A Collection of Connected Speakers
- the roots of Big Book Awakening & Fellowship of the Spirit
| Events that lead to the creation of the Big Book Awakening Workbook
& Fellowship of the Spirit Conferences. The following collection of talks resulted from listening to Dan Sherman relating the events that led to the creation of his Big Book Awakening Workbook. From listening to his talk I started on a journey of learning more about the people who played a role in how it came about. I identified three common threads that are mingled among those involved: |
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"The Sponsorship Lineage" also known as helping others. When Dan gave his sponsorship lineage, I began to track down talks given by each of the individuals he mentioned and to listen to each. The project grew as different speakers mentioned others that had impacted their lives. This effort soon evolved into months of listening to these talks, most became favorites which have been listened to numerous times. The talks share a common message, listen and see if you also hear it. Some of Dan's facts concerning the events in Winnipeg and Denver were inconsistent with those who were directly involved in Winnipeg or Denver. Some speakers would not call themselves "sponsors", because the word "sponsor" did not appear in the first 164 pages of the Big Book. That word is used in other AA literature, although some did not accept the 12x12, sticking solely with the Big Book as their textbook. Each speaker has a unique personality and each shares their journey through their personality. What one speaker states should not imply that all in this collection hold or accept the same thoughts. Many of the speakers stated "if you hear something I say that is not in the Big Book then do not accept it". Listening to a speakers early talks and then a more recent one highlights those things that have worked for them over time on their journey. The chain begins with Bill Wilson working with Dr. Bob Smith, the same heritage shared by all living this way of life. Dr. Bob Smith sponsored both Paul Stanley and Earl Treat. Bill Wilson sponsored Tom Powers. Tom Powers was the first sponsor of Paul Martin. Paul Stanley impacted the life of Paul Martin. Earl Treat also sponsored Paul Martin, at a different time in his life. Paul Martin sponsored Gary B. Gary B sponsored Don Pritts and Bob O. Don Pritts, from this group, sponsored Joe Hawk, Mark Houston, and Don C. When Joe Hawk moved from Denver to Santa Monica CA he sponsored Dan Sherman. Although not his sponsor, Joe guided Clint Hodges through the Big Book, line-by-line when Clint had 20+ years of sobriety. Dan Sherman authored the Big Book Awakening Workbook and also sponsored Tyla C. Tyla C brought Mark Houston to San Diego to present a Big Book Weekend for a Women's Retreat. This retreat was the beginning of BBA in San Diego. (note: the roots of AA evolved from the Oxford Group. For information on Bill W, Dr Bob, Oxford Group, and early pioneers see the history page on this site) The following event is the common point shared by all on this page, even if they were not participants in it or even alive at the time. At the Denver 1975 AA International Convention a Canadian, Mac Cheater, led a conference workshop on working with those who could not maintain sobriety. Mac's story began when two men, from his home group, asked for his help to find a way to maintain their sobriety. One of these men, frustrated that he could not stay sober wondered if he was missing something that the successful members knew. He thought if he could just understand what the Big Book was really saying he might be able to maintain consistent sobriety. The men asked for a meeting just for "slippers" so it would keep the focus on their issue without judgment. Mac agreed to help and they began meeting early on Sunday mornings, hoping regular AA members would not attend. This group became known as the "Silver Slippers". Mac started them on the title page and they began to read line-by-line though the book. They began taking turns reading, asking questions, and discussing what the book was saying. When the book gave an instruction, the group acted on it, right in the meeting. If it said to kneel and pray, they did so as a group. This format and focus began working for them, and soon, others joined the group. You can hear Mac's 1975 workshop here. Attending Mac's workshop was a group of men from the Denver Young Peoples AA Group. Intrigued by the workshop, the Young People's members found Mac and spent more time with him. The result of the discussions was to start a new meeting based on the Silver Slippers' format. This Denver group formed with 14 people and began going line by line through the first 164 pages of the Big Book, taking each action directed as a group. The group met once a week in a basement owned by Jay Lebie in an area known as Goat Hill. Jay Lebie has passed (the last name spelling may be incorrect). The members recall chasing the goats off the porch to reach the front door. One group member, Eddie Durkin, decided he would not accept Step 2 and quit. Eddie left the group, got drunk, passed out in a store doorway near the bar, and froze to death. The remaining 13 finished the process and have maintained their sobriety since. Some group members mentioned are Gary B, Don Pritts, Bob O, Big Frank McKibben, Jay Lebie are mentioned in the talks. |
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Creation of the Big Book Awakening Workbook When Joe Hawk, sponsored by Don Pritts, moved from Denver to Santa Monica, he began to sponsor Dan Sherman. Dan is the author of the Big Book Awakening Workbook. As Dan worked through the Big Book with Joe, be would write his questions directly into his Big Book. He did this because he initially misunderstood Joe's directions to write down questions before the next work session. Joe noticed this but did not correct Dan as the method was working for Dan. Once Dan began to sponsor others, he formed a work group to take them through the Big Book together. One group member struggled with reading and organizing thoughts. In an attempt to help, Dan gave each person a copy so the man struggling would not feel called out. As the group progressed, they made suggestions and corrections to the notes, which evolved into a guidebook over time. The edited version became the now-book version of the Big Book Awakening Workbook. Joe Hawk and Mark Houston began taking Dan's Workbook to the workshops they gave nationwide. These were offered to the participants at the seminars as something that would guide them after the weekend was over. Initially, a set of copied sheets stapled together, a taper at one of these events, had them bound together with a plastic spline. This version was eventually bound into a softcopy version that made the workbook attractive, increasing the guide's popularity. The intent of the Big Book Awakening Workbook is to guide the process, not replace the text of the Big Book. More information on the BBA Workbook and Workshops. |
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Beginnings of the Fellowship of the Spirit Conference There are others, listed on this page, that are branches off this main tree but followed the same method of working the steps from the Big Book, not necessarily using the Big Book Awakening Workbook. For the most part Colorado's major convention each year was the State Convention, it was a large event with 1500+ attendees. The desire to have a more intimate time of fellowship stirred the desire to create a smaller conference that would provide fellowship for the whole family. A group got together to work out details. Mickey M & Marie M of Denver along with Don Pritts put up the initial funds to secure a venue. Mickey shared the same home group with Don Pritts and others involved. The name for the 1st conference was the "Breckenridge Conference" with the theme "Fellowship of the Spirit". At Don Pritts' insistence, workshops on the 12-steps were included. The theme of the first conference stuck. During their speaking engagements, Don Pritts & Joe Hawk started announcing that first conference, which resulted in 225 people from 25 different states attending that first year. As word spread of the conference, people from all over the US and internationally began to attend. Since that first conference, others have cloned the format worldwide. The talks by Mickey M include many more details about conference. |
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| The collection below includes an overview of each person mentioned in the sponsorship lineage and if available, a collection of their talks, workshops, and writings. They also include additional details to the events described above. Others are included that were either involved or mentioned during the talks. The narrative on this page was gleaned from listening to the talks in this collection. | ||
| Bill Wilson | Bob O | |
| Bob Smith | Big Frank McKibben | |
| Clint Hodges | Dan Sherman | |
| Don C | Don Pritts | |
| Earl Treat | Gary B | |
| Jimmy Williams |
Joe Hawk | |
| Mac Cheater | Mark Houston | |
| Mickey M | Mike L | |
| Mike S | Paul Kiebler | |
| Paul Martin | Paul Stanley | |
| Tom Powers | ||
| Paul Stanley (AA) of Akron OH (1895 - 1953) Paul was one of the early members of the group in Akron. Paul took his last drink on July 2, 1936. Dr. Bob would stop by his house on Tuesdays and Thursdays to drink coffee and discuss recovery. At first, their discussion topic was honesty, but after several meetings, Bob suggested Paul get honest with himself. The topic changed to faith in God. Their relationship evolved into what is now called sponsorship. Paul threw himself into doing 12th-step work. He visited Clarence Snyder in the hospital several times. Paul also led his brother Dick Stanley into AA. Dick's story, "The Car Smasher," in the first edition of the Big Book, was rewritten and renamed "He Had to be Shown" in the later editions. Paul's story in the first edition was named "Truth Freed Me!". Paul gave a talk in 1949, which was heard by Paul Martin. The talk he heard that day shaped the rest of his life. Before his accident, Paul sponsored a young man named Paul Kiebler who lived until 1989. We can listen to some of Paul Kiebler's talks, given the last few years of his life. In some of them he gives many details of how Paul Stanley worked with him, and what it was like in the early days of the Akron group with Dr. Bob, and how they used the Four Absolutes when taking the steps. You can find Paul Stanley's full AA bio at the aainthedesert.org site. |
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| Earl Treat (AA) of Chicago (1893 - 1962)
Earl grew up in the Akron area. In 1930, Earl moved to Chicago and was entirely in his alcoholism, which caused his wife, Katie, to call his father and tell him to get him.
