We have two kinds of meetings - closed and open.

Closed Meetings are meetings that can only be attended by alcoholics. These meetings are intended for discussions on how to incorporate the A.A. principles into ones life. We find that when non-alcoholics are present, the sharing that takes place tends to be less open and therefore the connection that needs to take place between alcoholics is often lost or reduced.

Attendance at closed meetings is voluntary, although we do sign the cards for those who are required by the various agencies to attend A.A. meetings. The meetings are not secretive - as you can see we publish their schedule and composition here - but we do ask that those who attend keep the identities of others, along with their comments, in strict confidence. We wish for A.A.'s principles to be widely known - however, it's members need not be known.

Open Meetings are completely different from the closed ones. These meetings are intended to serve more than one purpose.

For the AA member, they are a time to hear about the entire experience, told in a general way, of another member from another group or community. They also have an element of social interaction since family members can, and often do, attend. The last Friday of each month we celebrate the Sobriety Anniversaries of our members with a cake after the meeting.

For the non-AA person, the Open Meeting can be a golden opportunity to learn how the AA program works in the life of an alcoholic. In a sense, these are Public Information Meetings from which anyone in the public can learn about A.A. These meetings can also be the best way for someone who is considering joining Alcoholics Anonymous to become familiar with it and gain the information with which to make their own decision regarding their possible alcoholism.