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Yaa RE eC 10 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Wed. March 31, 1982 $2 SRL TE ONESS Dive PAIR ol MAS) WOE ASN MEAT ERR ERIE NTR NE Ft BA PY) Local A.A. group helps problem drinkers back on the right track by Jackie Glass Let's call him Bill. Like most people, he holds down a job, has a home and a family. But it wasn't always like this because Bill used to have a drinking problem which eventually made him lose his job, mortgage his house and alienate himself from his family. Luckily he learned about Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A) and after finally ad- Kawartha Region TT TT TTT TE TT IT'S REMINDS YOU! SPRING WATERS RUN COLD, SWIFT AND DEEP. Caution is advised near open water. Parents are urged to explain the dangers of open water to their children. BOX 819, HERITAGE HOUSE FENELON FALLS, ONTARIO (705) 887-3112 mitting he was an alcoholic, Bill, like thousands of others, was on the road to recovery. A.A. helpis available with- out charge or obligation. There are groups in cities, villages and rural areas. Since its founding in 1935 by a man named Bill Wilson, there are today almost 30,000 groups with members located in 92 countries. A.A. is not allied with any other group and is totally self-supporting by its E ARORA Conservation Authority 5 fi. members through contribu- tions. This money goes towards rented space for the meetings, refreshments and answering service costs. After attending an A.A. meeting recently at the United Church in Port Perry, this reporter could not help but feel the bond that exists between A.A. members. They greet each other fondly and welcome new faces. A set of standard A.A. tradi- tions are read and slogans interpreted. The highlight is a speaker who talks about his alcoholic life and subse- quent recovery through A.A. The Star spoke with one A.A. member of good standing from Port Perry and in keeping with the anonymity code, we will call him Frank. The purpose of A.A. is simple, says Frank. "You have to stay sober and help others achieve sobriety." Frank's sjory has a happy ending. He said he first began to drink in order to forget his problems and to combat his shyness. "I used it for the wrong reasons," he said, "It leads you on and lets you down." He'had never learned of A.A. until a friend suggested the recovery program to him. By then he was sear- ching for a way to stop drinking. "It had become a way of life for me." said Frnk. Frank attended the A.A. meetings and although it was some time before he fully accepted the program, August 15, 1972 marked the beginning of a new life, with- out alcohol. "There's beginning to be laughter in the home once 'HIGH NOON' again," said Frank. The secondary purpose of A.A. is to help other achieve sobriety. Frank said he , would often drive up to 50 miles to help another A.A. member. "We'll do everything in our power to help a person, it adds to our own sobriety." Frank related one story of an A.A. member who took 20 years to get one year of sobriety. Nobody was prouder when he received his one year sobriety medal. The bond is there; it exists. It even extends to spouses of alcoholics in the form of Ala-non, and to the children of alcoholic parents in the form of Ala-teen. Although these two groups are not established in Port Perry, Frank says there is a definite need for them as well as the A.A. program itself. For many who waged a losing struggle with booze, A.A. is alife-saver. It was for Frank, and he feels he can now go confidently forward knowing there are A.A. friends all over the world offering to help. "It's nice to know," he says, "that there are thou- sands of friends I haven't met yet." The A.A. group in Port Perry meets every Wednes- day night at the United Church on Queen Street at 8:30 and anyone is welcome' to attend. For more information about the group in the Port Perry area contact the Oshawa answering service number at 728-1020. Alcoholism has become a serious health and social problem. Help could be as close as one phone call. Seagrave woman wins barrel race The full-point Junior Horse Barrel Race at Quarterama '82 was won by Windjamer's Lad. The 4 year old gelding, by Windjamer, was ridden by Joanne Morehouse of Seagrave, Ontario. This pair also won the 1981 Ontario Barrel Race Futurity last October. Joanne was one of only four Canadian riders in the 32 horse field. She will also ride the blockey bay gelding in the $30,000 World's Fair Futurity in Tennessee in April and in the $125,000 Old Fort Days Futurity in Arkansas in May. Joanne and her husband Glen own and operate Wind- jamer Quarter Horses in Seagrave, where they stand the well-know stallion Wind- jamer. An international winner in Barrel Racing, Windjamer also set a track record at Picov Downs in Ajax in 1973, which has never been broken. Another son of this fine stallion, Skipperjamer, was Canadian 2 year old Gelding of the Year in 1981, and won the prestigeous Canadian Bred Futurity. OFFICE FURNITURE Filing Cabinets Desks - Chairs - etc., PORT PERRY STAR 235 Queen Street 985-7383 BRUTON'S .D.A. DRUGS 200 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY - 985-2511 No yl 1litre for SHOULDERS SHAMPOO 450 ml. £ | | | A REDEEM THIS COUPON 5 ml. for cost of 50 mi. eg ME RE aoe som eg 52a 19 om $1.66 oven Crest o CFE = WITH QUILTED STAY -DRY LINING GIN ES SECRET STICK WAN | 5 Z Secra] DEODORANT 508. 34° WONDRA HAND & BODY A IA K Jad DAYTIME Hien