His father took him back to Akron. For five years, he bounced back and forth between Chicago and Akron to sober up. In January of 1937, back in Akron with his father to sober
up, his father told him about the group in Akron who had the same problem but had found a way to stay sober. Earl knew two of them, one of them Howard, an ex-doctor, whom he
had once seen mooching a dime for a drink. He didn't think he was that bad and would not accept their assistance, still insisting he could do it on willpower. His solution
was to drink nothing for a month and, after that, only beer. Several months later, his father was back in Chicago to pick him up again, but his attitude had changed this time,
and he was willing to talk to the men in Akron. When they got to Akron, they routed Howard out of bed. He spent two hours talking to Earl that night. He was allowed to attend
his first meeting after meeting with eight or nine Akron men. Bill Dotson, AA Number Three, chaired that first meeting. There were eight or nine alcoholics at the meeting and
seven or eight wives. There was no Big Book yet and no literature except various religious pamphlets. The meeting lasted an hour and closed with the Lord's Prayer. Then they
had coffee and doughnuts and more discussion until early morning. Earl stayed in Akron for two or three weeks and spent much time with Dr. Bob, who took him through the steps
in one afternoon. Dr. Bob helped with the moral inventory by pointing out some of his flawed personality traits or character defects. Earl wished every alcoholic could benefit
from this type of sponsorship today. He returned to Chicago in 1937 and started AA there. After a time, he got angry when his wife criticized him for drinking coffee
and smoking, over this situation he slipped. Earl is the heavy smoker and coffee drinker mentioned on page 135 in "The Family Afterwards." When he slipped, he realized that the alcoholic must continue taking
his own inventory daily if he expects to get well and stay well. Dr. Dan Craske began referring prospects to him, and another doctor in Evanston referred a woman. Sylvia Kauffmann, the author of the story "The Keys to the Kingdom," was this woman. Earl suggested she go to Akron. There, they dried her out and explained the program to her, after which she returned to Chicago to work with Earl. Earl urged Bill Wilson to codify the AA experience, resulting in Bill writing "Twelve Points to Assure Our Future," first published in the April 1946 AA Grapevine. These are now known as the long form of the traditions. Earl later urged him to shorten them to the Twelve Traditions as we know them today. Earl died on October 16, 1962, with more than twenty-five years of sobriety. His story "He Sold Himself Short" was in the 2nd and 3rd editions of the Big Book. You can also find his full AA bio at the aainthedesert.org site and at the aaagnostica.org site. One of the men Earl sponsored was Paul Martin. (note: There are a few differences between the story in the book and the one above. His book story states his father was an alcoholic who died in 1901, when he was eight years old. His mother did remarry so it might of been his step-father who kept taking him for help.) |
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| Tom Powers (AA) of Chappaqua NY (1911 - 2005)
Tom spent most of his career in Advertising Agencies in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and New York City. Tom attended his first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in White Plains,
New York, in October 1941. After a few years of successful sobriety in AA, he struggled with AA's use of God and slowly stopped attending AA. Tom relapsed multiple times was
hospitalized many times, but remained a hardened alcoholic and drug addict. For four years, he battled his addictions without success until Easter weekend of 1946, when he had
a spiritual awakening. Returning to AA, with Bill Wilson as his sponsor, Powers gained sobriety in October 1946. He became a circuit speaker, sharing the importance of conscious
contact with a Higher Power. When Bill started writing the book "The Twelve Steps and The Twelve Traditions," he recruited Tom and magazine editor Betty Love to assist in its editing.
They would meet in "At Wits End," the office Bill built behind his house called "Stepping Stones" in Bedford Hills, NY. Tom also edited AA Comes of Age and a few other AA pamphlets.
Tom always considered Bill Wilson his sponsor, although he disassociated himself from Bill over a disagreement in 1958. Some members still consider Tom controversial due to statements
made in interviews after Bill Wilson's death. After his break with Bill Wilson, he moved to Hankins, NY. He established the East Ridge Clinic in Callicoon, NY, in 1961. Tom applied
the Twelve-Step Program to treat addictions such as drugs, eating, and sex. The East Ridge principles of recovery evolved into a recovery community known as
All Addicts Anonymous (AAA), that still operates today. In 1979, his book "Invitation To A Great Experiment" (Doubleday, 1979) was released. His work with AAA has been
carried on by his son. Gary B, during his 2008 Salt Lake City talk, states Tom Powers was
Paul Martin's first AA sponsor. "For the first time in all my years in AA, I took the card in my hand and read the Twelve Steps carefully, slowly, trying to understand what they are saying. I began to do this every day. I also read the Big Book, studying it as what it is: a textbook on the application of the Steps." from The Program Is A Life Jacket, by Tom Powers Sr. |
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Tom Powers - International Doctors In AA Conference - Atlanta GA ~ 1968 |
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Tom Powers - South Carolina Conference - Ocean Forest Hotel - Myrtle Beach SC ~ April 21-24 1966 |
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Tom Powers - 12 & 12 Banquet - Duluth WI ~ 18 September 1965 |
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Tom Powers - Lakeside Retreat - Lake Brownwood TX ~ 15 September 1962 |
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Tom Powers - Blackstone Retreat - Blackstone VA ~ 1 April 1963 |
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Tom Powers - Blackstone Retreat - Blackstone VA ~ 1961 |
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Tom Powers - North Carolina State Conference - Winston Salem NC ~ 15 Jan 1959 |
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Tom Powers - 1st Annual Al-Anon World Service Conference - Manhattan NY ~ 15 January 1958 - (poor quality older talk, recorded not connected to the PA system which caused an echo) |
| Invitation to a Great Experiment: Exploring the Possibility That God Can Be Known - by Tom E Powers published by Doubleday 1979 - (access to this title requires creating a free account at Internet Archive) - (not hosted on this site) | |
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| Paul Martin (AA) of Riverside IL (1922 - 2009)
When he was just 25, in 1947, Paul became sober. Paul grew up in Southern Georgia. Over his lifetime, he was a WWII Navy pilot, a professional wrestler,
and a boxer, ending up as a writer. His articles appeared in many magazines and were a staple in the Chicago Sunday Tribune Magazine. He also
authored many books. Personal friends with Bill and Lois, he was their house guest several times at Stepping Stones. Paul loved to laugh,
and his talks were full of jokes while his message was "the path to recovery is by daily working the steps." In 1949, Paul heard a talk by
Paul Stanley, whom Dr. Bob sponsored; this talk had a life-changing impact on Paul Martin's program. Gary B, in his 2008 Salt Lake City talk,
states that Tom Powers was Paul's first sponsor in AA. Other speakers mention Paul was
sponsored by Earl Treat.
Both versions are probably correct over Paul's lifetime.
Paul lost his battle with cancer, he died in 2009 with 62 years of sobriety. His obituary-eulogy can be found online at the
Chicago Sun-Times site. One of the many men Paul Martin sponsored was Gary B. Gary met Paul in 1973 when Paul spoke at the Wyatts AA Group meeting in Denver. Big Frank McKibben told him Paul was one speaker he should not miss. Gary recalls the talk: "I left the meeting knowing that I had just met a man who believed that the 12 Step program of AA was indeed "sufficient" for alcoholics and anyone else who might be motivated to go to the lengths we need." In 1985, Gary asked Paul to be his sponsor. Details of this relationship are in Gary's section on this page. "Recovery occurs by working the 12 Steps, not by attending meetings" - Paul "The same steps that got me sober, are the same steps that will heal any situation in my sobriety" - Paul |
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Paul Martin - speaking in Chicago ~ 14 May 2005 |
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Paul Martin - Music City Roundup - Nashville TN ~ 5 July 1997 |
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Paul Martin - Crested Butte Mountain Conference - Mt Crested Butte CO ~ July 1994 |
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Paul Martin - at the Circle 12 AA Group - Tyler TX ~ 8 April 1989 |
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Paul Martin - George State Convention - Albany GA ~ 15 October 1982 |
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Paul Martin - the Friday Night Big Meeting at the 40th AA International Conference - Denver CO ~ 4 July 1975 |
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Paul Martin - Tarheel Midwinter Conference - Durham NC ~ January 1968 |
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Paul Martin - San Antonio TX ~ 9 June 1967 |
| Mac Cheater (AA) of Winnipeg Canada (1922 - 1983).
(Neil MacKenzie Cheater) Mac organized the Golden Slippers in Winnipeg, a group for chronic "slippers." The group met once a week
and studied/worked the Big Book line by line to stay sober. Mac and other group members presented a workshop at the 1975 AA International Convention in Denver. This meeting sparked a group attending the Denver Young People's Group to incorporate the same method of working the steps through the big book. This group included Don Pritts and
Gary B. Mac, who served as a Trustee for AA, is considered the father of AA in Canada. If not, then he certainly was a pioneer
in Canadian AA. Mac has left an example of a life of service and sponsorship driven by the love and care he gave to others. "The study of the Big Book must be a Spiritual process not an academic process" - Mac Cheater |
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Mac Cheater - Wrightsville Beach Roundup - Wrightsville Beach NC ~ 8 November 1980 |
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Mac Cheater - Colorado State Convention - Colorado Springs CO ~ 27 September 1980 - (speech drags in a few places, due to a damaged cassette tape) |
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Mac - Gopher State Roundup - Minneapolis MN ~ 24 May 1980 |
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Mac - Blackstone Retreat - Blackstone VA ~ 1979 |
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Mac - Gopher State Roundup - Minneapolis MN ~ 16 September 1978 |
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Mac and friends presenting the workshop at the 1975 AA International Convention in Denver |
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Memorial Service for Mac - Winnipeg - 22 February 1983 |
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Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis -
Gary grew up on a farm in Cheyenne, WY. He started drinking as a teenager. He joined the military but was discharged after six months. Gary returned home and
married his high school girlfriend; they had three girls. As he continued drinking, his life fell apart. At 24, Gary's father-in-law put him on a bus and sent
him to a rehab facility. He got his introduction to AA and became sober in 1964. Returning sober, he was provided with an opportunity to get a college degree
in accounting. After completing school in 1968, he moved to Denver to work in the oil industry. In Denver, he started attending the Denver Young People Group.
Gary was sponsored by Paul Martin, and Gary sponsored Don Pritts
and Bob O.
Gary was one of the participants who worked the steps together with a group of 14 in Denver, going line by line through the Big Book, all of whom are still sober
or who have died sober. Gary moved to Indianapolis in 1977 and is a Dignitary Sympathy AA Group member in Indianapolis. With over 20 years of sobriety, Gary found
himself in trouble. In 1985, he contacted Paul Martin, who became his sponsor. Paul had Gary work a 4th step again. Paul recruited a group of men from his group,
the LaGrange group, Who each shared their 5th step with Gary first, and then Gary shared his 5th step in return. This process resulted in Gary sharing his 5th step
nine times, each time with a different person, over the weekend. At the end of the weekend, the group met together and assisted Gary in writing his amends list.
Gary has been a circuit speaker for many years. He was involved in starting the first Fellowship of the Spirit Conference in 1993 in Breckenridge, Colorado.
