Portage Strong gathering provides residents space to relax with free music, food, and more

The Portage community gathered in Founders Square for a day full of sharing and support on Saturday, August 22 during the Portage Strong event. The gathering took place less than two weeks after a devastating derecho swept through the Region, creating unprecedented destruction and leaving many without power.

The event was put together by local residents and organizations to provide the community with a chance to take a break from the storm recovery while celebrating the efforts throughout Portage to overcome this disaster. It featured food from local restaurants like Mexica Lindo, as well as music, games, and plenty of time for conversation with good company.

“I think this event is really about unity and being able to bring everybody in the community together, no matter the circumstances,” said Ryan Sumler, an attendee of the event.

In addition to the camaraderie, attendees were able to donate items or time to support those in need within the community during the event. The gathering was run by volunteers doing everything from setting up decorations to serving food to guests.

For many in Portage, the event was a celebration of everything that makes the community strong.

“The storm we had absolutely wrecked and destroyed so many large trees and some homes and power lines. There’s still people without power, so we just wanted to bring everybody together. We have some great organizations that are helping out today, the VFW is here to replace flags for people that have torn or weathered flags. The Salvation Army’s here and just giving out good things, and we’re just going to celebrate the day,” Traci Brubaker, emcee of the event, said.

In the wake of the derecho, the Portage community has banded together. Neighbors have helped neighbors remove debris, local businesses and organizations have provided free food and Wi-Fi when available, and elected officials have consistently advocated for Portage and the Region to receive the support it needs to recover. The gathering celebrated this while letting residents take their minds off of the ongoing recovery for a few hours.

“The main thing is that the storm hit everybody in some way, or it hit someone we love in a major way. I think it’s really important that nobody goes through whatever grieving or whatever process they need to handle the storm alone,” said Portage Mayor Austin Bonta. “We got to get through it with our family. We got to get through it with our communities and our different organizations. We got to get through it with our people.”

This event wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of volunteers offering their time, resources, and skills to make it happen.

“I want to highlight the incredibly diverse team of people that came together to make this happen. People who, quite frankly, were strangers. Some of them were strangers two days ago. Many of them were strangers even seven days ago, and yet, they were able to come together and put any differences aside. This is truly an event for the whole community,” Bonta said.

As power slowly returns and debris finally leaves the streets, Portage residents are staying strong in their support of their friends, family, and neighbors.

Stay up to date on everything happening in Portage at portagein.gov.