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News & What Ever
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THE THIRD TRADITION .
. .
. “The only requirement for .
. Membership is a desire .
. To stop drinking “ .
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Isn’t every organisation entitled to have rules for membership ? Why did AA decide to forgo this privilege, to be “inclusive……never exclusive” ? that’s easy .
Early members tried it the other way and it just didn’t work. As the fellowship was nearing it’s ten-year mark, the office that served as headquarters “asked the groups to list their membership rules and send them in” . Bill W recalled, “ If all of these edicts had been in force everywhere at once, it would have been practically impossible for any alcoholic to have ever joined AA, about nine-tenths of our oldest members could never have got by!” so the rule books went out the window and were replaced by one uncomplicated sentence: Tradition Three.
But somebody may ask, isn’t this Tradition itself a rule? It does state one requirement for membership. Let’s read it again and ask another question: who determines whether or not newcomers qualify, whether they do want to stop drinking?
Obviously nobody except the newcomers themselves; everybody else simply has to take their word for it. In fact, they don’t even have to say it out aloud . and that’s fortunate for many of us who arrived at AA with only a half-hearted desire to stay sober. We are alive because the AA road stayed open to us.
The problem faced by this Tradition isn’t just past AA history. It keeps coming up – for instance, when a group debates whether to exclude alcoholics who have problems other than alcohol or have differing lifestyles.
The Tradition mentions no such additional requirements , no demand that prospective members must not have a history of drug abuse, a certain lifestyle, or an institutional background. All alcoholics are welcome.
What about the group that seems to impose extra requirements, beyond “a desire to stop drinking”?
This might be a“special interest ”group or collection of groups in which , for example,each member must be a physician – or a young person, a man, a woman, a priest, or a law-enforcement officer.
By their own account, those attending special interest groups consider themselves AA members first.
They attend general-membership meetings as well as those that fill their other individual needs and they remain devoted to AA’s primary purpose.
These “special interest” groups offer only one instance of the diverse and inclusive membership within our fellowship.
Our traditions allow unparalleled freedom, not only to every AA member, but to every AA group.
Reprinted with permission
AA World Service Inc.
FEEDBACK FROM the OVER the MOUNTAINS RIDE
The Omeo Meeting – What it meant to me.
Peter H. (Lorne, Victoria)
For many members, the Omeo meeting was about a ride up the mountains and a camp in the hills. I have learnt in my time in Chapter Six that this was a long way from the truth.
We pulled up at the hospital entrance and several riders arranged their bikes outside the door. The sound of the big twins thundering at the entrance so late in the evening brought out a bewildered night duty nurse. Being a long weekend and a wet one at that, her first thoughts were to the safety of our group. Had one of our Chapter fallen on the lonely mountain roads that night?
Infact, we were here for the monthly Omeo Saturday night meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous and our gracious host Frank, was yet to arrive. The March meeting at Omeo has become our annual pilgrimage and part of the over the mountains run. Whilst several riders watched on, I followed in the footsteps of one of our co-founders Bill Wilson and asked the duty nurse if she had any patients suffering from alcoholism? You see friends, Chapter Six has a motto of ‘stand and deliver’, and on that windy, stormy night, we were doing just that.
Infact, the duty nurse did have a patient admitted for alcoholism and whilst she inquired of his capacity to attend our meeting, we set up the room and enjoyed some fellowship. Being sedated, our prospect was unable to attend the meeting and we have left some work for Frank. We also left a message for our sick friend, via nurse who had spoken to many recovered alcoholics interested in his welfare.
Riding home down the mountains my thoughts were of Bill Wilson and the early days of AA. Caught in a lonely place for a weekend on business, a nearby bar had beckoned him. Shocked by the temptation of alcohol, he had turned away and searched out a prospect in that small town of Acron, Ohio. It was through the hospital he found a man suffering from this disease that has killed so many, alcoholism. That man was a doctor and he became our cofounder.
So my friends, I wish to acknowledge all those who organised this ride over the mountains. My acknowledgment is written on the tank of Richard’s bike….
‘To all of you who are about to Rock.
I salute you.’
Peter H.
Hospital Omeo
Over the Mountains Ride
As seen by Ron E
The first day seen us in the rain , we hit Alexander for coffee and the rain was fairly steady, but everyone was buzzing and enjoying the ride.
We shot through the Spur at a good steady pace and hit Healesville at 12 oclock, then of to Traralgon, not far out of Healesville seen us with one bike on the trailer, good job we had the back up vehicle.
We arrived at Traralgon a bit late , most of the riders , after a wet long ride wanted to relax, so the result was only 4 of us went to Maffra while some went to the Traralgon meeting and some just relaxed. Work was done on the bike on the trailer, and she was up and running again.
Next day seen us up bright and early and heading for Lakes Entrance, it was sunshine and good riding, after a hearty meal at Lakes , we were flying to Omeo.
We arrived in good time , had a great roast meal at the Golden Age Hotel and then it was off to the Omeo AA meeting at the Hospital.
Attendance at the meeting was 23, everyone was either a member of Chapter Six or rode a motorcycle , the meeting was brilliant, with every person there standing up and shareing, thanks to Frank for being there to open the meeting for all of us.
That night the heavens broke open , and down came the rain in the bucket loads, parts of the park was under water, although it did get away pretty quick.
Sunday saw a reluctance from a lot of riders, because of the rain to ride down Mount Hotham, so 7 of us headed down the mountain in the rain and the fog, the fog held us back to about 45 klms an hour for a while, but then cleared up before we got to Dinner Plains, a cup of hot coffee and away we went to Harrietville in the rain, we were pretty soaked by the time we got there, but they served us up a superb roast lunch which we all enjoyed. We arrived back at Omeo at 3.30, some of the others had taken a ride through to the Blue Duck where they said they had a great meal.
Some of our riders headed for home Sunday because of work commitments
The Bar.B.Q went over well with everyone attending, a big thanks to Mike for helping Bev clean down the cookers for our mea,l and a big thank you to Gary W for hooking in and assisting Bev with the cooking.
Les done a fantastic job with the back-up vehicle, every time I looked around Les was flat out loading and tying down peoples bags, well done Les THANK YOU.
Another down pour of rain that night.
Monday saw mixed reactions to whether we would get more rain or not, and the result was after breakfast some riders took the short way home down Mt Hotham , some riders decided to leave early for Falls Creek, while 12 of us with the back –up vehicle done the ride through Falls Creek, Mt Beauty, to Bright, this ride is through absolutely beautiful country, with mountain ferns and tall timbers suddenly changing to open undulating hills and lakes and then back to mountain ranges again , the weather was perfect, no rain , and the ride was enjoyed immensely by all.
We hit the Hume Highway on time and everyone parted ways to travel home.
So the end of another great ride and fellowship, till next time, eh
Ron E
First stop Euroa to pick up Riders
Omeo Caravan Park
Our Bikes Main St Omeo
Near Falls Creek
Outside Macca's Traralgon
Traralgon Caravan Park
Main St Omeo
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Please Note
All rides published on this web site are not organised rides, they are an invitation
only to join us, you ride with us entirely at your own risk, we take no responsibility
for any injury or damage that may occur to you or your property on any of these rides.
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