In many of his talks, Gary refers to a Denver group member, Ernie. Ernie disappeared and then reappeared transformed. Ernie, during a geographical relocation
solution attempt, stumbled across Bob White, who had taken him back through the steps which changed
Ernie's life. This is mentioned as many of Bob's talks are available on
this site. "If your are trying to live a spiritual life and you tell a lie in one part of your life, it will impact every other area of your life" - Gary B |
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Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN and Bob O (AA) of Centennial CO - Fellowship of the Spirit - Big Book Sessions - Camp Mikell - Toccoa Georgia ~ April 2017 |
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Gary B & Bob O - FOTS Toccoa Georgia ~ 2017 - Talk 1 |
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Gary B & Bob O - FOTS Toccoa Georgia ~ 2017 - Talk 2 |
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Gary B & Bob O - FOTS Toccoa Georgia ~ 2017 - Talk 3 |
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Gary B & Bob O - FOTS Toccoa Georgia ~ 2017 - Talk 4 |
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Gary B & Bob O - FOTS Toccoa Georgia ~ 2017 - Talk 5 |
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Gary B & Bob O - FOTS Toccoa Georgia ~ 2017 - Talk 6 |
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Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN and Bob O (AA) of Centennial CO - 12-Step Sessions - The Depth & Weight Speaker Group - Buffalo NY ~ 20 May 2016 |
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Gary B & Bob O - Buffalo NY ~ 2016 - Talk 1 |
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Gary B & Bob O - Buffalo NY ~ 2016 - Talk 2 |
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Gary B & Bob O - Buffalo NY ~ 2016 - Talk 3 |
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Gary B & Bob O - Buffalo NY ~ 2016 - Talk 4 |
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Gary B & Bob O - Buffalo NY ~ 2016 - Talk 5 |
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Gary B & Bob O - Buffalo NY ~ 2016 - Talk 6 |
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Gary B (AA) - Working Steps 8 & 9 - Gotham City Roundup - Brooklyn NY ~ 23 August 2014 |
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Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN - Fellowship Of The Spirit - Cuyahoga Falls OH - 9 August 2014 |
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Gary B - FOTS - Cuyahoga Falls OH ~ 2014 - Talk 1 of 2 |
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Gary B - FOTS - Cuyahoga Falls OH ~ 2014 - Talk 2 of 2 |
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Gary B - Steps 8 & 9 - Fellowship of the Spirit - Copper Mountain CO ~ 28 June 2013 |
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Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN and Bob O (AA) of Centennial CO – Big Book Experience - Monastery of the Holy Spirit - Conyers GA in Grass Valley CA ~ 2013 |
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Gary B (AA) - Banff Roundup - Banff Alberta Canada ~ March 2012 |
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Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN and Bob O (AA) of Centennial CO - Common Solution Roundup - China Peak Mountain Resort in Lakeshore CA ~ 2010 |
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Gary B & Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2010 - Talk 1 |
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Gary B & Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2010 - Talk 2 |
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Gary B & Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2010 - Talk 3 |
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Gary B & Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2010 - Talk 4 |
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Gary B & Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2010 - Talk 5 |
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Gary B & Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2010 - Talk 6 |
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Gary Brown (AA) of Indianapolis IN and Bob Olson (AA) of Centennial CO - A Day In The Steps - Santa Monica CA ~ 2010 |
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Gary B and Bob O - in Santa Monica CA ~ 2010 - Talk 1 |
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Gary B and Bob O - in Santa Monica CA ~ 2010 - Talk 2 |
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Gary B and Bob O - in Santa Monica CA ~ 2010 - Talk 3 |
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Gary B and Bob O - in Santa Monica CA ~ 2010 - Talk 4 |
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Gary B and Bob O - in Santa Monica CA ~ 2010 - Talk 5 |
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Gary B and Bob O - in Santa Monica CA ~ 2010 - Talk 6 |
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Gary B at Lake Murray Men’s Conference in Ardmore, OK ~ March 6th-8th 2009 |
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Gary B - Salt Lake City UT ~ April 2008 |
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Gary B of Indianapolis - FOTS - Ocean Shores WA ~ 2005 |
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Gary B of Indianapolis - FOTS - Queens NY ~ August 2004 |
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Gary B - Freedom In Sobriety - Fife WA ~ 23 July 1999 |
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Gary B - 4th Annual Rule 62 Roundup - Cincinnati OH ~ 1994 |
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Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN, Don Pritts (AA) of Aurora CO, and Joe Hawk (AA) of Santa Monica CA - How To Work The Steps - in Louisville KY ~ 1 July 1991 |
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Gary, Don, Joe - How To Work The Steps - Louisville KY ~ 1 July 1991 - Part 1 |
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Gary, Don, Joe - How To Work The Steps - Louisville KY ~ 1 July 1991 - Part 2 |
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Gary B - Winter Holiday III - Neosho MO ~ November 1983 |
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Gary B - Gopher State Roundup - Minneapolis MN ~ 1 July 1978 |
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Don Pritts (AA) of Aurora CO - (1934 - 2005)
Don grew up in an average family in the Denver area. From an early age,
he felt he was different from everyone else, no matter what group he was
in. His first drink at 11 made him sick. He started drinking at 15 in
high school and thought he had found the cure for his insecurities. Don
was the only alcoholic in his family. Don joined the Navy at 19 but
served time in a military prison for repeated AOWLs due to his drinking
activities. The following events may not be chronological as they are
gleaned from many of Don's talks. Over his life, he served time in 3
penitentiaries. Discharged, he moved to the San Francisco area. He
attended Berkley for a time, where he became involved in numerous
criminal activities, including burglary. He moved back to Denver,
married, and had two sons. His first wife left him with two small sons
to raise while still battling alcoholism. He traveled the country with
his sons until they reached school age when he returned to Denver.
During the 1966 week of Christmas, his life came to a breaking point.
His mother told him he could not attend the family Christmas; she could
no longer stand to see him killing himself. Federal agents raided his apartment, serving drug smuggling warrants and
parole violations the day after Christmas. During the raid, his
4-year-old son was nearly shot by an agent. He was arrested and charged
with nine felony counts, which carried three years to life. The courts
sent his sons to foster homes. He got a plea bargain, which resulted in
him serving time in a Colorado State Penitentiary for 18 months. Other
inmates led a 5-week 12-step study group in prison, which met every
Saturday and Sunday. Don completed this course, which qualified him to
attend the weekly AA meetings brought to the prison by civilian AA
members from the community. Convinced of his lack of power to live life,
Don became sober in 1967 and joined AA 5 months later. He started making
amends while in prison, writing letters to those he had harmed.
Returning to Denver, he attended AA meetings and involved himself in
service and AA activities. He eventually started attending the Denver AA
Young People's Group on Sunday nights. He met Mac Cheater
from Winnipeg, Canada at the AA International Conference in Denver in
1975.
Mac presented a workshop about his "Silver Slippers" home group and how
alcoholics who had not found continued sobriety were doing so by working
the steps directly from the Big Book. Mac's talk profoundly impacted
Don's approach to working the 12 Steps with others. He eventually married and became the father to two stepdaughters. He
worked as a truck driver and a roofer. At one point, he moved to
Southern Pines, NC, for work before returning to Aurora. His service
work included serving as a WSO AA Alcoholic Delegate and Trustee. He was
part of the team that took AA to Russia in the late nineteen-eighties.
