Indio’s ABC Recovery Center celebrating 50th Anniversary

The ABC Recovery Center in Indio will celebrate its 50th anniversary and honor the CEO of the Betty Ford Center at a gala tonight.

The gala featuring music by the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies swing band will begin at 6 p.m. at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

The ABC Recovery Center provides detoxification, residential, transitional and outpatient services for people addicted to alcohol and drugs.

The center started in 1963 in an Indio home and hosted Alcoholics Anonymous
meetings every night.

Programs at the center, which is licensed and certified by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, are based on 12 Step principles, according to center spokeswoman Kate Burke.

Betty Ford Center CEO John Schwarzlose will receive the Leonard K. Firestone Award, which is named after one of the founders of the Betty Ford
Center. The late former first lady was the first recipient of the award.

“It seems only fit, given the 30th anniversary of the Betty Ford Center
and ABC Recovery Center’s 50th, that John’s tireless commitment to recovery
would be honored,” said David Likens, president and CEO of ABC.

“ABC has had a very special kinship with the Betty Ford Center over the
past 30 years, and that is something to celebrate,” he said.

Tickets for the gala are $100. For more information and tickets, go to
www.abcrecoverycenter.org.