A group of us in my home town are working on opening a 501c3 Non-Profit Club, following WSO guidelines and other clubs I have consulted with. I made this general recovery video that is not specific to any organization. I'd love to get feed back as to how it comes across. One of the main reasons for a NP Club in the area is to foster meetings rooms available to all substance abuse fellowships. Much like any other club. The video does make reference to AA and NA in regards to my main area of concern. That being a clean, safe, managed facility available to fellowships, to be paid for by 7th traditions monies. No affiiation between the fellowship and the NP. What you do behind your doors is al you and your fellowship and your group concious. The NP acts as a building management company to make sure the facility is maintained, a coffee shop and bookstore. Besides that....meeting rooms. Above the door to the NP something along the line of RESPECT for all fellowships in the common areas and codes of behavior in the common areas.
Now, that's just about any WSO guideline club. No problem there. What I've been concerned about in my community, and elsewhere, is the lack of respect, the bitterness, infighting, competition etc between fellowships. In my area there have way to many youths and adults that come straight out of treatment yearning for a place to be around recovery only to feel like the unwelcome addict at AA and unsafe at our (please note that I said OUR) local NA meetings. Then those that are dual...they're torn. This video, you'll see, does reference both AA and NA, as they are the main two recognized fellowships, but I am curious about how the presentation comes across because I want to MAIN focus to be on RECOVERY. I would love to have feed back from everyone/anyone.
Regards,
Shorn
http://youtu.be/zYlw3X7pZnY
-- Edited by shorn on Wednesday 16th of May 2012 11:56:52 AM
My name's Mike, I'm an Addict. By the Grace of God through the Power of NA working on my 32nd year of One Day at a Time's Clean.
While my first drug of choice was alcohol I am not an alcoholic/addict. A redundant declaration in my understanding. I am an Addict suffering from the disease of Addiction. It doesn't matter what or how much I used. Period. Alcohol is just another a drug, period.
While the video has a lot of nice imagery from the first frame it promotes continuing confusion and misunderstanding - "alcholic/addict". To me it also seemed like a video promoting a treatment center rather than a club house.
Not saying what you're attempting to do is a bad thing. Most anything that helps keep you Clean and helps carry the message of Recovery is good.
Yet my biggest concern had to do with your opening post about your local NA Meetings: "...and unsafe at our (please note that I said OUR) local NA meetings." as a reason for the Club. Do the Meetings not have an atmosphere of Recovery from Addiction? Is their primary purpose not carrying the Message of Recovery to the Addict who still suffers? If those are issues how would moving NA Meetings to your Club change anything?
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Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :) Clean One Day At a Time by The Grace of God through The Power of NA
On another note I'm not a fan of a whole bunch of Groups meeting at the same location. Part of what gives each Group it's unique flavor is it's locale. But much more than that is a danger. During my three plus decades Clean I've seen numerous instances of Clubs opening, bunch of Groups move there, then the Club goes under and all those Groups are without homes. Some find other places to meet, but many die before they can find a new home. Seen it happen a number of times.
The struggles individuals go through in making their Groups survive including finding and maintaining their meeting location is part of their Journey in Recovery. Having a central Club seems to make it easier. But, the easier softer way is seldom the path of solid growth.
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Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :) Clean One Day At a Time by The Grace of God through The Power of NA
When I first made the video I posted it to a NA forum, now keep in mind that I am AA in the sense that I never did "drugs...alcohol is a drug and I love the way NA regards the recovery in the view of substance addictions...but not everyone gets that, toget their feedback. The first version had a lot more reference to AA as opposed to NA and some took the video as promoting a new "hybrid fellowship". I had NO intention of suggesting that in any way shape or form and don't agree with the notion at all. This version was made to be better balanced with the overall focus to be on "Recovery". Now some personalities will not doubt have opinions on the slides used, the number of slides used, the wording etc. That's life and I fully realize there's no way of making something such as this that will meet all personal preferences.
Now one thing that I did notice and had pointed out to me in the first version was that even though the references were there for both fellowships I had some AA pictures but NO NA pictures (i.e. Bill W. and Sister Ignatious or however you spell it LOL) it was unevenly ballanced towards AA. There is NO intent to make this a NA or AA specific video but those two being the main fellowships that most recognize and limitations on time I've stuck to those two. With that thought in mind I contacted Jimmy K's daughter to ask her thoughts and to see if she had some family picture(s) that she would prefer. She's been a bit busy this week and we'll be corresponding the beginning of next week on her thoughts for the pic I did use and if she might have some favorite photo that might be more appropriate. The current version will likely spin off into other versions but the content for the moment is set.
