Sobriety News
JUNE 2002

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Sobriety News is a publication of the Harrisburg Area Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous. It is written, edited, and read by AA members, and those interested in the AA program of recovery from the disease of alcoholism, linking one alcoholic to another.

Our desperation to find relief from the bondage of alcoholism has led us to this program as a new "design for living". Many members utilize meetings, sponsorship, self examination, amends, prayer, meditation, AA literature, service to fellow alcoholics, and many other tools to maintain their recovery. This publication is intended as one more tool to live a life of recovery. Because each AA member has an individual way of working this program, divergent views to recovery, within the concept of the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous, are welcome. An effort is made to print all viewpoints in this forum. Articles are not intended to be statements of AA policy, nor does publication of any article imply endorsement by AA or the Harrisburg Area Intergroup.

JUNE Calendar of Events*
 

Looking Ahead

* Look for more information about these events in Sobriety News.
** See links page for flyer

To links and current events

Your Help for the Calendar of Events

A complete Calendar of Events depends on our active members contributing information about their coming events, participation of Intergroups in surrounding Districts, and our ability to gather information. We feel it is worth trying. Let us know what you think. Often, we miss opportunities within the fellowship because the message didn't get out. We all want to carry the message to other alcoholics. This will be one more way we can accomplish that.

OUR FACE IS CHANGING

We now have the capability to update Sobriety News during the course of the month, so events can be added to the Calendar. You may, therefore, find it helpful or informative to check back to the website periodically to see what has been added. Your group has access to a printed copy of Sobriety News through your Intergroup Rep. As changes are made to the Internet copy in http://www.aaharrisburg.org your group will have no way of knowing new information about upcoming events unless a group member with internet access brings the information to the group. This can be another option for service that members can perform to maintain sobriety through action.
    The HAI index page has various links which gradually will become more active. A link has been added to the Meeting Schedule so you can print out the schedule on a single sheet of 8 1/2X11 paper. This schedule is current with the latest information available. If you see an error, or information for your meeting has been changed, the schedule will be updated if you notify Sobriety News at asdungan@comcast.net or if you notify an Intergroup Officer or mail the info to HAI, Fellowship House, 1251 S. 19th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17105. This current schedule can be duplicated for group purposes from this link at any time it is needed, and will be maintained in as current a state as possible to try to minimize the problems of accuracy encountered with the printed schedules of the past.
    Flyers will be added as they become available and removed when an event passes. If you are looking at this on the Internet, you will see that many of the insert pictures are links you can click on to get added information or flyers. Keep checking.
    The above suggested service opportunity to bring internet information back to the group could also be broadened to include flyers, and current meeting schedules. The printed schedules and flyers will still be available but may continue to have their current disadvantages too.

 

 

MID-CITY GROUP NEEDS SUPPORT

The recent efforts to support the Mid-City Group have resulted in some really good meetings. This meeting has served the lower part of center-city Harrisburg well for many years and currently meets at St Paul's United Methodist Church at River & Vine Sts. This location may be unfamiliar but is easily accessible. Vine Street angles off the intersection of Front and Paxton Streets and is one-way coming out onto Second Street next to the Fire House. There is ample parking in the lot on Paxton and Second. Meetings are held Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 7:30PM; all are discussion meetings, only Saturday is Open.

This group traces its beginnings back to a split from the Second Street Group and has held meetings continuously since 1953 as a Registered Group. There is an account of this interesting history on pages 12 and 13 of "We Carried This Message" Third Edition, available from the Harrisburg Area Intergroup Bookstore.

TURN YOUR WOUNDS INTO WISDOM

Pearl of the month  contributed by Jim M.  c: The Language of the Heart, pp 45

Pre-AA, we alkies could sometimes achieve that dubious state called "sobriety, period." How bleak and empty this alleged virtue is, only God or a dried-up drunk can fully testify. The reason? Of course every AA knows it: nothing ever takes the place of the victim's grog; he's still a man of conflict and disunity. Come then the twelve steps of recovery, bringing to him a personality change. The shattered prospect feels reassembled; he now
says he seems all one piece. We understand exactly what he means, for he describes the state of being at oneness; he is talking about personal unity. We know he must work to maintain it and that he can't stay alive without it.
 

HAI  SPRING SPEAKER MEETING & PIG ROAST

We hope you didn't forget the Spring Speaker Meeting and Pig Roast Saturday May 18. This event was jointly sponsored by the Harrisburg Area Intergroup and the Lykens Winding It Up Group. A special thank you to the members of the Lykens Group for the superb job they did with setting up this affair at the St James Church Pavilion, the wonderful food, and delicious pig.
    The local speaker, Bud W who has 26 years of sobriety, told a humorous but serious story of the difficulties of staying sober in the early years in "the gateway to the rest of the world". He told much of the history of AA in upper Dauphin County in his early years of sobriety and non-sobriety.
    The visiting speaker Bobby C had no trouble finding the event on his drive up from Philadelphia. And what a beautiful day to share food, fellowship and recovery with about 150 people on a Saturday afternoon. Bobby told a very explicit story of how it was as a self centered alcoholic policeman, wreaking havoc on his family and the citizens he was hired to protect. What was so beautiful about his story was how with equal specifics, how he made amends to some of those he had harmed. What an inspirational afternoon this was.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AT FELLOWSHIP HOUSE

