The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
SoberFest continues to bring unity, life
Life and unity were brought back into Oakwood Park in Lorain’s south side on Aug. 4 during the fourth annual SoberFest.
Guests fought the summer heat during the daylong event from morning into late afternoon hours for some summer fun.
The event kicked off early with a volleyball and annual softball tournament while bands and dancers performed near the park’s playground, which we full of children.
Other events throughout the day included the annual cornhole tournament and a new wrestling match called Sober Slam, performed by local professionals.
Visitors from the community began to fill the park to join in on activities and other services provided, such as free haircuts for youngsters and adults done by local barbers and those of Headlinerz Barbershop in Lorain.
Organizations like Lorain City Schools, House of Praise Church and the PACE Foundation also assisted in the festival.
Fortaleza, a Lorain and Cuyahoga County drug and alcohol treatment center facility that created the festival, provided guests free food, shirts to a number of guests who first attended and entry into a raffle with many prizes.
Nilda Santiago, billing administrator, has been with Fortaleza with five years said she and CEO Anthony Villa, Sr., are proud of how much SoberFest has grown in its four years.
Santiago reminisced and said she remembers how the event first started at Black River Landing in Lorain.
She said it was Villa’s vision to have a clean and family-friendly event while people could enjoy their time together without consuming alcohol.
Santiago said Villa strives to strengthen the community by helping others and giving back within Fortaleza and SoberFest.
To continue giving back, she said he decided to bring the day of fun to Oakwood Park three years ago to not only continue to support all guests in a clean day of fun, but bring it to a park cherished by many.
Santiago said Villa wanted to invite and bring people back to the park to liven it for what it used to be when it was consistently full of people on the basketball courts, playground, pool and baseball fields.
“That’s what (Villa) wants and he wants everyone to know that they can have a good time and it can be a sober day,” she said. “Nobody has to be afraid. That’s what he wants.”
In its three years at Oakwood, she said she, members of Fortaleza and of the community have watched SoberFest grow through their events and supporters.
All who are part of the festival are volunteers who donate their time to give back to the community, she said.
“Seeing SoberFest’s growth and joy from guests (and volunteers) just pushes me more,” she said.
Oakwood Park is important to many in the community and through SoberFest, those of Fortaleza hope they can provide a day where people can also be inspired to bring more to the area all for the good of the community, Santiago added.
Miguel “Papo” Sanchez of Lorain, attended the event for the first time to watch his son Edsel Sanchez give free haircuts to guests.
Papo Sanchez said he was not only proud to see his son give back to the community he was raised in, but to see an event that takes him back to growing up at the park.
He shared a time where bands would perform continuously at the park during its summers and seeing the softball fields full of players and fans.
“Everybody was here, all the kids and older people; it was fun,” he said. “It’s cool to see it back and full of people because it’s sad to drive by the park and see it (empty sometimes) in the condition it’s in. It looks a lot better now.”
Papo Sanchez said he believes more people will start coming back to the park if there are more activities and events like SoberFest.
“Seeing SoberFest’s growth and joy from guests (and volunteers) just pushes me more.” — Nilda Santiago, billing administrator