Drug Free Muskingum hosted the 5th Annual Charity Dodgeball Tournament at the YMCA on January 18, 2026. The event is about substance use disorder awareness, education, and prevention while raising money for two local causes, all while having fun.
“It’s grown a lot. This is our biggest year ever, 19 corporate sponsors, 20 teams,” explained Monica Doan, Drug Free Muskingum’s co-founder.
Laikyn’s Legacy won the tournament, Red Rose Tattoo, playing as “Average Tats”) took home the award for Best Uniform, R.E.A.C.H. For Tomorrow received the honor for Best Team Name, “Just One More Hit”, and Muskingum County Dodgers won the 1st Place Losers Award.
The tournament brought huge energy, a massive turnout, and lots of excitement, but at its core, the event was centered around raising awareness and money, and it succeeded in a big way. $2,000 in proceeds were raised from the event, and the top two teams were each awarded $1,000 to give to their chosen charity. First place winners Laikyn’s Legacy donated to Laikyn’s Legacy of Hope, and the second place team, Muskingum County Dodgers, donated to the Animal Shelter.
“So getting the different variety in our community is our goal, you know, to bring all these different sectors together, so that’s exciting for us. That’s our goal … to blend the community and the recovery community together,” said Doan.
Officiating the event were Kaite Lupsor of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Appalachian Ohio and Ryan Sheppard from ForeverDads. DJ Kurtis was the MC for the event, which kept the energy heightened throughout the afternoon. Additionally, just outside the courts, tables were set up for NARCAN training and a book signing by Tim and Amber Craft for their book “You Are Not Alone: A Story of Hope Through Family Addiction”. Live brackets were also able to be viewed on a big screen. Outside, Kingdom Coffee and a food vendor were taking orders.
The 2026 corporate sponsors were McHugh, All Well, Home & Away Sports, The Barn, Genesis Healthcare System, Ron Welch Muskingum County Prosecuting Attorney, Starbucks Coffee, R.E.A.C.H. For Tomorrow, Zanesville-Muskingum Health Department, The YMCA, Nami National Alliance on Mental Illness Six County, Edward Jones, CAIRN Recovery Resources, Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, Muskingum County Suicide Prevention Coalition, Avon, MVHC, Laikyn’s Legacy of Hope, and K-Sound Entertainment.
For more information about Drug Free Muskingum, please visit facebook.com/drugfreemuskingum.
