Bulletins

The latest addition to the LifeRing meeting roster will be a Thursday evening meeting in San Bruno, CA, from 7-8 PM. The meeting will be at the Kaiser Permanente Chemical Dependency Services (CDS), 1001 Sneath Lane, upstairs in suite 204. The room is wheelchair accessible. [12/25/08]

Dec. 27 San Francisco
One-Time Meeting Change

The meeting in San Francisco on Saturday mornings from 10 am - 11:15 has a change of venue for Dec 27 ONLY. The LGBT Center is closed that day. The meeting will be at the San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin Street, in the Stong Conference Room on the First Floor. Time will be 10:15 - 11:30 am. Enter on Grove Street (between Larkin and Hyde). Civic Center BART is 1/2 block away. Parking on Fulton or Larkin. Enter the Library, going in to the main atrium. Turn left at the Information Desk. The Stong Conference Room is just around the corner. Questions? Call co-convenor Mark Hotsenpiller at (415) 806-7001 or contact him via email. [12/19/08]

Meeting Changes in
Sacramento CA

The meeting at Strategies For Change in Sacramento is, well, changing. The meeting will now be on Monday evenings from 6-7 pm, starting on November 24. There's a new location too: 4441 Auburn Blvd. Suite E Sacramento. For more information contact convenor Jo by email. [11/20/08]

New Time and Day for
Petaluma CA LifeRing

The LifeRing meeting at the Mary Isaak Center in Petaluma originally scheduled for Wednesdays at 6:45 am is now on Sundays at 6 pm. The other LifeRing meeting remains on Fridays at 6:00 pm. The Mary Isaak Center is at 900 Hopper Street, Petaluma, CA. For more information, contact convenor Richard H. via e-mail or call (707) 322-4112. [10/31/08]

Looking for a
San Diego Convenor

We have a offer for a room to host a LifeRing meeting in San Diego, CA. But we need a convenor. If you are interested, please take a look at the Convenors page and drop an email to the Service Center or call us at 1-800-811-4142. [10/9/08]

LifeRing Partners
Launches in Victoria BC

LifeRing Partners, a group for friends, family, and loved ones of those in recovery, has launched! Convenor Bill and co-convenor Barbara lead a meeting at the Burnside Gorge Community Centre at 7:00 PM Mondays in Victoria, British Columbia at 471 Cecelia Rd. Bill reports the meetings – not yet widely advertised – have been small but lively with lots of productive discussion. The group has adopted the "How Was Your Week" format and has tried as much as possible to stick to the principles laid out in the LifeRing convenor's handbook. For more information on the Victoria group contact Bill or Barbara via e-mail or call 250-818-1652.

LifeRing has had many inquires over the years about a group for friends and family and supports the LSR-LO (Loved Ones) e-mail group. As mentioned here, the latest effort to kick off a face-to-face group came with the 2008 LifeRing Congress. A steering committee made up of folks who attended that Congress session that took it from there. The result is LifeRing Partners, an association of clean and sober people who are affected by someone else's use. We hope other meetings will follow in other areas. If you are interested – especially if you are interested in convening such a group – please contact the Service Center via e-mail or via phone at 1-800-811-4142 or 510-763-0779. [9/28/08]

LifeRing comes
to Sweden

LifeRing adds its first European face-to-face meeting in Stockholm on 7 October. The early evening meeting is from 17-18 on Tuesdays at Drakenbergsgatan 16, code1689. For more information, contact convenor Lars B. via email (or alternately, here) or via telephone. Within Sweden, telephone 087291737. From abroad, +4687291739. And check out the LifeRing Europe website in Swedish or English. [9/25/08]

New Wednesday AM
LifeRing in Petaluma CA
(and a new Friday time)

Convenor Richard Hollett reports that there is now a second LifeRing meeting at the Mary Isaak Center in Petaluma. It is on Wednesday morning at 6:45 AM. The Friday evening meeting remains although it is moving fifteen minutes earlier. It will now start at 6:00 PM on Friday. The Mary Isaak Center is at 900 Hopper Street, Petaluma, CA. For more information, contact Richard via e-mail or call (707) 322-4112. [9/25/08]

Bohemian press
coverage of LifeRing

An interesting article about LifeRing appears in the current issue of the North Bay Bohemian, a free weekly distributed in Marin County and environs north of San Francisco. The author, Joe Potocki, took the trouble to attend our recent Congress and interviewed a number of LifeRing participants.

The article is a step forward from previous media coverage in that the writer focuses very positively on the third "S" of our basic philosophy, Self-Help, which means among other things, building a personal recovery program. He writes, for example:

"It's LifeRing's emphasis on envisioning, building and traveling down one's very own life path which sets it apart. This seems in harmony with that old-fashioned American notion of DIY adventurism and mythic questing. But instead of Lewis and Clark conquering a vast Western wilderness, or some modern-day Horatio Alger striving to build financial empires, LifeRing embraces broken-down folks who are questing to conquer their addictions."

