CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Summertime is often associated with drinks at the beach, a pool or a brewery. But these activities don’t have to involve alcohol. One Charlotte woman has created a social group for just that.

What You Need To Know

CounterCulture Club was established in 2019 as a social group for people who don’t want to drink alcohol

They usually hold events once a week, varying from an activity like yoga to an arts and crafts night

The club also offers coaching for people trying to obtain an alcohol-free lifestyle

Molly Ruggere is the founder of CounterCulture Club. She grew up just outside of Charlotte and says the city has changed quite a bit over the years.

“Charlotte is like a different city from what I grew up in,” Ruggere said. “There is so much more to do. There is just so much more growth, and there are more restaurants and bars and breweries.”

But she also noticed that drinking alcohol has become part of the culture. Lenny Boy Brewing Company is one brewery she enjoys because they have a non-alcoholic drink known as kombucha.

“I think alcohol is kind of the default, it is a part of every event from a baby shower, to a family reunion to a funeral,” Ruggere said. “It has become the thing that we do without asking ourselves why.”

A few years ago Ruggere says she would drink alcohol several days a week, but it got to the point where it was impeding on her wellness goals.

“I would book a workout class and would skip it the next day if I had drank too much the night before,” Ruggere said. “It just wasn’t working for me anymore.”

Ruggere decided to quit drinking alcohol. But she knew it could lead to tough social situations where she would feel isolated or left out if she didn’t drink. It’s why she created her own social group known as the CounterCulture Club. So far, dozens of people have joined. Missi Rossi said she joined in 2019.

“When I was getting sober it was really hard to connect to the people that I was around on a day to day basis,” Rossi said. “So, being able to find a couple of like minded women to come together and find people I can relate to has been so helpful for me.”

The group has held events like yoga and a trip to the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Ruggere says the group means more to her than she could have ever imagined. 

“The friendships I have made in this group, it is hard to think about a life without them now that I have met them,” Ruggere said.