RECOVERY TIMES Vol. 70, No. 2, Feb. 2019

The Alcoholics Anonymous San Fernando Valley Central Office Newsletter

LOVE IN A.A. - IN A ROOMFUL OF MEN The women were scarce in her neck of Montana, but she got plenty of love nonetheless

I didn’t start drinking until I was 21. I drank socially for about 10

years or so, then eventually crossed the line into alcoholism. My descent was gradual. I hit bottom in the living room of my house where I lived alone. My 29-year marriage had failed, my sons were

away at school, I was entangled in a sick relationship and I had to have a drink in the morning in order to face my wreck of a life.

There was a newspaper on the coffee table that day. Some words on the page jumped out at me: “Is someone you love also someone you hate?” It was an ad for an alcoholism treatment

center. I’d been unaware that there was such a thing, but by the grace of God, I made a call and ended up there. Luckily, the center stressed the importance of AA. I have often said that treatment saved my life, and AA taught me how to live sober. I grabbed onto AA like a drowning person grabs a

life preserver. Because I lived in a rural area, I often had to drive long distances to meetings. If I complained, an old-timer would ask, “How many miles did you drive to get a drink?”

When I came into the rooms, it was mostly men there. That was OK with me. I liked men, but those

church basements were nothing like the bar scenes I’d been used to. The men were clean, sober and polite. I came to love them like kind uncles and brothers. They were so patient as I fumbled my way through early sobriety. They told me to keep coming back. I’m forever grateful for those men.

As the years went by, more women showed up and our meetings were enriched by their presence. Eventually, the meetings in our area became smoke-free. That was hard on newcomers, as I remember.

I’ve learned so much from living life the AA way. All the Promises listed in our Big Book have come true in my life—all of them—by God’s grace and by my diligent working of the Steps. Have I achieved

perfection? Of course not. One of my favorite lines in our book is, “We are not saints.”

I recently celebrated 37 years of sobriety. In July, I celebrated my 80th birthday with feelings of overwhelming gratitude that in the year I was born, those two fellows Bill and Dr. Bob got together

and formed the Fellowship that would change my life 43 years later.

I’ve learned in AA that whatever happens, I’ll be all right, as long as I don’t pick up that drink. It’s the first one that can lead us back into the madness of active alcoholism. I never want to go there

again. I learned from the old-timers not to take myself too seriously. AA laughter is so healing. Over the years, my greatest challenge has been to get out of my own way. And my greatest joy was learning how to give it away. -- Vera T., White Sulphur Springs, Montana

Copyright © 2018 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CENTRAL OFFICE

Minutes of Intergroup Representatives Meeting

January 14, 2019

OPENING: Josh S. opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. with The Serenity Prayer.

Diane read “The Twelve Traditions.” Josh presented outgoing Intergroup Board Chair Larry S. with a plaque in honor of his many years of

service to Intergroup and the Board. Thank you, Larry!!!! Josh announced the new Board officers and positions for 2019:

o Chairperson: Josh S. o Co-Chair: Adrian I. o Recording Secretary: Sandy R. o Treasurer: Tina K.

o Director at Large: Loretta N. o Director at Large: Lee A. o Director at Large: Lyn W. o First Alternate: Brian H.

Sandy R. accepted a motion for approval of the December 2018 Intergroup Minutes.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Tina K.

MTD is $21,280and YTD is $18,213, as compared with last year’s YTD which was $6,170. Thanks to everyone for their generous Gratitude Month and personal contributions! Financial Statements and Group Contributions are available.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY'S REPORT: Bob F.

Central Office is running smoothly. We need new volunteers for all five time slots. One year of sobriety is required. Please contact Central Office.

Recovery Times is always looking for contributions from sober AAs with their stories of recovery. Send to Editor Pat K.: xnowisthetime@aol.com.

MEETING RELATED BUSINESS: Adrian I.

