September, 2000

Help wanted!
  Once more, before we get started on this issue of Sobriety News, we'll make an appeal for help in carrying the message.  Since many members still have no access to the internet, they must obtain a hard copy of Sobriety News if they are going to read it at all.  To this end, we ask that anyone taking this off the internet provide copies to your group in whatever numbers are needed.
    This is a task that you can accomplish in minutes, but which will help carry our message for a whole month.
    The SN staff will provide a stack of black and white copies for Fellowship House, and if there is a group that has no access at all to the internet, we will be happy to make and deliver enough copies for your members.
    Past practice was to provide copies via "snail mail" to those having no access to our website, but the cost of that, in postage alone, is prohibitive, so the above is suggested as the best possible alternative.

Leadership changes
    At the September 7 meeting Intergroup meeting, Karen P. announced her resignation as Intergroup chairperson because of an increased work schedule outside the fellowship.  Those attending the meeting gave Karen a standing ovation in thanks for her work on behalf of the fellowship.  Her duties will be assumed by LeeAnn C., vice chair.
    Jane L., alternate District #36 committee member, also announced the resignation of Brad R. as DCM.  His job as liaison to Intergroup, has been and will continue to be handled by Jane.

Oops!
    We were first with the news.  But we were wrong. The Wednesday There's More to Life Group meeting that was moved from Trinity Lutheran Church, 20th & Market St., Camp Hill, to Trinity United Methodist Church, 421 Bridge St., New Cumberland, starts at 6 p.m., not 8 p.m. as we told you last month. More on this group at end of SN. 
 
 

Showing how it's done
    Intergroup's Hotline manager, Tina, has announced that an orientation session for Hotline volunteers will be held September 23 at 3:15 p.m. in the Hotline office at Fellowship House.  If you're interested, just show up. At its June meeting, Intergroup adopted several changes to the Hotline operation, including one that makes it possible for members to volunteer for orientation and on-the-job training before they have six months of continuous sobriety in preparation for the time when they can actually take over the phones.  Here's a good opportunity for sponsors to get their pigeons started in some really important service work---work that can mean life or death to some white-knuckled alcoholic who has nowhere else to turn for hope and help. Tina added that anyone who is now on the volunteer list but wants to be removed should contact her as soon as possible.

Fourth Step retreat a big step forward
    A total of 34 AA members from various Harrisburg area groups attended the Men's Fourth Step Spiritual Retreat August 18-20 at Precious Blood Spiritual Center in Columbia, Pa., and took a giant step forward in their recovery programs. After getting over the jitters that always accompany 4th Step work, the men were guided through the inventory by retreat leaders Father Ed. L, Jim S., and Jared L.  So successful was the retreat---ten more in attendance than last year's first effort---that planning for next year's session is already underway.  If you want to be a part of the planning, get in touch with Jim B., 717-232-4180; Moses B., 717-238-3924; Ed L., 717-652-3801, or Bob S., 717-761-6151.

And the women's retreat is set for this month
    From all reports, the Women's Serenity Retreat, slated for September 22-24, at Precious Blood Spiritual Center in Columbia, is filled to capacity. Sue H., of the Caron Foundation, who served as leader for the 1998 women's retreat, is coming back to lead this one, which will focus on the 11th Step.  If you want more information, call LeeAnn C. at 766-8099 or Aileen at 564-7049.

Area 29 Fall Conference
The Maryland General Services will sponsor the 16th annual fall conference in Hagerstown, Maryland, October 26-29---with AA, Alanon, and Alateen participating.
This has become a favorite with many local AA members, and this year's event should be better than ever.  Your Intergroup rep has all the detailed info.


Out of 62 groups being served by the Harrisburg Area Intergroup, only 14 were represented at the September meeting---not enough to conduct any meaningful business.  Is it just that time of year or are some of us slipping into the cockeyed idea that our groups can go it alone?

 
 
 

A very creepy dance
    Our friends in the Cumberland Valley Intergroup have planned a very weird Halloween Dance Friday, October 27, at the Carlisle Jaycees' Hall, 311 E. North Street, Carlisle.  We're just passing on their copy as they gave it to us.  First of all, they say that if you don't know where East North Street is, go buy a map.  Admission is "$3 per ghoul or $5 per undead couple." They will have "disgusting food, a costume contest, and scary sober dancing." Music will be provided by DJ Joe G. The dance will run from 9 p.m. to who knows when?

Speakers
If you want to add your upcoming speakers to the Sobriety News listings, just send the names e-mail to wcampbel @epix.net. Who knows?  Someone may even read it and come out and give your meeting some added support. Slated at the Bridge Street Group, Trinity Methodist Church, 421 Bridge Street, New Cumberland, are: Sept. 17, Mac C., Carlisle Group; September 24, Andrew B., More to Life Group; October 1, a mystery speaker; October 8, John S., Dover Group; October 15, Bob I., Dillsburg Group; and October 22, Charlie T., Carlisle Group.  Meetings, non-smoking, start at 8 p.m.

Valuing sobriety in dollars and cents?
    How much do we value our sobriety?  Not much if we take a close look at how much each of us is contributing to the crucial services provided by Intergroup---services that no single group could ever find the manpower or money to support on their own. Craig P., Intergroup treasurer, drew a few gasps at the September 7 meeting when he presented his August financial statement which indicated a total of $206.70 in contributions from all the groups in the Harrisburg area.  That's just over four bucks each for just the groups that are even remotely active with Intergroup.  Translate that into weekly contributions and it comes out a dollar per group.  And on an individual basis? Probably not even a penny per day in most cases!  And out of that we have to pay for telephone answering services, rent for Fellowship House, prison outreach, website, and a whole lot of office expense.  Maybe each of us should take time to remember when we as individuals reached out for help and were brought to a new life through just one of the services provided by Intergroup.  Ask your Intergroup rep about it.