Don, his wife, and Mickey
& Marie M started Fellowship of the Spirit Conference
(aka FOTS) in 1993 in Breckenridge Colorado. Since that first conference
others have cloned the FOTS format and it has spread across the US and
world. Don died of cancer in 2005 and has left a significant mark on persons in all types of recovery that continues today. Don was sponsored by Gary B. Four of the men Don sponsored, were Bob O, Don C, Joe Hawk, and Mark Houston. (another speaker recommended listening to is Frank M of Orland Park IL - Frank, in some of his talks, suggests to his audiences to listen to talks by Don Pritts. When Frank's group started holding beginners meetings, working line by line through the Big Book, the retention rate of newcomers exploded.) "Truth shared without love, is cruelty" - Don Pitts |
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Don Pritts - Puttin' Sober AA Group - Denver Colorado ~ 19 March 2005 - (his last AA talk - Don passed the next day) |
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Don Pritts - Sponsorship Conference - Tacoma Washington ~ 5 September 2004 |
| Don Pritts - Salt River Intergroup Summer Roundup - Scottsdale AZ ~ 13 August 2004 | |
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Don Pritts - Practicing These Principles - Scottsdale ~ 13 August 2004 |
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Don Pritts - His Story - Scottsdale ~ 13 August 2004 |
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Don Pritts - at Blackstone VA - March 2004 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Seminar - Caribbean Cruise ~ 6 March 2004 |
| Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend at Camden Maine ~ 2003 | |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 1 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 2 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 3 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 4 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 5 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 6 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 7 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 8 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Weekend - Part 9 |
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Don Pritts - A Design For Living - Traditions & Concepts As They Apply To Our Daily Lives - Spokane WA ~ 22-23 November 2002 |
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Don - Traditions & Concepts - Spokane WA ~ 2002 - P1 |
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Don - Traditions & Concepts - Spokane WA ~ 2002 - P2 |
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Don - Traditions & Concepts - Spokane WA ~ 2002 - P3 |
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Don - Traditions & Concepts - Spokane WA ~ 2002 - P4 |
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Don - Traditions & Concepts - Spokane WA ~ 2002 - P5 |
| Don Pritts & Tom Ivester - Steps & Service Workshop - Richmond VA ~ July 2002 | |
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Don & Tom - Steps & Service - Richmond VA ~ 2002 - P1 |
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Don & Tom - Steps & Service - Richmond VA ~ 2002 - P2 |
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Don & Tom - Steps & Service - Richmond VA ~ 2002 - P3 |
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Don & Tom - Steps & Service - Richmond VA ~ 2002 - P4 |
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Don & Tom - Steps & Service - Richmond VA ~ 2002 - P5 |
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Don & Tom - Steps & Service - Richmond VA ~ 2002 - P6 |
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Don Pritts (AA) of Aurora CO & Jerry E (AA) of Denver - Big Book Weekend - Stony Point NY ~ 14 December 2001 |
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Don & Jerry - Big Book Weekend - Part 1 |
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Don & Jerry - Big Book Weekend - Part 2 |
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Don & Jerry - Big Book Weekend - Part 3 |
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Don & Jerry - Big Book Weekend - Part 4 |
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Don & Jerry - Big Book Weekend - Part 5 |
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Don & Jerry - Big Book Weekend - Part 6 |
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Don & Jerry - Big Book Weekend - Part 7 |
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Don & Jerry - Big Book Weekend - Part 8 |
| Don Pritts - Big Book Workshop - Richmond VA ~ 14 August 1999 | |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Workshop at Richmond VA - Part 1 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Workshop at Richmond VA - Part 2 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Workshop at Richmond VA - Part 3 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Workshop at Richmond VA - Part 4 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Workshop at Richmond VA - Part 5 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Workshop at Richmond VA - Part 6 |
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Don Pritts - Big Book Workshop at Richmond VA - Part 7 |
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Don Pritts - Santa Monica CA ~ April 1998 |
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Don Pritts - "A Spiritual Journey" - The Strange Camels Group - Slidell LA ~ 5-7 December 1997 |
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Don Pritts - Slidell LA ~ December 1997 - Part 1 of 6 |
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Don Pritts - Slidell LA ~ December 1997 - Part 2 of 6 |
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Don Pritts - Slidell LA ~ December 1997 - Part 3 of 6 |
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Don Pritts - Slidell LA ~ December 1997 - Part 4 of 6 |
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Don Pritts - Slidell LA ~ December 1997 - Part 5 of 6 |
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Don Pritts - Slidell LA ~ December 1997 - Part 6 of 6 |
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Don Pritts - The Alabama-NW FL Al-Anon Convention
- Panama City Beach, FL - 22 September 1996 |
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Don Pritts - Cedar Rapids IA ~ 12 May 1996 |
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Don Pritts - Pacific Group - Brentwood CA ~ 4 August 1993 |
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Don Pritts - Maryland State Convention - Hagerstown MD ~ 20 June 1992 |
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Don Pritts - Joe & Charlie Big Book Experience - Saturday Night Speaker - Loveland CO ~ 26 July 1991 |
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Don Pritts (AA) of Aurora CO, Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN, and Joe Hawk (AA) of Santa Monica CA - How To Work The Steps - in Louisville KY ~ 1 July 1991 |
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Don Pritts - speaking at the Iowa State AA Conference ~ 1990 |
| Don Pritts (AA) of Aurora CO - Bozeman MT ~ 25 February 1990 | |
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Don Pritts - Sunday Afternoon Talk - Bozeman MT ~ 25 February 1990 |
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Don Pritts - Sunday Evening Talk - Bozeman MT ~ 25 February 1990 |
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Don Pritts - Sponsorship - 1st Hiawatha Land Get-Together - Rochester MN ~ 20 October 1989 |
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Don Pritts - Santa Monica CA ~
1988 - speaking at Joe Hawk's home group |
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Don Pritts - Founder's Day - Akron Ohio ~ 10 June 1988 |
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Don Pritts - Winnipeg Mid-Winter Conference - Winnipeg BC ~ January 1988 |
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Don Pritts - Iowa Fall Conference - Dubuque IA ~ 11 October 1986 |
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Don Pritts - Reno Spring Festival - Reno NV ~ 30 March 1986 |
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Don Pritts - Little Rock AR ~ January 1984 |
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Don Pritts - 38th Texas State Convention - Houston ~ 24 June 1983 |
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Don Pritts - Scottsbluff NE ~ 23 April 1983 |
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Don Pritts - North Platte NE ~ 4 November 1972 |
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jump to the top of this page |
| Bob O (AA) of Centennial CO - Bob is the son of a violent alcoholic and a mother with mental issues. He grew up in the Madison, WI area. His father left the family, and his mother struggled to care for Bob and his younger sister. When Bob was ten, his mother could no longer care for both children, so she sent him to live with various relatives and foster homes. Bob discovered the "alcohol solution" when he was 17. On the street drunk, two local policemen beat him up. He shot up the town's electric plant for retribution and knocked out the town's electrical power. The police, once they identified him as the culprit, arrested him during his high school football practice. Still a senior in high school, the judge gave him the choice of spending two years in the state penitentiary or joining the Navy for four years. In the Navy, his alcoholism flourished. He was a forward beach observer during the US invasion of Lebanon in July 1958, directing incoming US artillery. Once discharged, he attended the University of Wisconsin and continued to work on his alcoholism. With a fresh college degree, he became a bill collector for a loan shark in the projects of Chicago. Now drinking a fifth each day, he moved back to Wisconsin, went door to door collecting on loans, and then worked for a paper mill as a salesman. Here, he became sober in 1973. Hired by Kraft Foods, he moved to Denver. In Denver, he went to the York Street AA group and met Don Pritts, who became his sponsor. He was one of the 14 who worked the steps together as a group, formed after Mac Cheater at the 1975 AA International Convention in Denver. He is a member of the Happy Way Group in Englewood CO, and his sponsor is Gary B. He has been a circuit speaker for many years. | |
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| Bob O - OcSoberFest - Pueblo CO ~ 27 October 2018 |
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Bob O (AA) of Centennial CO and Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN - Fellowship of the Spirit - Big Book Sessions - Camp Mikell - Toccoa Georgia ~ April 2017 - 6 talks in series |
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Bob O (AA) of Centennial CO and Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN - The 12-Step Sessions - The Depth & Weight Speaker Group - Buffalo NY ~ 20 May 2016 - 6 talks in series |
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Bob O (AA) of Littleton CO & Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN - Big Book Experience -Monastery of the Holy Spirit - Conyers GA in Grass Valley CA ~ 2013 |
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| Session 1 - Gary B |
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| Session 2 - Bob O |
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| Session 3 - Steps 1 & 2 |
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| Session 4 - Steps 2 & 3 |
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| Session 5 - Step 4 |
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| Session 6 - Step 5 |
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| Session 7 - Steps 6, 7 & 8 |
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| Session 8 - Step 9 |
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| Session 9 - Steps 10 & 11 |
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| Session 10 - Step 12 |
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Bob O (AA) of Centennial CO and Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN - Common Solution Roundup - China Peak Mountain Resort in Lakeshore CA ~ 2010 - 6 talks in series |
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Bob O (AA) of Denver CO - Emotional Sobriety Workshop in Grass Valley, CA in 2009 |
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| Bob O – Emotional Sobriety Workshop ~ 2009 - Part 1 |
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| Bob O – Emotional Sobriety Workshop ~ 2009 - Part 2 |
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| Bob O – Emotional Sobriety Workshop ~ 2009 - Part 3 |
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| Bob O – Emotional Sobriety Workshop ~ 2009 - Part 4 |
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| Bob O – Emotional Sobriety Workshop ~ 2009 - Part 5 |
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| Bob O – Emotional Sobriety Workshop ~ 2009 - Part 6 |
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Bob O (AA) of Denver CO - Big Book Weekend - Camp Hill PA ~ June 2009 |
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| Bob O - Big Book Weekend - Camp Hill PA ~ June 2009 - Part 1 |
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| Bob O - Big Book Weekend - Camp Hill PA ~ June 2009 - Part 2 |
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| Bob O - Big Book Weekend - Camp Hill PA ~ June 2009 - Part 3 |
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| Bob O - Big Book Weekend - Camp Hill PA ~ June 2009 - Part 4 |
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Bob O - Big Book Weekend - Camp Hill PA ~ June 2009 - Part 5 |
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Bob O - Big Book Weekend - Camp Hill PA ~ June 2009 - Part 6 |
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Bob O - Gratitude Roundup - Calgary Alberta Canada ~ 1 June 2008 |
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Bob O - Big Book Workshop - Common Solution Roundup, China Peak Mountain Resort, in Lakeshore CA ~ 2006 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2006 - Part 1 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2006 - Part 2 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2006 - Part 3 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2006 - Part 4 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2006 - Part 5 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2006 - Part 6 |
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Bob O - Gopher State Roundup - Minneapolis MN ~ 2007 |
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Bob O - Marietta Roundup - Marietta GA ~ 30 April 2006 |
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Bob O - Northside Fellowship Speaker Meeting - Fresno CA ~ 4 June 2004 |
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Bob O - Big Book Workshop - Common Solution Roundup, China Peak Mountain Resort, in Lakeshore CA ~ 2004 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2004 - Part 1 - His Story |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2004 - Part 2 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2004 - Part 3 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2004 - Part 4 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2004 - Part 5 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2004 - Part 6 |
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Bob O - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2004 - Part 7 |
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Bob O (AA) of Denver CO - BB Weekend - West Virginia ~ 2002 |
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Bob O - Big Book Weekend ~ 2002 - Part 1 |
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Bob O - Big Book Weekend ~ 2002 - Part 2 |
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Bob O - Big Book Weekend ~ 2002 - Part 3 |
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Bob O - Big Book Weekend ~ 2002 - Part 4 |
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Bob O - Hiawathaland Get-Together - Austin MN ~ 17 October 2002 |
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Bob O - Saturday Night Speaker at the Joe & Charlie Big Book Weekend - Augusta GA ~ 1 March 1997 |
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| Bob O - Huntsville Roundup - Huntsville AL ~ February 1993 |
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| Bob O - Akron OH ~ June 1991 |
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| Bob O - Top O' Texas - Amarillo TX ~ October 1987 |
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| Bob O - Phoenix AZ ~ 17 November 1984 |
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| Bob O - Springtime In The Ozarks - Eureka Springs AR ~ 14 April 1978 |
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jump to the top of this page |
| "Big" Frank McKibben (AA) of Denver CO (1929 - 2006) - Frank got sober on March 6th,1966. Frank was a sheep rancher and a trial attorney in Denver. Frank believed in working through all the steps at least once each year. Frank states he is not a circuit speaker. Frank was Don C's first sponsor. Don recalls in his Toronto talk the following about Frank: Frank would not accept the 12x12, only using the Big Book. Frank got upset with how things were going in his AA group, so he started an underground meeting in his basement for the people he sponsored. This group was closed to outsiders, and they studied and practiced living out of the Big Book. They met for seven years, closed and underground, before they opened the meeting to others to participate. Other area members nicknamed Frank's underground group the "God Squad." After Frank's group emerged from the netherworld, they started sponsoring others, taking them through the steps - the same way they had. This once-underground group had a profound impact on many people. Joe Hawk and Mark Houston mention Big Frank multiple times in their talks. Big Frank, well known in the Denver AA area, a friend to Gary B, and Don Pritts, and his message impacted both Joe Hawk and Mark Houston in their early years of sobriety in Denver. Frank also sponsored Mike S of Denver. Big Frank died of cancer on February 14th, 2006. "We recover by the Steps we take, not the meetings we make" - Big Frank. | |
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| Big Frank McKibben (AA) of Denver - Top O' Top Roundup - Indianapolis ~ 1996 |
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| Big Frank McKibben (AA) of Denver - Rushmore Roundup - Rapid City SD ~ 1991 |
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| Big Frank McKibben (AA) of Denver - The Greeley Roundup - Greeley CO ~ 10 Nov 1984 |
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Joe Hawk AA of Santa Monica CA - (1952 - 2007)
Joe grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan. When he got into his fathers liquor cabinet at the age of
12 years, he made the discovery that alcohol removed the feeling he was different from
everyone else. At 14, not able to control him, his family sent him to Boston
to a Military School. Returning to Michigan, still a teen, Joe was
arrested multiple times on drug charges, which his father was able to
have the charges dropped. In Michigan, at 19, arrested on charges for armed
robbery and forgery, he was sent to the Michigan Penitentiary. He was
released on parole at 21. From 21 to 30 he traveled around. In Las Vegas
and became a black jack dealer. Somewhere during this time he got a
degree and worked in the chemical dependency but was still drinking an
drugging while working at a treatment center. He moved to Key West where drinking and drug use
continued for
the next 6
years. Having to flee Key West he looked up an old friend that lived in Denver.
