Unlike the increasing number of anonymous 12-step and other recovery meetings within its walls, the non-profit Sunny Dunes Clubhouse is Coming Out to the Greater Palm Springs Community BIG TIME with the expansion of its annual fundraising gala
“CommUNITY in Recovery”—to take place Sunday, May 18th at 5 PM at the Palm Springs Convention Center—will further empower the Sunny Dunes Clubhouse mission of fostering a safe and welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ recovery community and their allies
LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE: www.SunnyDunes.org/gala
(PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, APRIL 17, 2025) Sunny Dunes Inc. is excited to announce its 3rd Annual Sunny Dunes Clubhouse Spring Gala. The major fundraiser will take place Sunday, May 18, 2025, with doors opening at 5 PM. The theme of this year’s event is “CommUNITY in Recovery,” and will be held at the beautiful Palm Springs Convention Center.
The Sunny Dunes Clubhouse fosters a safe and welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ recovery community and their allies, welcoming all people seeking recovery through 12-step and other meetings, related events, and fellowship, in greater Palm Springs and beyond. It’s no surprise the clubhouse is described as “The LGBTQ+ recovery oasis in the desert.”
You may be wondering, “How come I’ve never heard of the Sunny Dunes Clubhouse?” Well, members of the eleven separate recovery programs that meet there are, by tradition, anonymous at the level of press, radio and films. But the elected leaders of the entity itself, Sunny Dunes, Inc., can and are going public about the non-profit’s community-transforming work.
Sunny Dunes was started in the Summer of 1992 as a home for meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. Due in part to the growth in both the number and size of the meetings, in November 2021, group members formed Sunny Dunes Inc. (dba Sunny Dunes Clubhouse), a California non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation established to serve the entire Palm Springs area LGBTQ+ recovery community and allies.
“We want to help more people recover in more ways,” explains Soterios Rouman, Board Chair of the non-profit Sunny Dunes, Inc. which operates the clubhouse. “We recognize that people in our community seek recovery for additional addictions beyond alcohol and also seek personal growth in many different areas of their lives.”
Sunny Dunes Clubhouse hosts a total of 93 meetings per week in its three meeting rooms, which translates to over 4,800 meeting per year totaling over 130,000 meeting attendances in 2024 alone. In fact, the number of individual meetings has increased by 55% since early 2024.
The ten 12-step programs which meet at Sunny Dunes Clubhouse include AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics), Al-Anon, CMA (Crystal Meth Anonymous), CoDA (Co-Dependents Anonymous), DA (Debtors Anonymous), GA (Gamblers Anonymous), NA (Narcotics Anonymous), OA (Overeaters Anonymous) and SLAA (Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous), plus the non-12-step program, Recovery Dharma.
“One thing that has personally surprised me,” reveals Rouman, “is the synergy created by having multiple programs under one roof, as people in one program are exposed to and learn about other programs to further help them on their recovery journeys.
“By opening up our gala to the general public,” Rouman emphasizes, “we hope to further introduce Sunny Dunes Clubhouse to the greater Palm Springs community, hopefully attracting donors who see the tremendous impact we’re having to improve and save lives on a daily basis.”
The joyous “CommUNITY in Recovery” fundraising gala will include a mocktail hour with Hors D’oeuvres, silent auction, three-course dinner, with testimonials by Sunny Dunes members, and entertainment (to be announced). Tickets are available for $150 each with VIP at $250, and a limited number of tables of 10 for $1500 with VIP at $2500.
Get your tickets at www.SunnyDunes.org/gala. For more information, and a full meeting schedule, visit www.SunnyDunes.org.
Also check out other Meetups in Palm Springs, Workshops in Palm Springs.
