Alano Club North of Grand Rapids

Talk of the Town is joined by the Alano Club North of Grand Rapids to discuss their annual gala at GVSU on October 16.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
This is Talk of the Town onnews radio with thirteen hundred and one oh
six nine FM. I'm Steve Kellyfrom West Michigan's Morning News, joined by
Lisa dur who was on West Michigan'sMorning News with us just a few weeks
ago, and she is the executivedirector of the Alano Club of Kent County.
Lisa, thanks so much for doingthis today. Thank you, Thank
you for having me. Those thatlisten to West Michigan's Morning News may know

(00:23):
that I am an alcoholic in recovery, and I have been as big a
proponent as I can be for thetwelve step program alcoholics Anonymous. One of
the biggest places in West Michigan toget such instruction and community is the Alano
Club gr alanoclub dot com, alsoknown as the North Club. A lot

(00:46):
of people call it. Lisa,seventy one years now, talk to us
a little bit about the breadth ofyour program. I mean seven days a
week, like from seven thirty inevery morning to eight o'clock at night,
just meeting after meeting. Yeah.Absolutely, Like you said, the club's

(01:06):
been around for seventy one years andwe have over one hundred and fourteen recovery
meetings a week. We have fourteendifferent recovery pathways to help those struggling with
addiction. And we have a lotof events and fundraisers to help keep our
doors open and our lights on,and we help those struggling. We strengthen

(01:29):
families and help break the cycle ofaddiction, and you do it so well.
So October sixteenth is the Alano Clubof Kent County's annual gala, and
Lisa has asked me to be thekeynote speaker, and I am so blessed
to help share my story. Ifyou are interested in helping out this organization,

(01:53):
you just need to come for afun night. Tell us a little
bit about what to expect on Octobersixteenth. Yeah, we our do was
open at five and our events takingplace at the GBS you Ever Heart Center.
Like you said, Steve will beour wonderful guest speaker that evening,
and we'll have some live music andorders in the lobby, and then we'll

(02:15):
go in and funnel into the diningarea and I'll be speaking about some strengths
and some successes and some community partners, and then we'll have and enjoy a
wonderful dinner, and then you'll bespeaking and we'll have a couple of auction
items and just a fun night ofgathering and recovery. We're talking to Lisa

(02:38):
dur who is the executive director ofthe Alanto Club of Kent County gr Alanto
Club dot com. I remember thefirst meeting that I went to and I
just I went online. I foundone that was sort of near me,
and I sat out in the parkinglot, terrified. And I think a
lot of people are not knowing whatto expect right it's the unknown. But

(03:01):
I think if there's anything that wecan could convey right now to maybe somebody
who is considering taking that first step, this big place, this north club
is just so inclusive, and Iknow it's hard to make that first step,
but Lisa, just walk in thedoor. And as we mentioned,

(03:22):
you're open all the time, right, So what does a first step look
like to you for people that justwander in. Yeah, we experience that,
you know, multiple times a daywe have people come in and you
can just tell those that that that'sthe first time walking through our doors.
And that's the most important thing andthe hardest thing is walking through those doors

(03:45):
for the first time knowing that youneed to help and hopefully you're walking into
the right place. And I feelthe Elano Club is I mean, we've
we've had some people that have beenin our program for fifty eight, fifty
nine years sober and they're still comingthrough our doors. And just to have
that space and that welcoming face andthat welcoming kindness to get you a cup

(04:06):
of coffee and help you find aroom to have a meeting and be able
to share your struggles and not tobe embarrassed that you are in a room
and you have to share your storybecause theoretically you're sitting in a room of
people that are struggling just as muchas you are. I tell people this
all the time again gr alanoclub dotcom A L A n O. G

(04:30):
r alanoclub dot org. That's whereyou'll find a link to get tickets to
the event on October sixteenth at theEverhard Center, where I am blessed to
be the keynote speaker. I tellpeople, just give one meeting a chance,
and you're going to be blown awaybecause you're going to find your tribe.
Someone's going to tell their story andyou're going to say, oh my

(04:50):
gosh, with a couple of tweaks, that's my story, and you're going
to go back. And going backis you know one of the things at
the end of each meeting we allsay, keep coming back, and there's
variations of that. And there areso many meetings that you guys have.
I just can't stress enough that thesethings aren't free, and especially this this

(05:12):
big place with such diverse programs.And let's talk a little bit about what
else you have. You you hostother events, you can eat there,
there's lunch and refreshments, and youknow a lot of places in church basements
are awesome, and you give acouple of bucks as a good will offering,
we get it. But there areso many services that need our help
and that's what this event will takeplace on the on the sixteenth will help

(05:33):
fund, right, Lisa, Absolutely, Yeah, this is one of our
largest fundraiser. It's an elegant nightof gathering and fellowship and you know a
lot of people, you know,get invited to events and stuff and there's
usually alcohol involved, and you know, to go to a place and to
know that you're in a room andyou're you're giving and supporting the recovery community

(05:57):
and those that are struggling with addiction. I mean, it's just going to
be a night of just you know, fellowship and just an amazing Even when
you go to AA dot org,there's a meeting finder, and what's neat
about that is if you put inanything in West Michigan, you're going to
find like the most meetings at theAlanto Club and you're going to find the

(06:18):
most diverse like other languages, whichjust blows me away. And just check
that out and find out and askquestions and please just go. It's on
College Avenue. It's the easiest thingto find in the whole wide world.
And I am so happy to beable to help share my story, which

(06:38):
is like so many other people's story, My road to recovery could not have
been done without the tenants of atwelve step program which is taught, professed,
and shared every single day, threehundred and sixty five days a year
at the Alanto Club of Kent County. So we're out of time right now

(06:59):
to find out more information about makinga donation, buying a ticket, or
maybe just going to a meeting grAlano Club dot org. The executive director,
Lisa dur great stuff is always can'twait to see you on the sixteenth,
Yes, can't wait to see youtwo and thank you get your tickets.
This is Talk of the Town onnews radio Wood thirteen hundred and one

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oh six nine FM.