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High 'n Dry - NOVEMBER 2006

"The purpose of the High 'n Dry is to carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous by providing a resource in print, where alcoholics can get information about the activities and meetings in Volusia County. "

from the High 'n Dry Guidelines, established February 2006

Contents:

Gratitude; A Tale of Two Bobs and a Karen

I recently heard a speaker say that they are sober today by the Grace of God, the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and the guidance of two wonderful sponsors. I can identify with that statement for I had the guidance of two men who changed my life. I am very grateful for having them in my life and molding me into the person that I am today. I could not understand why it took both of them at the time; I thought I was only supposed to have one sponsor. I learned later on that neither one really wanted to take the challenge alone so they decided to tackle me as a team.

Bob N., the office administrator at Volusia County Intergroup became my service sponsor. Bob guided me and helped me pick my service commitments. Bob encouraged me to give of myself unselfishly and give back what had so freely been given to me. Bob never scolded me when I made mistakes, he just gave me ‘the look’. Many of you can remember ‘the look’; Bob would look over the top of his glasses and just stare, not saying a word. I tried to get ‘the look’ at least once a week. It became a game that we both loved and that we played until he passed. My final commitment to Bob was to come to Volusia County Intergroup and serve in any capacity that I was asked.

Bob G. became my sponsor and spiritual advisor (his words not mine). Bob taught me more than anyone else in my life. He became my best friend, companion, mentor and taskmaster. Bob would volunteer for service commitments then tell me how to do them. Bob worked harder than most people half his age and in the process made me want to work harder. His cooking and recipes are legendary. Bob believed in eating well and having plenty to eat. Bob was committed to Intergroup and Menstuff and passed his passion on to me. He taught me how to love another man, how to earn respect from my fellow AA’s. I learned how to give unconditionally and without thinking of reward. We shared our Southern heritage, Scottish ancestry and love for the program of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I could not complete this without my gratitude to Karen G., my predecessor as editor of the High N’ Dry. Karen taught me how to agree to disagree. We had different opinions on things, but our friendship came first. We always did what we thought was best for Alcoholics Anonymous. Karen encouraged me to do this newsletter and I continue to try to honor her memory. Karen wrote articles that had a tendency to make us think. She knew how to stir the pot.

I am thankful that these three people passed through my life and shared their wisdom, love and guidance with me. I know that I would not be here today if it wasn’t for them. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t ask the question, ‘what would Bob do?’ I know that if I do what they would have done then I am doing the right thing. When I sit down and look for articles for the High N’ Dry I ask myself ‘would Karen like this?’

I believe that as they look down from above that they are proud of the direction and progress that we have taken your Volusia County Intergroup in the last few years. I can imagine them watching Bill S. and I cooking and the friendship that we have today. They are probably saying ‘God what have we started?’

I know that the I’s in this article can be changed to We’s. Thank you God for our time that we had together.

Kenny P.
Editor

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Fellowship in a Big Orange Truck

Six days a week, Monday through Saturday, I attend a meeting of my AA, which starts at 7:30 a.m. To get there I always drive the same route: down Jackson Street past the post office, then turn left at the traffic light onto Dunlawton Avenue.
I am part of the Fellowship, one among many, but I am one.

When we had so much damage during the hurricane season, the parking lot of the post office was being used by a fleet of trucks belonging to a large national company that specializes in tree trimming. The fleets of 30 trucks had been brought Volusia County by their regular crews, but were being driven by local men who knew their way around town. Large-bodied dump trucks equipped with cranes and picker baskets, they are painted bright orange.

One morning, on the way to my daily meeting, I was waiting at the traffic light behind one of these orange trucks. The driver got out of the cab, descended to the ground, and waved at me. Recognizing a fellow AA member, John A., I waved back.

A few weeks later I saw John at a meeting. He told me he had been working 65 to 75 hours a week, and “I don’t have much time to attend a lot of meetings. Every morning I watch for your car at that corner because it is a good way to start my day, seeing another AA member like that”.


Since then I've remembered what John said whenever I see one of the orange trucks.

Most of the storm damage has been repaired now, and many of the trucks have left town. But yesterday morning, at that corner, there was an orange truck in front of me, waiting at the light. It made a left-hand turn onto Dunlawton, just like I was doing. I got into the lane next to it and looked up at the cab, hoping John was the driver and I could wave to him.