There were 6 new Intergroup Representative this month: Lisa T., “Sobriety Together Discussion,” Mondays at 7 pm, in Granada Hills. Cathy M., “Woman to Woman Discussion,” Mondays at 7 pm in Northridge. Tom O., “We Are Responsible,” Thursdays at 7 pm in Studio City. Bruce L., “Sunday Candlelight Beginners Discussion,” Sundays at 7:30 pm in Woodland Hills. Gina P., “Just the Facts Book Study,” Sundays at 2:30 pm at the Valley Club in Northridge. Susan P., “Saturday Morning Women’s Meeting,” Saturdays at noon in Woodland Hills.

SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES:

General Service District 11: Ernie: Planning a workshop centering on the history of AA. San Fernando Valley Hospital & Institutions Committee: Casey reported for Nick C.: Join us on the 3rd

Monday of the month at Saint Innocent’s Church in Tarzana. New member orientation at 7pm, business meeting starts at 8pm. For more information, visit www.sfvhi.org.

San Fernando Valley 44rd Annual AA Convention: Bernard B.: The convention will be held February 1-3, 2019 at the Warner Center Marriott. The theme this year is, “Just Stay, It’s the Easier, Softer Way.” There will be no ticket sales on site – tickets are available through pre-registration only and you must be registered to attend the events in the main ballroom.

Santa Clarita Valley 16th Annual AA Convention: Bernard B.: Just held their first planning meeting.

OLD BUSINESS

Literature Sales are CLOSED on holidays and the last Friday of each month, but OPEN on weekends. Central Office’s doors remain open; phones are still answered. Reminder for groups to report upcoming group events and remove expired event flyers from literature tables.

Continue to send meeting changes IN WRITING to Central Office.

NEW BUSINESS: Erin B. was elected to fill a single board vacancy.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM AA GROUPS & SEVENTH TRADITION:

Marianna, YPSFVAA: 47th ACYPAA Round-Up will be held in April 4-7, 2019 at the LAX Hilton. Pre-Registration forms available or register online at www.acypaa.org/register. Pre-registration is $15 for one / $25 for two, but no newcomer will be turned away! It took a decade to get this conference to our area!

REMINDERS: Josh S.

Groups should bring at least 350 flyers for upcoming events so that each meeting can have at least 5 copies. Flyers must be for “AA-related events” (defined as “an event that includes an AA Meeting as part of the event”).

ACKNOWLEDGE BIRTHDAYS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY: 153 YEARS OF SOBRIETY!

Darlene, 2 years on 1/11; Josh, 3 years on 1/26; Denise, 5 years on 1/13; Lee, 18 years on 1/8;

Molly, 27 years on 1/29; Dale, 30 years on 1/7; Clem, 33 years on 1/2; and Ernie, 35 years on 1/12.

VACANCIES ON BOARD

Vacancy on the board was filled. Many thanks to Larry S. for his years of service to Central Office and to the board of Central Office.

CLOSING:

A motion to adjourn was recognized and seconded. Meeting adjourned at 7:26 pm with The Lord’s Prayer. Minutes prepared by Recording Secretary, Sandy R.

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INFO FROM A.A. CENTRAL OFFICE OF THE SF VALLEY

AA Central Office maintains a 24 hour phone line for alcoholics in need, hosted by volunteers. Call: 818

988-3001 anytime to speak to a “live” person on the phones.

We are located at 16132 Sherman Way, Van Nuys and maintain 24/7 free phone service for AAs in need. Our

office is in an office building on the SW corner of Woodley & Sherman Way, west of the Mobil Station. We are

open every day for book sales, including weekends (except for holidays and the last Friday of the month for

inventory). Our large warehouse has all of the A.A. approved literature, coins, medallions and pamphlets that

your group needs.

Please buy your meeting supplies from AA Central Office of the

Valley. By doing so, you are supporting our office. (It’s always more

expensive to buy them from a retail store). We’re open Monday – Friday:

9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and weekends: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Literature closed last Fri.

of every month for Inventory and on major holidays). Central Office is a

legitimate non-profit. Personal donations cannot exceed $5,000 per year

and must be from members of AA, not from outsiders.

Our website, www.sfvaa.org, provides meeting info, upcoming events

and service meeting info. You can also download a copy of Recovery

Times (and previous issues) for free. To receive a printed copy of Recovery Times, send us your name and

address with payment of $7.00 to cover a year’s worth of mailings. Also let us know if this is for a new

subscription or if you have simply changed your address.

