Laurel Park in Marietta, GA, played host to a unique gathering on July 13, as the Cobb County Drug Treatment Court held its first ‘Successfully Sober Summer BBQ’. Aimed at celebrating sobriety, the event welcomed program participants and their families for a day of camaraderie and outdoor fun, accompanied by the support of DTC Team Members, contract providers, community partners, and other distinguished guests.
The afternoon was filled with activities – a mix of basketball, cornhole, tug of war, sack races, while card games offered respite from the sun under the pavilion; children gravitated towards face painting, each emerging with vibrant designs as testament to a day marked by more than just play but a collective pause in the narratives of their family histories marked by addiction. The Rotary Club of Marietta Metro and Celebrate Recovery Eastwood Baptist Church were both on hand to provide the sustenance essential to any great BBQ, thanks to Cobb County's announcement.
Porsha Middlebrook, the Program Coordinator for the Cobb County Drug Treatment Court, emphasized the significance of the event as more than just a gathering, stating, “It was a wonderful experience to congregate outside of the courtroom with participants and their families, and it was a great opportunity for the court to model the possibility of pro-social activities on one’s journey to health and well-being.” The event not only offered a relaxed atmosphere but also represented a snapshot of the progress made by participants, their solidarity in the face of recovery’s relentless demands.
And behind every graduate of the program stands a circle of steadfast professionals, from the facilitators to Judge Kimberly A. Childs, whose dedication to the well-being of participants was acknowledged with gratitude by Middlebrook, “We are proud of our participants and their supportive families for their steadfast approach to sobriety. Behind every program graduate is a team of professionals, whose unwavering commitment is instrumental to their success," a sentiment echoed in Cobb County's report.
