News & What Ever
Chapter Six in Humpty Doo
Gary W and his partner Alison are on a trip through the top end of Australia, below is a
report from Gary on their progress so far, it's good stuff and hopefully we will get more
information as they travel through the country side carrying the message of AA
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5.8.2010 Chapter Six Rode Into Humpty Doo
Another second and another second plus two firsts for Chapter Six 5.8.2010
Hello my fellow members of Chapter Six, it gave me great joy to have opened our second year celebration of Chapter Six. I had just rode the Yamaha 1100 to the local Humpty Doo steps meeting which started at 7pm, Darwin time. I just made it on time, as the meeting had already started, I was a little late and this gave me a slight problem as I was going to speak with the five members present.
I was trying to work out how I could do what I wanted to do as I rode along listening to the note coming out of the Cobra Longshots. I would flick the wrist a little more to make sure that the 1100 was listening to me, she would bark back at me and let me understand that all things would work out, all I had to do was hand it over.
The Humpty Doo boys were doing a reading of the twelfth step, I have done a steps meeting with them before. The way they do it is one member reads a page or so, and then another member takes over reading and there is not a word spoken. How am I going to put my idea forward to these members, and then I got a chance. I apolgised for throwing them off the track and put my idea to them. My idea was to introduce the Humpty Doo Members to Chapter Six Members and all this would be done on my mobile phone and relayed through Rotten Ron’s phone. I was talking with Ron a few days ago and he told me about the two year anniversary meeting coming up on Thursday the 5.8.2010. I put it to Ron if I could open the meeting by phone and he said what a great idea. I spoke again with Ron today and we worked out our plane of attack.
Now, when I put it to the Humpty Doo Boys, there was a bit of silence, as they all looked around at one another, then Gary D from Humpty Doo said yeh, I have no problem with it. The chairperson, Kevin B gave it the nod, as did the other three members, Peter M, Max, and Noel. I could detect that the Humpty Do Members were happy about doing the session with us.
Well, fellow members, the boys up here thought it was great the way to meet other far away members. You made their day and I bet that you members down there had a smile about one another.
Now, I must explain the heading to you we have had two seconds; this is the second time an AA Meeting has been opened with the use of a mobile phone. We have just achieved our second year as an AA Group. Now the two firsts, we have had as an AA Group, is having a meeting opened bye phone last year from Queensland. The other first is that we have shared with another group over the phone and introducing ourselves to one another.
Is there another first ?????? Yes, the call was made from the Northern Territory.
Good night my fellow AA Members, you have made an old man happy.
PS - News of Chapter Six is spreading on a USA refueling fuel tanker across the high seas to Chapter Five in the states, who knows, we might be meeting with them one day.
Gary W
Chapter Six Motorcycle Trailer
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In the Spirit of Easy Rider – The 2010 Anniversary Run
Peter H (Member 24)
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When the weather forecast was for rain, I knew the leathers were getting left behind and the Dririders were waiting in the bike shed. Some things are important now that sobriety has given me ‘ a life’, I was ridin’ to the Chapter Six Motorcycle Group second anniversary in Shepparton.
Pulling into the Brisbane Ranges on my ride to Daylesford I saw how wet the road was. The temperature was cool and caution was needed on these slippery roads. I reckon it was 10 C in Daylesford when I pulled over for a rest stop and I thanked God for the electric hand dryer in the Information Centre toilets!
That was to be the last of the rain and by the time I was at the Maine’ (Castlemaine), the sky was blue and the air was ‘bone stabbing cold.’ My thoughts were to a couple of members of Castlemaine Alcoholics Anonymous involved in a car accident a week ago, recover soon Christine and Sue.
Pulling up at Golden Square I saw Peter C’s new bike. I thought back to what my old sponsor had said to me in Townsville 20 odd years ago, ‘put yourself in a position to receive God’s Grace.’ Peter C had received a classic BMW motorcycle and I was keen to start my travels behind it. I always like traveling to Shepparton via Rushworth and we soon made plans to hit the road.
