Blue Community, LLC

Why the name Blue Community?

Asher visited Penn State University in the Fall of 2014 to sponsor a tailgate activity and attend a football game with students in recovery.  Many of these students had participated in his Clean Break and Blue Rock Events that year and he wanted to be there to support them.

Asher really felt like he was apart of a community the entire time he was on campus, even though he was not a student or alumnus.  More importantly, he felt the students connection to their own community which happened to be in the shade of Penn State blue.

Asher came home from that trip wanting to re-create that feeling of connection for others in recovery when they enter a new community.  After doing some research on the symbolism of the color blue, he came across a book called “The Healing Power of Color” by Betty Wood.  According to Wood, the qualities of the color blue are serenity, dignity, spaciousness, sobriety, rest and peace.

So for Asher, this was his “aha moment”! The “moment” that knowing if he could create events that offered all of the qualities of the color blue for young adults in recovery, these young adults would become part of a “blue community”!

History

In November of 2008 Asher and Ken Block of Sister Hazel were discussing how often young adults are first introduced to drugs or alcohol during the Spring Break period. Drawing on the connection between musicians in recovery and their connection with teens, they came up with an event for teens that is NOT centered around the presence and use of alcohol or drugs. The goal was to build a community where a teen or adolescent’s first Spring Break experience is safe, fun and positive.

As a result of this conversation, Clean Break events were born. Kicking off in March 2009 with the support of dozens of community partners, 200 high school students representing 78 different high schools enjoyed a day of rock climbing, ice cream, pizza, music and NHL game tickets.

Building off the success of 2009, Blue Community’s reach continues to grow. The organization partners with local and national sponsors. This generosity makes event participation affordable and accessible for high school seniors 18 and older, college and graduate students of all ages. Blue Community unites young adults for vacation recovery support during New Year’s Eve, Spring Break and Labor Day events.