To All My Fellow SA Members, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you that has reached into his or her pocket to help the Sexaholics Anonymous Correctional Facilities Committee (SACFC). It may not seem like a lot to you, but believe me, for those of us in prison, it can be the only lifesaver we will ever get.
I woke up this morning thanking God. Then I prayed this simple prayer: “God grant that I may love Thee always and follow Thy will. Do with me according to Thy will.” Then I did my daily readings. It wasn’t always that way. Today I’m enjoying over three years of sexual sobriety. But again, it wasn’t always that way….
In January of 2000, our group helped initiate a group at a State Correctional Institution. It has become my weekly meeting, because it is closer than other outside meetings I could attend.
At the January 1998 International Conference in Daytona Beach, Florida, the Trustees and Delegates of Sexaholics Anonymous created the SACC Literature Fund. The SACC was directed to “implement a plan to encourage donations from intergroups to cover literature costs for prisoners.” No one knew at that time exactly how we would go about doing this or what the response would be. By the end of the year, however, members had contributed $5,342.99 to the fund.
A few months ago I began sponsoring a man whose enthusiasm and personality are contagious! His disease landed him in jail for two months plus a few months of “work release,” and a whole lot of years under restrictions and the watchful eye of state officials.
We are very excited about our upcoming trip to the Southeastern Correctional Facility near Lancaster, Ohio. We purposely scheduled this visit around the SA International Conference in Cleveland on July 9 – 11, as it is our hope some members attending the conference will be able to visit the facility July 9. We will leave the hotel at 10:00 a.m. and return at 10:00 p.m. The facility is about three-and-a-half hours south of Cleveland.
It started about eight years ago when several men who were awaiting sentencing began attending local SA meetings. Although I suspected they were attending the meetings in an attempt to influence the court, I gradually learned this was not the primary motivation of all of them.
We want to thank all members who have helped us to carry the SA message to sexaholics in correctional institutions. Progress is being made, as comparisons of the last two years demonstrate:
More inmates are learning about Sexaholics Anonymous, thanks to the efforts of our members to carry the SA message behind prison walls. Some members are corresponding with and sponsoring inmates. Some are contacting state and local correctional officials to see if they are open to informing inmates about our fellowship. Some are working with SA groups inside prisons and some are contributing to the SACC Literature Fund so that more inmates can read about the solution to sexaholism.
The SA Corrections Committee would like to gratefully acknowledge the many gifts and contributions from individuals, groups, and Intergroups for literature to prisoners. This vital Twelfth Step work to those who still suffer in prison can continue because of your generosity, kindness and support.
