Central Ohio Alcoholics Anonymous will be holding a non-stop meeting through the end of 2019. It's part of a larger "Alkathon," a continuous drop-in meeting that kicked off on Christmas Eve.
The meetings are hosted at the Desert Island Club on the West Side, with various AA groups from around Columbus each sponsoring four-hour chunks. Organizer Patty B., whose last name WOSU is not using to protect her privacy, says that extra support is crucial at this time of year.
"The holidays are just stressful period," Patty says. "A lot of the times we're around people in the family that we're not usually around throughout the year, and we all get together, and you know, like I was at a rowdy in-law party this weekend, and you know, there was a lot of drinking."
She adds that the emotional nature of the holidays can make things harder on those in recovery.
In addition to in-person meetings, people can call a local hotline for support. Central Ohio Alcoholics Anonymous can be reached 24 hours a day at 614-253-8501 or 800-242-1729.
