Countdown To The Convention
March 26th, 2010by Angelo Bottoni
Saturday April 3rd, 2010 is the date of the widely anticipated State Wide NA Convention in Santa Clara, CA. Each year Father Alfred Center, St. Anthony Foundation’s drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, throws a dinner for Alumni, families and friends to raise the money for our residents to attend this event.
Father Alfred Center Assistant Manager Eric Clark tells us:
“At Father Alfred Center we treat drug & alcohol addiction and one of the strongest indicators of continued recovery from addiction after residents leave the program is their participation in 12-Step recovery groups. Addicts rarely get clean alone and rarely do they stay clean all by themselves. The opportunity to be present at an event where there may be more than ten thousand other recovering addicts present has been truly awe inspiring for our guys. There is no better way to present the message that any addict can recover than in this environment of unlimited support that is available virtually anywhere. The gratitude our residents express for the ability to attend this event & the message of hope that they receive there has been worth every effort to get these guys to the Northern California Narcotics Anonymous Convention.”
Excitement is growing as the days countdown to the convention. The Father Alfred Center Kitchen Crew will be preparing bagged lunches, snacks & drinks for the guys on the way down and back. The bus leaves at 2PM promptly for Santa Clara, CA under the supervision of Father Alfred Center counselors. Some off duty staff will be attending the convention as well.
When they arrive, residents will be able to attend workshops, marathon meetings, an ice cream social & even a golf tournament. Live music, Karaoke, comedy shows, and an illusionist will also be there, in the spirit of fellowship with other addicts in recovery.
The highlight of the convention is the main speaker who is scheduled to go on at 8pm, Followed by a dance at 9pm.
When asked for a few word about the benefits of the convention; Father Alfred Center Councilor Alvin Emerson said:
“Recovering addicts from all over the world will be in attendance, making this a rare opportunity for our guys to see the beauty & power of what recovery from addiction can do for them.”
Residents will re-board the charter bus after the dance and return home around 1am that morning. All and all it will be a long day for Father Alfred Center Staff and residents. But one they will not soon forget.
Tags: alcoholism, drug addiction, drug treatment, fr. alfred center