FROM THE TRAIN By Dennis W.

 In April 2016, I accepted a position to work for an agency in downtown Orlando. One of conditions I insisted for employment was to have a work schedule that coincided with the Sunrail train schedule, as my home is in Sanford, 25 miles north of the agency. As I really dislike rush-hour traffic, and the time and expense of commuting in my vehicle, the job opportunity would just not have been worthwhile. Now four days per week I commute via Sunrail. One morning on my way in, my thoughts drifted to some of the places I had attended AA meeting and activities since relocating from Cocoa in 1994 after 5 years of sobriety. Almost 23 years later and some relocation throughout the area, these places are such an important part of the quality of my recovery today. I decided to geographically record groups and places that have made such an impact on my recovery. As I get on at the Sanford Station, I’ll start there. 1 mile east (all distances are approximated).and 2 blocks south is the South Sanford Group, which became my wife, Linda and my home group when we relocated to Sanford 11 years ago. As we proceed south we cross C.R. 46A, which ¼ mile west is the location of the Pathway to Peace Group, my current home group. Halfway way and ¼ mile west to the Lake Mary Station is where the Lake Mary Grace Group meets on Tuesday evenings. Stopping in Lake Mary, ¼ mile west and a block north is the church where the High Noon Group (Linda’s home current home group) and the Speak from the Heart Group meet. The next stop is the Longwood station, which is located just north of S.R. 434. West along and adjacent to S.R. 434 are 14 AA groups which are currently listed in the Where and When. Among them I have attended the Pass It On and Longwood Groups. The next is the Altamonte Springs Station, where a ½ mile east is located the Rebos Club with 4 AA groups, the Happy Hour Group and the Central Florida Intergroup Office. 1 mile further is the Clean Air Group and 5 other AA groups are located in Casselberry. West of the station location are the AA groups of Altamonte Springs and Apopka where I attended the Living Sober Group several times. After leaving the Maitland Station I pass directly by the location of the Maitland Beginners Group (where my wife got sober). Due west 2 miles and 1 block south is the location of the Winter Park Group and a ¼ mile beyond that is St. Richard’s Church where currently the AA Way of Life Group meets and was where the old Tanglewood Group met, my first home group in Central Florida. As the train proceeds to the Winter Park Station, we pass the recently vacated location of the Green House Group. Upon stopping at the Winter Park Station, I can see the location of the Green House Group. Not far on either side of the station are the locations of where the New Hope and Fairbanks Groups meet. 10 other groups meet in the Winter Park area. Our next stop is Florida Hospital, where 4 miles to the west is College Park with 6 AA groups. After departing for the Lynx Central Station, ½ mile south and ½ mile east is the current location of the Green House Group. As the train crosses over Colonial Drive, a few blocks to the east is the Central Orlando Group. My final stop is Church Street Station in the heart of Downtown Orlando, which contain 6 other AA groups. The AA groups mentioned above are only drop in the bucket. Central Florida contains so many more AA groups with strong recovery and amazing opportunity to find sober recovery. Check out as many as possible.