October 1 9 6 5

But how about the patient who I called a man who was a memdoes not live in the city, but in some ber of the AA group in the small upstate community ‘far from the town to which the young woman nearest NA group? What can be was going. I explained the situation done for the occasional addict who to him. There happened to be a man finds himself or herself in this situa- in that particular group who was of AA and the Drug Addict tion? Where else can this person go the same nationality as the young to find help in learning and carrying woman, and spoke her language. by the Rev. Kenneth R. Waldron, D. D. out the program than to the local (She did not speak English very AA group? well.) The night the young woman I have read a Grapevine article by arrived at the home of her sister, &;j\ Suggestion: How A A members have helped – Bill concerning this (“Problems this man from the local AA group other than Alcohol,” Jan. ‘ 6 5 ) , and and his wife called upon her, and and can help – the he is quite right. An AA group is arranged to take her to the meeting recovered drug addict for alcoholics. Any three or four the next night. The members readdicts should start an N A group of ceived her cordially. She has not their own. But the lone addict, try- missed a meeting since that first ing to work the program, cannot do night. The members took her to

I AM a chaplain in an upstate New York state hospital. We have a large drug addicts’ unit. Having it alone. He or she needs help, and who is there to give it but the local AA group? One addict could hardly other groups in the area. She has been “clean” from drugs for over a year now, and has never attended been associated with AA almost disrupt a group, and might very well an NA meeting. One evening recentsince it began, I learned with interest make a valuable contribution. ly she spoke at a meeting of her AA of the beginning of Narcotics Anon- Not long ago, a young woman group, and tried, in her limited Engymous some fifteen years ago. was about to be discharged from the lish, to express her appreciation for It seemed to be a good idea to hospital. She had started on the pro- all that had been done for her. start an NA group at the hospital, gram, and was very much interested We commend to AA members but our problem was leadership. I in it. She was not going to return to the drug addict, who is not able to have done the best I can, and the New York after her discharge, but attend an NA group, but who l o o h AA members in the community have was going to live with a sister, in a to a local AA group for help. Such loyally supported the group, spenk- small community, some hundred persons are worthy of help, and ing at many meetings and helping to miles from the city. most appreciative. explain the program and solve many other problems. We have had considerable success. We get the patients started on the program while they are in the hospital and then refer them to NA groups in the city, who are on the job and do fine work with all whom we refer to them.