The article contains a small factual error (LifeRing incorporated in 1997, not in 1999, and became an independent national organization in 2001, not in 1999), and it takes a while to get to the topic, but once it gets there, it's a powerfully illuminating piece of writing that you can hand to just about anyone to help them understand what we do and why we do it.

You can read the article online at http://www.bohemian.com/bohemian/09.17.08/feature-0838.html and/or download it as a PDF from http://www.unhooked.com/media/Bohemian_080917.pdf [9/25/08]

Tuesday Oakland CA
LifeRing now at 6:35

There's a time change for the Tuesday evening LifeRing in Oakland CA at the Kaiser Chemical Dependency Recovery Program Facility, 969 Broadway. The meeting is now starting at 6:35 PM, about a half hour earlier than the previous start. [9/18/08]

LifeRing arrives in
Charleston SC Oct. 3

Convenor Matt Dean reports he's just about ready to go with a new LifeRing in Charleston SC. The meetings will be on Fridays at 7PM in the Unitarian Church at 4 Archdale St. They will be held in the Annex, behind Gage Hall. And be sure to check out Matt's Charleston LifeRing website. For more information check out the contact information on Matt's website or contact him via e-mail. [9/18/08]

Second LifeRing
In Sacramento CA

The second LifeRing meeting in Sacramento, the capital city of California, will open on September 18, and will meet every Thursday thereafter at 7 pm. The location is the southern facility of The Effort, located at 8233 E. Stockton Boulevard, Suite D.

Kirk G., founding convenor of the new meeting, gave a presentation about LifeRing on Aug. 27 to the counseling staff of The Effort, headed by Jonathan Porteus PhD NCAC1 RAS, Deputy Director and Director of Clinical Services of The Effort. Marty N., the current LifeRing CEO and author of the Recovery by Choice workbook, joined in the presentation. For more information about the new meeting, phone (916) 370-5475.

New Email Group
For Long-Term Folks

There's a new LifeRing e-mail group. It's not a replacement for any other LifeRing groups, but is intended as a supplement to existing groups, both on-line and face-to-face. The description follows. If it sounds like something that fits your needs, go to http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/liferingsoberliving/ and sign up. If you have questions, write me at cswhalley@yahoo.com. Here's the group's description:

LifeRing Sober Living

Have you been sober for a year or more? Are you comfortable with sobriety as a way of life, but still desire interaction with a sobriety support group? Sober Living was formed for sober people who no longer struggle with cravings or the day-to-day effort of staying sober. If you've been asking yourself "what now?" maybe this group is for you.

Sober Living is a discussion group focused on life after sobriety. On the issues affecting your life now that drinking is no longer an option. If you're past "getting" sober and are now doing the living part (losing weight, looking for a job, exploring new interests, making new friends), consider this group in addition to traditional sobriety support.

Sober Living is not a replacement for existing LifeRing support groups, face-to-face or on-line. Those groups need members with long-term sobriety who can provide information, advice and support to those still struggling to find firm footing. It is intended as a supplement to address the unique needs of those who've built up some significant sober time. -- Craig Whalley [080903]

Recovery Open House
In Victoria BC This Month

LifeRing Secular Recovery presents "Recovery by Choice, a Different Voice", an evening motivated by positive recovery stories instead of the dark news we read and hear about on an almost daily basis. It will be an open-house to celebrate recovery and to showcase LifeRing along with other recovery options in Victoria. The event is September 26 from 5:45 – 9:15pm including an intermission of refreshments at Fairfield Community Association's Garry Oak Room. (Download poster as PDF.)

Local organizations will be on hand as part of a panel and to talk about their programming and the successes they have in the community of Victoria. Everyone is welcome at this event including people in recovery, family & friends of those in recovery or people looking for information for someone who wants to go into recovery. We will have two separate panels including but not limited to representatives from Wilderness Rehab, Umbrella Society, Victoria Cool Aid Society's Mentoring Project and Acacia Integrated Health.

The event is sponsored by the Fairfield Community Association, Silk Road Tea and Cooks Day Off. Recovery by Choice, a Different Voice will be a very informative evening and lots of positive recovery stories to talk about. There is seating for 80 and RSVP is required. For more information please contact lifering@shaw.ca or call 250.920.2095 -- Michael Walsh [080903]

LifeRing Author to Speak
At CAADAC Conference

Marty N., author of the Recovery by Choice workbook, has been selected to present a workshop on the topic "Choice of Support Groups: It's the Law" at the annual conference of the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors (CAADAC) in Ontario, California, on Friday Oct. 3. The topic, based on a recent decision by the federal appeals court in San Francisco, is the subject of a LifeRing brochure and of a post on the LifeRing convenor blog. [080903]

The New LifeRing.com
Bookstore Site is Up

Check it out! All the links on the Unhooked.com home page point there, but many links on other pages within Unhooked.com still point to the old bookstore. We will be updating the links over the next week. If find yourself in the old bookstore, just enter www.lifering.com in your browser to get to the new site. Except for the links, though, everything should be working. If you find a glitch, please drop a note to webmaster@lifering.com. We wish to express out thanks to Karen Ivy who took the lead in setting up the new e-commerce site. [8/9/08]

