When Stephanie Nashert and her husband looked back on their early years, times marked by partying that stretched from adolescence into adulthood, they realized something needed to change. Sobriety was the answer, but what followed exposed a major gap in their community. There were few, if any, places for people in recovery to socialize, celebrate or simply exist without temptation.
“We joke that The Stone Dry Company is a result of our boredom,” Nashert says. “In the beginning, we kept thinking, ‘What are you going to do when you’re sober? Where do you go?’ We wanted a fun, normal environment without the pressure or presence of alcohol.”
What began as a small sober New Year’s Eve gathering among friends in 2019 has since grown into The Stone Dry Company, a thriving nonprofit whose mission is to prove sobriety is awesome. Officially granted 501(c)(3) status in 2021, the organization now serves hundreds of people weekly through a blend of sober social events and comprehensive recovery programming.
Stone Dry focuses on creating exciting alcohol-free alternatives to some of the calendar’s biggest celebration days. New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, Super Bowl Sunday, March Madness and Fourth of July are among their signature events. They also host summer gatherings, live music nights and a very popular Oktoberfest.
But perhaps most meaningful are the holidays Stone Dry chooses to remain open when many others do not.
“Thanksgiving and Christmas Day can be really difficult for people who have had to set boundaries with family or friends,” Nashert says. “We want to provide community and fellowship on days that can feel especially lonely.”
With locations in both Anderson and Castleton, Stone Dry’s spaces are intentionally warm and cozy — more like entering a friend’s living room than walking into a traditional recovery center. Guests grab coffee, soda or popcorn from a welcoming bar before programming or events begin, helping ease the nerves that many newcomers carry.
While the parties might be what first attracts newcomers, Stone Dry also offers a robust slate of recovery services. Weekly large-group meetings, mental health groups, life-recovery sessions, Bible studies and one-on-one coaching help individuals move beyond addiction and into sustained wellness.
The organization’s faith-based approach is significant but inclusive.
“A lot of existing faith-based recovery meetings are located in churches,” Nashert says. “We wanted to create a space for people who aren’t comfortable walking into a church but still want to explore a God-centered recovery path.”
Today, The Stone Dry Company reaches more than 500 people each week through its meetings, young adult gatherings and social events.
Nashert often hears the same fear from those contemplating their first visit: “Everyone will stare at me like I’m a mess.” But that melts away the moment they arrive.
“The biggest challenge is simply taking the first step inside,” she says. “Once people see how many others are walking the same path, they realize they’re not alone.”
Stone Dry aims to create not just meetings, but a movement — a movement that shows teens and adults alike there is a better, healthier way to cope, connect and experience joy. Nashert says the next five to 10 years will focus heavily on youth engagement and expanding to additional locations.
As a nonprofit, Stone Dry relies on community support through donations, event space rentals and memberships to its co-working program, another creative way the organization sustains its mission.
Whether someone is seeking a sober community, a recovery pathway or simply a cool, substance-free venue for a gathering, Stone Dry welcomes all.
Learn more or get in touch at stonedry.org.
