For the second year, the Bracken County Extension Office collaborated with the local Family Resource Youth Service Center (FRYSC) to offer “A Day with Dad.”  The focus of this event is to offer an opportunity for fathers to spend quality time with their children.  Often times bonding, experiences between parent and child are focused on the mother as the primary caregiver.  However, studies have shown that children are more successful when fathers take an active role in their lives.  An outdoor setting is chose to entice fathers to participate and in an activity, both they and their kids will enjoy.  While the overall intent is to increase bonding time between father and child, we also understand this is not an option for every child.  Grandparents, uncles, and neighbors are also invited to attend with a child.  Several male volunteers are also on hand to fish with those children whose fathers are not available for various reasons.  This year’s event saw an increase in families from the previous year.We almost doubled the families attending.  We had 13 families and almost 40 people.  The event took place at our local park that houses 2 lakes for fishing. We offered a free lunch, crafts for Father’s Day, and door prizes.  During the event, one father stated he had never thought to bring his son there to fish and it was something free they could do more often.He also claimed this was the first time his son enjoyed an outdoor activity and boasted he may even plan a camping trip with him.  Additionally, two of the families had never taken their children fishing and reminisced about fishing with their own fathers’ decades ago.  One father thanked us for bringing back memories of his father he had long forgotten and he was determined to make those memories with his daughters now.