We've got one who has a touch over 50 years. Never misses a meeting and is just in love with the program and the world around him. He radiates a calm which is so useful when you first come into the rooms (and certainly still doesn't hurt).

His story takes him from being considered too mad to talk to right through to being one of the most trusted and respected men in the community - and this is in a small country town where those things are not lightly given and memories are long.

Living proof indeed.

We have quite a few 40/50 + year AA veterans here in St. Petersburg also known as "God's waiting room" lol. I saw "Kansas City Bob" share his story at his 55th anniversary about 5 years ago. He came in, like I did, at age 29 so he was a crisp 84 years old, but in pretty good shape. I wouldn't be surprised if he was still with us. His story was quite colorful and detailed his first arriving at an AA club in Kansas City. He was told to go to the club location on a tuesday night but forgot and mistakenly went on thursday instead. He knocked on the locked door and a doorman answered sternly with "what do you want?". Bob answered that he was told to go there for the AA meeting. The doorman barked the equivilent of "the AA meeting is on tuesday dumb@$$". The AA group had rented the space on thursday night to a speak easy/casino operation to help pay the rent lol.

The AA club required a new member to fill out an application stating full name, address, work address, phone number and favorite bars. If the newbie missed a meeting they would come looking for you at your home/bar/work and reel you in. Apparently Bill Wilson heard about this and Bob was present when Bill Wilson paid a person visit to the club to straighten them out about their unorthodox fundraising and membership practices. According to Bob, Bill W wasn't pleased at all.

-- Edited by StPeteDean on Wednesday 30th of November 2011 07:34:12 AM

After trying and failing a # of times to maintain sobriety, I moved to a small town in northern Ontario. I made the decision to pick that town based 100 % on the fact it has a strong recovery fellowship there. It has a small sober club there and each morning I would go in for coffee to start my day. I emotionally could not see when I arrived in that town. My head was always hung in shame, my eyes always downcast so that no one could look into them and see the horrid person I had become. Every morning without fail I would hear a strong gentle voice say `Good Morning Smiley` I would plaster a smile on my face and attempt to look in the direction of the voice. After a few weeks of that I was able to see the voice belonged to a gray haired man who radiated safety. Fairly quickly after that I became able to walk in and glance toward the table of men who played cards every morning. I became able to smile before I came in the door and really quickly after that the smile became genuine. Roger E ( the man with the gentle voice) has 30+ years of sobriety and he lives the footnote of `If anyone anywhere reaches out for help I want the hand of AA to be there, and for that I am responsible`
Although it was a combination of meetings, coming to believe a HP would actually help me, sober women that genuinely seem to care for me, an amazing sponsor, and hanging onto the fellowship for dear life, I do believe that my HP put me in the path of one of the kindest and caring men I have ever known. I was able to meet his wife, although she is in advanced stages of lung cancer, she continues to put first the hand of AA. I will always remember Roger E and his wife in my gratitude prayers and I will forever be grateful for the oldtimers who put newcomers first in their lives. If not for them sharing the experience, strength and most of all the hope, where would we newcomers be?

Here in the North Atlanta area I just know of a few with over 40 years. 49 is really great.

I was lucky enough to hear Mose Yoder tell his story in the Cleveland area, I was under 90 days sober. He had 37 years and was one of the first amish in AA. He actually got a DUI in a horse and buggy!

In the area a lot of local publications where also used. Here are some things from his small book called "Grateful Thoughts".


I MUST)
Accept the knowledge that I am alcoholic.
Accept the fact that I will always be allergic to alcohol.
Accept the fact that I can never again become a social drinker.
Accept the fact that I must constantly be on guard.
Accept the fact that is not of my doing, but a higher power that keeps me sober.
Accept the fact that I must live this program daily.
Accept the new and wonderful world around me through the fellowship of AA.
Accept the fact that is has helped me to help myself, achieve a contented and sober life in which alcohol has no place.
Accepting these truths, I shall keep my sobriety
____________________________________________________________________________________

BY THE GRACE OF GOD THE UNDESERVING REWARD
Time wasted getting even, can never be used in getting ahead.
Ulcers are something we get from mountain climbing over mole hills.
Lack of alcohol does not constitute sobriety.
Get in the middle of the bed; its the guy on the edge that always falls out.
AA cant be bottled.
AA meetings keep me stimulated.
God is my doctor, AA meetings are my medicine.
Learn to listen, and then listen to learn.
What you seek you will not find unless you share it.
Dont let the grammar of AA wear off.

Ditto Stepchild, ...

Thanks Rob, .... I've not read these either ... Love it ... good stuff ...

(Stepchild?, ... you're off and running mighty early this a.m.!)


Take Care and God Bless,
Pappy

Damn, you just reminded me of my 'noon' meeting .... WOW gotta run get in the shower, thanks

Glad you guys enjoyed. In NE Ohio, Detrooit and Chicago a lot of older AA;s had issues with the conference and published their own pamplets and shared. They where not conference approved so they didn't travel well.

If interested you can get them online https://shop.akronaa.org/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1&sort=20a&page=2&zenid=f62vtnhvkmqo34g3n2i086vgv6

-- Edited by Rob84 on Friday 2nd of December 2011 12:38:59 AM

-- Edited by StPeteDean on Friday 2nd of December 2011 03:50:26 PM

My grandsponsor has 34 years. He gave me his 33 year medallion and said "you'll have one of these one day kid." I just looked at the number on that and was like "holy crap!" I felt like the medallion was a relic or something.

pinkchip wrote:

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My grandsponsor has 34 years. He gave me his 33 year medallion and said "you'll have one of these one day kid." I just looked at the number on that and was like "holy crap!" I felt like the medallion was a relic or something.

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 That's pretty cool. I like that kind of stuff. I was listening to these guys talk about a guy...Not sure who it was that got his 50 year chip and they always ask..."How did you do it?"....Normally they say..."One day at a time..."And the guy said..."I didn't drink...And I didn't die..." You got to love those guys...