AA SERVICE COMMITTEES Calendar:

GENERAL SERVICE AREA 93:

District 1: Meets 1st Wednesday of the month at 7552 Remmet Street,

Canoga Park, CA at 6 p.m. orientation; 6:30 for general meeting.

District 11: Meets the 1st Monday of the month at 123 W. Windsor Road,

Glendale, CA at 6:30 orientation; 7 p.m. general meeting.

District 16: Meets the 1st Monday of the month at

16132 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA. (Central Office)

at 6 p.m. for both orientation and meeting.

District 17: Meets the 1st Monday of the month at

5000 Colfax Ave., North Hollywood at 6 p.m.

orientation; 6:30 p.m. general meeting.

For more info, refer to your District Committee Member (DCM).

PRAASA (Pacific Region AA Service Assembly), March 1 – 3, 2019,

Irvine, CA www.PRAASA.org

OTHER AA COMMITTEES:

Public Information Committee provides info to the public about what A.A.

does & doesn’t do. We need volunteers, especially young people and Spanish-

speaking AAs, for health fairs & to speak at schools & businesses. To volunteer

call Central Office: (818) 988-3001.

SF Valley Hospitals and Institutions Committee (H & I): Temporary

contacts are needed to pair the alcoholic leaving rehabilitation, treatment or

jail with A.A. in their home community. Contact Central Office for info. H & I

also needs volunteers to carry the message of A.A. into hospitals, prisons

and treatment facilities to those who are unable to get to meetings. See

meeting info above. (SFV H & I). Meets 3rd Monday of the month at 5657

Lindley Ave., Tarzana (St. Innocent) at 7 p.m. for orientation/ 8 p.m. for the

general business meeting.

San Fernando Valley Young People in AA: 1st Sunday of the month @ 1

p.m. at Unit A., 10641 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood. Regular weekly

meeting Monday nights at 8 pm.

San Fernando Valley Intergroup: Central Office holds a monthly meeting

for all Intergroup reps on the 2nd Monday at St. Innocent Church, 5657

Lindley Ave., Tarzana. (6:30 p.m. for orientation; 7 p.m. for business

meeting). Intergroup reps provide an important service to the group. IGRs

share information on upcoming AA events in the Valley. Support Central

Office by sending a rep to the monthly Intergroup meeting. We would love to

have you represent your group in this important function.

FROM THE FOUNDERS "We shall always have to deal with the fearful forces which are released when the human ego runs amok -- the same forces that are shattering the world of our time. Deliver us from temptation must therefore continue to be a prime ingredient of our every attitude, practice, and prayer." AA Co-Founder, Bill W., November 1960, Freedom Under God: The Choice Is Ours "Life is travel -- enjoy the journey, bumpy roads and all." New York, New York, "Sponsorship is a bridge to trusting the human race, the very race we once resigned from. In learning to trust, we are strengthening our sobriety." Grand Island, Nebraska

“Time goes by so fast.

Yesterday’s tiny buds

have turned into today’s

beautiful flowers. I

don’t want to blink my

eyes for fear of the joy I

will miss seeing.” Cathy

W., Swan Lake, OK

"Sincerity of purpose, humility in the knowledge of our own power to help, and confidence in our understanding of our capacities in AA are likely to help in working with others." St. Paul, MN. Copyright © 2018 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Has your meeting changed? Please provide meeting updates to: SFVAA Central Office, 16132 Sherman

Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406.

Celebrating an A.A. Anniversary? Please consider making a $1.00 donation to Central Office for each year of your sobriety during your birthday month. This month, we celebrate the AA anniversaries of: Anonymous: 19 years and the Learning to Live Men’s Stag: 41 men, 618 years.

Deaths: We remember: Sandy L. – 34 Years, Sylmar (Unit A)

Want to be of service? We are always in need of volunteers to answer phones, especially on weekends and holidays. If you have a year or more of continuous sobriety, please call: (818) 988-3001 or email: sfvco@la.twcbc.com.