The Memorial Weekend Program at Fellowship House began with Welcoming Alanon, and Fellowship House remarks, and Speaker Bob P from Lebanon. There were coffee breaks, lunch, meetings, and of course, the chicken barbeque. There were comments from Craig P about the role of Intergroup and Tina H from the Joy of Living Group shared her story of then and now. Al B (with 43 years of sobriety) came from North Carolina to tell how grateful he was to have shared so many experiences at Fellowship House. He reminisced about his old acquaintances and how Fellowship House had grown. He spoke of helping establish AA in the Pennsylvania Prison System, after having served time as a guest. It was certainly nice to have a place to go during the weekend to find recovering people to share time with, in the midst of a holiday weekend and all that connotes in the real world.

"Walk softly and carry a Big Book"

LIFE'S LITTLE LESSONS

May 31 thru June 2 saw about 50 AAs on a camping, rafting, hiking, recovery weekend at the Youghiogheny River. It was organized by Bob and Julie M; Randy, Tom,  and Leeann did the cooking; Brian D chaired a campfire meeting, and others pitched in to help. This, of course, was much appreciated service work. The experiences with mother nature drove home lessons in humility, unmanageability, facing one's fears, the value of experienced guidance (sponsorship). Participants found that life on the river, or in the woods (like AA) is a we program.

The experience of fellowship events of this sort really enhance one's recovery program as we find so much fun in being sober. Some are anxious to white water again, some are not, but all had a really wonderful time, and that is what AA fellowship is all about. We will all remember what we did that weekend for years to come. We are not a glum lot, for if we were, who would want it? There are plans to make this an annual affair

STUFF TO DO

Don't forget the Harrisburg Area Intergroup meeting Thursday the 6th at 6:45PM. The District 36 General Service Rep meeting will be on Monday 10th at 6:30PM; all GSRs or alternates should be there. Interested visitors are welcome, but may not participate in Intergroup or General Service business. Witnessing what goes on there is one way to help decide if you'd like to participate in this type of service work.

The Elizabethtown AA Group will be celebrating their 27th year of carrying the message on Thursday June 13. Festivities will commence at 7:00PM with an "EATIN MEETIN" as they say in Lancaster County. The event will take place at the Christ Lutheran Church at 75 East High Street (half block north of the square), E-town (rear entrance). At 8:00PM Jim D from the 40th Street Group will give his experience, strength and hope. This event will provide food for the soul.

Mark your calendar for Saturday August 3rd so you remember the HAI 17th Annual Picnic at New Cumberland Borough Park. There will be games for the kids, and for the adults. The doins begin at noon and clean up at 6:00PM. Bring dessert or salad if you'd like. Tickets will be available from your Intergroup Rep for $5.00 (Children are free). Barbeque chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers will be proffered. There will be an open discussion meeting at about 4:00PM. Bring a comfortable chair if you don't enjoy picnic benches. This is always a fun affair.

Click Here!!The 5th Annual Sunlight of the Spirit Conference at the York Holiday Inn will be here before you know it. Avoid the disappointment of finding it's already filled and register now. You can get the registration form from the links page, or by clicking on the picture.
     The speakers signed up so far are: Ted B (LaMarque, TX), Karen G (Venice, CA), Dennis N (Charlotte, NC), Dave D (Alexandria, VA), Don M (Louisville, KY), and Liz B (Hollis NY). This Conference is always an excellent enthusiasm stimulator.
     If you don't have internet access, you can call Bill or Linda M at (717)741-9021, or there is still time to write to SOS Conference, PO Box 3538, York, PA, for a registration form.

The first annual Firecracker Round Up will be held at the Renaissance, Philadelphia Hotel Airport on the weekend - July 4 -7th. The marvelous list of speakers are Dennis N, Pat Y, Vince Y, Billy N, Clancy I, Tom F, and Lebra N. There will be a Saturday night Banquet and Dances Friday and Saturday, and Marathon Meetings through the weekend. More information and the registration form are available on the links page. If you can't make the whole event, why not try to at least enjoy part of it, you'll be glad you did.

Keep in mind that PENNSCYPAA XIV will be held this year July 26-28th in Pittsburgh at the Ramada Plaza Suites & Conference Center at One Bigelow Square, Pittsburgh (In the Heart of Downtown). The handle for the conference will be ROCKETED INTO A 4th DIMENSION. This conference is always enjoyable for those who are able to not take themselves too seriously. Tickets will be $12 until June 28, and rooms run from $90 per night. The flyer and registration form are available on the links page, you can click on the logo at the left, and print at 135%. New and lasting friendships have been formed at previous PENNSCYPAAs and the speakers and workshops have always been stimulating. If more information becomes available it will be shared in the future.

