Dayton comes through to keep grads safe and sober

Keeping kids alive and sober enough to remember their graduations is a top priority for Central Lyon Youth Connections and Healthy Communities of Lyon and Storey counties.

A few weeks ago, they put out an appeal for help with Sober Grad Night, which organizers say drew 98 percent participation from Dayton High graduating seniors last year.

The event was at risk of cancellation due to a lack of funds and volunteers.

Bridget Thompson of Healthy Communities reports parents, school faculty and graduating seniors along with other community members responded and worked to save the celebration.

"It's always amazing when you put a call out to the community and they step up," she said.

Sober Grad Night will be held June 7 at the Incline Village Recreation Center. It offers graduates the chance to party all night in a safe way - with swimming, a climbing wall, movies, basketball, karaoke, mock casinos and more, all under the watchful eyes of adult organizers and volunteers.

Seniors get to party all night in a supervised atmosphere. Buses will take them there and return them to Dayton.

One thing that is still necessary, Thompson said, is to have more parents at the event as chaperones. Parents of underclassmen are being sought for the job so that parents of graduating seniors will be free to entertain visiting family members. Other volunteers are also needed.

To help out, call Patty Sanborn at 246-7012.

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Silver Springs seniors will also need to have a safe place for a sober graduation experience. The Silver Stage Nighthawk Booster Club is looking for donations and sponsorships for the Silver Stage High School Safe and Sober Grad Night.

Donors can give money or prizes as well as their time; boosters are looking for help in their booth at the Lyon County Fly-In, among other things.

This year's Safe and Sober celebration will be held at the Fallon Naval Air Station.

To contribute or volunteer, call Gregg at 775-577-9434 or Sheryl Brown at 775-577-5071.