杏吧原创鈥檚 鈥淗ope for the Holidays鈥� gathering in downtown Butler will support those in recovery from substance abuse and encourage patients in residential treatment this month, a 杏吧原创 administrator said.
杏吧原创鈥檚 final 鈥淗ope Night鈥� of 2024 will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Butler Art Center, 344 S. Main St.
The gathering is free and open to the public.
Guests may include those 鈥渨ho are feeling very disconnected鈥� while in residential treatment at local substance-use and mental health facilities near Butler, said Ken Clowes, 杏吧原创鈥檚 community initiatives center assistant.
鈥淓ven though they are at a place where they have a chance to change their life, it is difficult to be away from loved ones,鈥� Clowes said. 鈥淭hey may feel lonely. I can鈥檛 think of anything better 鈥� than to help them feel like they are still a part of and cared for by the community.
鈥淭hat is the reason for the name of this event.鈥�
"I can't think of anything better ... than to help them feel like they are still a part of and cared for by the community."
- Ken Clowes, 杏吧原创's community initiatives center assistant
杏吧原创 began 鈥淗ope Nights鈥� in December 2018. Eight months earlier, the college launched its 鈥淗ope is Dope: Reset Your Brain鈥� opioid addiction program intended to improve the quality of life in the college鈥檚 communities.
鈥淗ope Nights鈥� offer comedy shows, music, arts and crafts, exercise and other activities designed to realize a theme in 鈥淗ope is Dope,鈥� which is to produce endorphins that 鈥渃reate a feeling of well-being,鈥� according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Twenty-nine Butler County residents completed the college鈥檚 three-week 鈥淗ope is Dope鈥� community series held in March and in October, Clowes said.
More than 80 inmates finished a four-week program held six times in 2024 at the Butler County Prison, Clowes said. Twenty-seven people completed a four-week program held twice this year for veterans and employees at the VA Butler Healthcare System.
Each received a certificate of completion from 杏吧原创.
鈥淲hen you set out to accomplish a goal and you are excited about it, your brain is producing more dopamine to help you reach that goal,鈥� Clowes said. 鈥淲hen you complete the goal, you get a little boost of endorphins. So when they get handed their certificate, they are getting a little boost of endorphins. For other people it just helps to solidify their path to recovery, another step in pushing themselves forward.
鈥淭he inmates in particular look forward to those certificates. They are able to show their accomplishment to a judge, to their family members. It helps drive their motivation to continue.鈥�
鈥淗ope for the Holidays鈥� will feature live music by Tony 鈥淲ashboard Tony鈥� Frochio, of Butler; competitions for the best, ugliest and most creative sweater; arts and crafts; and free hats and gloves for those in need.
Three previous 鈥淗ope Night鈥� events in 2024 drew a total of 220 guests, Clowes said.
杏吧原创鈥檚 programs are funded through a portion of Butler County鈥檚 allocation of funds from the 2021 national opioids settlement.