I saw Peter C’s new bike. I thought back to what my old sponsor had said to me in Townsville 20 odd years ago, ‘put yourself in a position to receive God’s Grace.’ Peter C had received a classic BMW motorcycle and I was keen to start my travels behind it. I always like traveling to Shepparton via Rushworth and we soon made plans to hit the road.
Historic Rushworth stopover. Saddlebags packed, heading to meet our friends at the Chapter Six anniversary.
The anniversary dinner at Shepparton was family, friends and members of our motorcycle group. I remember the first time I sat down with these people at Traralgon to eat, on our ‘Over the Mountain Run’ in 2009. They are my friends now and I knew that any strangers here are only new members I havn’t met (aye Gary!)
Speaking of those members I havn’t met, Gary opened our meeting from Humpty-Doo via a mobile phone and there was silence in the room when each member from the Territory took part in our opening preamble. I thought of the first 100 sober alcoholics who had written our book. How would they have felt about the way technology has again brought alcoholics together in the spirit of friendship and freedom.
The meeting was powerful. New members saw a fellowship of men and women that could only give them hope. We are a people who have ‘recovered from a seemingly hopeless condition of body and mind.’ In the kitchen I handed Ron some paperwork from a new Chapter Six member in Geelong, my home group. Toni was to become member number 50 and I knew that this thing about getting a motorbike and riding to meetings was all about recovery.
It was frosty overnight in Shep, the blue skies beckoned us as we hit the road home. The sound of the pipes on Peter C’s bike was good company all the way to Bendigo, even if I had trouble keeping up with him from time to time. Leaving Bendigo and making the final part of my journey alone was ‘think time’. I decided to go via Bacchus Marsh and I knew that eventually I would pass Barwon Prison on my way into my humble abode in Newtown, Geelong.
The average citizen doesn’t think much of prisons, or correctional facilities as they are called now. For me, they are the opposite of freedom. The opposite of the whole ‘Easy Rider’ approach I have to life.
As I roared past on the Yammie, I thought there wouldn’t be one inmate in the prison that wouldn’t swap places with me right now. I also thought of what Bill W wrote, ‘If you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it, then you are ready to take certain steps.’
This is how it works. To stay sober involves action. Although tired and having done over 700 kilometres in 2 days my spirits were high. Thinking back to 1987 when I had my last drink of alcohol I knew now how I would replace that feeling the ‘grog’ once gave me. I had replaced a 900 mm bottle of Bundaberg Rum with a 600 cc Yamaha FZ6S Fazer!
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SHEPPARTON/MOOROOPNA
55th AA ANNIVERSARY
15 to 17 October 2010.
With Al-anon Participation
Friday: 8.00pm. Scot’s Church Hall, cnr Corio & Fryers Sts.
Mooroopna Community Centre (The Hub)
Cnr Morrell & Alexandra Sts. Mooroopna
Saturday: 11.00am. Welcome Topic meeting
10.30am. A Fun Al-Anon Trivia Morning
12.30pm. Lunch - Sausage Sizzle. (Gold coin donation)
2.00pm. Open Public AA Meeting.
2.00pm. Open Alanon Meeting
6.00pm. AA Recovery ID Meeting.
8.00pm. Dance till Midnight.
Cost $5.00
Fund raiser Auction to be held on the night
Bid on heaps of grouse items
BYO Supper (Drinks on sale) Tea & Coffee supplied
Sunday: 10.00am. Spiritual Concept Meeting
12.00 noon Sausage Sizzle. (Gold coin donation)
Farewell
8.00pm. AA Meeting, Elsie Jones Room - G V Base Hospital (for the Stayers!)
Contact: Shepparton/Mooroopna District Number - 5831 6742
Les – 5831 5532
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The words ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’ are a registered Trade Mark of the
“General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, Australia.”
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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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We hope to see you again, Check back later for new updates to our website, There's much more to come
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