When I first got sober, Mary, a long-time AA member, came to a meeting and told this story: "I got sober 26 years ago with my friend Jane. For 24 years we went to meetings together, did service together. Two years ago I lost track of her. Just before coming to the meeting tonight, I got a phone call from Jane’s husband. He said he had just taken Jane to the hospital with alcohol poisoning." After a pause, Mary added, "I’ll never outgrow my need for AA."
     
     A few months later, I was chairing that meeting for probably the first time when a raw newcomer – between prolonged sobbing – told her story, which included continuing to live with an abusive, alcoholic husband. I had no idea what to say or do. Thank goodness Mary was there. I immediately called on her. I don’t remember a word she said, just that she was one part consoling and one or two parts saying what AA had done for her and could do for this young woman if she gave it a chance.

     The other thing Mary said that I remember vividly – probably because she repeated it over and over – was that, so far, she had hit no ceiling in AA. I translated that to mean there would come no time in my life as an AA member when I couldn’t get more by continuing to do the AA deal, one day at a time. So far, that has proved to be true.

     Mary didn’t just talk about AA in the meetings, either. One blistering, hot day in mid summer when I was about six months sober, I was down on my hands and knees laying sod for the landscape company I worked for outside a deluxe resort hotel. The dirt on my clothes, hands and face was streaked with sweat, making rivulets of mud down my cheeks and neck.

     I looked up and who should be passing along the sidewalk but Mary, all dressed up, with a woman friend I had never seen before, equally decked out. They were headed for a fancy lunch in air-conditioned comfort inside the hotel. Mary recognized me, I could tell, but I didn’t say anything, put my head down and kept working. Surely, she wouldn’t want to admit knowing me under these conditions. "Hi, Peter," Mary said. "I’d like you to meet my friend, so-and-so." That kindness was, to me, an obvious example of practicing these principles in all our affairs.

     I’m 17 years sober now, I moved to Portland when I was about two years sober, and I haven’t seen Mary since. But she is still with me. Such is the power of example that an old-timer doing the deal can provide. I come to meetings on a regular basis because it is part of my program. It helps keep me sober. I hope that while I’m saving my own sorry butt, I may also be passing on even a smidgeon of the power of example that was so freely given to me so early on when it meant so much.

     Characteristic of the so called typical alcoholic is a narcissistic egocentric core, dominated by feelings of omnipotence, intent on maintaining at all costs its inner integrity. Inwardly the alcoholic brooks no control from man or God. He, the alcoholic, is and must be the master of his destiny. He will fight to the end to preserve that position.
 A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 311

Without meetings how does the alcoholic stand a chance against this?

Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. 
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 89

Burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house.
 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 98

     . . .no society of men and women ever had a more urgent need for continuous effectiveness and permanent unity. We alcoholics see that we must work together and hang together, else most of us will finally die alone. 
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 563

     Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.
 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS p. 77

     Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends- this is an experience you must not miss. We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.
 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 89

This is what happens at meetings.

          Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. 
PREAMBLE OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

This does not happen shopping at the mall. It does happen at meetings.

     Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.
 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 20

And where can we go to be with others? Meetings?!

     Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellow. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of happy Destiny. May God bless you and keep you until then. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS p. 164

We learn what to do at meetings; we practice doing it at meetings. Meetings are where we recover from alcoholism

. 
CSO UPCOMING EVENTS
CSO Breakfast - Sunday March 17, 2002

January 2002 Summary Literature Sales $ 5,280.95 Total Donations $ 5,770.33 Total Shipping Income $ 54.00 Functions Income $ 950.43 Functions Expense $ 811.00 Total Income $ 11,922.05 Total Expenses $ 9,521.60

Hotline Report (summary) The Central Service Office logged over 685 calls in January 2002, of which 28 were Twelve Step Calls. Many calls go unlogged when daily activity becomes too busy. The hotline coverage has been very good.

GROUP DONATIONS January 2002 Here's the part of the newsletter where we print out group donations for the month. We know members love to see their own group listed here and know they are carrying on the work of helping alcoholics. In an effort to conserve funds and resources, the Central Service Office has stopped sending out "thank you" letters to groups and individuals for their donations. If you note any discrepancy in the BEAM's report, please call the CSO office. The CSO is here to aid in carrying the message. Your donations are greatly appreciated. Anyone wanting transaction reports showing their group's activity for sales or donations may call the office or write requesting this and the information will be promptly sent out. Auburn Serenity Group $25.00 Hotline Allotments Biddeford A New Beginning $25.00 District 1 $90.00 Brunswick Haven't Got a Clue Group $89.25 District 6 $90.00 Camden 12 Step Group $10.80 District 8 $50.00 Cape Elizabeth Group $120.00 District 14 $60.00 Danville The Road Less Traveled $20.00 District 15 $85.00 Eastport Step Group $30.00 District 17 $80.00 Eddington Benders Group $30.00 District 20 $180.00 Falmouth Group $42.51 Freeport Group $50.00 Gray Village Group $271.50 Kennebunk Early Bird $120.00 Kennebunk Sunday Morning Women's Meeting $45.00 Kennebunk Mousam River Group $50.00 Lewiston Hope Group $150.00 Lisbon Falls Freedom Group $75.00 Newcastle Alive Again Group $20.00 Newcastle New Days Group $50.00 Newcastle Beginners Group $500.00 Newcastle Serenity Group $50.00 Norway Staying Sober Group $30.00 Old Orchard Beach First Step Group $50.00 Other Donations Portland Attitude Adjustment Group $400.00 Anonymous Donations $2.00 Portland Brown Bag $10.00 CSO Breakfast 7th Tradition $77.43 Portland High Noon Men's Meeting $125.00 Gratitude Night Raffle $11.00 Portland Live and Let Live Group $10.00 Corrections Donation $75.00 Portland Monday 12 & 12 $5.00 BEAM Donations $157.00 Portland Group $600.00 Hotline Donations $200.00 Richmond St Paul's Discussion Group $40.99 Faithful Fivers Donations $210.00 Rockland The Road To Recovery Group $49.00 District Donations $50.00 Scarborough Route 1 Group $75.00 7th Tradition Corrections $6.00 Shapleigh Group $100.00 7th Tradition PI/CPC $4.00 Skowhegan Monday AM BB Study $22.25 South Portland Meeting House Hill Grp $120.00 Speakeasy Group $30.00 Stonington Deer Isle Group $29.47 Wells Saturday Morning Beginners Grp $300.00 West Newfield Wednesday Group $15.00 West Newfield Sunday Night Group $50.00 Westbrook Friends of Bill W Group $40.00 Windham Women's Tuesday Step $75.00 York Beach Friday Nite 12 Step Group $90.00 York Harbor Big A Group $30.00 New England Conference of Young People $147.13 TOTAL DONATIONS $5,770.33

Where to send your contributions CSO Central Service Office 78 Portland Street Portland, ME 04101 GSO General Service Office P.O. Box 459 Grand Central Station New York, NY 10164-0371 MAINE AREA Maine Area Treasurer P.O. Box 153 Morrill, ME 04952

CSO MISSION STATEMENT Our Central Service Office is a visible service existing and united in partnership with the AA Groups in the common purpose of carrying the message of AA to the alcoholic who still suffers and to those recovering from the disease of alcoholism.

ANNIVERSARIES
District 12 Service Structure
Annie W, 16 Years - DCM #3
Tom H, 3 Years  - Correctional Facilities Chair
Cal S, 3 Years  - Bridging the Gap Chair

Auburn Serenity Group