{"id":29115,"date":"2024-03-31T14:51:08","date_gmt":"2024-03-31T18:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=29115"},"modified":"2024-03-31T16:01:20","modified_gmt":"2024-03-31T20:01:20","slug":"william-spencer-reilly-sober-st-patricks-day-celebration-makes-it-through-its-13th-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=29115","title":{"rendered":"William Spencer Reilly\u2019s Sober St. Patrick\u2019s Day Celebration Makes it Through its 13th Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Q&A by Brad Balfour<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When rock-punk poet Shane McGowan died, the love of drink was again in focus as part of his story. Over Indulging has been a part of the Irish experience, and certainly, when St Patrick’s Day rolls around, it becomes part of the narrative. Bar hopping is extolled as much as the somber services at St Pats church. After the weary march up 5th Avenue, imbedding became the word of the day. Well, 13 years ago, William Spencer Reilly launched his Sober St. Patrick\u2019s Day celebration as a counter and contrast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the 13th year, Sober St. Patrick\u2019s Day held its celebration of Ireland\u2019s biggest day in an alcohol-free environment offering a healthy family-friendly mix of Irish arts, culture, and craic! The event \u201creclaimed the day\u201d on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Church of the Epiphany Parish Hall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Reilly said, \u201cSt. Patrick\u2019s Day should be a celebration of the richness of Irish culture and the legacy of St. Patrick, rather than an excuse for overindulging in alcohol. Sober St. Patrick\u2019s Day offers a way to enjoy Ireland\u2019s biggest day in a healthy, enriching way.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An award-winning theatre and television producer, Reilly has run several not-for-profit arts organizations and start-ups in New York City. He began his tenure at The Sheen Center by co-producing the pre-Mass program, \u201cA Journey in Faith,\u201d for the Papal Mass held at Madison Square Garden in September 2015. Reilly worked the first half of his career in the Broadway and off-Broadway theater, serving as The Program Director of The American Theatre Wing, founders of The TONY Award, as founding Executive Director of The TriBeCa Center For The Performing Arts, and Executive Director of Fordham University’s Sesquicentennial Celebration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In television, he won over 30 national awards for his work on Hallmark Channel movies, documentaries and series while serving as President of Lightworks Pictures and EVP of its parent organization, Odyssey Networks (aka Faith & Values Media). He also completed a successful turnaround of the company Sea Lion Productions as its President & CEO. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a producer of award-winning, #1 rated television and special events productions, he is known for and ability to infuse new life into struggling production ventures to increase ratings, viewership, membership, and profitability. He\u2019s an adept capital raiser with a knack for sourcing and nurturing global strategic alliances to fund projects, leverage resources, increase sales and move companies and productions to the next level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With cause-related experience, Reilly has produced public service announcements, television promotions, and viral videos to increase awareness and incite action in support of a cause. And in doing so, also responded to my questions about his latest efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What was the tipping point that led you to form Sober St. Patrick\u2019s Day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly: The tipping point was a moment at the 2011 NYC St. Patrick\u2019s Day parade when I was feeling very proud being Irish American. As the marching bands were going by I felt elated, and then out of the corner of my eye, I saw a young man, about 22, who was holding a can of beer – it was about 12:30 in the afternoon, and he was drunk as a skunk. He was with a bunch of his buddies who were all equally wasted, and then I noticed the t-shirt he was wearing. It said, \u201cSt. Patrick\u2019s Day Today! Hungover Tomorrow. I didn\u2019t pass judgement but asked where he got it. He told me he \u201cgot it in the mall in New Jersey\u201d where he lived, and added \u201cIsn\u2019t it cool!?\u201d Right then and there, a light bulb went on for me. I thought, what if, next year, we could hold a rip-roaring party with world-class Irish musicians, dancers and singers\u2026.. But no booze!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: When Sober St.Patricks was formed, what were your expectations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly: People thought I was \u201cout of my mind!