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oR mrss. a SE er Celebrating 15th anniversary in Port Perry Trust and warmth of Alcoholics Anonymous by Pat Webster The Goodtide Group of Alcoholics Anonymous gathered on their 15th anniversary at Port Perry's United Church Wednesday, October 7. At this open meeting, about 100 people attended. Some were relatives and friends and others local and out-of- town members. A sign on the stage in the base- ment of the church says it all: "'God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference." But I wonder what happens if a person has lost faith in God and finds it impossible to believe? So I ask one of the A.A. members if this point of view can be considered. The answer is simple. If you have no ability to relate to God, consider the word to be an acronym that stands for Good Orderly Direction. This is a good example of the understanding and fellowship to be found at A.A. There is a trust and warmth easily shared among members who really care and have a completely open attitude towards their fellow alcoholics. RESPECT IDENTITY Jack, from the Oshawa Friend- ship Group, opens the meeting with a moment of silence, followed by a group recitation of the serenity prayer that everyone can see on the stage. The anonymous quality of A.A. is explained so that everyone will respect the identity of those they see at meetings and those who may come in the future. Tonight I see people of every age and occupation. And though some are not members, but guests, because tonight is a special anniver- sary event, this is not unlike a regular meeting where you will find a wide variety of people. Different ages, different occupations, all walks of life. Alcoholism has few boundaries. "What is A.A.?"" asks Jack and replies, 'The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self- supporting through our own contributions." Jack goes on to explain the impor- tance of medallions that are hand- ed out to members for weeks or months and eventually years, of sobriety. He says, "The medallions have a double significance, both for the old member and for the new member, who sees that it is possi- ble to stop drinking." --Something that can seem to be absolytely im- possible to a newcomer who has spent his or her existence governed by alcohol. After telling us he feels good about his sobriety, Jack introduces Ken who is a member of Port Perry's Goodtide Group. Ken is very ner- vous and speaks with a halting voice . at first, saying that this is probably difficult for a non-drinker, but for a sober alcoholic, public speaking is an even bigger challenge. But Ken does well and with some humour and a compassionate audience he describes the tools of A.A. before in- troducing his friend, Dave, also from the Goodtide Group. Before telling us about the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, Dave comments that when he first came to the Goodtide Group it was 12 years ago and he had just retired. At that time he said he would never wear another tie and here he is to- day wearing a tie that is that old too! The audience listens with sincerity as Dave tells of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. In fact, anytime anyone speaks at A.A. at the meetings I have been to, I notice that the audience always listens with respect, no matter how This lecture deals with international political terrorism, random terrorism, behavioral terrorism, and self-imposed ter- rorism. It includes ex- amples of how to handle fear, the most effective tool of the terrorist, and of how to heal disease that threatens to hold one hostage to the body, First Church of Christ, Scientist, -- presents -- TERRORISM: What we can do about it A Free Public Lecture by Nancy S. Pihl, C.S. of New York City. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25th - 3:00 PM Holiday Inn, Oshawa Oshawa NANCY S. PIHL Member of The Christian Science Board of Lectureship First Church 0 has Sunday Services and Sunday School at 11:00 AM Wednesday Testimony Meetings at 8:00 PM All are welcome 180 Rossland Rd. E.. Oshawa nervous the speaker is. The sharing of the experience of alcoholism and the violence and unhappiness and cruelty it can perpetrate makes for compassionate and understanding listeners who want to learn how to change. Then Dave introduces John of the Whitby Group to tell us about the 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. But first John says, "Thanks, Marion, for bringing great lunches every week in the early days of the Goodtide Group!' He says he is grateful for the weight he gained and for the many times other members have helped him. WEIGHT LOSS' Really John's weight loss from drinking is not that unusual. Clark Vaughan, in his book titled *'Addic- tive Drinking, The No. 1 Program That Really Works," says that "Not only does stress cause addictive drinkers to seek the only relief they know, alcohol, but stress, as well as alcohol itself, can also cause nutri- tional deficiencies which, in turn cause more stress and so more physiological urge to drink alcohol." His book also goes into the problems of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar related to alcohol, which many alcoholics suffer. I think it is unfortunate that some alcoholics read all the books they can to try and arrest their drinking problem and it may not work for them. People who make the decision to go to A.A. are able to reach out and gain support from other men and women who have lost control of their lives to alcohol, This reaching out can be difficult for the often shy and sensitive alcoholic per- sonalities. --Except, with great ef- fort, they are able to put pride aside and face reality, which for them is a horribly painful process. But at A.A. they can be imperfect and try again. Then, like many other recovered alcoholics, they finally succeed and live happy, loving and productive lives and go on to help others with the same disease. The next speaker at the Goodtide Group anniversary meeting is Harold; who tells us that, "'All I can remember about my first A.A. meeting was Marion's warm smile and handshake." Many of the members have a simple remem- brance like that about their first meeting. They can't remember very much because they were close to "bottoming out." It was their final realization of the severity of their problem that helped them to find Alcoholics Anonymous to keep themselves alive. Before we go on, Harold tells us about the Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow of Alcoholics - Anonymous, with the last line that means so much to someone who has PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, October 20, 1987 -- 9 been there, 'Let us live, therefore, one day at a time." Even though many of these men and women here at the Goodtide Group tonight have attended these A.A. meetings with a similar format for years, 1 believe they still discover new wisdoms and motiva- tions to help with the disease of alcoholism. Once recovery is started, each new tomorrow becomes something for them to look forward to instead of the way it us- ed to be, clouded with alcohol. And Jerry, who is next to speak, tells us he is celebrating his '9th bir- thday," or 9 years without alcohol. He looks fine in a camel jacket tonight and starts by advising us to keep an open mind. This is one of the 10 slogans of A.A. He says, 'I heard others talk of landing in jail and that never happened to me, but if I had gone on the way I was I probably would have wound up in jail too." Even now Jerry has a brother who "BLANKET "WINTER . . SUPPLIER 9 . * . . @ . . x . ' ® . . . ° J . . 0) . 0 [J (J [) [) LJ . «OIL HEATING = can't beat the bottle and travels from city to city. Jerry is sad that his brother can't beat it, but happy that he found the A.A. program and has been sober for 9 years. I'm looking forward to the next speakers at the Goodtide Group an niversary meeting tonight because I've been told they are a couple who have survived the destruction of alcoholism. To me this seems impossible. By the way, there is a group call- ed Al-Anon that meets in Port Perry at the United Church at 8 p.m., Mon- day nights. Al-Anon and Ala-teen Family groups are for families and friends of persons suffering from problems with alcohol. They are not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous, but have a policy of co- operation. Participation and regular attendance at Al-Anon or Ala-Teen meetings, sharing experience and hope with others, can help you find (Turn to page 10) ° ® [Ton . t \ 3 - : 3 3 AEs Fo N+ off Wi 3 3 ** aa A ad read | g { 4 i Jon's THAT WILL: & REDUCE YOUR HEATING BILL BY 25%-50% @ REPLACE YOUR FURNACE FREE OF CHARGE ( rctsoam @ EFFICIENCY TEST YOUR FURNACE FREE OF CHARGE @ GUARANTEE CONTINUOUS HEAT -- 24 hrs, 7 days per week @ OFFER THE MOST ATTRACTIVE PAYMENT TERMS P.S. If you've paid for a service plan to another company, we will honour that plan at no extra cost to you. 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