Founder of 12-24 Club honored at 25th Annual Boys & Girls Clubs Breakfast

CASPER, Wyoming – Dan Cantine, founder of the 12-24 Club, will be honored this year with the Mick & Susie McMurry Cowboy Code Try Award at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming’s 25th Annual Awards & Recognition Breakfast on September 18.

According to a press release from the Boys & Girls Clubs, the 12-24 Club opened in 1993 and provides meeting space for various 12-step programs to help people recover from addiction.

“It’s about helping that ONE person,” Dan Cantine said in the press release. “Every day, someone walks through these doors sad and scared, and we get to watch them leave with a spark of hope. You can see what a difference this place makes.”

This year’s annual breakfast will also honor Trudi Holthouse and feature keynote speaker Jimmy Wayne. All proceeds from the event will go to support the activities of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming.

The full press release follows:

Dan Cantine, founder of the 12-24 Club, will receive this year’s Mick & Susie McMurry Cowboy Code Try Award at the 25th Annual Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming Awards & Recognition Breakfast on September 18. The 12-24 Club is a place of recovery and hope for people affected by addiction.

Dan’s journey began on June 3, 1986, when he decided to seek help for his addiction. He said, “When you’re young, you think life is a party. My friends have moved past that stage of life, but I haven’t. I really wanted to stop drinking. At some point I knew I couldn’t do it anymore.” Dan attended a 12-step program and recently celebrated his 38th anniversary in rehab. After eight years in rehab, he and other rehab patients had a vision of a place where people could seek help and meet regularly. After six months of planning, the 12-24 Club in Mills opened its doors.

Since opening in 1993, the club has had three locations, most recently on Wolcott Street. The club provides meeting space for various 12-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Co-Dependents Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon, Eating Disorders Anonymous, and bereavement support groups. In addition to these programs, the club serves meals at the Fresh Start Cafe. It recommends its world-famous French fries. The club is called the 12-24 Club because many members have achieved sobriety through the various 12-step programs, because of its emphasis on taking “one day at a time” and thus “24 hours,” and because it is a club where people support one another, since recovery usually cannot be achieved alone, but often together.

Dan said, “It’s about helping that ONE person. Every day someone walks through these doors sad and scared, and we get to watch them leave with a spark of hope. You can see what a difference this place makes.”

Each year, the Mick & Susie McMurry Cowboy Code Try Award honors a person in the community who has lived the Cowboy Code to its fullest. “The Try” is a noun given to someone who has the ability to give 110 percent to the task or challenge at hand. Dan is the embodiment of “The Try” and has helped thousands of people in his life.

When asked what advice to give to people struggling with addiction, Dan said, “Ask for help. Whether you’re struggling with it yourself or know someone who is, reach out. There are people out there who want to help.”

The 25th Annual Awards and Recognition Breakfast will honor Trudi Holthouse and feature Jimmy Wayne as the keynote speaker. All proceeds benefit the $5.2 million annual operating budget. Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming provide after-school care for youth ages 5-18 in four counties in central Wyoming. The breakfast event is free to attend, but guests are asked to make a meaningful contribution. To reserve your spot, go to bgccw.org/events or call (307)235-4079.

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