There will be an evening of picking and grinning Saturday night when local bluegrass and gospel entertainers Little Mountain perform live at New Life Church.

With songs ranging from Bill Monroe to classics from the Baptist hymnals, Little Mountain's signature acoustic style music will likely have attendees clapping their hands and singing along.

Donations collected during the free concert benefit Dawson County Friends of Recovery, a local nonprofit organization established in 2010 to show that residents of Dawson County are extending a hand of friendship to those in recovering from alcohol or drug addiction.

"By helping those in recovery, we help our community by returning these individuals to us as productive citizens who will hold jobs, attend church or [narcotic and alcoholic anonymous] meetings and provide for their families," said Arlene McClure, who helped establish the local support group.

Introduced to the underworld of drug addiction when a couple living on her farm was arrested on drug charges, McClure involved herself in their recovery process.

"When the man came and told me about their arrest, I could tell he was afraid we would tell them to leave," she said. "But I also had the sense that he was serious about his willingness to change his drug habit and that he had signed up for the two-year Drug Court program."

McClure said she has seen first-hand how the county's accountability court have improved lives by helping them overcome addiction.

Though overcoming addiction is "only part of the challenge."

Friends of Recovery sponsors the county's quarterly treatment court graduations and provides positive incentives for the mandatory, bi-monthly court dates required for all treatment court participants. Volunteers also work with a local dentist who provides dental care for participants experiencing decay due to prolonged methamphetamine abuse.

Saturday night's "Bluegrass and Friends" begins at 7 p.m. New Life Church is located at 1508 Hwy. 53 East, Dawsonville.