18/11/2024
On this day 42 years ago, 18th November 1982, in a little room next to a hot dog stand at the “Motion Picture Health & Welfare Fund” building on 335 North La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles (Hollywood & Beverly Blvd.), California, a woman named Veronica K. opened a new 12 Step meeting with the beautiful words “Welcome to the first meeting of Co***ne Anonymous, a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other and help others recover from their addiction.”
It was simple and understated, but yet powerful. The results are continuing to vibrate around the world, even in my adopted home of Thailand (including the small island of Koh Phangan where i live - we have a CA meeting, the “Steps at Sunset” on Tuesdays), with significant growth around SE Asia (Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia (where i shall visit the flagship ACA meeting in Jakarta next month), and even into China now) as well as Australia.
Happy 42nd Birthday to CA.
Thank You!
I’m sincerely forever grateful for the life afforded to me since i began my own recovery journey 23+ years ago.
We can recover! We do recover!
A life Beyond our wildest dreams.
An original member tells us “The very first meeting was November 16th, a Tuesday night AA meeting which was named the “Whatever Meeting”.
At the end of the meeting they had a Business Meeting and the group debated upon changing the meeting name to "Co***ne Anonymous". It was voted down because you cannot make an AA meeting into a CA meeting by a vote in such a manner. It wouldn’t fit in with the 12 Traditions.
Then, another member present informed the Group Conscience that the same room was empty on a Thursday night.
So then, just 2 days later, on Thursday 18th November, a female [Veronica] Secretary taped a mallet upon the table at the front of the room and said “Welcome to the first meeting of Co***ne Anonymous” followed by our Preamble.
This Group became known as "Group One".
There was another meeting that began around this time on Wednesday evenings at the Beverly Glen Hospital. However, at the time this wasn't affiliated. It was a closed patient only (H&I) meeting which they called "Co***ne Anonymous.” Soon thereafter, on Friday and Saturdays, meetings were also held here that were affiliated.
Within 30 days there were 3 CA meetings.
After 90 days there were 7 meetings established.
Co***ne Anonymous was formally founded on November 23, 1982 by some of its founding & early members.
CALA was formed from the “Secretaries Meeting" that was held in April 1983.
CA World Services came two years later in 1984.
The 1st Board of Trustees were bought together and formed in 1985.
It was divine inspiration by those good folk in 1982 who decided to add the words “and all other mind-altering substances” to the parent steps, that meant arms were opened to many thousands and thousands of men and women - like you and me, who now get to bleed green 💚.
Lives are saved, families are rebuilt.
Love lives here in Co***ne Anonymous
💚💚💚
