By Andrea Jones

Staff Writer

Student Health Services of Cal State East Bay is now offering Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meetings to help students, faculty, staff and those in the community who suffer from alcoholism.

CSUEB counselor Ryan Gutersloh brought the idea to the health center because a member of the Al-anon group at CSUEB suggested it to him. Al-anon is a support group just for friends and family members of alcoholics, not alcoholics themselves.

The primary purpose of AA is to stay sober and help others achieve sobriety.

The organization is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking.

There are no dues or fees for AA membership.

Meetings start out with the Serenity Prayer or the Lord’s Prayer followed by the “Twelve Steps to Sobriety.” Then a main speaker tells his or her journey about how to he or she achieved a sober lifestyle.

Once the speaker is finished, the floor is open for questions.  The group may also read from “The Big Book” also known as the AA book.

After this, they pass around a contribution bucket that allows members to contribute money as the group funds itself.

CSUEB Health Services will conduct these meetings as all other AA to the best of their ability, which will include staying under the same steps to recovery as well as the opening prayer.

Although it is called Alcoholic Anonymous, the Health Services has not limited these meeting just to people who drink, but also to all drug abusers and addicts.

Meetings began May 5 and will continue once a week, every Thursday at 12 p.m. All are welcome.