LifeRing Coming Soon
to Charleston SC

Prospective convenor Matt Dean is preparing to launch a new LifeRing in Charleston, South Carolina. He's aiming to start in October, but for right now, Matt has put up a website that provides a local introduction to LifeRing and will have updated info on the meeting. If you are interesting, please contact Matt by e-mail or checkout the contact page on the website for phone and snail-mail connections. [8/7/08]

LifeRing Press web site:
Down Friday Evening,
Then Up With a New Look

LifeRing is preparing to roll out the first of what we hope will be a series of website upgrades. First stop is the bookstore: the LifeRing Press website at LifeRing.com. Tomorrow, Friday August 8, at about 7:30 PM Pacific Time, the site will go down. Please be patient with us. The site may be down for a few hours. But it if all goes well, later that evening the new site will come up, with a new look, easier ordering options, and, most importantly, fewer crashes and less down time. Check it out on Saturday! [8/7/08]

New Special Meeting
Starts in Victoria BC

The Vancouver Island Health Authority has again said yes to LifeRing Secular Recovery’s philosophy by asking LifeRing to start a meeting at the Victoria Sobering and Assessment Centre. The meeting will be closed to people outside the facility however available to any patient involved in treatment at the centre. This is great news for LifeRing as VIHA acknowledges its viability as a solid resource in the community of mental health and addictions in Victoria.

Michael Walsh and Eli Pearson will co-convene for a few weeks beginning August 11 at 3pm and then after a few weeks Michael will leave and Eli will run the meeting himself. [8/3/08]

New Terra Linda CA
LifeRing on Wednesdays

Marin County in California has added another LifeRing, this one at the Kaiser Permanente facility in the Terra Linda neighborhood of San Rafael. The meeting on Wednesdays at 6:30 in Trailer 4 of the facility at 99 Montecillo Road. The trailer is to the right as you reach the entry to the parking structure at the top of the hill. Unfortunately, there's no wheelchair access. [7/11/08]

LifeRing goes with the
flow in Victoria

Here's the latest from Michael Walsh in Victoria BC:

Thought I would drop you a note to let you know what happened at out latest LSR meeting in Victoria. We have our meeting at a community centre and during the summer someone needs to unlock the door as it is not staffed regularly. Nobody showed up at all (very unusual) to unlock the door however 24 people were ready to meet. Lance and Margaret, the two who co-convene this meeting, rolled with the punches and decided that they were going to have a meeting no matter what. Off to the left of the entrance we went where some sat on benches, others on a big rock and others on blankets and we proceeded to have our 1 and ¼ hour meeting! Cars and busses drove by and people were asked to speak up sometimes but we had a very productive meeting.

Margaret: "... To be able to adapt to any situation, in the moment, is a lesson those in recovery need reinforced at every turn."

Lance: "...I applaud all who attended and took it in stride our impromptu seating arrangements, another day in sobriety!!"

Great going in Victoria! [7/11/08]

New Day and Time for
San Rafael CA LifeRing

The San Rafael LifeRing has adjusted itself once again. The meeting is on Monday at 7:15. The location remains the same: the new Bayside Activity Center at 718 Fourth Street in downtown San Rafael. It's located between Lincoln and Tamalpias on the north side of Fourth. [7/8/08]

Looking for a Video Editor

At the 2008 LifeRing Congress, Dr. B. J. Davis gave an inspiring key note talk "What is Recovery, Anyway? A Quality of Life Perspective." The presentation was recorded. The LifeRing Service Center is looking for an experienced video editor to produce a professional-quality DVD so we can share this wonderful experience. If you can help, please contact service@lifering.org. Thank you. [7/8/08]

Redwood City meeting
moves to Wednesday

Starting the week of July 6, the Redwood City LifeRing meeting will be held on WEDNESDAY evenings instead of Thursday evenings. Otherwise, same time, same place: the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship at 2124 Brewster Avenue from 7 to 8 pm. Contact JoAnn by email for more details. [7/3/08]

LifeRing coming
to Redding CA Monday

Heather W. reports that she is making good progress in getting a meeting going in Redding. It will be held at the Shasta County Library at 1100 Parkview Ave on Monday from 6 to 7 PM. The first meeting will be this Monday, July 7. For more info, check in with Heather by email. [7/3/08]

Convenor needed
in Berkeley

The Service Center recently received a call from the Ursula Sherman Village homeless shelter/treatment facility in North Berkeley. They would like to host a LifeRing Meeting that would also be open to the public. The facility is at 711 Harrison (at 4-th), just a block north of Gilman. If you are interested, contact the Service Center by email or by phone at (510) 763-0779.

Convening is a great way to "give back", to reinforce your own clean and sober life, and to keep LifeRing there for others. Convenors need six months clean/sober. Check out the convenor's page for more. Prospective convenors are always welcome at the monthly convenors meeting on the second Saturday of the month at LifeRing headquarters at 1440 Broadway, Suite 312 in Oakland. July 12 is the next one. There's free parking on Saturdays at the Clay Street garage: at 14-th and Clay.

