Group That Promotes Going To Colorado Events Sober Gains Traction At CU

By Jamie Leary

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - It's been a successful four months for a new Colorado nonprofit. Sober AF Entertainment, which promotes sober spaces at events typically associated with alcohol, has already been welcomed at 25 events across the state.

The most recent partnership for SAFE is helping spread awareness for a growing sober community at University Of Colorado Boulder.

"Oh we rage, we absolutely rage sober! We have a great time! I think that's one of the misconceptions that you see our students..." Danny Conroy continued, "They're not sitting there, there participating, they're active in life."

Conroy founded the Collegiate Recovery Center on the Boulder campus six years ago. He believes people have an outdated view of what sober life looks like.

"It doesn't mean that your life becomes boring," said Conroy.

More and more students are taking advantage of sober events put on by CRC as well as the CU SoberBuffs, a student-run social group.

"My surprise was more around that I could do it and that I could feel fun but not necessarily that there were all these other people who were also doing it," said Ashley Hershey, 23.

Hershey, a fourth-year student at CU has been in recovery for 6 months. She knew about the sober community before choosing sobriety herself. It was the events the CRC held and the students in it who helped her get to where she is now.

She says her life has improved and she hopes others see that sobriety isn't a sentence.

"It's become more and more common, we have a growing body of students that want to be sober and have fun at the same time and so it becomes more and more comfortable."

Hershey says when she talks to other students on campus about the CRC and efforts of the CU SoberBuffs, she gets surprised looks and she's happy to share sobriety from her perspective.

"I think as soon as you come into contact with people who are living sober lifestyles you start to look at your own life and that sparks the thought process and I think that's hopefully what were doing by representing the sober community."

The partnership with Sober AF Entertainment is helping the CU Sober community to expand their message and grow their community.

Join Sober AF Entertainment at its sober tailgate party on Friday, before the Buffs take on the Bruins. You don't need to be a student to participate, just a desire to have sober fun.

Jamie Leary joined the CBS4 team in 2015 and currently works as a reporter for CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. She couldn't imagine a better place to live and work and will stop at nothing to find the next great story. Jamie loves learning about and hearing from her fellow community members, so connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @JamieALeary.