The Something Sober substance-free social group has planned a summer filled with free outdoor activities for community members, thanks to a Try This West Virginia mini-grant.

The Something Sober group is open to anyone who wants to find a place to socialize and participate in hobbies with others practicing sobriety. The peer-led group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at the NAMI Greater Wheeling Drop In Center at 1035 Chapline Street.

The group will expand its summer activity line-up through a $26,070 grant from Try This West Virginia. From May until September, the group has a different outdoor activity planned in Ohio/Marshall counties each month.

The activity lineup includes:

June: Community Pool Party at the Wheeling Island Pool on Saturday, June 28, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

July: BBQ and Hiking Day at the Oglebay Park Driehorst Shelter on Friday, July 18, from 3 to 8 p.m.

Rescheduled May activity: Move Your Body event at the Moundsville East End Park Fitness Court on Tuesday, July 29, from 6 to 8 p.m.

August: Outdoor Pool Party at Warwood Garden Park on Sunday, August 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

September: Family Field Day at Moundsville Riverfront on Saturday, September 13.

NAMI Great Wheeling Peer Services Navigator Kayla Straight, a lead administrator for Something Sober, said the grant money would provide the spaces, equipment and snacks during the various activities. Transportation will also be available for each activity.

Straight noted that the grant would allow the group to expand its summer activity lineup and grow its community partners and membership base.

“We want to be able to provide for our community through planning these events, and then also impact the community and let them know we’re here,” Straight said. “This is something that we’re trying to normalize- that you can go out and do fun things without having a beer while you’re there. You don’t have to engage in substance use for you to have fun and enjoy yourself.”

Straight noted the group’s “phenomenal” membership since its first meeting in September 2024, when over 40 people attended. Since then, their events typically have 20 to 30 people in attendance.

“We have a lot of people in recovery who come and hang out with us, but it’s not required to be in recovery to come see us,” Straight noted. “The only requirement is that you’re sober while you’re with us, so we have people from all walks of life who come. We’re also family-friendly, so a lot of people bring their children, and they’re always welcome.”

In addition to expanding programming and membership, the group was also recognized for its dedication to bettering the Ohio Valley in a healthy way by the WV Department of Health, Bureau for Public Health’s Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease. The group received a 2025 Celebrating Healthy West Virginia Award during a conference held at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon on Friday, June 6.

Straight said that receiving the grant and award affirmed that the group was carrying out the vision of founding member Cindy Ruggiero, who started the group after her son Adam’s struggle with substance abuse.

“Cindy did this in the spirit of her son, who is thankfully still with us, but has been dealing with substance use for most of his adult life and is now currently very ill,” Straight said. “She really feels this is one of the better things to come out of his life. Through his experiences, this group has been able to impact the community, and we want to move forward in the interest of him to provide things for people like him so that they can be successful.”