YOUNGSTOWN — Aiming for a suitable way to bring people together for an enjoyable evening out, Jarel M. Gadson hosted the debut of Community Game Night at the Wickyards.

“This event is one (me and my girlfriend Phyllicia Denise Hamm-Jelks) plan to throw more often to help create a safe space for people to have fun and network and spread the word about the aid we are offering to the community we love so much, and our mission of empowering our people towards a better life ahead,” Gadson said. “We feel communities come together more when you’re able to spend quality time with one another, doing hands-on activities that make you interact and be social. So, a game night fit what we wanted to do perfectly.”

Saturday’s activities were inspired from the popular Netflix show, “Squid Game,” which happens to be Gadson’s favorite program on the streaming channel. A Google search finds numerous Squid Game contests for adults and children.

“I’ve been binge watching it repeatedly. I’m kind of obsessed with it,” he said. “When we got to thinking about a game night, you have to match something with a thing. My girl looked at me. She was like, ‘You’re gonna do Squid Game.’ I’m like, ‘You know I’m gonna do Squid Game.’ So, we just started to plan and put things together. Some of the pieces you see are actually home custom pieces.”

With Gadson as the host for the evening, he split the attendees into two groups — Red Team and Black Team — who then competed against each other in several contests.

Red Light, Green Light had players move while the music played and stop when it paused. The person still in motion lost. Other contests involved being the first to empty a Kleenex box, one tissue at a time, and being the first person to sing the next line of a song that was played.

Later, after the Red Team victory, the diverse crowd tried their best at the Sugar Cookie Cutout, which required using a needle to free a round cookie in a tin without cracking it. Then, groups of people converged to play card games such as UNO and Spades, Dominos and Move a Cup with a Balloon game.

A union roofer for Local 71 and father, Gadson has turned his life around and aims to be a guiding light helping others after he landed in jail for criminal activity a decade ago.

“I needed help to survive and because I vowed to give my community and myself a chance to see I have changed and I will not return to my past life,” said Gadson, who moved to Youngstown in 2009 at the age of 14 from Bridgeport, Connecticut

“I had to do the research to find that help and I came across a lot of places and people who assist in just helping people who needed it. I utilized the resources offered to me through various non-profit organizations tailored toward re-entry and was able to build my life I have now with my beautiful family. I changed my life for the better because of these resources I now know of. So, if anyone comes to me with a problem one of those resources can fix such as employment, I will always offer a solution,” Gadson said.

Previously, he partnered with United Returning Citizens but mainly does whatever he can when he can.

“We have been active in helping people in underprivileged communities find resources to help them get their life on track, I’ve been helping people find jobs in skilled trades with hopes of them finding a career path to follow,” Gadson said. “I have been able to get some guys who came to me looking for employment opportunities. Now, they are all in apprenticeship programs to become roofers for various companies in our area.”

While Gadson invited those he previously helped to Game Night, he emphasized the community aspect of the event.

“It’s opening a door to invite our community to get to know each other and have fun doing it. Having fun always brings out the better in almost any person, I feel. So, it seems like the perfect recipe for a great night in Youngstown,” he said. “Our goal is to bring the community together for a night of fun and make it a start of something new that we can keep going and develop a tradition of events like this tailored to the public.”