The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-05-02

Quietly and without fanfare, and
vet as effectively as the most pub
licized q n d endowed organiza-
lions, q group of men in waterbury
have successfully instituted here
branch organization Of the famed
Alcoholics Anonymous. Openly adj
hitting among themselves to hav-
ing been victims of the most acute
forms of alcoholism these men who
have found a way of life which no
longer conpels them to drink. be-
cause of the answer they found
through the Alcoholic Anonymous
organization and its individual
members. are today, in Waterbury,
banded together land working as
individually in the aim Of helping
fellow drinkers recover their health.
Public knowledge of this-or-
ganization was revealed today,
through this paper, to the people
Of Waterbury within whose families
and friends there Is an individual
who Is sick with the acute, despair
ing sickness of alcoholism. The
loved ones of such person provid-
ing the individual is basically sim
Cere in wanting to stop drinking,
may gain the knowledge and exper-
ence this orgaization has to offer by
contracting the local group through
Box 246 waterbury, CO Alcoholics
ANONYMOUS.
There Is no fee attached to "mem-
bership" in the A. A. There is but
one requirement and that is, an
honest desire to stop drinking
Above all this group steers clear Of
any reformist attitude, as proven
by the fact that they offer their ex-
perience only to those who want 1t.
Alcoholics Anonymous is an avo-
cation. Each members squares his
debt Of gratitude by helping other
alcoholics to recover.
As proof Of the success Of this or
garization statistics reveal that
have been effected in. IS per-
cent Of the appellants who have re-
stored to the benefits Of this group
Institutions established for the
treatment of alcoholics admit Of but
6 per cent effective cures. It is
the belief of the A. A. that the re-
naming Is percent uncured have not
the sincere desire to overcome the
obsession.
The fundamental belief of the A
AS Is that alcoholism is an Illness;
an obsession Of mind coupled to
an sallergy" of the body. 1t is
SCATTERING illness, physical, emotion
nj and spiritual. How to dispel the
obSession that compels an alcoholic
to drink Is his or her greatest prob
lem
Some Of the leading BUSINESS and
professional men of this city COM
prise the active working body Of
this local branch of the A. A. Ma
tionMide some Of our country's lead
ers are members, men and women
who have in many instances slipped
down into a depth Of despair and
sickness that compelled them to
acts Of deep degradation, and yet
men who once their ailment has
been revealed to them b those who
Hkwise have known, it, lived It, and
breathed il, have restored them
selves to the highest poSitionss Of
social life.
Members Of the local group are
ready and willing to go to the aid of
any individual that appeals to them.
The individual however, and his
loved ones, rnustn's expect to see
somber cloaked individual bearing
a condecending smile who has come
Ito offer solace and comfort and
guide to q beautiful path. On the
contrary he or she may well better
expect to encounter q very human
individual who is fully aware Of
what the appellant Is up against, in
many instances this A. A. member Is
still going through a bloodless. UNI
seen battle within himself. However
he has. through the common
every day practically Of what has
been offered by the A. A. realize
that II Is not simply an emotional,
falsely spiritual creed, but reality
with results to prove It as such.
These A. A. members have known
the disheartening, desparing battle
of trying to beat the insidious.
nameless, ever haunting obsession
that Is alcoholism, and are APP
preaching 1t with weapons Of equal
strength and reality. Their funda.
mental attitude is q human one.
Any appeal made TO this group.
through writing 10 Box 246. Water
bury % maintained In strictest con-
fidenee. Weekly meetings are held