There he put himself in a rehab facility, but left before he was
finished. He lived for a few weeks on the streets of Denver. Tired he
checked back into the treatment center where he heard Don Pritts speak on a Friday night. Joe became sober in 1982 in Denver after
17 years of drinking, when he was 30. Out of treatment, he started attending the meetings at York Street.
After 6-months
he asked Don Pritts to become his sponsor. Joe
stayed in Denver for 5 more years. Joe moved to Santa
Monica, CA and stayed for ten years. There,
he sponsored Dan Sherman. He partnered many
times with Mark Houston, giving Big Book Seminars nationwide. Joe spent
five years in India, assisting in setting up a drug and alcohol
treatment program for the Tibetan government. Joe returned to the US and
lived for 2 years then moved to Brazil. He
lived there for the last two years of his life. In 2007, while in Brazil,
Joe had a massive heart attack while sleeping and died. The "Set Aside Prayer" came about after Don Pritts mentioned to Joe, that because Joe had so much training and knowledge about alcoholism, he should pray asking for help to set aside this knowledge so he could have a new experience. Joe tells the story of the prayer in the first tape of the Taos BB Workshop. When Joe talked in Nashville in 1990, he credits Don Pritts for suggesting it. In the 2002 FOTS New York Workshop, Joe talks about how he and Don Pritts were concerned how the wording of the prayer had changed and the prayer had become ritualized, with people just reciting words. Joe states, "The version of the prayer in the BBA Workbook implies that I can set aside thoughts with some assistance from a Higher Power". He did not care for the use of the word enable. In the 2nd tape of his 2004 "The Work" series he brings up the prayer again and says it should not be written down and read but should be prayed by you each time it is used. "Studying the Big Book will not produce a spiritual experience, unless there is action, you have wasted your time" - Joe Hawk "The only time you can trust God is right now" - Joe Hawk |
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Joe Hawk of Santa Monica CA - Workshop titled "The Work" in Central Valley CA ~ 2004 |
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| Joe Hawk - Central Valley CA ~ 2004 - Part 01 |
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| Joe Hawk - Central Valley CA ~ 2004 - Part 02 |
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| Joe Hawk - Central Valley CA ~ 2004 - Part 03 |
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| Joe Hawk - Central Valley CA ~ 2004 - Part 04 |
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| Joe Hawk - Central Valley CA ~ 2004 - Part 05 |
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| Joe Hawk - Central Valley CA ~ 2004 - Part 06 |
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| Joe Hawk - Central Valley CA ~ 2004 - Part 07 |
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Joe Hawk of Santa Monica CA & Mark Houston of Austin TX - Big Book Study at Prescott AZ ~ April 4th-6th 2003 |
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| Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Prescott AZ - Cover to Page 23 - Part 01 |
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| Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Prescott AZ - Page 23 to 45 - Part 02 |
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| Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Prescott AZ - Steps 3 & 4 - Part 03 |
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| Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Prescott AZ - Steps 4 - 7 - Part 04 |
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| Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Prescott AZ - Steps 8 & 9 - Part 05 |
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| Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Prescott AZ - Steps 9 - 11 - Part 06 |
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| Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Prescott AZ - Steps 10 - 12 - Part 07 |
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| Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Prescott AZ - Steps 10 - 12 - Part 08 |
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Joe Hawk of Santa Monica CA & Mark Houston of Austin TX - Big Book Study at FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 -(this is the first time Joe has talked publically in 5 years, since his return from India and Tibet) |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 01 of 10 - meditation led by Joe to start conference |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 02 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 03 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 04 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 05 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 06 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 07 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 08 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 09 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 10 of 10 |
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Joe Hawk - Fellowship of the Spirit - Yucaipa CA ~ 3 September 2000 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Big Book Workshop - Battle Creek Michigan - 1 November 1995 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 1 of 8 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 2 of 8 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 3 of 8 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 4 of 8 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 5 of 8 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 6 of 8 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 7 of 8 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 8 of 8 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Big Book Workshop - Taos New Mexico - 1995 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 1 of 9 - history of the Set Aside Prayer is told by Joe on this tape. |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 2 of 9 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 3 of 9 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 4 of 9 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 5 of 9 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 6 of 9 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 7 of 9 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 8 of 9 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 9 of 9 |
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Joe Hawk - Tri-City Spring Rally - Port Moody BC Canada ~ 18 June 1995 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - Big Book Workshop - Lafayette Louisiana - 1994 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 01 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 02 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 03 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 04 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 05 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 06 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 07 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 08 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 09 |
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Joe Hawk & Mark Houston - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 10 |
| Joe Hawk (AA) of Santa Monica CA - BB Workshop - Cornhusker Roundup ~ 1992 | |
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Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Cornhusker Roundup ~ 1992 - 01 of 05 |
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Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Cornhusker Roundup ~ 1992 - 02 of 05 |
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Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Cornhusker Roundup ~ 1992 - 03 of 05 |
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Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Cornhusker Roundup ~ 1992 - 04 of 05 |
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Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Cornhusker Roundup ~ 1992 - 05 of 05 |
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Joe Hawk tells his story at the Music City Roundup in Nashville TN ~ July 1992 |
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Joe Hawk at the Pacific Group in Culver City CA ~ 18 September 1991 |
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Joe Hawk (AA) of Santa Monica CA, Don Pritts (AA) of Aurora CO, and Gary B (AA) of Indianapolis IN - How To Work The Steps - in Louisville KY ~ 1 July 1991 |
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Joe Hawk - Music City Roundup - Nashville TN ~ 31 July 1990
- Joe gives an overview of repeatedly working the steps out of the Big Book |
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Joe Hawk AA of Santa Monica CA - a weekly Step Study given at the Santa Monica Salvation Army in 1987 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 01 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 02 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 03 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 04 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 05 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 06 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 07 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 08 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 09 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 10 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 11 |
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Joe Hawk - 12 Step Study at Salvation Army Santa Monica CA ~ July 1987 Part 12 |
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Joe Hawk - AA International Convention - Montreal Canada ~ July 1985 - speaking in a workshop panel "Identification: Are We Losing It?" |
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jump to the top of this page |
|
Mark Houston (AA) of Austin TX (1946 - 2010) -
He was born in 1946 in Iowa and raised on the family farm. He started
drinking as a teenager. He started College, working toward a degree in
teaching, and drinking. Over the next 6 years he attended three of them
with no degree. The local draft board decided
he was a good candidate so Mark served in Vietnam, and his
alcoholism flourished. Out of the service, he got married, and
took a job in with an insurance company in San Francisco. Then relocated
to Portland, Oregon, divorced then moved to Seattle, and then on to Anchorage.
Mark says the beginning of the end came for him there. Fired for his
behavior he moved to Denver, to live with his family, that was now
living there. He married again and continued to drink. Mark checked
himself into a Rehab center and became sober in 1982. Once out he
attended AA, in Denver. Mark became a sales manager, selling
cameras and electronic equipment. Observing Joe Hawk getting better as he
worked the steps with Don Pritts, motivated Mark
to ask
Don to also work with him.
