CoAction hosts inaugural Lake County Trivia Night to expand impact, create community, and celebrate connections throughout the Region

Following the success of its event at the end of May, CoAction brought its Trivia Night fundraiser to the Dean and Barbara White Community Center for a special Lake County rendition on Friday, August 8. Money raised from the fundraiser will allow CoAction to continue providing its essential services throughout Northwest Indiana.

Teams of brainiacs gathered to test their Lake County knowledge while enjoying hors d’oeuvres catered by Cappo’s. Before the competition even began, the energy at the community center was electric.

“A lot of people want to connect just to have a good time,” said Jennifer Trowbridge, President and CEO of CoAction.  “When you can interlace something important and impactful to the event, people just having a good time can actually translate into services.”

Questions covered a wide variety of topics. From mascots and superheroes to science and nutrition, teams went head-to-head to prove how much they knew. Participants competed fiercely for the opportunity to win big prizes; even between rounds of trivia, they could compete against each other in the silent auction.

“We got prizes from all over the county, and from surrounding counties as well,” Trowbridge said. “We’ve got art, pampering items, liquor, and more. All of these organizations wanted to help out, and it’s so duly beneficial. They’re marketing, we’re raising funds, and they’re generating new business.”

At the end of the night, the three highest-scoring teams were recognized for their performance. This year, the Lake County Trivia Night champion was the [team that won the event]. Regardless of winning or losing, however, everyone walked away having made a positive impact on the community.

“We’ve got families right now on the brink of desperation,” Trowbridge said.  “These are people who, without help, will end up living in a car or in a hotel, or even worse. So the money that we raise helps our team divert from homelessness and provide peer support to these people.”

This event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of sponsors like Geminus, HealthLinc, BNutty, First Financial Bank, Starin Properties, and others. The belief in CoAction’s mission by everyone involved also helped to make the event so successful.

“I can’t thank people enough,” Trowbridge said. “It’s the sponsorships that really add some extra value to giving an agency the money to put right into services. When we have those sponsors, that’s such a big deal for us.”

With Trivia Night concluded, CoAction turns its attention to the exciting lineup of events it still has in store for 2025, including October’s quickly approaching Reimagine Conference 2025, where attendees can learn how to turn knowledge and connection into action and impact. Tickets for the conference are currently available online.

To learn more about CoAction and the services it provides throughout Northwest Indiana, visit coaction.care.