It wasn’t John, so I accelerated, feeling a bit foolish. As I pulled ahead of the orange truck I thought, “No, I’m not being foolish; that’s the Fellowship in action.

Anonymous in Port Orange

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FROM THE ARCHIVES:

Women’s New Beginnings Group

When YANA first opened in the store front in Harbor Oaks in 1982, a women’s meeting was started at 6 pm on Sunday night. It then changed to Tues night 6 pm at the new Yana Building. Karen G. decided this meeting no longer fit in her schedule and started the Women’s New Beginning Group in June of 1987. This meeting was at 6 pm on Monday in the old garage turned into a meeting place by the Grace Episcopal Church as part of their community outreach effort. Early members were Karen G., Pauline, Ruth Ann W., Carolyn C., and Dee S.

This group is a strong and active women’s group in District 20 with 15 members. They still meet at 6 pm on Monday evening (having moved into the Sunday School building after the garage was demolished) with an attendance between 25 and 30 every week.

Information from Nancy G. and Carolyn C.

 

 

Do you have any old Grapevines laying around ? Please check your old Grapevines for the following issues to help us complete a few more years in the Archives collection. You can drop them off at the Volusia County Intergroup Office.

Our collection starts with the year 1977, although we do have a few issues for Jan 1951, June 1955 and September 1958.

Years completed: 1982, 1992, and 1995 thru 2002, 2004, and 2005. Single issues needed to complete the years: Apr. 1981, June 1994.



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Rules for Being Human

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error and experimentation. The “failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately “works”.

4. A lesson is repeated until learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can then go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.

6. “There” is no better place than “here”. When your “there” has become a “here,” you will simply obtain another “there” that will again, look better than “here.”

7. Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. Your answers lie inside you. The answers to life’s questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

10. You will forget all of this.

Author Unknown

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Thank You To The AA Community!

We at Volusia County Intergroup would like to thank all of our Volunteers in the office, the phone army hotline and 12 step list for their service. We have been able to continue to carry the message for another year.

We also thank the groups and individuals that have supported us both financially and thru their service. Every time that we have put out the call for help, you have stepped up to the plate. The doors remain open and the bills are paid.

A special thanks to the outgoing Steering Committee that has worked long and hard for the best interest of Volusia County Intergroup. By the time this newsletter reaches the press a new Steering Committee will have been installed. We are all looking forward to working with them to insure the continued success of your Intergroup.

We would also like to thank the AA’s on the west side of the county for helping us to truly make this the Volusia County Intergroup once again. Your support is appreciated.

Congratulations to the new New Volusia County Intergroup Steering Committee,

Thanks to all of the outgoing Volusia County Intergroup Steering Committee members for a job well done. Judith R., Ed McP., Kenny P., & Jack C..

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Overheard at Meetings:

God does for me what I can't do for myself.

A.C.T.I.O.N. = Any Change to Improve Our Nature

If you don't like the effect, don't produce the cause.

Recovery is not a destination, but a road we travel.

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ACCEPTANCE

Acceptance means that you can find the serenity within to let go of the past with its mistakes and regrets, with a new perspective, appreciating the opportunity to take a second chance.

Acceptance means you’ll find security again when difficult times come into our life, and comfort to relieve any pain. You’ll find new dreams, fresh hopes, and forgiveness of the heart. Acceptance does not mean that you will always be perfect. It simply means that you’ll al ways overcome imperfection.

Acceptance is the road to peace letting go of the worst, holding on to the best, and finding the hope inside that continues throughout life.

Acceptance is the heart’s best defense, loves greatest asset, and the easiest way to keep on believing in yourself and others. “I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.”

“Before I came to AA, I was dead, but I didn’t know enough to lie down.”

Author Unknown

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District News

District 19 Annual Gratitude Dinner is being planned for November 11th, details to follow.

District 19 wants to thank Volusia County Intergroup for having their Picnic at Valentine Park in Orange City and also the fellowship from District 19 and all the other Districts for making it a wonderful Saturday.

 

District 20 Annual Gratitude Dinner is Friday, November 17th at Epiphany Catholic Church, 201 Lafayette St. Port Orange, 6:00pm, Tickets $6.00 in advance.

