What a year it has been for Portage, Indiana. Businesses, organizations, and city leaders all came together to make this year a memorable one. The community was able to enjoy all kinds of events, from the absolutely wicked City of Portage’s Light Up the Gourds event to the Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Indiana’s Steam-a-Thon. Portage was full of life.
In no particular order, here are the Top 10 Community Articles on Portage.Life to recap the great news in 2025.
Paulina Huffman is exactly who you’d want by your side if you’re a veteran in Porter County navigating the complex system of benefits and services.
As a veterans services officer, Huffman’s been making a meaningful difference since she stepped into the role in 2013.
“There is a Veteran Service Office in every county that acts as a local point of contact for veterans in their county to assist with all veteran issues,” said Huffman.
On the morning of Thursday, February 20, The City of Portage and Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce held the annual State of the City Address at Woodland Park’s Oakwood Hall. Mayor of Portage Austin Bonta was the event’s featured speaker. Local elected officials, chamber members, and representatives of local organisations were in attendance.
On April 17, Indiana Dunes Tourism hosted its annual State of the Dunes event, celebrating past achievements and previewing park plans. This year’s event featured National and State Park leadership updates, offering a comprehensive overview of ongoing projects and community efforts throughout the Indiana Dunes area. The event aimed to provide a holistic view of the activities and collaborations within the community. Indiana Dunes Tourism President and CEO Christine Livingston continues to work closely with her board of directors, team, and community partners to ensure the organization’s goals are met and its impact is felt throughout the Region.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, the garden outside Powers Health Rehabilitation Center was filled with laughter, music and stories of perseverance as the community gathered to celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day.
Held on June 1, the event welcomed survivors, caregivers, families, and healthcare professionals from across Northwest Indiana. Attendees were treated to a grilled lunch, while a DJ kept the energy upbeat throughout the afternoon.
All throughout 2025, Regional Care Group is celebrating its 50 years of serving Northwest Indiana communities. Regional Health Systems, a Regional Care Group member, is a healthcare provider that offers behavioral health, primary care, addiction treatment, and dental care. What began in 1975 as the Southlake Center for Mental Health has transformed over the past 50 years into one of the largest and most comprehensive, community-based networks in Indiana.
After kids had a blast at last year’s first Region-wide Summer STEM-a-Thon hosted in downtown Valparaiso’s Urschel Pavilion, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana decided to go bigger and bolder in 2025. Under the direction of their experienced and innovative Director of Academic Programming & Education, Marina Kirova, and annually funded primarily by Urschel Giving, the organization brought together over 200 kids from across 10 different Clubs for this year’s second annual event. Kids rotated through 20 different exciting stations in small groups to explore math and science with a hands-on approach.
This story is part of a series on 1st Source Foundation. Learn more about the impact it has on local communities here.
The Porter County Fairgrounds pavilion hosts thousands of guests every year during the Porter County Fair. From concerts and performances to community programs, the pavilion serves as a gathering place and activity hub for the community during the weeks of the fair, but it has always been a temporary structure.
Holly King, secretary for the Porter County Agricultural Society, recognized the growing need in Porter County for a more permanent structure that could continue providing entertainment and agricultural education when the fair wasn’t active.
A cornucopia of pumpkins lit the way as hundreds walked the trails of Imagination Glen Park on Saturday, October 10 during the return of the sixth annual Light Up the Gourds event. The pumpkin trails guided walkers to an array of fall-themed activities centered around a “Wicked” theme, making it a “spook-tacular” way to bring the Portage community together in the spirit of the Halloween season.
“I like that we have the senior and sensory hour at five to six, so that makes us more all inclusive,” said Norma Laboy, Public Relations Specialist. “We love having all the organizations come and carve pumpkins and partake in the event. It’s just a really cool event to bring the community together.”
Since he was young, Len Clark has been a believer in personality assessments.
It was about 25 years ago, while teaching in the communications department at the University of Evansville, that he first took the Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness (DISC) Assessment.
“It was like the assessment was looking into my DNA,” the Portage native said. “It got me.”
Becoming a first-time parent can be exciting, stressful, and full of new challenges. For families who already have limited funds or are lacking a strong support system, that adjustment can be even more difficult. United Way Northwest Indiana is proud to partner with Goodwill of Michiana through the Nurse-Family Partnership to support parents through the Health 2 Home program, funded by First Things First Porter County.
