Early members were John T., Billy H., Barbara D., Penny P., Peter D., David G., Chet N., and Paul T.

The first meeting was held at the Harrington Baptist Church at 8:00 p.m. and stayed for a couple of years.  The group was asked to leave and found their way to the high school, Narraguagus High School.  The meeting began to fade, members stopped attending, and the meeting closed for two years.  Then the meeting started again at the old school house, The Central District School, Columbia Falls.  Those meetings had approximately 8-9 people in attendance, and two months later there were only two.  The meeting closed for the winter and, come spring, the same one or two people would show up.  The meeting dissolved (around 1975).

In 1985 Penny P. went to the Harrington Health Center and got permission to start a big book/step meeting.  They would meet upstairs in the house, Harrington Health Center.  Penny recalls, "you only had a certain amount of time once you went in to shut off the alarm or it would go off.  It went off a lot, but no one ever came to check it out."

The first year there was only Chet N. and Penny P., then little by little it grew, and by the second year there were around 15 alcoholics at the meeting.  The group moved over to the carriage house, after the vocational school built it, out in front of the Heath Center.  The group would stay there from 1986 until 2002, and now meets at the Faith Methodist Church in Columbia Falls.

Penny P. started the meeting in 1986 and after 6 or 7 years of nurturing and loving the service work, she passed it on to another and continues to do that.  The meeting has grown to the usual crowd of 25 or so.  The meeting does not have a "chip club" nor do they celebrate anniversaries.  Those who attend come for the "meat and potatoes" to share and hear others speak on the steps, traditions, and one day at a time living.  Even though the meeting is only a meeting, and not a registered group, they do support the district, this is the only step/tradition/big book meeting in the subdistrict.

Active within the meeting is a list of colorful alcoholics; Val S., Rose W., Kathy, Dale T., Gary D., Bill H., Dottie H., Doug S., Randy S., Willie M., and many others.  Some are newcomers with a mix of "oldtimers" and vacationers from time to time.

We are here with the spirit of HOPE, so anytime you are in the area -- drop in and share.  We will gladly share with you, in fellowship and sobriety.
 

* Submitted October 2004 *