I’m your neighborhood reporter for Fox Cities, living and working out of Appleton.
GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Tailgating, touchdowns and toasts are all part of Green Bay game day traditions, but for some fans, the drinks can be too much.
Section Yellow, an organization helping fans stay in the game and stay sober, has grown from humble beginnings to serve thousands of Packers supporters in recovery.
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Packers fans find support staying sober on game day through Section Yellow organization
Game day brings excitement across Wisconsin, but for some in Green Bay, it can be bittersweet.
“I really love the Packers,” Dana Houska, a volunteer with Section Yellow, said.
Houska is a lifelong Packers fan and someone who has struggled with alcohol addiction. On Sundays, she stays in the action while volunteering with Section Yellow.
“Doing this kind of stuff, and supporting others to not be afraid to do this in sobriety, and have fun… it helps keep me in recovery,” Houska said.
Section Yellow started in 2019 with two chairs and a table offering support to those in recovery at Packer games. Now, there are over 2,000 members, and during Sunday tailgates they offer resources and non-alcoholic drinks.
“We have candy, which can help a lot with triggers,” Pete Silski, a volunteer who runs the stand inside Lambeau Field, said.
Inside Lambeau, they set up near the bars in Section 112.
“It’s a big part of my recovery. I’ve been in recovery for six years,” Silski said.
“When folks are triggered maybe to get that alcoholic beverage, they can stop and get some support and guidance, making good, positive and healthy life choices,” Silski said.
At the table they also hand out yellow balloons to be released at the start of the fourth quarter, when alcohol is no longer sold.
“It’s to let people know that there are people there that support them and there’s people there in recovery on the same journey and path that they are,” Silski said.
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