Traveling nonprofit hosting sober tailgate in Norman Saturday
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) - Tailgating is a Saturday tradition for a lot of folks in Oklahoma in the fall. Saturday, one set up in Norman near the Stadium is doing all the fun activities you'd normally see at one, but with a bit of a twist. That twist includes an emphasis on sobriety.
Most football fans everywhere know the drill. The tents go up, and that's followed by games, food, friends, family, and football on the TV. Alcohol is usually another thing you think of while tailgating, too.
"We do free, substance-free, sober tailgates," founder of Sober AF Entertainment, Duke Rumley said.
For Rumley and his nonprofit, translated to Sober "And Fun" Entertainment, things are a little different. When Ole Miss comes to town for homecoming Saturday, Rumley and his crew are bringing their sober party along, but from Colorado, where they're based out of.
"Our tagline is we create safe spaces and fun places," he said.
The nonprofit travels all across the country.
"Music festivals, concerts, and sporting events," Rumley said.
Recently, they went to Madison, Wisconsin, for a football game. Then, they were at Vanderbilt just last week and at Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, earlier in the season.
"We almost have to show them how to have fun, substance-free free if we're going to ask them not to do drugs or alcohol," Rumley said.
He founded the nonprofit about 7 years ago. He was 28 years sober at the time with a couple kids aged 16 and 20 who ran into experiences of their friends taking drugs. He understood the vulnerability of their age group and the prominence of drug overdoses and said he wanted to take action.
"We try to make it fun and educational," he said.
In the past, they've handed out Narcan while bringing awareness to drug and alcohol abuse and having the fun of any other tailgate. Saturday in the southeast area outside the stadium, you can expect more of the same, starting at 9 a.m., food, games, fun, TVs and sobriety.
"It's free, open to any and all. We're going to have a great time."
He and one other person run the organization with volunteers right now. Oklahoma will mark the 27th state they've traveled to. It's a tailgate before the game and a watch party during it.
We've also provided a link to their website, which shows their schedule and where they will travel in the future as well as their mission and other information.