adding an air of ambiance to the evening.

There will be giveaways with baskets and gift cards from different local entities, including Three Chicks Farm and Pennville Custom Cabinetry, Goldman’s business.

Formerly of Indianapolis, Goldman has lived in Jay County for more than 15 years and now calls it home. She talked about what it means to live in a small community, using the example of her children bumping into folks she knows while out and about.

“That’s a good feeling, to know that you’ve got people watching out for you,” she said.

Connections are the backbone of rural communities, she added. The community bridge dinner in Jay County aims to highlight that small-town charm one meal at a time.

Goldman noted event plans have fallen into line over the course of the last few months.

“With an event like this, you never know how it’s going to be received, but I feel like the universe has been winking at me along the way,” said Goldman, who hopes to make the event an annual occurrence.

“(I) invite people to come, it’s casual,” she said. “Come as you are, come from work, it’s just a time to celebrate Jay County and the people here and just be together.”