And if you've you already have the basics of convening, feel free to contact Daniel Barth, at the Village directly too. His number is 510-688-3884. [6/28/08]

New LifeRing Opens
In Redwood City CA

A new LifeRing begins Thursday June 12 and will meet every Thursday thereafter in Redwood City, CA. The meeting place is the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship at 2124 Brewster Avenue. The time is from 7 to 8 pm. Please contact Jo Ann, LR.Jo@comcast.net, for further details.

Wednesday Berkeley Meeting
Out June 4, 11, and 18

The Wednesday evening Recovery By Choice Workbook Meeting in Berkeley will be not meet June 4, 11, and 18. Meetings will resume June 25 with a wrap-up discussion of the Workbook. On July 2, the group start another cycle, starting with Chapter 1, My Decision. The group roughly follows the 13 week Short Format Study Outline that workbook author Marty Nicolaus discussed last year in the Convenor's Blog. [6/1/08]

LifeRing Europe Page
now in Swedish

Take a look. Our thanks to Christer and Lars. [5/30/08]

A Reminder: CE
Credits at the Congress

As noted in the Congress agenda on the Home Page, continuing education credits are available for health care professionals. This includes nurses and physicians. [5/27/08]

The Brampton groups
will miss John Guiomar

Ontario (Canada) LifeRing organizer John Guiomar passed away earlier this month. Friend and fellow convenor Garry Mehlhorn put this remembrance together with the help of John's oldest friends. [5/26/08]

John passed away on May 4 from the effects of a brain tumor. He has left a void not only at the Brampton LifeRing meeting but in the entire recovery community. John had been an active member of NA but his passion lay with LifeRing where he started the Brampton meeting in January 2007. He was especially passionate about LifeRing’s complete acceptance for anyone wanting to get clean and sober.

John not only helped other people through the recovery process; he lived it as well. While in recovery John finished High School, attended Community College, and then attained his Master’s degree in Social Work last summer. John was proudly able to maintain his “clean” status throughout his battle with cancer.

John was married late last year and leaves behind his wife; Holly, and two step-sons; Graham and Joshua.

A National LifeRing
Organization for Friends, Family
And Significant Others

Let's build one! We've had multiple inquiries about secular support groups for the friends, family, and significant others of LifeRing participants. LifeRing currently has a Significant Others e-mail group but that's all. So we will be holding a breakout session on Saturday afternoon at the Congress to discuss some of the issues involved in creating and supporting a national network of such face-to-face groups. Much needs to be thought out. How would this work? How do the 3 S's fit in here? Do we offer any related high-level principles on codependence? Do we encourage Others intervene with a still-using addict ... or take care of themselves? What will we name the group? LifeRingPartners?? PartnerRing?? What else has to be asked ... and then worked?

Family, friends, and others, please join us at the Congress at 3:00 PM and help launch this exciting new project. YOU can help shape this from the beginning. [5/24/08]

Info for Delegates to the
LifeRing Congress

A short document for delegates to the upcoming Congress is now available. Titled "A Briefing for Delegates," it contains the proposed agenda for the Sunday morning Delegates' Assembly (business meeting), and has some suggestions for delegates on reporting about their meetings. The document is a PDF file available here. Printed copies of the document will also be available at the Congress. [5/22/08]

Secular addictions
recovery catches on

That's the title in the May 14 issue of the Saanich News (Vancouver Island, Canada) that picks up on the expanded LifeRing meeting roster in greater Victoria, British Columbia, area. As reported here earlier, the new Langford LifeRing is hosted by Clyde Fries and Malcolm McMicken while the new Victoria LifeRing is lead by Michael Walsh (below). [5/17/08]

New Petaluma CA
LifeRing on Fridays

The latest LifeRing is at the Mary Isaak Center in Petaluma. Center case manager Tina Cilenti wrote of the unusual and wonderful origins of this latest meeting:

I am a case manager at a place called the Mary Isaak Center in Petaluma. We are a homeless shelter for single men and women (and sometimes couples) but more than that, we are a housing program. ... We recently started a Lifering meeting here at our center (thanks to one of our transitional housing residents [X]) and everybody is loving it. My background is in substance abuse treatment, and after I began working here one of the things I wanted to work on were the recovery options here. I teach a Relapse Prevention class on Saturdays, and when I approached my supervisor about Lifering after reading about it on the web he said “great, can you start one?”. I then enlisted the help of [X], with whom AA has just never really resonated, and the rest is history. Well, recent history. J

Tina writes that the meeting is at Friday evenings at 6:15. She concludes, "... we’d love to have some “more experienced” Lifering’ers join us, as well as new members." The Mary Isaak Center is at 900 Hopper St. in Petaluma. For more information, contact Tina at (707) 776-4777 ext. 113 or via e-mail. [5/10/08]

