Pahrump’s community came together in a powerful way on Saturday, March 14, as Living Free Health hosted its annual Art for Recovery fundraiser at the Pahrump Nugget. The evening drew approximately 180 attendees, all gathered with a shared purpose—to support recovery, healing and hope for individuals working to rebuild their lives.
As the nonprofit’s primary annual fundraiser, Art for Recovery plays a critical role in sustaining the programs and services offered by Living Free Health, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping individuals overcome addiction and transition into stable, healthy living.
This year’s event proved to be one of the organization’s most successful to date, generating an estimated $40,198 in gross revenue. After expenses totaling $8,607, the evening is expected to net approximately $31,591 to directly support Living Free’s mission.
The fundraiser featured a variety of giving opportunities throughout the evening, including both live and silent auctions, raffles and direct donation efforts. The live auction alone brought in $7,125, while the silent auction added another $4,280. A 50-50 raffle contributed $1,661, and miscellaneous donations totaled $650.
Two new fundraising initiatives introduced this year also made a meaningful impact.
The “Recovery Tree” invited attendees to contribute in a tangible and personal way, raising $2,412. The initiative helps offset some of the most immediate and essential costs Living Free incurs when welcoming new clients—particularly those entering the program directly from incarceration. These funds support basic needs such as food, clothing, shoes and personal hygiene items, all of which help restore a sense of dignity during the early stages of recovery.
Additionally, the organization launched a new sponsorship opportunity through four-by-eight-foot advertising banners displayed in the Living Free Gym. Priced at $1,500 per year and including the cost of the banner itself, this new fundraising avenue secured five sponsors during the event and is expected to provide ongoing support throughout the year.
Ticket sales and sponsorships also played a major role in the evening’s success, generating $24,070.
While the financial success of the evening was significant, the heart of Art for Recovery remained in the stories shared.
Attendees heard firsthand from Angelica Jonak, Michael Quattrocchi, Shameka Dickson and Talyn Bratcher, all of whom spoke about their personal journeys through addiction and recovery, and how Living Free Health played a role in helping them find a new path forward. Their stories were joined by remarks from Living Free employee Linnea Siniaho, offering an inside perspective on the organization’s work and the lives it impacts every day.
Together, the speakers provided a powerful reminder of why events like Art for Recovery matter—not just as fundraisers, but as opportunities to build understanding, compassion and connection within the community.
The evening also included a moment of recognition and gratitude as three longtime members of the Living Free Health Board of Directors were honored for their years of service. Robert Saxen, Dina Williamson-Erdag and Salli Kerr, who each served from 2019 to 2025, were acknowledged for their leadership, dedication and lasting contributions to the organization’s growth and success.
In remarks shared during the evening, CEO and Founder Shelley Poerio emphasized just how vital community support is to sustaining and expanding Living Free’s programs. “Donations are critical to our ability to also deliver specialized programming such as our internally-developed Women & Children’s Nutrition, Parenting, Mommy Yoga and Parent-Child Interaction classes,” Poerio said.
She also took time to highlight the scope of services Living Free provides, noting that the organization offers addiction and co-occurring mental health treatment, transitional housing, a women and children’s program, and therapeutic workplaces through the Living Free Café and Living Free Gym. As the only women and children’s program in Nye County, the only state-credentialed sober housing program locally, and the only adolescent outpatient program in the area, Poerio emphasized that Living Free plays a critical role in the community’s ability to address substance abuse and its long-term impacts. She also shared that in the past three years, eight mothers in the program have given birth to healthy, drug-free babies, underscoring the life-changing impact of the organization’s work for families across the region.
Reflecting on the success of the evening, Poerio added, “I couldn’t be happier with the results of this year’s charity dinner. We had a full house of motivated donors, and truly outstanding original artwork donated to us by Pahrump’s best artists.” She noted the strong support for local artists, with pieces such as “Moonlight over Mt. Charleston” by Jeanne Cox King selling for $1,600 and “Discovery Park” by Charyl Madeline selling for $1,000—highlighting both the generosity of attendees and the talent within the local arts community.
From the artwork and auctions to the deeply personal stories shared throughout the night, Art for Recovery once again highlighted the strength of the Pahrump community and its willingness to support those in need.
With another successful year in the books, Living Free Health continues its work with renewed momentum—backed by a community that clearly believes in second chances, recovery and the power of hope.
1 Comment
Great event! Thank you for covering so thoroughly.