Read all about it
    Once again, we urge you to read two important pieces of new literature prepared by Jim D.  One explains the structure of Intergroup; the other answers the question: "What does an intergroup rep do?" These are well-written, one-page tracts that might take you three minutes to read but provide you with understanding to last a lifetime. It's easy to simply drift along in AA and pay little or no attention to the bigger picture outside of ourselves and our home group.  But by doing so we shut our eyes to our own AA traditions and that statement that says we're all responsible for AA being here when someone reaches out for help.  Copies are available from your Intergroup rep.
 
 


     Here's an idea for someone to kick around.  It may be justifiably difficult at times for an Intergroup rep or a designated substitute to make it to an Intergroup meeting where literature stocks can be replenished.  How about this?  Open a book store at a central location---probably Fellowship House---for a couple of hours at designated times every week or every two weeks for anyone who wishes to purchase a book.  At the very least such an outlet should make more literature available to more people, and it could help boost literature revenues.  Just an idea.

Our monthly pearl
    We invite readers to submit a favorite writing from any approved AA literature.  This one comes from Jim M.
    "If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other was to accept spiritual help."
                                                                                ---Alcoholics Anonymous, page 25

Jim's thought to ponder: The solution is simple; the solution is spiritual.

A message from Mayberry
The following was written for SN by Carole B., a member of the Winding It Up Group in Lykens.  Because our space is limited, we have sharply edited the piece, not, we hope, to the extent that we destroyed its sense.
   Hello, I'm Otis.  I'm from Mayberry and I am an alcoholic. If you meet me at my home group, the place might bring back images of Opie, Aunt Bea, and all the other folks at Mayberry, but you'll really be visiting Lykens in Upper Dauphin County.
    George C., a member of the Winding It Up Group, made that observation about the Mayberry lifestyle here in the valley.  And he was right in more ways than one.  Back in the fifties, the only option Otis had was to "sleep it off" in jail.  And that was true of any alcoholic in Upper Dauphin, too.  But today, we alcoholics---and those in Mayberry as well, we trust---can choose sobriety.  AA is alive and well here Upper Dauphin.
    Not only is the lifestyle different here; the meetings have a unique flavor as well. Population is sparse so we have fewer members attending meetings---not enough for speaker meetings. The smallness of our groups, however, helps us to become a close-knit family.  It is easy to hide out in large meetings, but in our group a newcomer is very quickly assimilated. This closeness forces us to rely on each other, and we really know that we can call one another at any time, day or night.
    The lack of transportation is a problem, of course, but it gives new meaning to 12th-Step work, and the long-distance, hassle-free car-pool trips to meetings serve to bring us closer to each other.
    We have three meetings per week up here: at the Winding It Up Group, we have an open discussion meeting on Thursdays, and on Sundays we alternate between Big Book and Step meetings. The Lykens meetings are held at Our Lady Help of Christians School.  The Fisherville Group also has a Big Book meeting on Tuesdays in Messiah Lutheran Church. All the meetings begin at 7 p.m.
    We hope you'll join us.  For directions you can e-mail busylady@epix.net or wcampbel @epix.net.
    And Otis will be there to greet you---of that you can be sure. 

Jim M. to speak at Williamsport
    Several Williamsport groups will hold their 6th Annual Alcathon starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 20, and running through 11 p.m. Saturday, October 21 at Grace United Methodist Church, 324 Campbell Street, in Williamsport.  Part of the event is a celebration of the Williamsport Group's 56th anniversary. Highlight of the event is round-the-clock speakers, including Harrisburg's own Jim M.  For more info call Rob D. at 570-322-0253.

Hershey picnic September 16
    We may be too late for this, but here goes anyway.  The Hershey Group will hold its annual picnic at Campbelltown (Rte. 322 east of Hershey) Fire Hall, beginning with a speaker meeting at noon and running through 4 p.m. Bring a covered dish to go with the hamburgers and hotdogs that'll be on hand.  There'll also be volleyball, bocce, and softball. Bring your own equipment for softball.

Intergroup picnic a huge hit!
    Here's a tip of the hat to all the folks who had a hand in planning the Intergroup picnic at Susquehanna Township Park August 12.  And another tip of the hat to the more than 200 members who showed up for a fun-filled day, including residents of two halfway houses.  And if you weren't there, make it a point to join in next year.
    One member was heard to comment on how well the volleyball, softball and horseshoes went. "It was nice to see the games being played without the booze. There were a lot of sore people, but it was a good sore."  And are AA members getting younger or what?  A six year old kid won the 50-50 drawing.  Good job to all the hard workers.

Pennscypaa needs help
    Beth writes us to say that she is the new chairperson for Pennscypaa 13 registration and she needs people to help her with registration.  Good service work here for one of most vibrant outfits in Harrisburg area AA.  You can contact Beth at registerme@springmail.com or give her a call at 558-9134.

There's More to Life schedule info
    Bob S. reports that the Monday, 6 p.m. meeting of There's More to Life group at 16th & Bridge St., New Cumberland, is a beginners meeting.  It's listed in the schedule as closed discussion.  Also, the TMTL Group has planned a group inventory meeting Saturday, October 7 from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Any members calling TMTL their home group or members attending the group's meetings on a regular basis are invited.  Refreshments will be provided.