Second Victoria BC
LifeRing Begins May 10

Following on the success of the first LifeRing meeting in Victoria on Wednesday nights at the Fairfield Community Place there is a second meeting starting up. This meeting will be on Saturday nights at 7:30pm at Fairfield United at the corner of Fairfield and Moss. The address is 1301 Fairfield Road. The first meeting will be on May 10^th 2008. The entrance to this meeting is on Moss Street at street level. Check for signage. For more information on LifeRing in Victoria or to get involved in this recovery group please contact Michael Walsh at(250) 920.2095 or via email. [4/28/08]

Listen to Michael Walsh on Nanaimo Radio, Noon Thursday, April 17

People First Radio, the community radio of Nanaimo, British Columbia on CHLY, 101.7 FM, will be interviewing LifeRing convenor Michael Walsh on Thursday, April 17. The show is at noon. Check out the flier for more details. Out-of-area folks can listen on-line using the CHLY WebCast Audio Links. [4/16/08]

LifeRing comes to
Langford BC on May 7

The second meeting of LifeRing Secular Recovery in the southern Vancouver Island region will begin in Langford on May 7, 2008. Meetings will be held every Wednesday at 7pm at the Pacific Centre Family Services Association at 2849 Peatt Road in Langford. For more information, contact Clyde Fries at (250) 384-0830 or via email. [4/16/08]

Walnut Creek (CA) Tuesday
and Thursday LifeRings Move

The Tuesday and Thursday evening LifeRings in Walnut Creek, California have moved to the Kaiser Permanente Campus at 1425 S. Main Street. The meetings are from 7:30 to 8:30 in the Walnut Building, Room 2A. [4/14/08]

LifeRing is being fully
Embraced in Victoria

Victoria convenor Michael Walsh has reported a variety of interesting things going on in Victoria. For full details, check out his posts in the LifeRingConvenor Yahoo News Group. Here's just a sample. LifeRing is listed on the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) Community Services Directory. Their Alcohol and Drug Services (ADS) clinic took one month of detailed research on LifeRing before the counselors and the coordinator collectively recently decided to stock our brochures and suggest LifeRing to their clients. Publicity for LifeRing has pushed the latest Victoria meeting to 36 participants. There should be one or more new meetings running in the southern Vancouver Island area shortly. [4/13/08]

Jim Ringland becomes
LifeRing Secretary

The LifeRing Board of Directors has appointed Jim Ringland from Oakland, CA to fill the vacant Secretary position. The bylaws state "7.1.3. The Secretary shall comply with the duties required by the law, shall keep minutes of Board meetings, and shall have such other responsibilities as the Board may delegate." Jim brings a broad background: technical professional with a PhD in Statistics, chief executive officer for another small and currently inactive non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dealing in land use and wildlife issues, and a bit over one year past his last drink of alcohol. Jim is currently the convenor of the Wednesday Berkeley Workbook Study meeting and assists with this website. (I manage these bulletins!) [4/8/08]

LifeRing Recognition in
Ontario Hospitals...

In late March, representatives from The Brampton, Ontario (Canada) LifeRing, Garry Mehlhorn and Dave Ashworth (with help from John Guimar), met with the Addiction Counseling group of the William Osler Health Centre organization, which supports of 3 hospitals and a series of outpatient clinics in the area. The purpose was to seek equal footing with 12-step programs regarding referrals. The presentation went well. LifeRing is on now on the approved list. And the next step will be to start talking to the other hospitals and treatment centers in the region. [4/7/08, updated 4/8/08]

...as a Fellow Ontario
Mutual Aid Group
Affiliates with LifeRing

Garry Mehlhorn, from the Brampton Ontario LifeRing is also associated with Addictions are Us, a secular mutual help organization similar to LifeRing, which conduct three meetings in the area. Addictions are Us was formerly C.A.S.T. (Come and and Sit Together). Some in the area may know the organization by that name. Encouraged by the new connections mentioned above, Garry proposed those groups affiliate with LifeRing. Garry wrote the LifeRing service center:

"I believe that this would benefit both organizations. On our side it would improve the number of referrals to the groups, thus ensuring a steady stream of new members, which are the lifeblood of this type of group. I can see it benefiting the LifeRing organization just by increasing the number of meeting sites in Canada by 3 (to start)."

The groups have gone ahead. Garry reports,

"The deciding factors were the ability to maintain our current meeting structure and the approval at the William Osler group of hospitals. The existing support structure in the LifeRing network was also helped a great deal."

Addictions are Us uses a "Recovery Skills" format. Each meeting has 3 sections. There is a discussion on one of list of standard topics, a carry-over discussion from the previous week, and third an open discussion much like “How was your week”.

The new meetings are at 10 AM Tuesday in Brampton at St. Paul's United Church (30 Main Street South), 7:30 PM Thursday in Clarkson at Christ Church (1700 Mazo Cres), and 10 AM Sunday in Guelph at the West End Community Centre 21 Imperial Rd South. For more information, contact Garry Mehlhorn at 905-320-1703 or via email. [4/7/08, updated 4/8/08]

Publicity Pays Off in Victoria BC ...
And an Invitation

LifeRing convenor Michael Walsh has generated lots of publicity for LifeRing Victoria BC area. Recent bulletins have pointed to articles in the Victoria Times-Colonist and in several smaller newspapers from the BC local news group including the Saanich News, the Oak Bay News, and the Goldstream News Gazette. Michael reports it is really paying off. Last Wednesday the Victoria meeting had 30 people. That's really newsworthy given this was only the area's ninth meeting: Michael launched the Victoria LifeRing on January 30.