_____________________________________________________________________

Upcoming AA Conventions/Conferences:

Southern CA H & I Conference: April 5 – 7, 2019, Ventura, CA www.socalhandi.org

San Diego Spring Roundup: April 18 – 21, 2019, San Diego, CA

www.sandiegospringroundup.com

32nd Intl. Men’s Conference: April 26 – 28, 2019, LAX Airport Marriott, Los Angeles, CA

www.iaamc2019.org

31st Big Island Bash: May 3 – 5, 2019, Kailua Kona, HI https://www.bigislandbash.com

35th Annual Sunshine of the Spirit High Desert Convention, June 7-9, 2019, Victorville, CA,

https://www.sunshineofthespirit-highdesertconvention.com/

A.A. Desert Pow Wow, June 6 – 9, 2019, Indian Wells, CA, http://desertpowwow.com/

84th Akron Ohio Founders’ Day: June 7 – 9, 2019, Akron, Ohio https://foundersday.org

2020 International Convention, July 2 – 5, 2020 Detroit, MI. www.aa.org

DO YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING STORY ABOUT YOUR SOBRIETY? RECOVERY TIMES IS ALWAYS

LOOKING FOR SHORT STORIES ABOUT RECOVERY. PLEASE EMAIL: PAT K. AT:

XNOWISTHETIME@AOL.COM

Alcoholics Anonymous is everywhere: When you hit the road, make sure

you take a look at the meetings in the area or country where you will be

staying. A.A. AROUND THE WORLD

The hand of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) extends – literally – around the

globe. Today, an A.A. presence can be found in approximately 180 nations

worldwide, with membership estimated at over two million. There are more

than 118,000 A.A. groups around the world and A.A.’s literature has been

translated into languages as diverse as Afrikaans, Arabic, Hindi, Nepali,

Persian, Swahili, and Vietnamese, among many others.

ALL ARE WELCOME How a barn that love built became the go-to place for meetings, picnics, campouts and joy

I drank and used drugs for more than 31 years. Throughout my active alcoholism, I experienced highs and lows, which ranged from driving around in limousines to living in a garage with rats. At the end, I had no desire to live anymore.

I have been a biker all my adult life, although there were times when I didn’t ride my motorcycle because my drinking was so out of control and I knew I shouldn’t ride or I would die.

When I got to my first AA meeting, there was no one wearing a leather jacket, so I thought for sure I’d never fit in. But people were telling my story there and I soon felt the desire to drink leave me. They told me to just keep coming back. They said it keeps getting better. A man gave me his phone

number at that first meeting. He said that if I ever needed a ride to a meeting, I could call him and he’d come and get me. At that point, I wanted nothing more in my life than sobriety. I called this man just about every day for 180 days. He picked me up selflessly every time I called him. The hand

of AA was definitely there for me. He and I grew together in the program.

Suddenly, I had to face the wreckage of my past. I had to go to court for multiple drunk-driving charges. I didn’t want AA to get publicly involved because I wanted to follow the Traditions. But when

I showed up for my court sentencing, approximately 35 members were in the courtroom to support me. Some of those people spoke on my behalf. Because of their support, the judge said it was the hardest sentencing he’d ever had to do. He sentenced me to 15 months in Wisconsin State Prison.

In prison, I was blessed with the opportunity to be secretary of the AA meetings for a year. I had the opportunity to meet the warden of the prison and he allowed me to hand out copies of the Big Book

to inmates. Members had sent the Big Books into the prison, along with meditation books and a subscription to Grapevine. When I had two months left of my sentence, I read in Grapevine about an event that was happening two weeks after I was to get out. It was an AA convention in Illinois called

the Midwest Motorcycle AA Convention (MMAAC). I really wanted to go. But I knew that after my release, I would still be on probation. When I got out, I talked with my probation officer. He stated that they were aware of my AA service in prison and that they’d be happy to allow me to attend the

out-of-state convention.

