2018 Barn Bash!
The second annual Serenity Grove Barn Bash was another fun-filled night with a full house. Musical performances were provided by the Local Girls and Otis Crockron, Jr., and poet Kari Gunther-Seymour shared her voice while attendees enjoyed a delicious array of locally baked goodies courtesy of Crumbs Bakery, Village Bakery, Fluff, and the Nelsonville Emporium. Drinks were provided by Herbal Sage Tea company and Dirty Girl Coffee. Once again, Shamrock Auction did a splendid job of helping us with our live and silent auctions of lovely items donated by area artists and businesses. We are most grateful for all those who helped make this night such a success!
The 2018 Purple Gala hosted by OU’s Senior Nursing Class on November 27th was a night to remember! Not only did the students manage to increase awareness of the opiate crisis, they raised more than $10,000 for Serenity Grove’s garage renovation project. The garage will be converted into a multipurpose room that will allow appropriate space for child and family visitation, recovery and Board meetings, community involvement, and room for volunteers to lead classes in everything from yoga to creative writing (both have been offered!). The students carried themselves with a level of grace and sophistication far beyond their years, and the messages conveyed by each of the six speakers were impactful. The last speaker of the night had a special message that is good advice for us all: “When you have the choice between being right or being kind, always choose being kind.”
On October 6th, the 35th annual Chili Bowl Cook-off sponsored by 97 WATH and Power 105 designated Serenity Grove/Women for Recovery as the recipient of proceeds collected. Board members, residents of Serenity Grove, and supportive volunteers contributed with an entry of vegetarian chili which won the amateur award in its category. We enjoyed serving community members while sharing more information about our recovery house. In addition to the Chili Bowl Cook-off, the Ohio Health/O’Bleness Hospital Tricycle race was also underway in a new collaboration between the two fundraisers in the same area just outside O’Bleness Hospital. A Dunking Machine added to the fun, and several of us managed to take the mayor down!