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Group & Club Activities and info

Silver Dollar Club 3rd Anniversary, Sunday, November 12, 2006, 12 noon-4pm., Karoke contest, Auction, free Bar-b-q dinner

Silver Dollar Club Thanksgiving Alcathon & Dinner, Thursday Nov. 23rd, Dinner served at 2:00 pm, meetings every 2 hrs, 8:00am to 10:00pm.


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NOVEMBER 2006 ANNIVERSARIES
 
5:30 GROUP
Bob P 23 11/24/83
Winnie W 6 11/01/00
Peggy W 1 11/01/05
Mike W 1 11/01/05
Mary H 1 11/02/05
BACK TO BASICS DELAND
Jay J 36 11/12/70
George L 23 11/02/83
BIG BOOK STUDY-HH
Jim S 22 11/30/84
Jeri W 15 11/24/91
Marlene P 10 11/02/96
Amy M 4 11/11/02
BOULEVARD GROUP
Vivian R 45 11/13/61
Pam G 9 11/09/97
Todd T 2 11/05/04
CHOICE IS YOURS
Peggy S 17 11/10/89
Bob M (KY) 13 11/02/93
Chris K 13 11/10/93
Catherine P 9 11/09/97
DELAND GROUP
Vern W 29 11/12/77
Jeffery E 6 11/25/00
DELTONA ANY LENGTHS
Karl 3 11/13/03
DELTONA ENTERPRISE GROUP
Gene W 7 11/25/99
Bob D 2 11/07/04
FREE TO BE --DAYTONA
Murray 20 11/20/86
Barbara M 7 11/01/99
Matt 3 11/11/03
Tim A 1 11/17/05
FRIDAY NIGHT MEN'S
Brian L 30 11/06/76
Chris B 11 11/29/95
Grey 1 11/29/05
FRIDAY NOON MEN'S DISCUSSION
John W 32 11/24/74
Fred B 19 11/10/87
John C 10 11/11/96
JJ 1 11/09/05
GRACE GROUP
Bob A 28 11/10/78
Don G 27 11/16/79
Dave W 12 11/23/94
GRATEFUL GROUP
Juanita P 48 11/28/58
Harry N 24 11/22/82
Benny B 24 11/27/82
HAD ENOUGH GROUP
Jane C 20 11/01/86
LAST CALL GROUP
Peggy S 17 11/10/89
Karen S 10 11/04/96
Robin M 5 11/19/01
Teresa J 3 11/05/03
Nancy B 3 11/26/03
Christopher Q 2 11/21/04
Doug S 2 11/23/04
Samantha L 1 11/04/05
Patricia H 1 11/07/05
Shawn M 1 11/07/05
David J 1 11/10/05
John B 1 11/17/05
Robin P 1 11/19/05
LEST WE FORGET GROUP
Carole 29 11/07/77
Greg P 26 11/18/80
Kelly 21 11/25/85
Trisha C 3 11/22/03
JJ 1 11/09/05
LIFESAVERS
Frank C 19 11/27/87
Theresa H 2 11/07/04
LOVE AND SERVICE
Matt C 9 11/19/97
NEW DAWN
Ken W 20 11/14/86
RJ 2 11/29/04
NEW SMYRNA BEACH GROUP
Frank S 24 11/27/82
Dorothy G 5 11/07/01
Larry T 1 11/24/05
ORMOND BEACH GROUP
Pete W 29 11/25/77
Bill O 28 11/14/78
PEACE OF MIND
Greg V 20 11/11/86
PRIMARY PURPOSE
Pat N 39 11/19/67
Stephen P 10 11/04/96
Jennifer G 3 11/23/03
SATURDAY NIGHT ALIVE
Mike H 1 11/27/05
STEP SISTERS
Pat B 24 11/17/82
TURNING POINT
Kristin F 2 11/03/04
WEDNESDAY CLOSED
Deb C 6 11/04/00
Tom A 3 11/05/03
Michelle H 2 11/10/04
WEDNESDAY WOMEN'S
Ruth G 17 11/23/89
Nancy B 4 11/24/02
WOMEN'S NEW BEGINNINGS
Lois E 32 11/16/74
Jackie 12 11/08/94
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If you would like to submit an article for publication, or have an idea for something you would like to see in the High 'n Dry, you may contact the editor at: editor@aadaytona.org

Copyright© 2003- 2006 Volusia County Intergroup Services