Alcoholics Anonymous meet
Surat.
Members from 20 cities across the country would participate in the conference, which will be held at Madhav Vanik ni
Wadi near the railway station, on Friday.
The participants will exchang views and make plans to increase memberships in their respective inter groups. One of the
many suggestions floated by the Surat body was to form a new 'women's inter group' for the city.
The reason for holding the thirty-sixth fellowship of the 'AA' in Surat, according to members, is because the city formed
the first 'AA' fellowship in Gujarat and has the maximum number of members when compared to Vadodara and
Ahmedabad.
While Surat boasts of 150 members, Vadodara has registered 50 and Ahmedabad has the least, with just 10 members.
The members are also working on the feasibility of the formation of a special women's inter group in the city, on the lines
of Pune and Delhi.
"Right now, we have just four women members in Surat, we would like to increase the memberships. "Besides, we have
networked with the rehabilitation centres in the city that regularly refer cases to us.
Our meetings are held at the Nanpura Catholic Church in Surat on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays of every week,"
says Dinesh, a member of the 'AA'.
Besides, members would also discuss the possibility of forming corporate groups like in Pune and Mumbai, where
corporate houses recommend members to this forum.
"We have specific inter groups that have been recommended by corporate houses and we run special programmes for
them too," says public information chairman of AA, Satish.
Apart from Surat, Ahmedabad and Vadodara, the AA has fellowship meetings in Navsari, Vapi, Valsad, Silvasa and
Daman. "One of the many benefits of being part of AA is that a person enjoys complete anonymity.
At the personal level, anonymity provides protection for all members from identification as alcoholics, a safeguard often
of special importance to newcomers.
While speaking in non-AA meetings, members usually use first names and use last names in AA fellowship meetings. It
is expected of other members in the group to maintain complete anonymity of their group," adds Dinesh.
But how does the AA help an alcoholic? "This is done through the example and friendship of the recovered alcoholics at
AA. New members are encouraged to stay away from a drink a day, instead of swearing off "forever".
This is done by helping the members talk about their worries and offer emotional support to them," says another member
Ranjith.
The Times of India Online ~ Thursday, November 10, 2005
<< Home