Do you have a LifeRing meeting success story? Has LifeRing been in the news in your area? The LifeRing Service Center would love to hear all about it. [3/29/08]

A Path to Recovery
in Victoria BC

As mentioned below, Michael Walsh has now encouraged the Times Colonist newspaper of Victoria, British Columbia, to pick up on LifeRing:

... Cameron Delacroix is an outreach worker with the Umbrella Society. He says, "There's a million different paths to recovery from addiction, and the more things that are available to people, the better. It's (LifeRing) had good success in other places and we're very happy it's here in Victoria."

"George Lowery, acting co-ordinator for Vancouver Island Health Authority's Withdrawal Management Services, agrees. "The more options we can give a person in any stage of their recovery, the better. Will it be an answer for some? Yes. For others? No."

Thus wrote reporter Joanne Hatherly in this article from the TC's March 24 edition. The TC is the oldest daily newspaper in western Canada and is the only daily on southern Vancouver Island. It attracts a daily paid circulation of around 72,000.

Michael also reports that the Victoria meeting is going splendidly. The earlier newspaper coverage has brought out many new faces. Michael write, "... the energy was great!" And there may be more Victoria area meetings on the way. [3/25/08]

LifeRing in the News
in Victoria BC Area

Removing God from the recovery equation headlined articles in the Sannich News and Oak Bay News last Friday. Both are local papers in the Victoria, British Columbia, area

"For people seeking a support group to help them through their recovery from addictions, Victoria finally has an alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous. While the 12 steps of A.A. have helped millions of people, it’s not the right fit for everyone, said Michael Walsh, who recently started a different type of support group in Victoria." writes reporter Roszan Holmen.

LifeRing Convenor Michael Walsh notes several other local papers, including the Victoria Times Colonist are picking up on LifeRing. Michael in an e-mail note to the LifeRing Service Center wrote simply, "The phone started ringing this morning." [3/17/08]

Portland OR LifeRing
moves to Sunday

Convenor Sam Elliot reports the Portland OR LifeRing will move to Sunday at 7:00 starting in April. The location remains the same: the URS Club at 17200 S. E. Stark Street in the TV room. And through March, the meetings continue on Wednesdays at 6:00. For more information, contact Sam at (503) 929-9184 or via email. [3/17/08, updated 3/19/08]

New Day and Place for
San Rafael CA LifeRing

The San Rafael LifeRing is now on Tuesday at 7:00 in the new Bayside Activity Center at 718 Fourth Street in downtown San Rafael. It's located between Lincoln and Tamalpias on the north side of Fourth. [3/17/08]

LifeRing Flowers
Thursdays in Fresno CA

LifeRing is coming to Fresno, CA on Thursday evenings from 8 – 9 pm, starting March 20. The meeting is at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, 7300 N. Fresno St. (Fresno St. and Herndon Ave.) in the Redwood Conference Room (Second Floor). For more information contact convenor Leslee W. at (559) 227-2788 or via e-mail. [3/14/08]

HELP! Substitute
Oakland Noon convenor
needed for 3/5/06

We need a substitute convener this Wednesday, March 5, for the Oakland, CA meeting from 12:30 - 1:30 PM. It is at the Kaiser CDRP, 969 Broadway, Room 5. Convenors need 6 months clean and sober and a willingness to help others. If you can fill-in for this one day, please contact the regular convenor, Larry G., at 510-299-1281 (cell) or via email. [3/3/08]

Placerville CA LifeRing
begins February 25

LifeRing comes to Placerville this Monday, February 25, at 8 pm. It is at the Gates Recovery Foundation, 2810 Coloma Streeet. [2/22/08]

Memorial for
Ingrid Wilhite

Ingrid Wilhite, who died just a couple of weeks ago, was an active LifeRing member. She volunteered her time by videotaping the 2006 LifeRing Congress and editing the videotapes onto DVD. A memorial will be held this Saturday, February 23, from 2-5 at the LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco. A Bay Area Reporter article on Ingrid can be found here. And check out this flyer for more on the memorial. [2/18/08]

The Santa Rosa CA
LifeRing is back

The Santa Rosa Tuesday evening LifeRing is back on the schedule! The meeting begins at 6:30 in the Jack London Room of the the Sutter Medical Center, 3325 Chanate Road. Look for the older building that says "hospital" right by the flagpole. For more information, contact convenor Laurie Sullivan at (415) 283-5355 or via e-mail. [2/13/08]

Tuesday San Francisco
LifeRing Returns at 1:00

The Tuesday San Francisco, CA meeting is coming back, now at 1:00. It's at the Kaiser Permanente Chemical Dependency Recovery Program, 1201 Fillmore Street. Check signs for the room. [2/8/08]

