Drug court participants, families, treatment personnel gather Thursday for party

Participants of Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Andy Ballard’s Nexus Recovery Docket drug court, their families and treatment personnel gathered in Ballard’s courtroom Thursday afternoon for a Christmas party.

The event began with a holiday meal, including chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, rolls and many desserts, before gifts were passed out and games were played.

Ballard got each member of his treatment team custom-made Nexus Recovery Docket mugs, and participants in the drug court Nexus Recovery Docket hooded sweatshirts and Bluetooth winter hats. Several others also gifted the participants with Christmas gifts, including the Lawrence County Probation Department and the ADAMHS Board, as well as several individuals.

The fun of the event continued, as games were also played, including one where the participants had to use oven mitts to unwrap a plastic wrap ball filled with gifts, before the person ahead of them rolled doubles with dice. Everything that fell out of the ball during unwrapping was that person’s to keep as well.

Ballard began the Nexus Recovery Docket in April of this year, and it received its final certification from the Ohio Supreme Court in September.