My sister generously offered to drive me to the convention. She also attended the entire weekend with me. I didn’t ride my motorcycle that first time I was there, but I felt at home anyway. I met

some amazing people that weekend. I told them my story and how I was led to MMAAC. They nicknamed me the “Grapevine Guy.” The next few years, I rode my motorcycle to the convention by myself. Since I had used alcohol and drugs for most of my life, those first few years attending

MMAAC were often uncomfortable, as I had to be social in a way that was new to me. Fellow members assured me that when we feel uncomfortable, we’re doing exactly what we need to be doing. I was willing to do anything to keep this gift of sobriety that God had given me, so I worked

through the difficult feelings of those first few years by focusing on my willingness and desire to continue to progress in the program. The result was that I had many wonderful experiences and met a lot of great people. Soon I began to ask my AA friends to join me for the weekend.

At the sixth year of the convention, they had a poker run with motorcycles. A poker run consists of a bunch of bikers riding to different locations where members receive a playing card. Whoever gets the

best poker hand at the end wins the run. That day, I was waiting in line to ride off on my motorcycle

to my first destination when this gal approached me. “Would you mind if someone rode on the back your bike?” she asked. I told her I didn’t mind. “Do you want a ride?” I

asked. “No,” she said, “but she does,” pointing to another gal standing nearby. The woman got on the back seat of my bike and we had a great ride, despite the fact that we rode through a downpour. I will never forget

that ride.

On Sunday morning of the convention, a speaker meeting was held in a barn. The woman who had ridden with me on my bike came and sat next

to me. I thought maybe she might like me. We found out that we both lived in Wisconsin, about 30 miles apart. Before I rode off to go back home to Wisconsin, she gave me her phone number. Her name was Debbie. Over time, our relationship grew and we fell in love.

Eventually, we decided to live together in her home in the city. About a year later, we were out riding the motorcycle in the country one day. We got to talking about how nice it would be to find a few

acres of land with a farmhouse and a barn.

That following winter, I was on the computer researching information about properties that were in the process of foreclosure. I noticed a listing for a property just down the road from the spot where

we dreamed of having a house. When Debbie got home from work, I told her about the property. Even though it was winter with snow everywhere, we drove out in the country to see it. The house was in really rough shape. It was on a few acres of land, along with a garage, a milk house and a

barn. It was an abandoned property, with garbage everywhere, in every building, including the house. We couldn’t go inside the house so we just looked in through the windows. “It has a good roof,” I said. “I think we can make it work.” I asked Debbie what she thought. “OK,” she said. “Let’s

do it.”

This happened back in 2008, when the housing industry was crashing. But by the grace of God, we were able to find financing to buy the house. Debbie and I made fliers to hand out to our AA

community and our families. “We bought the farm,” the flyer stated, adding that we needed help. Approximately 100 people showed up over two days to help us fix up the place. They helped us repair broken water pipes and replace sinks and toilets. We filled three large dumpsters with garbage

hauled out of the house and the other buildings. Friends even helped us paint the interior of the house.

On the third day of cleaning I wanted to surprise Debbie, so we painted an eight-foot-tall sobriety symbol on the side of the barn. We knew that we wouldn’t have our sobriety, our relationship, our home or our lives if not for the grace of God and AA and our families. I called an electrician friend

and he installed cables to bring electricity out to the barn. That took him about a week. On the second weekend of living on the property, we had our first weekend AA event and more than 100 people showed up. A few months later, a friend in the program said to me, “Why don’t we start an

AA meeting here?” So we did.

We now have an AA meeting every Thursday evening at 7 p.m. We also have AA weekend campouts, with speakers, food, fun and fellowship. We are even blessed with a live band called the Barn Owls,

who play at our events. We keep the barn open to AA members and their families, along with their children and dogs. We even host craft-making events and family reunions and weddings. The AA community continues to help make improvements to our home. It is their home also and they want

to help. Just about every week there are new members at our home. We have a saying that goes: “We love the people we don’t even know yet.” This house that we have been blessed with is God’s house. We are so humbled by all the love that is expressed and given in this home. Some days,

Debbie and I just look at each other and say “Wow,” and cry. We are truly living a dream. -- Kent S., Hartland, Wisconsin

Central Office of SFV

16132 Sherman Way

Van Nuys, CA 91406

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED