Prevention and Recovery Throws New Years Eve Bash

Community members were invited to Comanche Nation Prevention and Recovery’s Island-themed New Year’s Eve Bash from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. on December 31 at the Comanche County Fairgrounds.

Director of Comanche Nation Prevention and Recovery Bonnie Johnson said the program promotes sobriety, wellness and healing in the community.

“We provide all kinds of treatment for alcohol, substance abuse, and some mental health as well; all phases of treatment,” she said. “So, one of our goals is to provide safe community events for children and families and the community to be able to come and have a safe place and a safe celebration. So family engagement, strengthening community relationships and just us having a fun, safe place for the kids to go and families to go. Where they don’t have to worry about alcohol, drugs or any kind of harm or criminal activity.”

She said it took a staff of 34 people and months of planning to put on the New Year’s Eve bash.

“My main contribution to the event is approving the purchases that the staff brings that says you know ‘Can we buy this?’ ‘Can we purchase that?’ ‘We’re going to serve this meal,’” Johnson said. “So, they’ve done an excellent job, it does take a lot of work. We start planning this event in July; the staff starts planning the event in July. And it takes basically from July to now to make everything come together because there are so many pieces of it; the vendors, the lights, the music, the venue, the food, and all that type of good stuff, the decorations. So, it does take a lot of planning time.”

Johnson said it’s the staff who gets involved and the community.

“We run a residential treatment center and we have men and women and they have…they always do a wonderful job helping us and they have also helped in all of the decorations and the work of getting all of the drinks and food and all of those things put together,” she said. “And so, we really appreciate the hard work that they do for us.”

Client Ryan Cooley is a client who helped put on the event.
 

“Just kind of help set up everything,” he said. “Like right now, I was doing the sign-in for everyone and greeting them.”

There was a magician, a DJ, a photo booth, and a coffee bar at the event. There were raffles and lots of dancing.

“I am a huge fan of these types of events,” Johnson said. “I love that the department can do this; I love that the Comanche Nation can do this. Not just for the Nation, but for the community. It’s really awesome that the Nation allows us to put these events on for the community that means there’s the resources and support to do that. So we really appreciate our Tribal Administrator and our CBC and our chairman for supporting these types of events that we do.”

Cooley said there is no favorite part.

“First time really for this,” he said. “For me, being sober and enjoying myself is pretty fun.”

He said these events are good to keep your mind busy without having drugs or alcohol involved, and they’re cool to attend and be a part of.

“I’m thankful for being here and Comanche Nation Prevention and Recovery because it’s like, they put on all these events for a lot of people really; like everywhere and I just learn a lot just open your shell you know,” he said. “It’s just pretty cool.”

Cooley said he came from prison and is grateful for the help Prevention and Recovery offered him.