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 News from Around Banderas Bay | December 2005 
Sobriety Under the Sun
 Bob Cohen - PVNN
| For more information about the 4th annual "Sobriety Under the Sun" AA convention in Puerto Vallarta, visit www.aapvconvention.com. |
Puerto Vallarta - The local [English speaking] Alcoholics Anonymous Serenity Group will be hosting their 4th annual "Sobriety Under the Sun" AA convention at the Canto Del Sol Resort and Convention Center on January 13-15, 2006.
Close to 200 recovering alcoholics are expected to attend, most coming from the United States and Canada, along with seasonal visitors and full-time Puerto Vallarta residents. Large meetings with guest speakers, as well as discussion groups, workshops, dinners and social events are all planned for the event.
Conventions are common all over the world and the group felt that Puerto Vallarta would be an ideal destination to host a convention. So, four years ago, a small group of local AA members formed a convention to celebrate their sobriety and invite the rest of the world to join in the celebration.
The first convention, held in 2002, was actually called "Soberfest 2002." The following year, the name was changed to "Sobriety Under the Sun," and it has been sponsored by the Serenity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous in Puerto Vallarta ever since.
Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 by two alcoholics that found that one alcoholic can best help another after repeated trips to hospitals, jails and churches all failed in efforts to help hopeless alcoholics to stop drinking.
Four years later, in 1939, the book Alcoholics Anonymous or the "Big Book," as it is fondly called, was released in print. Only 100 recovering alcoholics were members at the time, but today, the first 164 pages of the book have remained unchanged.
Alcoholics Anonymous is known as perhaps the greatest movement of the 20th century that helps individuals at no cost. All groups are self supporting through meeting contributions. Currently, millions of once-suffering alcoholics worldwide are now members and enjoy freedom without alcohol, leading productive lives.
In 2005, an International world convention was held in Toronto to celebrate AA's 70 year anniversary and upwards of 70,000 people from around the world were in attendance. AA is currently found in almost every country in the world and the "Big Book" has been translated in almost every language.
Strange, but true, in Mexico the first group was an English speaking group formed by ex-pats in 1946, and it took ten more years before a Spanish speaking group surfaced. The success and growth in Mexico was phenomenal, with close to 20,000 groups currently in existence.
According to a local AA member in Puerto Vallarta, who is anonymous in accordance with the spiritual principles of the program, the first group sprung up in 1966 in Gringo Gulch and met in rotating homes.
Twenty years later in October of 1986, The Puerto Vallarta Alano Club opened its doors and became home to the Serenity Group, which meets twice daily (9 am and 6:30 pm) as well as other 12th step support groups.
The most important thing is that nobody makes any profits or gets paid as AA service is a major component in staying sober. Any extra monies are forwarded to AA service groups to further assist others in their recovery efforts.
Come join the international group of wonderful people that have one common purpose; to get sober, stay sober and enjoy life without the use of alcohol. Puerto Vallarta's weather is generally in the low 80's and sunny in January and dips to a frigid 65 degrees at night, thus the origination of the convention name. Most people extend their visit to a week or more to enjoy the paradise and charm of Puerto Vallarta.
For more information about the 4th annual "Sobriety Under the Sun" AA convention in Puerto Vallarta, visit www.aapvconvention.com. From this site one can register online, choose from different packages, or send an email for more details. |
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