Maria Otting is doing her part to normalize sobriety as an option in social settings.
In December 2023, the Silver Creek resident started Sober Curious Shuswap, a Facebook group now consisting of around 270 members. Earlier that year she also began promoting her property, Highland Meadow Farm & Events, as an alcohol-free venue. These steps followed a decision by her household to give up alcohol in support of guests who were on a journey of addiction recovery.
"We had three young men who came and stayed at our place who were in addictions recovery, one from alcohol and two from fentanyl and other serious drugs, and that was in the early spring of 2022," said Otting, explaining how at that time she had a suite and an RV site available for rent. She learned the three men had been receiving care at the same addictions treatment centre.
Prior to giving up alcohol, Otting described herself as social drinker 香蕉视频直播� meaning the booze would come out for social occasions.
"You get the coolers out, you bring a bottle of wine when you go somewhere 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 standard, it香蕉视频直播檚 what we do in our society," said Otting. "It香蕉视频直播檚 how we celebrate, everything that we do revolves around alcohol, every celebration, every sporting event, every birth, everything is about alcohol in our society and I just never gave it any thought."
That changed with her three guests, who got her thinking about what she could do to "support these really incredible young men on this sober journey."
"So I thought, 'let香蕉视频直播檚 quit drinking'," sad Otting. "That way, when we香蕉视频直播檙e sitting around the fire, when we香蕉视频直播檙e having meals together, when we香蕉视频直播檙e spending time here, they know there香蕉视频直播檚 no temptation. We can support them and they don香蕉视频直播檛 have to worry about people drinking. So our property went completely dry over three years ago."
Otting and her spouse Thomas quickly saw the benefits of life without booze.
"We were like, oh my goodness 香蕉视频直播� even with just a couple of drinks it would make me feel off the next day, I lost productivity and all sorts of things," she said. "I just thought, you know what this is incredible, why was I even feeling the need to drink?
"It was just so automatic that I never even questioned it until these guys came here and it just completely changed our lives."
That year, 2022, Otting began work to create an event space on her property for gatherings of up to 50 people. She said the three men helped with its construction.
The following year, one of the men died from overdose. The traumatizing event prompted Otting to make the event space alcohol free.
"It was so traumatizing, it was so unnecessary, I though I've got to do something to contribute to making my community healthier, I need to do something about this and this was my way of doing that," said Otting, who followed this up by creating the Sober Curious Shuswap, through which people could connect with like-minded locals, whom she would help bring together by hosting alcohol-free gatherings.
"We do it at the event space or we do it in my backyard where we have a fire pit," explained Otting. "We sit around the fire, we do a little potluck, and it香蕉视频直播檚 really great, it香蕉视频直播檚 a place where people gather and there isn香蕉视频直播檛 any alcohol and they don香蕉视频直播檛 have to worry about it
"We香蕉视频直播檝e got people who have been through AA, we have people that have never drank in their life, we have people that are just cutting back for a month, people who are like, 'Hey, I still drink, but I like being around people that don香蕉视频直播檛 drink because it香蕉视频直播檚 nicer for me香蕉视频直播� a real gamut of people."
The gatherings offer an avenue where like-minded people can socialize, find encouragement and learn they're not alone.
"I think this is a lonely kind of journey 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 becoming less so 香蕉视频直播� but when you say to yourself I香蕉视频直播檓 going to do something so counter-culture, so not what everyone else is doing, it can feel very lonely and you wonder, are people going to make fun of me, where do I go? Because everywhere you go people are drinking.
"We're saying, 'Hey, you香蕉视频直播檙e not alone; there are others out there who are doing this,' and we can encourage each other and gather once a month and do our bonfires and potlucks and it香蕉视频直播檚 a safe place."
Otting sees attitudes towards alcohol changing, while the "sober curious" movement (the term taken from the title of author Ruby Warrington's book Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol) continues to grow.
As the group's name implies, sobriety is not a prerequisite to joining Sober Curious Shuswap.
"I really want to build a healthy community, and do what I can in my little sphere to encourage people who have decided they香蕉视频直播檙e going to be more mindful with their drinking and really look at their alcohol consumption and if this is really benefitting me or do I need to make a few changes," said Otting. "I香蕉视频直播檓 here, the group is here just to encourage that on their journey.
The next Sober Curious Shuswap gathering is taking place at Highland Meadows Farm & Events from 1 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 17. The event will include free yoga by the river and a potluck afterwards. Anyone curious about the event is welcomed to join the Sober Curious Shuswap Facebook page and RSVP by clicking on "going." For more information you can also visit the Highland Meadow Farm & Events page.