New Location for
Green Bay WI LifeRing

Convenor Tom K. reports that Green Bay WI LifeRing will move to the Green Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 1641 S. Commanche Ave, Suite G, in Ashwaubenon. The meeting remains on Thursdays at 7 pm. For more information, contact Tom at (920) 499-9431 or via email. [2/1/08, updated 2/8/08]

Recovery by Choice in
Berkeley begins Feb. 20

Wednesday, February 20 will be the first weekly meeting of a new Recovery By Choice Workbook study group at Herrick Hospital, 2001 Dwight Way in Berkeley CA. Meetings begin at 7:45 in the conference center meeting room in the basement (level A). Convenor Jim. R. will follow the 13 week Short Format Study Outline that workbook author Marty Nicolaus discussed last year in the Convenor's Blog. The over-all purpose of the study is for each participant to build their Personal Recovery Program. Weekly topics are free-standing, so participants can join any time. For more information contact Jim at 510-658-4668 or via e-mail. [1/21/08]

LifeRing Comes Alive
in Victoria BC Jan. 30

LifeRing in Victoria will have its inaugural meeting on January 30^th, 2008! The meeting is in The Family Room of the Fairfield Community Association at 1330 Fairfield Road in Victoria. The 7:45 Wednesday meetings are in safe, quiet, and wheelchair accessible location. For more information, contact convenor Michael W. at (250) 920-2095 or via email. [1/16/08, time corrected 1/17/08]

Looking for Kindred
Spirits in Manhattan

Prospective convenor Shawn B. is looking to start a new meeting in New York. The meetings would be held in Manhattan, probably on the Upper East Side, although Shawn has also spotted a few locations downtown which might serve the purpose well. If you are interested contact Shawn via e-mail. [1/16/08]

Looking for Kindred
Spirits in Prescott AZ

Emmett W. in Prescott AZ wants to start a LifeRing meeting and wants to hear from other people in the area who are interested. He can be contacted at 928-273-6389 or via email. [1/14/08]

New San Diego CA
LifeRing getting closer ...

Convenor Louise T. reports the new LifeRing meeting in San Diego is getting closer to fruition. As suggested back in November, it will be held at the Kaiser Permanente facility at 3420 Kenyon St. This LifeRing will meet on Wednesday night, with a start in early February. Watch this page, or contact Louise T. via email directly, for late-breaking news! [1/14/08]

Second Vallejo CA
LifeRing begins Jan. 14

A new LifeRing is beginning at the Kaiser Chemical Dependency Recovery Program, 800 Sereno Drive, Vallejo, California. This late afternoon meeting will begin at 4:30. Convenor John D., who also convenes the Tuesday Benicia, California meeting, can be reached at (707) 746 7124. [1/13/08]

Vacaville CA
LifeRing begins Jan. 17

Kaiser Vacaville Conference Room C will be the site of a new Thursday evening LifeRing, from 7 to 8 pm. The address is 3701 Vaca Valley Parkway. For more information, contact convenor Don M. at (707) 344-4085 or via e-mail. [1/13/08]

Victoria BC Newspaper
Reminded of Recovery Choices

"... Some people prefer a divine intervention with God in AA while many others prefer human intervention. Just like there are many newspapers available in Victoria that benefit the "choices" of a wide range of readers, there are several ways in Victoria to beat addiction.

"... One such way is LifeRing, which is helping thousands around the world in a non-religious setting."

So wrote Michael Walsh in his letter to the Victoria British Columbia Times Colonist after the paper carried this article that essentially equated alcoholism recovery with AA. For Michael's whole letter, check out this link to the newspaper or this screen shot. [12/29/07]

Third Denver LifeRing
starts Wed., January 2

A new weekly LifeRing meeting is scheduled to begin Wednesday, January 2 at 6:00 pm in the library of the Unitarian church at 14th and Lafayette (1400 Lafayette Street) in Denver, Colorado. For more information, contact convenor will be Brad M. at 303-328-7408. [12/24/07]

New Friday LifeRing
in Walnut Creek, CA

Friday, January 4 will be the first meeting of a new LifeRing in Walnut Creek, California. Convenor Carola Z. reports the group will meet from 6:00 - 7:00 pm Fridays at Weyland Consultation Services, 2930 Camino Diablo, Suite 110. It's a medical and office complex and is wheelchair accessible. Please, no food or drink in the room and no smoking in or outside his building. [12/24/07]

Added Telemeeting this
Saturday, Dec. 29

Don S. reports that the our new Tele-meetings are becoming a big hit. So he's added one more on Saturday, December 29, 2007 from 1 pm - 2:30 pm CST (1900 - 2030 GMT), For more details, see the bulletin entry below. We hope to work out a new Tele-meeting listing page in the next few weeks: watch the home page. [12/24/07]

Dial into a LifeRing
Telemeeting (Updated)

Don S. (CoachDonSul) has scheduled a series of LifeRing telemeetings and invites you to attend. Three meetings are upcoming:

Sat. 12/22/07 1 pm - 2:30 pm CST (1900 - 2030 GMT)
Sat. 1/05/08 1 pm - 2:30 pm CST (1900 - 2030 GMT)
Mon. 1/07/08 7 pm - 8:30 pm CST (0100 - 0230 GMT) Updated!

