Hi Delco 12345,
You are welcome to attend an open meeting of alcoholics anonymous. Anyone may attend open A.A. meetings, but only those with a drinking problem may attend closed meetings.
There are two main types of open meetings: Open Speaker meetings and Open discussion meetings.
Open speaker meetings — open to alcoholics and nonalcoholics. (Attendance at an open A.A. meeting is the best way to learn what A.A. is, what it does, and what it does not do.) At speaker meetings, A.A. members “tell their stories.” They describe their experiences with alcohol, how they came to A.A., and how their lives have changed as a result of Alcoholics Anonymous.
b. Open discussion meetings — one member speaks briefly about his or her drinking experience, and then leads a discussion on A.A. recovery or any drinking-related problem anyone brings up. (Closed meetings are for A.A.s or anyone who may have a drinking problem.)
They really aren't geared twards the families of alcoholics, but twards the AA's and people who think they may have a drinking problem, you are welcome to attend, but the focus is how to get sober and work the steps of AA.
Al-Anon is the progam that is the "companion" program to AA and is for the families of Alcoholics. If you are interested in your welfare, and are not an alcoholic yourself, Al-Anon would be the place to go.
If you call AA in the phone book they can tell you the location of a meeting, and usually give Al-Anon's number as well.
The person on the other end of the phone
might know about how big a meeting is from personal experience, but there are no membership rolls, so they usually won't know how many people will be at any given meeting. Who ever shows up
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