\u201d But I truly felt there was a huge audience for this. Certainly people in recovery – who run for the hills on St. Patrick\u2019s Day, but also a much larger audience of folks who were just sick and tired of being hijacked by the drunkenness in New York on St. Patrick\u2019s Day, particularly, families with children who won\u2019t bring their kids to the bars. Nevertheless, I knew we\u2019d be swimming against the tide, but having almost lost a teenage daughter to addiction a couple of years before, I was hell-bent on doing this because St. Patrick\u2019s Day has become the #1 day of the year for the introduction of binge-drinking among high school and college kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Who did you first reach out to when you started it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly: I knew a few leading execs in the Recovery field such as Sis Gallagher Wenger, Todd Whitmer, and Bob Lindsey. They jumped on board, as did some family foundations. Then, Maura Kelly introduced me to the Consul General of Ireland, Noel Kilkenny, who couldn\u2019t have been more helpful and supportive, knowing fully well we\u2018d have \u201ca very tough road\u201d ahead of us. The best part was calling Noel two nights before the inaugural event, on the Ides of March, to tell him that Sober St. Patrick\u2019s Day was \u201csold-out in advance!\u201d He then brought several Irish government dignitaries with him to our event after the parade in 2012, and the rest is…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: How have you applied your experience in production to develop this organization?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly: I\u2019ve done a lot of events and shows in my day, some considerably bigger than this, so applying those production skills where you \u201cassume, nothing\u201d has always been my guiding principle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: I have the feeling that in creating this organization, you had a deep personal motive in doing so. Can you tell how this relates to you personally?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly:  I almost lost my teenage daughter to addiction when she was 17, and I grew up with alcoholism in my family. Lots of red flags for me. The truth is, most families have a member affected by addiction, and few are aware how their loved one’s addiction actually affects themselves. Tons of help out there for both addicts \u2014 and family members of addicts \u2014 it’s all there for the asking. Folks just need to admit that they have the problem. The stigma attached to addiction, thank God, is diminishing. SSPD tries to play a tiny role in that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: You must have gathered some interesting testimonials as to what led people to support sober st pats; can you relate some? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly:  See the woman with the baby in her arms in our five minute video on our homepage under the banner “This is Who We are!” There are many others in that video, too. “A picture is worth a thousand words.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Your very positive bio on LinkedIn makes me wonder how you are applying such experience to sober St. Pats?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly: Only work with people who get it, and really care about your mission. In production, “Assume nothing, and communicate, communicate, communicate. Tell everyone on staff that there are no dumb questions.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Besides the Sober St. Pats efforts, what else are you working on in general and in dealing with sobriety and other sober organizations? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly: A rather big idea for 2025 with Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy (our Honoree last year) which I hope to be able to announce in September on \u201cHalfway to St. Patrick\u2019s Day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Are you developing any kind of programming related to this topic or other things in general?
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly:  A new drama TV series I\u2019ve been developing with other writing partners, which I expect to start pitching very soon to the major networks. Naturally, I can\u2019t tell you anything about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Do you have examples of people who have gotten involved with sober St. Pats that have turned their life around? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly: Yes, both projects alluded to above are related to that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Just from your point of view, why has this onus of excessive alcohol consumption become associated with the Irish community and can that notion be countered? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Spencer Reilly:  Yes, it can be countered if more people \u201cown\u201d the fact that this is not only \u201ca disease of denial\u201d for the alcoholic, but also for his\/her family members collaterally affected by it. The mistreatment of the Irish by the English, particularly during the Great Famine, may well have left severe, lasting trauma in our DNA, akin to the mistreatment of Native Americans by some European settlers. There have been recent scientific studies showing these parallels of alcohol abuse by both peoples. But I\u2019m no scientist. Basic awareness of that potential trauma will go a long way to combating it. Just as in recovery, one learns about \u201cawareness, acceptance, action\u201d. The so-called three A’s. There\u2019s plenty of help out there for those who are simply willing to finally admit that they may need it. Then, mutual anonymity goes a long way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

for more info go to: SoberStPatricksDay.org<\/p>\n

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