How does it work? You dial into a long distance number (in our case, in Minnesota), enter a six digit pass code, and get connected to a big party line where you can hear and be heard by everybody. It is free, except for the cost of the call. Each meeting is limited to about 25 participants. If you are interested, drop Don an email and he will send you an invitation with everything you need to get going.

What happens in a telemeeting? When you join, the convenor will hear a chime and will ask who's joining. You respond with something like, "This is Sue in South Dakota". After introductions and an opening statement, the convenor will introduce a suggested topic, which may, of course, shift as we go around the virtual room. If you want to share, say your name and location (for instance "Don S. in Texas") and wait for the convener to recognize you. While LifeRing encourages crosstalk, in a tele-meeting, only one person really can be heard at a time. Waiting for recognition keeps the discussion manageable. Don has described more of what happens in the in LifeRing Forum. His messages are in the "General" section under the Dec. 11, 2007 entry "LSR Tele-meetings Experiment".

The total meeting time is flexible. Don likes to wind things up so that the total meeting is about one hour in length, but the meeting can run over by another 30 minutes before we have to surrender the phone lines. [inserted 12/18/07, updated 12/19/07]

Victoria, BC Meeting
Under Construction

Prospective convenor Michael W is in the preliminary stages of organizing a new LifeRing meeting in Victoria, British Columbia. If you might be interested, feel free to give Michael a call at 250 920 2095 or via email. He is presently gauging responses from individuals and the treatment community and hopes to secure a meeting room shortly. [12/17/07]

LifeRing Fund Drive
Reaches Out to All

LifeRing's first-ever fundraising letters are in the mail this week. The organization is on a roll with starting new meetings and reaching referral sources, and needs to raise money to fuel its growing momentum. Recent LifeRing Press customers, convenors, and others with current addresses in the LifeRing Service Center database can expect to receive a two-page flyer and/or a letter in an envelope within a few days. For people who don't receive a mailing, there's a new Donate Now button on the Start Page; it leads to a page that outlines the available online donation options. LifeRing is a 501(c)(3) charity and donations are tax-deductible.

Sacramento LifeRing
Starts December 13

The first LifeRing in Sacramento CA will start on Thursday evening Dec. 13 2007 at 6 pm in the conference room of Strategies for Change, 4330 Auburn Blvd. on the North side of the city. All interested persons are welcome. For more information please contact Jo G., founding convenor, via email. Here is a flyer for the meeting.

Sausalito CA
LifeRing Now at 7:00

Convenor Gillian E. reports the Tuesday evening Lifering meeting at the Alta Mira Recovery Center at 125 Bulkley in Sausalito, CA has a new start time of 7:00 p.m. The meeting is open to the community, as well as to residents of the Alta Mira inpatient program. The gate for the complex will be open - for outsiders to get in - from 6:45 until 7:15. [12/1/07]

LifeRing Congress Berkeley CA 5/31- 6/1 2008

Save the Date: May 31 - June 1 2008
Seventh Annual LifeRing Congress

Save the last weekend next May for the 2008 LifeRing Congress, the seventh annual get-together of LifeRing participants and convenors, happening in Berkeley CA. As always, the event will feature a combination of education, socializing and business. Come for the reception Friday night, spend all day in lectures and workshops Saturday, join the banquet Saturday night, and participate in the Delegates' Assembly Sunday morning. Program ideas and contributions are solicited. Volunteer organizers are wanted. Contact the LifeRing Service Center, service@lifering.org or 1-800-811-4142. [11/29/07]

Telford PA LifeRing
Moves to Souderton

The Telford PA LifeRing will move about a mile to a new home in Souderton at A Place for Possibilities, 220 Main Street (Route 113), in Souderton. The meeting is at 7:30 on Fridays. For more information, contact John R at 215-264-1474 or via email. (11/29/07)

LifeRing Forming
in Benicia CA

A new LifeRing is starting up in Benicia CA on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 122 E. J Street. The first meeting will be December 4. Convenor John D can be contacted at 707-746-7124. (11/29/07)

LifeRing Forming
In San Diego CA

A new LifeRing is forming in San Diego, CA, and will probably meet at the Kaiser Permanente facility on Kenyon St. Details are being worked out. To offer assistance in getting the meeting started, or to get information, please contact Louise T. via email. (11/27/07)

Albuquerque LifeRing
Moves to Wednesdays

The LifeRing meeting in Albuquerque NM has a new day and a new time, its convenor Mary S. has announced. Instead of Thursdays, the group will now meet Wednesdays. The new meeting time is 6:00 P.M. The location remains the same: Anna Kaseman Presbyterian Hospital, 8300 Constitution Ave NE. Take the Main Entrance and go to Conference Room B.

View Earlier 2007 Bulletins