About A.A. Meetings
If you wish to come to a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, we will be happy to share with you what we have learned about our drinking and to show you how we have solved our common problem. There are no dues or fees, no one will pressure you to join us, and your visit will be kept confidential. Although there are no dues or fees for attending an A.A. meeting or joining an A.A. group, A.A. groups are fully self-supporting and “pass the basket” among group members to cover meeting expenses; most groups make A.A. pamphlets available without charge and sell other A.A. publications at modest prices – usually at cost.
Attendance at “closed” meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous is limited to A.A. members and other persons concerned about their own drinking, but the general public is welcome to observe “open” meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and thereby gain a better awareness and understanding of the A.A. program of recovery from alcoholism. Family members and friends of a problem drinker, as well as anyone whose profession regularly brings her or him into contact with problem drinkers, are especially encouraged to attend an open meeting.
If you think A.A. might be for you, but you are little unsure about coming to a closed meeting, an open meeting might be a good way to see if A.A. is for you.
Finding A.A. Meetings
In most places, you can find the local A.A. hotline number in the phone book, listed under Alcoholics Anonymous. The person handling your call will usually be able to tell you when and where you can find an open or closed A.A. meeting nearby – or far away, if that’s what you prefer – or will put you in touch with someone who can.
Meeting Code
Open – Speaker meeting
O/D – Open Discussion meeting
O/BB – Open Big Book meeting (read from Alcoholics Anonymous book)