Sober Southington Celebrates Life with a Kickball Game
For Shane Shackleford, getting the Sober Southington kickball game rolling was a long time in the making.
Just over a year after starting the group, which aims to bring substance-free social activities to Southington, Shackleford finally obtained the use of Dunkin’ Park in Hartford for the one-night event on Tuesday that pitted his team against a team from Shay’s Barber Lounge.
“I've always wanted to kind of think outside the box,” said Shackleford. “We could play kickball, but how do we make it interesting? How do we get it to be a celebration of life and sobriety and mental health? I think with the scoreboard and the celebration of an individual accomplishing what they've accomplished, whether it's a day or 20 years, I think it's cool to celebrate that.”
Shackleford started Sober Southington last August, looking to connect with others in the community on similar sobriety journeys. The group has grown to include people in all stages of sobriety, from all ages and walks of life, but the underlying mission remains the same: give back to the community that supports them while hosting events for those in recovery to bond with those undergoing the same things.
“I created Sober Southington on my sobriety date, August 1 last year,” said Shackleford. “I needed some accountability, a way to stay busy and a way to give back.”
Tuesday night was not only a celebration of sobriety and personal recovery, but of the Southington community as well. Event sponsors included local businesses Nonnas Pizza, Groggy Frogg, A Moment Away Spa, Plato’s Closet, Fitlife 24/7 and more.
Miss Southington Vashty Stanley was at Dunkin’ Park in support, as were Radio 104.1 hosts Amy Grey and Vikki Sixx. State Representative Chris Poulos rolled out the first pitch.
“He's always been supportive of what I've done, and I wanted to kind of show him the same love and respect back,” Shackleford said of Poulos. “I wanted to throw in as many aspects of connection as I could. I think a state representative kind of gave me that boost a little bit. Then with Miss Southington here, having a representative from Southington, having Southington businesses as support, having Southington as a team playing against a Southington business. I just wanted Southington pride today, but with the community in mind.”
The kickball game was not only a chance to show off on the field, but to connect players and spectators with local mental health and addiction resources. Several tables were set up in the concourse with representatives from organizations such as LiveWell, The Ridge Recovery Center, Hartford HealthCare and more.
Such connections and dedication to supporting the sober community are what make Sober Southington special, said kickball player and Bread for Life Executive Director Missy Cipriano. A supporter of Shackleford’s ideas since he founded the group, Cipriano said his impact extends far beyond fun activities.
“So many of our folks struggle with addiction, and we want to have as much support available for them locally that we can. So for us, being involved with Sober Southington just connects our guests and the folks that we serve with a deeper resource, and so it's a win-win for us,” said Cipriano.
Another familiar face on the field was Nonna Pizza owner Ace Memeti. Memeti has been involved with Sober Southington over the past year. He met Shackleford, who works at Groggy Frogg next to Nonna Pizza, and was the winner of the first Sober Southington pizza crawl award.
Memeti said supporting Sober Southington goes beyond neighbors helping neighbors. Sober Southington is a welcoming group, he said, and people from any background are welcome to attend their events.
“It's important because I think in the time we are in right now, there's a lot of craziness going on, and I feel like this group finds the balance for that. I think more people need to see that,” said Memeti.
The game ended in a 15-5 loss for Sober Southington, but the score wasn’t the takeaway. Tuesday night was about showing those struggling that they aren’t alone, and remembering those who have been lost to addiction. A pre-game moment of silence was held, and resources were readily available for those seeking support with their addiction journeys.
“This is Southington on Southington, and showing our community support,” said Cipriano. “The struggle is real for not even just mental health, but also addiction. Having a small town come together and support so many people, that’s grassroots stuff. That's what means a lot.”
