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As near as we can figure out from all the input we
got on the Naples Group, it started in the early 70’s in Casco. The first
meeting place was the Casco Village Church on Main Street. It was called
the “Casco Village Group”. There were anywhere from 10-20 people who
attended the meeting every week.
After a while the
group had to get a new meeting place and one of the early members, Owen
H., allowed them to meet at his home in Casco. Again, after being really
comfortable for months in this lovely home, the group decided to move on
to a hall or larger facility. None could be found in Casco. The nearest
the group could find was the Naples Town Hall. That was when the group
changed it’s name to the “Naples Just for Today Group”. The group met
there for quite some time and then were asked to move again. The group
moved on to the Naples Fire House and were there for a long time, until
the Fire House underwent renovation and they had to move again. During
these years, they also met at the Naples Grange Hall, Lake Region High
School, Rod and Jo W.’s home and Gert K’s cottage. The group used to joke
and call it a meeting of Jo’s. The had a Jo, a Joanne and a Joline and
Judy all at the same time.
Finally, the group
relocated to the American Legion Hall on Rt. 111 and after many years
there was a group conscience vote to move the meeting to the Naples Town
Hall in the recreation room.
Per Dot T., about 2
years later in 1999, it became drafty and cold in the room. The group
asked for a smaller room. The new room did not work out for the group
because it was the public access to the toilet facility, interrupting the
meeting and members were hesitant to attend. In the meantime, Iris B.
opened her side of the house and made it known as the Clyde Bailey Drop in
Center. The group asked her if they could hold the meeting there and she
agreed. Meetings began at the Clyde Bailey Center on Wednesday evenings
at 8:00 PM in the spring of 2001. This meeting has since changed its time
to 7:00 PM on Wednesday night. Meetings are also held there every day
except Sunday. Monday night at 5:30 PM an As Bill Sees It meeting is
held, Tuesday through Saturday there are meetings at 9:00 AM. Saturday
night at 7:00 PM a beginners meeting is also held.
During the fall of
2001, the following persons decided to become members and help Margaret G.
and Lisa B. keep the meeting open. David B., Katherine P., Lisa M.,
Margaret G., Kate R., Ed and Kathleen S. The other active members are:
Iris B., Dot T., Willie G., Kate R., Ken T., Collin G., Helen S., Lynn Fl, Genise K., Glenna M. This meeting was originally established in the early
1970’s with a good number of members. Those persons who may not be
present at this time may still consider themselves members of this group.
As of February 2001,
the members voted to change the meeting time to 7:00 PM and have the
meeting by candlelight. The members voted in April of 2003 to change the
name from Naples to “Casco Just Today Group”. We felt that being back in
our original location we needed to change the name to reflect our home
location.
We celebrate our
group anniversary each year at the end of June. This year, it was
celebrated on June 25, 2003 – we celebrated 28 years …
Our District #17
held a Sponsorship Workshop in September 2003 at the Clyde Bailey Center
and approximately 50 people attended. This was hosted by our group and
other members of the District.
We celebrated a
Christmas Holiday, 2002 with so much snow that few of our members were
able to attend, however, Mike and Marsha H. from the Casco Speakers Group
were able to keep the Gratitude Night Christmas meeting open as planned.
Iris B. was in attendance as the Greeter.
There have been many
other events held at the Clyde Bailey Center, and our members have
contributed their time and efforts to carry the message. We are grateful
to have this homey place to hold our meetings. Along with the change in
place and time, this meeting is now growing and available to many in the
area and is in good attendance throughout the year.
“Mother” Margaret G.
passed away this past February, 2003. She celebrated 46 years of sobriety
with us in January, the last Wednesday of the month. The meeting was full
of love and good spirit and attended by so many of Margaret’s sponsee's.
She was a mainstay in this group and was the attraction to the new members
in 2001. Her memory and spirit will remain with us at the “Casco Just
Today Group”. |