After about seven years of sobriety Mark entered treatment to deal with
PTSD issues. In 1991, he began working in the chemical dependency field
in Hunt, Texas, and then in Dallas, Texas. In 2006 he moved to Austin
and founded a recovery center for men unable to maintain long-term sobriety. In 2009,
he established a similar facility for women there. Mark was a popular circuit
speaker, and he partnered many times with Joe Hawk and others, giving Big Book
Seminars around the country. Mark died on 19 February 2010. |
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Mark Houston - The Truth of Losing Your Connection To Step 1 - This is a portion of Mark's talk on Step 1 that gives an indepth discussion to being powerless over our addictions and the solution to that. This talk was given at the Fellowship of the Spirit New York Conference, held at St. John's University Manhattan Campus in July 2001. |
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Mark Houston (AA) of Austin TX - Tyler TX ~ January 2010 - His Last Talk |
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Mark Houston (AA,CA) of Austin TX - Toronto ~ Nov 2009 - Keynote Talk at the Southern Ontario Cocaine Anonymous Conference |
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Mark Houston (AA,CA) of Austin TX - Toronto ~ Nov 2009 - at the Southern Ontario Cocaine Anonymous Conference - Launching Pad to the 4th Dimension - Steps 10-11-12 |
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Mark Houston - New England Fellowship of the Spirit conference in Portland ME ~ 7 March 2009 |
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Mark Houston - Austin TX ~ Nov 2008 - speaking at the 2nd Anniversary of the Primary Purpose Group - Charlie Parker introduces Mark |
| Mark Houston of Austin TX - Cabo Mexico - March 2008 | |
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Mark Houston - Cabo Mexico - March 2008 Talk 1 |
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Mark Houston - Cabo Mexico - March 2008 Talk 2 |
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Mark Houston - Cabo Mexico - March 2008 Talk 3 |
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Mark Houston of Austin TX & Peter M of Union NJ - The Power of Steps
10 & 11 - London Primary Purpose Convention - London England - 9 Dec 2006 |
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Mark & Peter - Steps 10-11 - 9 Dec 2006 Talk 1 |
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Mark & Peter - Q&A Session - 9 Dec 2006 Talk 2 |
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Mark Houston - Hollow Bone - Del Mar, San Diego County CA ~ Nov 2006 |
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Mark Houston - Fort Worth TX ~ Nov 2005 |
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Mark Houston - McHenry's Soberfest - Fontana-On-Geneva-Lake WI ~ Nov 2004 |
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Mark Houston - Big Bear CA ~ 11 September 2004 - Fellowship of the Spirit West Conference |
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Mark Houston of Austin TX & Joe Hawk of Santa Monica CA - Big Book Study at Prescott AZ ~ April 4th-6th 2003 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Prescott AZ - Cover to Page 23 - Part 01 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Prescott AZ - Page 23 to 45 - Part 02 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Prescott AZ - Steps 3 & 4 - Part 03 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Prescott AZ - Steps 4 - 7 - Part 04 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Prescott AZ - Steps 8 & 9 - Part 05 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Prescott AZ - Steps 9 - 11 - Part 06 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Prescott AZ - Steps 10 - 12 - Part 07 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Prescott AZ - Steps 10 - 12 - Part 08 |
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Mark Houston - Staten Island NY ~ 8 December 2002 - Way Out AA Group |
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Mark Houston - West Orange NJ ~ May 2002 - Carry This Message AA Group |
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Mark Houston of Austin TX & Joe Hawk of Santa Monica CA - Big Book Study at FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 -(first time Joe has talked publically in 5 years, since his return from India and Tibet) |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 01 of 10 - meditation led by Joe to start conference |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 02 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 03 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 04 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 05 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 06 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 07 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 08 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 09 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - FOTS - NYC ~ 2002 - Part 10 of 10 |
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Mark Houston (AA), Dave F (AA) Village Green NJ - The Next Step - Emotional Sobriety -
In A "Working" Retreat Format - The Wilson House - East Dorset VT ~ 8-10
Feb 2002. This event was inspired by the Fellowship of the Spirit New York Conference held in July 2001 that Mark and Dave led on Emotional Sobriety - those talks are directly below this event. |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 01 of 09 |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 02 of 09 |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 03 of 09 |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 04 of 09 |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 05 of 09 |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 06 of 09 |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 07 of 09 |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 08 of 09 |
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Mark Houston, Dave F - Wilson House - East Dorset VT Talk 09 of 09 |
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The Next Step - Handout & Exercises by Dave F 2002 - pdf file |
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Mark Houston of Austin TX and Dave F of Village Green NJ - Fellowship of the Spirit New York - 27-29 July 2001 - with Chris R (AA) of Hunt TX - as Saturday night speaker from this series a follow-up workshop was sparked - "The Next Step - Emotional Sobriety A Working Retreat". It was held at The Wilson House 8-10 Feb 2002 - these talks are located directly above |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 01 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 02 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 03 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 04 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 05 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 06 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 07 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 08 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 09 of 10 |
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Mark Houston & Dave F - FOTS - NYC ~ July 2001 - Part 10 of 10 |
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all handouts from conference - Step Exercises by Dave F - includes Steel on Steel - pdf file |
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Mark Houston of Austin TX - at The Glass House Group in Fort Worth TX ~ January 2001 |
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Mark Houston - Fort Worth TX ~ January 2001 Talk 1 |
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Mark Houston - Fort Worth TX ~ January 2001 Talk 2 |
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Mark Houston - Fort Worth TX ~ January 2001 Talk 3 |
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Mark Houston - Fort Worth TX ~ January 2001 Talk 4 |
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Mark Houston - Tennessee State Convention - Nashville ~ August 2000 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Big Book Workshop - Battle Creek Michigan - 1 November 1995 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 1 of 8 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 2 of 8 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 3 of 8 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 4 of 8 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 5 of 8 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 6 of 8 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 7 of 8 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Battle Creek - Talk 8 of 8 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Big Book Workshop - Taos New Mexico - 1995 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 1 of 9 - history of the Set Aside Prayer is told by Joe on this tape. |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 2 of 9 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 3 of 9 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 4 of 9 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 5 of 9 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 6 of 9 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 7 of 9 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 8 of 9 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Taos New Mexico - Talk 9 of 9 |
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Mark Houston - Amarillo TX ~ 1995 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - Big Book Workshop - Lafayette Louisiana - 1994 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 01 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 02 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 03 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 04 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 05 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 06 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 07 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 08 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 09 |
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Mark Houston & Joe Hawk - BB Workshop - Lafayette LA ~ 1994 - 10 |
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jump to the top of this page |
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Dan Sherman (AA) of Los Angeles CA - (1954 - 2016) -
Dan grew up in England and Battle Creek, Michigan, moving to California
for his teen years. He started drinking in his early teens. His
alcoholism eventually progressed and caused the loss of his marriage,
friends, and business. In AA, Dan started working with his sponsor,
Joe Hawk. Dan misunderstood Joe's instructions to
write down his questions and instead started writing his questions
directly in his Big Book. Joe never said anything to Dan, which seemed
to work for him. This method evolved into turning Big Book statements
into questions. Dan started taking a group of those he sponsored as a
group to work the steps together through the Big Book. Trying to assist
one struggling group member, he transcribed the notes he had written in
his Big Book and shared them with the group. The group refined the notes
as they proceeded through the book. Over time, the notes evolved and
eventually were printed and put in book format. Joe Hawk and Mark
Houston began to take Dan's printed notes to the workshops they gave.
The notes were a set of copied sheets stapled together. The event taper bound the pages with a plastic spline, which changed
them into a more usable format. Eventually, as its popularity increased,
they were published as a softcopy guidebook. These were offered to the participants at the
seminars to assist them through the process after the speaking events.
The intent of the workbook is not a replacement for the Big Book but
used only to guide the process. Dan facilitated his own Big Book
Awakening Workshops worldwide. Dan was also involved with the Fellowship
of the Spirit Conferences. Dan was the creator of the
Jaywalker Website,
which is still maintained today by his friends. On April 14, 2016, Dan
lost his 4-year battle with cancer.
"It's not about me getting more of God, it's about God getting more of me." - Dan Sherman More information on the BBA Workbook and Workshops. |
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Dan Sherman - Big Book Awakening - in Vancouver British Columbia ~ 2011 |
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Dan Sherman - BBA in Vancouver ~ 2011 - Part 1 |
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Dan Sherman - BBA in Vancouver ~ 2011 - Part 2 |
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Dan Sherman - BBA in Vancouver ~ 2011 - Part 3 |
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Dan Sherman - BBA in Vancouver ~ 2011 - Part 4 |
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Dan Sherman - BBA in Vancouver ~ 2011 - Part 5 |
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Dan Sherman - BBA in Vancouver ~ 2011 - Part 6 |
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Dan Sherman of Santa Monica CA - Cambelltown Australia ~ 2009 - Dan telling his story the night before a Big Book Awakening workshop. |
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Dan Sherman - Big Book Awakening - in Cambelltown (a suburb of Sydney Australia) ~ 2008 |
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Dan Sherman - in Cambelltown Australia ~ 2008 - Part 1 - Dan tells the history of the creation of the BBA Workbook. |
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Dan Sherman - in Cambelltown Australia ~ 2008 - Part 2 |
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Dan Sherman - in Cambelltown Australia ~ 2008 - Part 3 |
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Dan Sherman - in Cambelltown Australia ~ 2008 - Part 4 |
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Dan Sherman - in Cambelltown Australia ~ 2008 - Part 5 |
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Dan Sherman - in Cambelltown Australia ~ 2008 - Part 6 |
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Dan Sherman - in Cambelltown Australia ~ 2008 - Part 7 |
