Step Seven and Recovery: A Tale of Two Centuries

No alcoholic or addict can ever hope to recover without profoundly reorienting their attitude and relationship toward life and the world around them. Step Seven found in the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is central to this transformation. It provides:

Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

This step, in operation with preceding steps where we identify and admit our shortcomings, sparks a deep and effective personality change that revolutionizes our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows, and toward God's universe. The Big Book calls this change a “spiritual experience,” without which no addict or alcoholic can be returned to health.  

No matter what sort of therapy a client pursues, this vital, spiritual experience is the determining factor that separates persons who live “happy, joyous, and free,” on the one hand, from those who are consigned to an existence spent in the shadow of a chronic relapsing disease, on the other.  

From time to time, we hear neophytes in our recovery program ask what alcoholics did before there was Step 7. Were they just out of luck? Was there any help for them at all? These are awesome questions, because addiction and alcoholism didn’t just spring into being when Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith formed Alcoholics Anonymous. America had been keenly preoccupied with alcoholism for more than 100 years before AA. Understanding this highlights not only why the 12 Steps were a ground-breaking response to treating this disease, but also why they remain the most effective treatment therapy in existence today.

Click To Read More

Press Release

On May 16th, 2024, Communities of Recovery, Inc. (CORE) will hold its annual Auction and Golf Tournament.   

These events are presented by Ozarks DynaCom, the Ozarks’ leading marketing management company. It’s also the company behind the radio stations My 100.1 FM, Legends 106.3 FM, Branson4U 98.1 FM, New Country 102.9 FM, and Original KHOZ 94.9 FM.

Auction

The auction will take place at CORE’s Branson Recovery Center, 280 State Highway T, Branson. It begins at 5:30 P.M. with a pork and chicken Rotisserie Roast dinner. Dinner tickets are $15. Bidding on items starts at 6:00 P.M. and continues until all items are sold.

CORE is seeking donated items for this event. The auction sells such items, which typically include retail goods, consumer electronics, gift baskets, vacation packages, gift certificates, and service packages.  

Sponsorships also are available for persons and businesses who wish to show their support.

Golf Tournament

The golf tournament will take place at Thousand Hills Golf Resort, 245 Wildwood Drive South, Branson, with start times of 8:30 A.M. and 1:30 P.M. Teams of four will compete in the tournament, which consists of an 18-hole contest with cash prizes for the top three teams. There also will be contests and prizes for longest drive, longest putt, closest-to-the-hole, and hole-in-one. The first player to hit a hole-in-one receives a prize valued at over $50,000.

The registration fee is $400 per team and includes the greens fee, carts, and prizes. Up to 4 Mulligans per team are available, for $25 each. The registration deadline is May 6th.

Tournament sponsorships and hole sponsorships are available for persons and business who wish to show their support.

“The outpouring of community support was so overwhelming last year,” said CORE CEO, Cary McKee, “we decided to reorganize this year’s event, expanding the golf tournament to a full day of play, and moving certain items to the Thousand Hills Clubhouse for a silent auction geared toward sports enthusiasts.”

McKee added, “May 16th is our only fund-raising day of the year. We want it to be special. These events keep our services affordable for individuals and families intent on remaining alcohol and drug-free.”

CORE is a nonprofit organization with recovery centers in both Springfield and Branson. Its residential recovery program serves approximately 240 clients. It also operates two transportation departments which provide clients free transportation to work, classes, shopping, and appointments.

“These events raise funds that address a critical need in our communities. Our recovery program not only helps clients reclaim their lives, but they return home as productive citizens and taxpayers. Also, these events are guaranteed to be fun and filled with excitement,” said McKee.

For more information about the auction, donations, sponsorship opportunities, or registering a golf team, contact CORE’s Administrative/Human Resources Manager Tami McKinney at 417.231.6969, or email Tami@CORE-USA.org.