long timers

Lamar H. Roeder (décédé le 31 août 2009, à l'âge de 86 ans, à Charlotte, Southern Maryland)

"He started drinking when he was young, and by his 30s realized he had a problem".

Mr. Roeder was 33 when he joined Alcoholics Anonymous.

"When he started, there were only 11 meetings in Baltimore, and there were few treatment facilities in those days. He really believed in the 12-step program and wanted to reach out and help others as he had been helped," his daughter said.

"He was at many a bedside holding people's hands and talking to them. He'd fill his car with guys and drive them to their meetings, whether they were here or in Pennsylvania or Virginia.

"And it made no difference to him whether the person who needed help was a corporate CEO or poor. It didn't matter to him," his daughter said.

Mr. Roeder helped establish a meeting for alcoholics at the Maryland Penitentiary, volunteered for more than two decades at Chip House in Baltimore and was on the board of Pathways, a treatment center.

"In the 1960s, because of segregation, he helped establish a meeting for blacks in the penitentiary".

Mr. Roeder maintained a busy and full schedule. "He was out most nights of the week at meetings and really put some mileage on his car," his daughter said, laughing.

She attributed her father's success in AA to his "sense of humor and ability at telling a good story."

He also was a much sought-after speaker at Alcoholics Anonymous conventions.

"AA was the biggest thing in his life," she said. "He really had no time for hobbies."

Ralston Burdett "Rollie" Hemsley (24 juin 1907 - 31 juillet 1972)
Surnom : Rollicking Rollie (sic)

77° membre AA
Premier jour de sobriété continue : 16 avril 1939
Hospitalisé sous un faux nom à Akron, par le docteur Bob, et visité par 40 membres AA
Devait faire le voyage de Cleveland à Akron, le seul autre groupe AA se situant alors à New York




voir aussi  http://www.kreizker.net/article-27331502.html


Premier cas de bris d'anonymat au niveau national, mai 1940


Catcher au Cleveland Indians (au milieu)

C'ETAIT LE 16 JUIN 1962 AU GROUPE AA DE LANCASTER, CALIFORNIE
        
EDDIE W. FETAIT SON 1° ANNIVERSAIRE DE SOBRIETE


Eddie W. se voit offrir son 1° gâteau...
A l'avant-plan, Link H. (83 ans mantenant, 53 ans de sobriété, toujours actif en AA)


Eddie W. (à droite), devant son 1° gâteau d'anniversaire et...pas loin du distributeur de cigarettes, contre lequel il avait été adossé lors de sa 1° réunion, pour éviter qu'il ne tombe ! 


Le groupe tenait ses réunions là, à l'époque

"GOOD MORNING. I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY PHOTOGRAPHS, BUT  THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF OUR MEETING PLACE IN 1961.

BETWEEN THE TWO SMALL  WINDOWS IN THE LEFT  OF THE HOUSES.  IS WHERE I HAD HELP TO GET UP THAT ONE STEP. THIS WAS IN THE TOWN OF LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA, MIDDLE OF THE  MOJAVE  DESERT,  A TOWN  OF ABOUT 8000 PEOPLE. 

WE MET ON  TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS. THERE WAS ONLY ONE OTHER MEETING IN THE DESERT AREA. THAT WAS A ROVING MEETING. MY FIRST SPONSOR   BELONGS TO THAT GROUP. I DIDN'T QUITE GET THE PICTURE AND HAD  TO  DRINK FOR NINE MORE MONTHS.

ON JUNE 16, 1961 I WAS HELPED INTO THIS HOUSE. HAVE NOT  FOUND IT NECESSARY TO TAKE A DRINK SINCE.
THIS WAS A FAR CRY, FROM  THE PLACES WE MEET TODAY. SOME PEOPLE EVEN LIKE TO HAVE  US AROUND. THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE THEN

I  WILL ENCLOSE TWO PHOTOS OF MY FIRST BIRTHDAY.
WiLL GIVE YOU AN IDEA WHAT THE HOUSE WAS LIKE ON THE INSIDE, WHEN ALL 14 OF US WERE THERE, IT WAS CRAMPED QUARTERS. THE HOUSE WAS ALWAYS LEFT OPEN. INSTANT COFFEE ON THE COUNTER. WE HAD TWO BEDROOMS, FOR  DOWN AND OUT AREA."



Note de Kreizker : c'est grâce à Internet que nous avons pu "rencontrer" Eddie - Thanks to Internet, we "met" Eddie

IF YOU'D LIKE, SEND YOUR BEST WISHES TO EDDIE
SI VOUS LE DESIREZ, ENVOYEZ VOS MEILLEURS VOEUX A EDDIE
                                                                                                                                      ewilson29@cox.net


Les réunions à Lancaster aujourd'hui  :  link                                        


ET le journal AA de la région :
DOCUMENT 1
DOCUMENT 2

Premier jour de sobriété : 28 avril 1947

Première réunion, ce jour-là, dans le groupe "the First Dublin Group", encore appelé  "The Country Shop Group" (du nom du restaurant où se tenait la réunion) de Dublin, Irlande, 1° groupe AA d'Europe fondé en novembre 1946 par Conor F. 

Dans le Big Book : "The career officer" (page 523 dans la 2° édition & page 517 dans la 3° édition)

EN FRANCAIS : "L'OFFICIER DE CARRIERE"
dans "EXPERIENCE, FORCE ET ESPOIR", pages 430 à 438
dans "ALCOOLIQUES ANONYMES", 1° édition 1963, pages 227 à 234