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Dan Sherman - in Cambelltown Australia ~ 2008 - Part 8 |
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Dan Sherman - Big Book Awakening - Common Solution Roundup Conference, China Peak Mountain Resort, in Lakeshore CA ~ 2007 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2007 - Story - Part 1 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2007 - Step 1 - Part 2 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2007 - Step 2 & 3 - Part 3 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2007 - Step 4 - Part 4 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2007 - Step 5 - 7 - Part 5 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2007 - Step 8 & 9 - Part 6 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2007 - Step 10 & 11 - Part 7 |
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Dan Sherman - Big Book Awakening - Common Solution Roundup Conference, China Peak Mountain Resort, in Lakeshore CA ~ 2005 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2005 - Part 1 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2005 - Part 2 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2005 - Part 3 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2005 - Part 4 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2005 - Part 5 |
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Dan Sherman - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2005 - Part 6 |
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| Mike S (AA) of Denver CO - Mike was raised in Madison, WI, in a home of drinkers. As a teenager, he was placed into a home for boys due to his family's drinking. He went to Ohio State to play football but lost his scholarship after being dropped from the team for his alcoholic behavior. Mike was drafted into the Army and did a tour in Vietnam. His drinking increased, and when discharged, he settled in San Francisco and became a bartender. Mike married a woman who worked at the same bar. They moved to Denver when she became pregnant to be near her family. Nearing his bottom in Denver, he went to his first AA meeting. A lady at that meeting told him he should go to the 1311 York Street AA Club. There, he met "Big" Frank McKibben, who became his sponsor. Mike was part of Frank's group that met weekly and did a line-by-line study through the Big Book. | |
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Mike S - The Grace Group - Zoom Meeting - Hattiesburg MS ~ 23 Dec 2000 |
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Mike S of Denver & David M of Palm Springs CA - Fellowship of the Spirit Georgia - at Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers GA ~ 2014 |
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David M - Story ~ 2014 - Talk 01 |
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Mike S - Story ~ 2014 - Talk 02 |
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Mike S & Dave M - Step 1 ~ 2014 - Talk 03 |
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Mike S & Dave M - Steps 2-3 ~ 2014 - Talk 04 |
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Mike S & Dave M - Step 4 ~ 2014 - Talk 05 |
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Mike S & Dave M - Steps 5-7 ~ 2014 - Talk 06 |
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Mike S & Dave M - Steps 8-9 ~ 2014 - Talk 07 |
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Mike S & Dave M - Steps 10-11 ~ 2014 - Talk 08 |
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Mike S & Dave M - Step 12 ~ 2014 - Talk 09 |
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Mike S - Big Book Weekend - Common Solution Roundup Conference, China Peak Mountain Resort, in Lakeshore CA ~ 2008 |
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Mike S - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2008 - Story - Part 1 |
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Mike S - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2008 - Step 1 - Part 2 |
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Mike S - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2008 - Step 2 & 3 - Part 3 |
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Mike S - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2008 - Step 4 - Part 4 |
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Mike S - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2008 - Step 5 - 7 - Part 5 |
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Mike S - in Lakeshore CA ~ 2008 - Step 8 & 9 - Part 6 |
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| Branches - people who influenced or were influenced by the group above | |
| Clint Hodges of Woodland Hills CA (1937-2007) - His drinking started early in life and eventually caused him to lose everything. Clint was a captain in the Marines, and after college and law school became a Los Angeles trial lawyer. Sober in 1966, he was sponsored by Clancy I, and was a long time member of the Pacific AA Group. Clint became a frequent circuit speaker. While speaking at the 1990 Music City Roundup, in Nashville, Clint ran into a man who changed his life - Don Pritts of Aurora, Colorado. Also at that conference was another speaker, Joe Hawk, who was sponsored by Don Pritts. The message Clint heard in Joe’s talk that day reverberated in him. Clint, at 23 years of sobriety, knew his wheels had fallen off. That night Clint talked with Don and Joe and Clint absorbed everything these men said. He realized he now had a decision to make, either continue to try to blot out his “bedevilments” to the bitter end or to ask for spiritual help. Joe Hawk was in the process of moving to the Los Angeles area. Once he arrived he started meeting regularly with Clint, working through the Big Book. Clint now fully armed with this remarkable life-changing experience, set out to share with others what had been freely given to him. As a result Clint organized a step meeting for those he sponsored, and together as a group they worked through the steps. This meeting became the West LA Men's Stag Group. The meeting adopted a distinct element, a format uncommon to most AA meetings: The leader reads, “Each one of us is very aware of his personal responsibility to see to it that what is said here remains here. We each know that it is inconsistent with that responsibility to repeat what is heard here to another just because that person is a sponsor, a spouse or good friend. Our experience also makes it clear that even a general reference to what is said in the meeting quickly becomes specific and serves no good purpose. This is true even if the person you’re speaking to was also at the meeting. Can we all agree to make no general or specific reference outside the meeting to anything said here?” The Secretary reiterates at the close of the meeting, “One of the hallmarks of this meeting is the vow we declare to keep confidential all that is said here in the meeting. We do not discuss anything said in the meeting with your sponsor, spouse or friends.” Clint passed in 2007, but the group he established continues to change lives. | |
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Clint Hodges - All Groups Speaker Meeting - Dublin CA ~ 20 February 1998 - if you only listen to one of Clint's talks - pick this one |
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Clint Hodges - Stateline Retreat - Primm NV - Steps 8 & 9 ~ December 2006 |
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Clint Hodges - NW FOTS - Ocean Shores WA ~ 19 August 2004 |
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?????Clint Hodges - Footprints In The Winter Sand - Ocean City MD ~ February 2004 |
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Clint Hodges - Rose City Roundup - Portland OR ~ September 2003 |
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Clint H - Canyon Conference - Hinton OK ~ 2002 |
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Clint H - East County Speaker Meeting - Antioch CA ~ 25 November 2000 |
| Clint Hodges - 12-Step Workshop - Cortez CO ~ 25 August 2000 | |
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Clint Hodges - Steps - Cortez CO ~ 2000 - 1 of 6 |
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Clint Hodges - Steps - Cortez CO ~ 2000 - 2 of 6 |
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Clint Hodges - Steps - Cortez CO ~ 2000 - 3 of 6 |
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Clint Hodges - Steps - Cortez CO ~ 2000 - 4 of 6 |
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Clint Hodges - Steps - Cortez CO ~ 2000 - 5 of 6 |
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Clint Hodges - Steps - Cortez CO ~ 2000 - 6 of 6 |
| Clint H - 12-Step Workshop - Sky Camp Men's Spiritual Retreat - Falls Creek OR ~ September 1999 | |
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Clint H - Step Workshop - Sky Camp - Part 1 |
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Clint H - Step Workshop - Sky Camp - Part 2 |
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Clint H - Step Workshop - Sky Camp - Part 3 |
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Clint H - Step Workshop - Sky Camp - Part 4 |
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Clint H - Step Workshop - Sky Camp - Part 5 |
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Clint H - Step Workshop - Sky Camp - Part 6 |
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Clint Hodges - Huntsville Roundup - Huntsville AL ~ February 1999 |
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Clint Hodges - 10th Annual Unity Day - Auburn CA ~ 1998 |
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Clint Hodges - Canyon Conference - Hinton OK ~ 1 June 1992 |
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Clint Hodges - Diablo Speaker Meeting - Danville CA ~ 6 April 1991 |
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Clint Hodges - Colorado State Convention - Colorado Springs CO ~ 8 September 1990 |
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Clint H - NCC Summer Conference - Oakland CA ~ 13 July 1986 |
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Clint Hodges - Colorado State Conference - Denver CO ~ Sept 1981 |
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| Mickey M (AA) of Denver CO - Mickey started drinking at age five and continued until he was 27. His alcoholism flourished while working in the advertising industry. He went to the York Street AA Group in Denver. Mickey was in the same home group as Don Pritts, who would send him on speaking engagements to tell his story. Eventually, Mickey became a custom boot maker in Denver. Mickey and his wife Marie, Gary B, Mike L, and Don Pritts started a conference in 1993 in Breckenridge, Colorado. Mickey and Don put up the money to rent the venue in Breckenridge. The conference was intended to be smaller to enhance attendees' fellowship and included AA and Al-Anon participation. Afternoon step workshops were included at Don Pritts' insistence. The name for the 1st conference was the Breckenridge Conference, with the theme "Fellowship of the Spirit." The theme of the first conference stuck as the name and is now called Fellowship of the Spirit or FOTS. During their speaking engagements, Don Pritts & Joe Hawk started announcing that first conference, which resulted in 225 people from 25 different states attending that first year. As word spread of the conference, people from all over the US and internationally began to attend. Since that first conference, others have cloned the format worldwide. More information on the Fellowship of the Spirit Conferences | |
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Mickey M - Freedom Trail Convention (online due to covid) - Boston MS ~ 2021 |
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Mickey M (AA) of Denver CO & Marie M (AFG) of Denver CO - Fellowship of the Spirit South FL - Deerfield Beach FL ~ June 2019 |
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Mickey & Marie - FOTS South Florida - Talk 1 |
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Mickey & Marie - FOTS South Florida - Talk 2 |
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Mickey & Marie - FOTS South Florida - Talk 3 |
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Mickey & Marie - FOTS South Florida - Talk 4 |
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Mickey & Marie - FOTS South Florida - Talk 5 |
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Mickey & Marie - FOTS South Florida - Talk 6 |
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Mickey & Marie - FOTS South Florida - Talk 7 |
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Mickey M - FOTS - Sedona AZ ~ 26 January 2019 - his story - tells the history of FOTS at the end of the talk |
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Mickey M (AA) of Aurora CO & Nate F (AA) of Portland ME - Big Book Experience - at Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers GA ~ 23-25 September 2016 |
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Mickey M - Talk 01 - Mickey's Story |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 02 - Step 1 |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 03 - Step 2 |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 04 - Steps 3 & 4 |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 05 - History of FOTS |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 06 - Steps 5 - 8 |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 07 - Steps 8 & 9 |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 08 - Step 10 |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 09 - Step 11 |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 10 - Step 12 |
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Mickey M & Nate F - Talk 11 - Closing Q&A |
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Mickey M (AA) of Aurora CO & Peter M (AA) of Boca Raton FL - Fellowship of the Spirit - Queens NY ~ 2014 |
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Mickey M - FOTS Queens NY ~ 2014 - Talk 1 - Mickey tells the history of FOTS Conferences and his story. |