In regards to what I mean by a "safe, clean and managed facility" refer to GSO guidelines for clubs as far as the organization goes. But more to the point I'll give an example of one of the main meeting rooms now. Imagine a bathroom the is a two stall unisex room that is clean, at best, one time a week and the coffee being made from the sink water from said bathroom. Now I've had that coffee every morning for weeks on end with nary a sniffle as the result. Still, it's not really a "tasteful" idea. Each person's recovery, agree'd, is their own responsibility but the behaviors at the local NA in the rooms and in the parking lot are to the extent that most strong NA's attend AA meetings not only for the build but the environment as well. So, you ask, how does a club make a difference to that. That is indeed the $20,000 question. The answer is simple but I have a meeting with another non-profit in a bit so here's the guts of it.
Old behaviors, in and outside the building, are the reponsibility and it is usually up to the group to "police" itself. Tradition Three makes it a tricky issue to ask anyone not to return if they are in gross violation of some standards such as race, gender, creed or any other like "hate" speech. It puts the fellowship at potential odds with itself. BUT a managed building, just like a meeting that meets in a church, which is not affiliated with ANY fellowship and is primarily a recovery "property management" company does have the right and responsibility to preserve certain expectations and enforcements of certain acceptable rules of behavior...like not shooting up in the coffee shop or trying to makeout with the 13 yo newcomer that looks 20 and is looking for guideance (what some of us call 13th stepping). What you do IN your meeting room when the doors are closed is up to you and your group and if you are in that group you police yourselves just like anywhere else. But in the common areas and parking lots...different story.
I'll check back later and see if that makes more sense but that is the general concept here and again THANK YOU for your comments and points. They are VERY welcome
Oh, and regarding clubs going under and then the group having no homes. Yeah I get that and GOOD point. Keep in mind that for this community there is NO INTENT or desire for this facility to replace or take the place of ANY established group and NONE will be solicited. The Non-Profit will adhere very closely to tradition 11.
Oh, and regarding clubs going under and then the group having no homes. Yeah I get that and GOOD point. Keep in mind that for this community there is NO INTENT or desire for this facility to replace or take the place of ANY established group and NONE will be solicited. The Non-Profit will adhere very closely to tradition 11.
If we were debating, which we're not, I'd point out your above statement seems to contradict what you previously stated as one of the primary purposes of the Club. Specifically providing meeting space because some current meeting spaces "unsafe and or untasteful". No biggy! Most Club's main purpose is just as much or more about being a safe place to hang out when not at a Meeting.
I could ask a bunch of questions about the Club's proposed legal, membership, financing and management structure having served 5 years on our Regional Convention Corporation Board of Directors including as Corp' Treasurer my first term I did the work to get our 501c3 status approved, plus over 20 full year terms NA Service positions served and being myself for the past 5 years a small business owner Coffee Roaster with three Coffeehouses etc. But the Club isn't in my Area and is not my business!
And besides you asked input on the video.
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Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :) Clean One Day At a Time by The Grace of God through The Power of NA
I appreciate the input....HONESTLY. And I hope I didn't sound crass in my previous post. It was not meant that way at all. I took no offense and I mean none now Yesterday I had been to my 8am, came back to the house for emails and, well this post, and such...then jetted back out to a meeting with two other non-profits, then to get a woman her state ID and take her daughter to work, then sit down at the coffee shop and cough up a lung as I have a chest cold LOL. If anything came across wrong yesterday I do apologize (did I spell that right).
Seriously I'm open to all feed back. I have to put together an interim board over the next week for some of the very issues you point out and to make sure as much of my "personality" is out of this as possible and we approach this with as much of the traditions as can be applied.
Now regarding the seeming contradiction the issue here is that a large number of the NA community in this town either attends the stronger AA meetings or travels to the state capital for the strong NA meetings there.
There are a number of reasons for that, Mike, and there are some in the NA community that, after considering the beginnings of New Foundations, have gotten stirred up and excited enough that they are starting to attend the NA meetings here again to bring the "seasoned" recovery to the rooms.
Now remember, New Foundations is NOT a replacement for a group. It's nothing more that a meeting facility (throw in a managed building to insure that it is clean etc and a bookstore and coffee shop). The existing groups, if they want a different "location" then the rooms are available to them based on the times slots that are not already claimed and going back to your original concern of meetings falling apart...I would think that if the building closed they would stay together but find another location (not that we plan on opening somethng that will just close).
So, I don't think it's a contradiction...but I might be missing something. How say you? What did I miss?
there is nothing wrong with starting a club for the purpose of holding meetings. Churches go "under" too. As happened in my area recently Or they raise the rent to levels unsupportable by the group, as has happened several times in my area or they simply no longer choose to allow us to use their rooms, as has also happened in my area My point is that any venue whether it be a church, a club, or just non aligned rented space, is subject to closing it's doors at any time and without notice. Venue's come and go....the only thing that matters is that meetings occurr. Go for it. And oh.....and this is purely me............... I didn't respond sooner because I sort of have a bug up my ass about people coming on the board for the first time simply to display a project and get feedback. Many times it's thinly veiled advertising. You seem a bit more sincere, but still...... I would prefer people join our community, contribute a little, get to know us a little and then ask us a favor. I'm just sayin' avid. Ps I liked the vid.
!!!!!
and again THANK YOU for your comments and points. They are VERY welcome 
