'Almost New Year's Eve' Party Helps Disabled Ring In 2013

DETROIT (WWJ) Even though we're a few days away from the big ball drop and champagne moment, there are New Year's Eve parties Thursday and Friday in metro Detroit.

Appropriately, they're called "Almost New Year's" parties, and they're for developmentally disabled adults 18 years old and over. The parties happen 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with tickets priced at $11 each. Get ticket information HERE.

Oakland County Parks and Recreation's recreational therapist Sandy Dorey says the party offers what anyone would expect at a swinging New Year's Eve bash.

"We do a countdown to 8:30 and we have pizza and dancing and music and have a fun time," Dorey said. "Instead of doing it on New Year's Eve we do it a couple of nights before."

It's a 15-year tradition, with many participants turning out year after year.

"There's a participant that's at each party who has been doing the official countdown for 15  years, we have one at the north party, one's at the south. We talk to him at Christmas and confirm that they'll be doing the countdown and as they're leaving we tell them about the Valentine's party."

The Almost New Year's Party is sold out for Thursday, but there's another one Friday and there's still room for a few more guests. Pre-registration is required. To do so, and for more information, call 248-424-7081.