The Intergroup Bookstore at 19th Street is still open Saturdays from 10:00AM till 11:00 AM for Groups to restock their literature cabinets with books and pamphlets.

The 9th Annual Pennsylvania State AA Convention, "Release from care, boredom, and worry" will be held August 2-4. At the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center in Carlisle there will be alcothons, speaker meetings, discussion meetings, AA entertainment, banquet, dance, indoor pool, etc. They plan a scenic motorcycle ride, golf, and midnight bowling for those who want to participate. Registration is $15 (banquet, buffet breakfast and other activities extra). Click on the logo at left for the hotel and conference registration forms. Sounds like fun.

*Many of the above have Flyers on the http://www.aaharrisburg.org/links.htm page. Some of these provide additional information. If you wish to print copies of the flyers, be aware that to reduce the enormous file size of scanned flyers for transmission on the internet, the physical size rather than resolution has been reduced. Therefore, to print you should adjust the print size of the document using whatever program your system uses to view these files (not the printer icon on your toolbar). It may take 30 seconds or so to download, so be patient.

The dance at Fellowship House on 19th Street is held on the third Saturday each month, starting at 8:30PM. It costs only $3.00 for adults, and please, no children under age eleven. Isolation is not a good alternative to enjoying the fellowship of dance. Come and have a good time.

AA = ACHIEVE  ANYTHING

MAY Intergroup Meeting

Craig announced that Bill C had resigned as Vice-Chairperson, and that Rich E from the Survivors Group had been appointed to replace him. He reported that Leeann needs help with the Thursday 7:00PM State Hospital S&T meeting. Moses reported that the prison meetings in Dauphin County need support. Ted C reported that prison meetings have started in Perry County, that they can receive reduced rates for literature from GSO, and Intergroup voted to contribute $10 to help purchase a case of Third Edition Books and to donate a case of 12 & 12s. The State Hospital meetings are covered until June; the West Shore Group served for April, There's More to Life volunteered for May, and 40th Street will visit during June. The 40th Street Group took the Cell phone during March and again for April, the Middletown Groups have taken the cell phone for May, and the 19th Street Group has volunteered for June.  Groups represented at the May meeting were 19th Street, 40th Street, Bridge Street, Hershey, It Works, Millersburg, Out of the Dark, Progress, Rule 62, Survivors, Trudgers, Up the Creek, West Shore, and Women's Serenity Groups.

June Speakers

The Friday 8:30PM speaker meetings for the 19th Street Group for June had not been posted by publication, but June 28 is Anniversary Night. The Sunday 8PM Bridge Street speakers are: June 2, John S from the Trinity Group; June 9, Harold R from 40th Street; June 16, Fred S from There's More To Life; Amy J from More to Life; for June 30, Dick J from the 40th Street Group: and July 7 will be Kevin A from Ain't You Had Enough, Carlisle. The June 1 speaker at Hershey will be Robin from the Elizabethtown Group, and July 6 will be Jane L from the Hershey Group. The Middletown Survivors speakers for June 20/27 will be Mike K, Elizabeth M, and Jim W.

Service to another Alcoholic
We can only stay sober ourselves by reaching out to another alcoholic. We can do that by getting our home group to volunteer for a particular 2 hour period each week, allowing group members a brief opportunity to answer the central office hotline. This will also provide the cell phone operator a two hour break which allows planning those things like going out in public where it is quite inconvenient to answer the phone (to say nothing of damaging to anonymity).
    You can help assure that help is available for the suffering alcoholic, alcoholics needing meeting schedule information, literature, or other assistance by volunteering to operate the central office hotline, or by getting your group to take the cell phone for a month. Why not give Tina H a call at home (238-3545), or Email (spicee308@aol.com), or you can volunteer through your Intergroup Rep. Central Office needs phone volunteers to handle the phone during the day to help reduce the burden on the cell phone volunteer. This is rewarding service work, and Central Office hours are pretty flexible.

Groups Continue Supporting Intergroup

For the month of May, contributions from five groups totaled $559. We would like to thank the following groups for their contributions to the Harrisburg Area Intergroup Fund. They were the Chapter 5, Hershey, New Beginnings, Out of the Dark, and Rebellion Dogs Groups. We would also like to thank all the groups and members who continue to donate time toward Intergroup's activities. These activities include speaker meetings, picnics, men and women's prison meetings, Internet Website, meeting schedules, literature, the AA Hotline, and the many other vital AA functions that help alcoholics recover in our community. Intergroup performs those services for our community which no single group is prepared to handle, and it coordinates activities between the 56 groups it serves. Remember that we can do together what none of us could do alone.

 

SOBRIETY NEWS is published monthly, and is usually available on the website the Tuesday night before the first Thursday of each month, so paper copies can be distributed to Reps at the Intergroup meeting. You can locate this newsletter, as well as lots of other stuff that would interest members of groups belonging to the Harrisburg Area Intergroup, at http://www.aaharrisburg.org