Seeking Your Oasis: Local recovery organization celebrates sixth anniversary
Published 5:09 pm Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Vickie Green, a client of OASIS who has been clean for three years, implored anyone struggling with addiction to seek help from an organization like OASIS not only for themselves, but their loved ones and greater community.
Community members gathered along 9th St to take part in the block party organized by OASIS and enjoy the entertainment and attractions the nonprofit had put together.
Evan Brown, OASIS executive director, and Tift County State Court Judge Herbert Benson, the latter expressing his pride and appreciation to see the nonprofit he had helped get off the ground continue to thrive.
Patrons of the anniversary celebration who stopped by the table, nestled up against OASIS HQ, were provided with various resources and supplies to help those in their lives who may be struggling with addiction.
Cover band Swamp Thunder provided live music for the evening event, serenading guests of the celebration with songs from across the past few decades--even a little Elvis!
TIFTON — Local recovery organization OASIS celebrated its sixth anniversary of operation with a promise — and eagerness — to continue helping those in the community find their road to recovery.
Staff of the nonprofit invited the community to join them for a block party the evening of Feb. 28 to celebrate not only how far the organization has come, but the lives of the Tiftarea residents that have been changed by its support.
Near the beginning of the celebration, Evan Brown, OASIS executive director, expressed his gratitude to those attending the event, asserting that they had all had a hand in helping the nonprofit get this far.
His sentiments were echoed by Tift County State Court Judge Herbert Benson, who had a hand in starting the recovery organization and was proud to continue seeing it thriving six years later.
“These six years have flown by, and it’s just amazing to me that we’re here as everything is going on around us. We’ve got a great staff, Evan’s doing a great job — surprisingly,” Benson joked. “We’re very blessed with what we’ve been able to accomplish.
Alongside a meal of burgers and hot dogs, patrons of the celebration were treated to plenty of entertainment through live music by band Swamp Thunder, a bull-rider attraction, a gaming truck, and a bounce house.
Tickets were provided to guests for free, entering them into a raffle for prizes donated by various businesses in the community, including a gym membership from Southern Bodies, gift cards to Olive Garden, and OASIS-branded t-shirts. Tickets for a separate 50/50 raffle were also made available for purchase, with the winner earning half of the funds raised during the celebration.
Brown took the stage several times throughout the evening, not only to read out a winner for the raffle, but to invite OASIS members and staff to speak on their experiences with the organization and their journey towards recovery.
Mustaafa Reed, a former client of OASIS who had since become a member of its staff, asserted people like him were living proof recovery was possible, and felt proud to be able to help others find their road to recovery as well.
“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t stop using drugs long enough, find a new way to live,” Reed said. “‘That’s impossible?’ Everything is possible!”
As the evening wound down, Brown announced that, after a steady increase starting from their first year of operation in 2019, the number of people OASIS had managed to help in 2024 had nearly tripled from the previous year, going from 6,943 to over 16,000. He proudly stated that they were already on track to break that record for this year as well.
Indeed, Brown has already begun working on expanding the reach and services his organization has and can provide. In addition to plans for rebranding OASIS and how it can serve the community, he has expressed an interest in moving forward with classes aiming to help with betterment and wellness and relaunching the recovery organization’s virtual platform to provide support and aid to people who may not be able to reach them in person.
OASIS is located at 902 Main St. For more information on their services, visit their website at oasistifton.com or call (229)396-5200.
