The SA/S-Anon International Convention, held in Orange in January 2001, was one of the most successful ever. Attendance reached an all-time high. Participants were enthusiastic in their praise of the setting, the sharing and the fellowship.
Conference attendees were asked to write some of their thoughts and experiences on the conference theme—Honesty, Open Mindedness and Willingness—for sharing with the Fellowship at large. The conference organizers and the Essay wish to thank those who shared. Following is a selection from almost 150 submissions.
[The Oklahoma City Jan. ’97 SA Convention] was my second convention in the States — the first was of another S-fellowship. What impressed me about this one was the substantial number of members with five to ten years of solid sobriety. There was a very strong emphasis on the solution rather than the problem. It was also great to see so many people from different ethnic and religious groups. It was a great reminder that this disease is no respecter of persons.
I have been concerned about a policy of our international conferences and feel a need to address this in a forum permitting the greatest participation possible. That issue is the prohibition of children from any official gathering at the conferences, a policy that has been in place for the past two years.
On the first day of the conference I shared at a taped meeting about New York’s progress and got a warm confirmation from many members on how healing it is for them to hear that SA here is active and grateful. I told them we had adopted the standard meeting format and the kind of results that this had produced, and many people came up to me afterwards asking how we did it.
Once more it is time for the semi-annual SA/S-Anon International Conference. This July it will be held in Nashville, Tennessee on the 9th, 10th and 11th. Our theme will be “Tools of Recovery.” On behalf of SA and S-Anon here in the Music City, I cordially extend an invitation for three days of growth, fellowship and fun.
Our conference committee worked together as a team, with all of us considering that our meetings were as vital a part of our recovery as our regular weekly meetings. Over the past year the Vancouver group has grown considerably, to the point where in May and June we had seven birthday cakes for our members, four members with over two years sobriety, and very soon there may be two members with over three years sobriety.
I’ve continued to get feedback regarding the conference, even as recently as this week [Feb. 12]. Ninety-nine percent of this is great. The most encouraging has been from the “old timers” who have been to more than one or two assemblies. They commented that there seemed to be an easy flow throughout the conference and a healing of broken factions in the fellowship.
To SA Everywhere, from SA Oklahoma City: How many ways can we say thank you for the conference? Or how do we love you for being there and being you? Let us count the ways.
I just wanted to drop you a note sharing with you our excitement at the wonderful Conference we just experienced here in Nashville. We were so pleased at the turnout at the Conference. Instead of the 180-200 we were anticipating, over 300 people arrived in Nashville to attend the Conference. It was a wonderful few days.
