In my home group we are torn as to whether to offer White Red Blue chips to newcomers, or not? Half of the group says Yes, it has helped them to stay sober and reminded them to surrender. The other half says absolutely not, because it's a token instead of Gods message and braeks traditions. So, the other night at the business meeting, the newest member of our home group said, she doesn't have God yet because she is less than a week sober. she stated the offering of a White chip keeps her honest and accountable. We tabled it til our next business meeting where we will as a group conscience be voting on this. I would just like some feedback please. Thank you, Jackson.
Different AA groups in different areas have all sorts of different practices. In many places, it is normal for groups to present these types of 'chips' or 'coins' to members.
Sometimes they present new members with a chip that has one of the messages of AA on it, like "One Day at a Time". The idea is that the newcomer can carry this with them and may find this helpful as a reminder between meetings.
Sometimes groups present members with chips to commemorate various lengths of continuous sobriety, like 30 days, 90 days, one year, multiples of years. The idea is that this can help show the new member that people in AA really do stay sober. Otherwise, the new person may be looking around the room wondering just that - "how long have these people really gone without a drink? Does this really work?"
There's nothing that says a group MUST offer these symbolic tokens, but I've never heard any good explanation of why they shouldn't. I don't understand how this could be viewed as "breaking the 12 Traditions".
Hey Jackson! This is Mike D. Nice to meet you. Here's my take on giving out chips to newcomers: Yes, of course, anyone could say that a white, blue, red, or any of the other annual chips are merely "a token"....perhaps you could even say that they're "meaningless". However, I can tell you from experience that sobriety chips aren't meaningless at all. I still remember back when I received my first chip over 25 years ago and it meant the world to me because of the fact that it represented something much bigger than me. I carried it in my pocket and took it out to look at it from time to time during my work day. And, when I did this, it gave me comfort and strength. To some, it may not make sense that something so small and seemingly insignificant could mean that much to a person, but it actually does....at least it did to me. Especially when I was new! It seemed to me that this tangible little object represented something very spiritual that I could actually feel in my hands. I needed that chip as much as I needed everything else that was offered to me in A.A. If I could, I'd ask your Group these two questions: 1.) "How could a chip possibly HARM the newcomer?" 2.) "Could a chip possibly HELP them?" We may never know when some small thing helps a person get through their day and gets them to their next A.A. meeting. Thanks for letting me share. Blessings, Mike D.
When I first came in I was leery of those people who claimed to have long term sobriety. Five years? Ten? Twenty or more? Did these people think I was a fool to believe that an alcoholic of my type had accumulated years without drinking? It was not the oldtimers that kept me sober in the beginning, it was the newcomer with thirty days. If I stretched my imagination then thirty days might - might be possible. Hearing that someone had actually reached this improbable milestone gave me hope when I had 24 hours. Watching someone get a medallion for 17 years didn't do much for me.
My experience mirrors the shares above. Being new, I wanted to see who the others were with days or months of sobriety. Staying sober for 30 days meant much more than 30 years early on. As I stayed sober, I wanted to see the proof that their was still others with more sobriety(further down the road than me) receiving Chips and the one's coming in behind me. It reminds me of a road(Journey) to a new life. Some ahead and some behind. I like being somewhere in the middle. It feels comfortable there. The Chips, as we call them, is just as valuable for others as the receipant. It shows The Program does in fact work and that we're never cured. I still need those reminders on a consistent basis. Just my take.
What tradition do they say it's not in keeping in the spirit of? I can't think of any. It's merely the decision of the group's member.
As far as not keeping with god's will, who's God? Chips can't hurt, in fact they help quite a few people. I can't see any one's Higher Power that would be against anything that helps someone. If they do, I would hate to have that God.
My home group we offer a white chip (Surrender) Like a white flag....For anyone that wants to give up the high cost of low living....A blue chip for 30 days...No flashing blue lights behind you...Just a blue book in front of you...And a red chip for 90 days....By 90 days you've been sober long enough to rewrite the Big Book.....But we give chips for every month the first year...And yearly's we do the last friday of the month with a cake with names on it...It's all good...Offers hope to the newcomer. I remember seeing a guy get a 90 day chip my first meeting and almost fell out of my chair.
The thing about the chips for me is that it gives me hope. When I first came in and I would see people getting a month, six months, nine months, whatever, and they would look so happy and content I would think 'maybe I can do that too'. Plus, I just love seeing people celebrate milestones.
People are free to have any thing as their higher power. Saying things have to come from your idea of "god" is breaking traditions. Some folks might not even choose "god" as their hp.
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principles before personalities. it may not be Gods message( which is only an opinion), but it is definatley a message of hope.
I have mine int he cover of my BB. its the only one that really matters to me.
