10/23/2025                                                                            
                                    
                                                                            
                                            WOW! What an incredible turnout yesterday at our Cider, Sweets, and Smiles fall family event! We welcomed HUNDREDS of families through our doors for trick or treating, cookie decorating, carnival games, and face painting, and so many sweet photos were taken with TG Photography at the photo station. Not to mention, there were kitten and bunny cuddles galore, lots of pets given to Twinkle the pony and Butter the Highland cow, and we had a SURPRISE guest at the petting zoo -  beautiful peacocks! 
What a truly incredible event that we could not have done without the help of so many people.
-To our employees who jumped right in to help set up and work the event and contributed pumpkins/hay bales/decor/etc- Melissa B, Vickie, Kristen, Heather, Melissa M, Ashley, Tanner, Hannah, and Deb
-To our NWIAC family members for joining in, whether given an option or not (we appreciate you!) - Molly, Hattie, Jeff, Joslynn, Levi, Jen, Sophia, Brittany, Ben, Millie, Rozlyn and Crayton
-To our community helpers and friends that answered our call for help for a few extra hands - Kaity, Beth, Hudson, Brielle, Shante, Brooks, and Ember, and to our fellow mental health professionals from LSI that volunteered to help and showed the true meaning of community and support - Amy, Casey, Vanessa, and Paige
-To Brittany, for loaning us your artistic skills and doing some of the most incredible face painting
-To NW Iowa Counseling’s favorite baker for all our events, Kaitlynn with Kaitlynn’s Cakes for making 300 sugar cookies (and her sprinkle helpers, too!)
-To Taylor with TG Photography for taking such sweet photos of families and kids throughout the event, making everyone feel beyond comfortable in front of the camera, and for your incredible turnaround speed on those photos (just over 12 hours?! Amazing)
-Finally, to our community members - THANK YOU for coming out and joining us for a night of cider, sweets, and smiles. We loved seeing you all!
-Anne & Amy