marinadock.org

Ðear Marina Dock Members and Patrons alike:

This month I seriously need to take a break from the Newsletter. Nevertheless we the Marina Dock management and staff, would like to take a moment to express our appreciation and gratitude to all the people who contribute in one-way or another every month. Last month, August, we had a generous donation from a long term member which will not only pay our rent for September but allow us to keep the facility open for the 10:00pm meetings during the week and the late night meetings on Friday and Saturday nights. It really makes a difference to the new people when they have a meeting to go to and a place to hang out, in a city where one is surrounded by temptation .The allure of bars and bright city lights, especially in the Marina District are all pervasive. Late at night the Marina Dock has a nice mix of old timers and newcomers, which makes it comfortable so no one need feel they are out of place. Last Week I received a letter from a member who never stops being grateful, someone who has been coming to the late night meetings at The Marina Dock for almost fifteen years now, but still see himself as a newcomer.

Dear Marina Dock Donors,

For Years I have regularly been attending meetings at the
Marina Dock. I am grateful to the Marina Dock for its Wonderful Healing Energy. Irish Tony over the years has created a Safe and Comfortable environment for Recovering Alcoholics. I have traveled to other States in recovery - and have become aware of the rare situation of the Marina Dock. Most other Clubs are open only a few hours a day - whereas the Marina Dock is open more than 18 Hours a day during the week, and more than 19 Hours a day on Fridays Saturdays. These expansive hours have made a vast difference to the lives of many Recovering Alcoholics.

With Gratitude, Mell C.

It's important to remember all the individuals and personalities past and present who made The Marina Dock what it is today. People like David Mora who came up with the crazy idea for "The Dry Dock" in the first place, Dean Kaskey who named it "The Dry Dock, and Frank Brennan who gave it his blessing and a collection of problematic furniture from The Vincent De Paul. Wade D who continues to garner support and raise funds from his distant outpost of Valentine Nebraska, Wade will be 57 years sober on September 1st and he was 92 years young on August 18th what a powerful spiritual energy he is and what a great supporter and example to all of us. Happy Birthdays Wade.

Shy-town remembers Frank B

Lee Marvin and my AA sponsor Frank B were marine buddies on Iwo-Jima and other places. Frank was born in upstate New York and moved to San Francisco as a kid, was an old San Francisco Waterfront enforcer after the war, for the labor unions. He earned every medal but the Medal of Honor, including two silver crosses, one on Iwo-Jima and one on Guadalcanal. When he sobered up in the 1946 and moved back to San Francisco he opened a sanctuary for merchant seaman busted and hungry. He went on to help Lee Marvin attempt to get sober along with many known and like me unknowns. Frank also started Battered Women's shelters in SF, raised millions from the wealthy to help the down trodden, received many kudos for it, people liked giving Frank money and Frank enjoyed giving it away to the people in the San Francisco Tenderloin. His favorite line was "hey be good to yourself and be your own best friend." Frank is gone, but many of us here remember that big lovable Mick. He didn't just talk the talk he walked the walk. Just like most of our finest do.

Thanks Tony for the reminder.

Chicago Mike, Vietnam Vet

A Marine Remembers Frank

I recall that Frank used to go to the Thursday nite meeting at St. Dominic's. He would always get there early and grab somebody who was new and stand by the front door. He would then introduce the new guy to everybody who came in by name, "Hello Joe, this is Jim, he's just starting out with us." One nite Frank wasn't at the meeting, I think he was speaking somewhere or another. I was goofing around and imitating Frank a bit, you know, "Be your own best freind", "and Endorse yourself". I grabbed a new guy and stood by the door and started introducing him to people coming in (still kind of making fun of Frank). After about the first 10-20 people I started to feel pretty good. After more than 30-40 people came in and I was able to introduce this guy to them all, I felt absolutely terrific. It then dawned on me what that sneaky Frank was doing all that time. That's how he got to feel good most of the time. It was a revelation. I had come to scoff and stayed to wonder.

Harry Mc, Vietnam Vet

London Fog, How It Doesn't Work

Hi Anthony,
I have to share with you the most horrible experience I had at a meeting last night. I don't think I have ever come out of an AA meeting wanting to drink or use in the two years that I have been coming to AA! A guy who I vaguely know (from AA) asked me to do some service at a meeting called the London Beginners Group meeting at 7pm on Wednesday at Oxford Circus. Seeing as I hardly ever turn down service I thought I'd go along, as he probably had to do something else that evening. I should have guessed something was up when he asked me to come "dressed appropriately"! I have never been asked that before and started to ask questions as to why the rules????... Anyway, I arrived there and sure enough the guy was there and said he didn't have other service to do that evening, I was then asking myself why I was there? I soon realized there was a clique of about 5 people (one of which was a girl, who I have to say was very unfriendly and didn't want to make idle chat with me, it was all business!).

I was then given the notes outlining the meeting format, here are some of the things they had as their rules: you had to ask peoples names as they came in and then pick them to share or do a reading (even if they didn't want to!) and they had to state their name and the nature of their disease! You had to pick boy/girl/boy/girl to share. You had to come up to a Lectern and share and I had to stand there like a preacher and read all this stuff out. I had to read out to "refrain from using bad language etc. as it's a bad reflection on AA" everyone claps after everyone speaks... when faltering slightly on what I was reading, I was TOLD to read out everything which was written down by some control freak guy who was sitting in the corner, all he was missing was a whip or a cane! They had a 3-minute share rule and the girl of the clique (the unfriendly one) had a stopwatch and a large red sign with "STOP" written on it. She was also heckling me to read the stuff out properly and the way it was written down. Then they gave out chips and she was known as the "chip chick", with white for "pureness" and the blue chip for the "blue skies" etc. I never heard so much garbage in my entire life, please don't say they got all this from the US??? As the meeting was going on I could see the amazed look at two newcomers from the back and they were looking at me as the smoke was coming out of my ears. I was quietly planning on how I was going to escape from this living hell. As the sharing went all they (the clique) were nodding in agreement like some "brain washed!" cult to stuff about the program. I didn't hear one person express their own view of alcoholism and they couldn't look me in the eye either .The room was so cold, so far removed from anything like spirituality that I could feel. Anyway, I legged it at the end of the meeting and ran outside, telling The newcomers that it was my first and last time doing anything like that and that there were lots of other loving, fun-filled and welcoming groups in London to go to! They agreed and thought it was nothing like they'd ever been to in the short time they'd been around. I told them to keep coming back. But not there!

Jeni, East London, March-06


By this time everyone should know we accept credit card payments and donated vehicles, all tax deductible. The number to call to donate your vehicle is 1-888-686-4483. The other issue we need to remind people of is talking and smoking outside the front entrance, especially after the early morning meetings and the 10:00 PM. I am the designated noise abatement person after the 10:00 PM and I suggest someone should assume that role after the 6:00 AM, and 7:00 AM? The drill being "move east beyond the tree."

In closing thank you again for your generous support and if you were planning on writing a check, September is a good time to do so, We are experiencing larger numbers of new people than ever attending meetings. This does not come as any kind of surprise, I read the papers and watch the news every once in a while; there are a lot of young people out there looking for an answer. We encourage readers to send us your comments via email to irishtony_at_irishtony.com also check out or website for meeting information and links to additional sites providing substance abuse related help.

With Gratitude,
Irish Tony