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Mickey M & Peter M - FOTS Queens NY ~ 2014 - Talk 2 |
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Mickey M & Peter M - FOTS Queens NY ~ 2014 - Talk 3 |
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Mickey M & Peter M - FOTS Queens NY ~ 2014 - Talk 4 |
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Mickey M & Peter M - FOTS Queens NY ~ 2014 - Talk 5 |
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Mickey M & Peter M - FOTS Queens NY ~ 2014 - Talk 6 |
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Mickey M & Peter M - FOTS Queens NY ~ 2014 - Talk 7 |
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Mickey M & Peter M - FOTS Queens NY ~ 2014 - Talk 8 |
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Mickey M - Miami Valley Winter Conference - Dayton OH ~ 1999 |
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Mickey & Marie M - Kyle SD ~ 12 April 1986 |
| Mike L (AA) of Indianapolis IN - Mike took his first drink at 12 years of age. Sober in 1985. He is a member of the Dignitary Sympathy AA Group in Indianapolis, the same home group as Gary B. Mike was involved in starting the first Fellowship of the Spirit Conference in Breckenridge, Colorado. | |
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Mike L - Fellowship of the Spirit Arizona - Sedona AZ ~ 20 January 2017 |
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Mike L - Speaking in Barnsgat NJ ~ 22 March 2014 |
| Don C (AA) of Colorado Springs - Don is a Mohican Indian born and raised on the Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation in Wisconsin. Don discovered alcohol two weeks before he graduated from high school. While growing up, he always wanted to become an engineer. The high school guidance counselor at the all-white school tried to discourage him from trying, saying he was better off working on cars. His grandfather refused to sign the papers for the trade school; instead, he took him to the university. Don finished college and became an engineer. In 1978, he started working for a major computer company. Living in Colorado Springs, his alcoholism impacted his career and family. He tells how his home life changed for the worse for him after his wife started attending Al-Anon and learning how to deal with an active alcoholic. Hitting his bottom, Don joined AA for help. In August 1978, he attended his first AA meeting in Colorado Springs. Taken aback by the majority of white people, Don was uncomfortable, but their honesty and laughter made him feel like this was the answer for him. Don C asked Big Frank McKibben to be his sponsor; Don refers to him as his head sponsor. Don started working on the program, going to many meetings each week. In his early sobriety, Don heard Don Pritts speaking in Estes Park, Colorado, who shared a story of how fighting alcoholism is like a boxing match. Don repeats this story almost every time he shares. Don C and Don Pritts became friends for life. Later, he asked Don Pritts to be his second sponsor. Don's third sponsor was a Lakota Sioux gentleman named Johnny L. Johnny would meet with Don in his backyard, where he would draw figures in the dirt when they talked. In earlier talks, Don would say that AA was a white man's program. Johnny confronted Don about his belief and told him if he continued this prejudiced thinking, it would cause trouble in his life in the future. Johnny related the steps to the medicine wheel to help Don see the spiritual principles of AA. Johnny had Don put the steps in a circle. Steps 1-3 are placed to the East, where you find your relationship to a Higher Power. To the South are steps 4-6, where you find your relationship with yourself. Steps 7-9 are to the West, the direction where you reestablish your relations with your family and community. In the North are steps 10-12, the direction of the Wisdom of the Elders, where you find harmony with Mother Earth. The Tribal Elders tasked Don to bring this message of recovery to their people. Don eventually left his corporate career and began working in alcohol and addiction recovery among Native Americans. He is the founder and president of White Bison, a non-profit charitable organization devoted to assisting Native Americans affected by substance use disorders. In 1994, Don started the Wellbriety Movement, which aims to reduce substance abuse among Native Americans. Don C worked with Joe Hawk, taking him through the Steps the White Bison organization developed. Joe speaks fondly of Don C in his talks. God thank you for what you have given me, thank you for what you have taken from me, and God thank you for what you have left me" - Don C | |
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Don C - Serenity Improvement Group - Zoom Meeting - Kingsport TN ~ 21 January 2023 |
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Don C - Step 11 - Fellowship of the Spirit - Toronto ~ 13 September 2022 |
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Don C (AA & AFG) - 1st Native American Al-Anon Conference - Albuquerque NM ~ 6 May 2017 |
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Don C - 3rd Annual FOTS - Sedona AZ ~ 20 January 2017 |
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Don C - Border City Roundup - Fort Smith AR ~ November 2015 |
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Don Coyhis, in his role as President of White Bison, tells his story in this video located on YouTube. |
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Don C - Tucson AZ ~ 4 January 2013 - Western Area Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous |
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Red Road to Wellbriety in the Native American Way: The Study Guide & Work Book - 2012 by Don Coyhis - (not hosted on this site) - access to this title requires creating a free account at Internet Archive) |
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Don C - 53rd ICYPAA - San Francisco CA ~ 3 September 2011 - International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous |
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Don C - SE Texas Assembly - Houston TX ~ 10 January 2009 |
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Alcohol Problems in Native America: The Untold Story of Resistance & Recovery: "The Truth About the Lie" - 2006 by Don Coyhis - (not hosted on this site) - access to this title requires creating a free account at Internet Archive) |
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Fall Meditations with Native American Elders - 2006 by Don Coyhis - (not hosted on this site) - access to this title requires creating a free account at Internet Archive) |
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Don C - of Colorado Springs CO - 15th Annual Sioux Empire Roundup - Sioux Falls SD ~ March 2004 |
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Don C - of Colorado Springs CO - River Roundup - Laughlin NV ~ 19 January 2002 |
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Don C - of Colorado Springs CO - Rochester AA Convention - Rochester NY ~ 3 March 2000 |
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Don C - of Colorado Springs CO - Fellowship of the Spirit - Silver Creek CO ~ 25 July 1998 |
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Don C (AA) of Colorado Springs CO - The 1st New Mexico Indian AA Convention - Albuquerque NM ~ 1 April 1994 |
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Don C - New Mexico Indian Convention ~ 1994 - Talk 1 |
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Don C - New Mexico Indian Convention ~ 1994 - Talk 2 |
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Don C - New Mexico Indian Convention ~ 1994 - Talk 3 |
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Don C - New Mexico Indian Convention ~ 1994 - Talk 4 |
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Don C - of Colorado Springs CO - 8th Annual Pig Roast - New Castle CO ~ 14 July 1990 |
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| Paul Kiebler (AA) of Manchester MO (1908-1989) Paul grew up in an affluent home in an affluent area of Missouri. While growing up, Paul was heavily involved in athletics (baseball and golf). In college, he discovered alcohol. Divorce and losing the family occurred when alcoholism became his chronic way of living. He ran through his money, lived on the streets, and ended up in a hotel room provided to him even though he had no money. The hotel owner contacted members of the Akron AA group. The men who came to see him explained alcoholism and his powerlessness over it. They agreed to take him with them if he agreed to anything they instructed. He agreed, and his life started over. These men were Dr Bob Smith's group members, then meeting at the Kings Hill School. Dr Bob was still actively involved with the group. There, Paul Stanley became his sponsor. He gives many details of how Paul Stanley took him through the steps. At the time, the Akron group was still using the 4 Absolutes which they used as the criteria for the 4th step. The Four Absolutes from the Oxford Group are Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Love. The group required members to do their 5th step with someone not in AA. In some of his talks, Paul describes in detail what the Akron meetings were like. They had no closed meetings; you were not allowed to talk until you had taken the 3rd step. The entire family, including the children, would attend as they believed the whole family was affected. Paul knew the local members of the Oxford Group and early Akron AA founders. He married Kaye, another member of the Akron group, and together they started a family. After some years, even though still heavily involved in AA, he realized something was wrong with his life. Facing the issue, he discovered that gradually, over time, he had not maintained his conscious contact with the Higher Power. He learned this is something you cannot do by yourself. He died a few years after his wife Kaye, with 48 years of sobriety. Together as a couple, they had almost 100 years of sober living between them. Paul is mentioned in the talks of other speakers on this page. | |
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| Paul Kiebler - 20th Deep South Conference - New Orleans Louisiana ~ 8 April 1988 |
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| Paul Kiebler - 6th Annual Old Timers Day - Omaha NE ~ 26 Sep 1987 |
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| Paul Kiebler - 29th Florida State Convention - Tampa FL ~ 9 Aug 1985 - in this talk Paul gives the most detail of his life |
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| Paul Kiebler - Kentucky State Convention - Paducah KY ~ 17 February 1985 |
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| Paul Kiebler - Paul talking about the 4 Absolutes and A Daily Plan For Your Life - recording not made at an event |
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Jimmy Williams (AA) of Aledo TX - (died Jan 1999)
Jimmy grew up in a Southern Baptist home in a dry county in the Texas
Panhandle. During his high school years, he began sneaking off to the
closest honky honk, located in the nearest wet county. There, he
discovered the magic that alcohol could provide him. After high school,
he joined the Air Force and was stationed in China. Alcohol became his
master as it destroyed his life. He became sober in AA in 1967. Jim was
a nationwide popular circuit speaker in the 80s and 90s.
Joe Hawk quotes Jimmy Williams in some of his
talks. His main message is that the Big Book gives you the directions to
find your solution; you only need to follow the directions. "I am never going to God, but I will know God" - Jimmy Williams. |
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Jim Williams - Marietta GA ~ 1994 |
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Jim W (AA) of Aledo TX - 12 Step Work - Boone Birthday Bash - Boone IA ~ 7 Nov 1992 |
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Jimmy Williams - Boone IA ~ 1992 - Talk 1 |
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Jimmy Williams - Boone IA ~ 1992 - Talk 2 |
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Jimmy Williams - Boone IA ~ 1992 - Talk 3 |
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Jim Williams - Great River Roundup - Grafton IL ~ 22 November 1991 |
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More Information on the Big Book Awakening Workbook and Workshops The workbook is available for those wishing to use it in their step work at bigbookawakening.com. Workshops, using the workbook, are held both live and on-line worldwide. These workshops and meetings are not intended to replace 12-step home groups or organizations. They are intended to assist those in 12-step programs to re-work the steps and have a new experience with the God of their Understanding. This is a link to a Big Book Awakening Workshop for Al-Anon |
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| History of BBA from BBA Conferences | |
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Lynn W (AA) & David S (AA) - Big Book Awakening Fellowship of the Spirit Zoom Conference 2020. Dan Sherman asked Lynn to continue distribution of the BBA Book after his death, which she continues to do. David was spondsored by Dan Sherman, and recalls many events as he tells the history of the BBA Book. |
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Pat T (AA) - BBA Daily Noon
Meeting 3-Day Zoom Conference April 2021. Celebration of 1 Year Birthday
of the Daily Noon Zoom BBA Meeting. Pat tells some of early AA History which ties into the story of how BBA came into exsistance. |
More Information on Fellowship of the Spirit Conferences
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Note: All links are provided as a service and are not intended to be an endorsement. This site is not affiliated with nor represents any organization or business. This site is privately funded, it does not seek nor receives any outside funds. Full names are used for those now deceased. |
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Resources for BBA focused Al-Anon Step Work |
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