Alcoholics anonymous celebrates its 83rd anniversary
MORET – The Silver Pine Alcoholics Anonymous group honours AAs 83 years of helping people stay sober in a special 'Founders Day' meeting.
June 10 marks 83 years since the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in 1935, and the Silver Pine AA group is honouring the event with a special Founders Day meeting.
AA members worldwide celebrate this anniversary every year with special meetings on the day each year.
“Alcoholics Anonymous is for people with a drinking problem, and this event is there to help encourage those who may be suffering from this disease to seek help,” said an anonymous member of the group.
The member, who has been sober for 27 years, gave some insight into his own journey to sobriety.
“The programme that is run by the group definitely works. My success, along with numerous other members, is a testament to that.”
He said there are two major anniversaries each year, and this one commemorates the founding of the group.
Bill Wilson and Doctor Bob Smith were both alcoholics and founded the fellowship in Akron, Ohio in the USA, by recording the date of Dr Bob’s last drink.
Wilson and Smith believed that recovery from alcoholism starts when one alcoholic helps another, enabling them to keep each other sober one day at a time, using the Twelve Step programme.
The anonymous member said, “We all have good days and bad, and it is easy to turn to alcohol when that strikes. Sobriety is not easy, but if you can stay away from that first drink, with the help and support of others who are dealing with the same issues, you can only succeed.”
In the Johannesburg and West Rand area over 100 group meetings are held on a monthly basis, with up to 18 meetings that take place each day of the week.
The member added, “The next event that we will celebrate will take place in our thanks-giving month of October, which commemorates the establishment of AA in South Africa.”
The Founders Day meeting will take place at their venue and is open to all members of the public, whether they are struggling with the disease personally or not, at 4 Silver Pine Road, Moret, Randburg on 10 June at 10am.
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