MCALLEN — On New Year’s Eve, the Palmer Drug Abuse Program (PDAP) celebrated bringing in the new year in a safe, sober environment, said Fidencio Mercado, program director at PDAP.
Mercado said that PDAP hosted an all-night “lock-in” for their younger clients. The evening began with a Birthday night Meeting where four sobriety fists were given out. Two 30 day fists, one two-year fists and a five year fist were presented to four clients of PDAP. Fists are a special acknowledge for clients that have spent some time of continuous sobriety.
The night, Mercado said, continued with a dinner donated by the Macaroni Grill for all of the clients attending the meeting.
Following dinner, some of the PDAP members from the Family Support group stayed and played board games through the night in a sense of fellowship and family, said Mercado.
The younger clients began their own games of charades, Rock Band, and “PDAP Olympics”. Some of the “Olympic” games included a two-legged race, mystery food relay and other activities.
The staff and clients then celebrated the new year with a support group meeting just after midnight. The games, food, and fellowship continued throughout the night and into the morning.
“Overall, this was a great night for the clients and staff members of PDAP,” Mercado said. “Being able to give young people a safe, sober place to be on New Year’s Eve is just one way PDAP continues to fight against the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.”
PDAP began in 1971 as a program of the Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston to offer mentorship to young people with alcohol and substance abuse problems. Father Charles Wyatt-Brown began holding meetings and opening a 12 steps program similar to that of the Alcoholic Anonymous. Some of the attendees become later mentors and the program was expanded Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Victoria, Austin, and the Rio Grande Valley. Eventually, more offices were open in Oklahoma, New Mexico and California.
