Sherman Serenity Group Provides Sobriety To Those In Need

The purple triangle

In downtown Sherman there is a building with a neon-purple triangle in its window, the only marker that denotes it as the local AA hall, the Sherman Serenity Group. In the hall one man sits, reading, smoking, and thinking. On Friday, January 7^th, Bear sat in the Sherman Serenity Group, keeping the hall open and welcome to anyone who needed a place to be when they had nowhere else to go. Keeping the hall open is an important job, it can be the only place you can go to that won’t end in getting drunk and repeating a painful cycle.

Alcoholics Anonymous has been around since 1935, where the "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." This purpose is achieved in the many meeting locations worldwide. The Sherman Serenity Group provides assistance and sobriety to those whose lives have become unmanageable due to alcohol and other substances. The hall is more than just a place to attend meetings, though. For members of AA it is a sort of town square, a place where you can stop in throughout the day and meet friends who are all going through the same struggles.

One half of the Memorial Wall

The Sherman Serenity Group isn’t located in the most luxurious of spaces, but it can carry out all of its duties. Members have made the best of the space they have available, and the hall has an undeniable sense of charm and comfort. From 6:00 AM to midnight the building is open, meetings are held throughout the day, and in between them you can, sit down, and have some coffee and conversation. When meetings aren’t being held, people sit in the hall and engage each other one on one or in small groups. Sometimes it’s casual conversation, other times it may be a sponsor and sponsee discussing the twelve steps, or reading from the Big Book.

Coffee and donuts can be seen,
along with the hall's schedule for the month

Throughout the years, many people seeking sobriety have come through these doors. Upon entering the building, the memorial wall is immediately noticeable. This wall consists of all those who have been a part of the Sherman Serenity Hall and have passed away. Obituaries and funeral programs line the two short narrow sections of wall. These people are friends and family. The memorial is powerful, and a strong message for those who currently attend.

While Bear was keeping the hall open, people came in and out of the hall and shared their stories with us. Here are a few of them:

Bear’s story is familiar, but distinct. Bear has been a regular at the hall for three years. Before he started coming to the hall, his life was a struggle. People were always fighting. Life was fighting, drinking, and using drugs to fight some more. One day someone asked him if he’d like to experience something different, something better. Bear followed him, and he was led to the hall. Now Bear volunteers to keep the hall open, giving others the chance to experience the change in life that he experienced three years ago. Bear doesn’t consider himself an alcoholic, and he doesn’t have to. Alcoholics Anonymous supports all those who seek sobriety and serenity.

Brandon is at the hall because the court demands it. An assault charge from an unfair judge left him with many hours of community service and a court order to attend AA meetings. He has two more years to spend in Grayson County before he can leave. Neither drugs nor alcohol were involved in his assault charge, yet he attends meetings. He enjoys the community provided by the Sherman Serenity Group, saying “There are some folks that wouldn't pee on you if you were on fire, but everyone shakes hands and gets along with on another well enough."

One man (who preferred to remain fully anonymous), has been attending the Sherman Serenity group for over twenty years. Being an elder member of the group, he recalls that the group hasn’t always been in the same location. The hall has only had its current location for the past few years. Having been a member for so long, he told of his experiences in and out of the program. "It’s almost like there's two of me… …Sometimes I want to be around good people and do good things, and you know, sometimes I don't. I can go 9 months 8 months [of continuous sobriety] sometimes..."

A hand knit poster of the Twelve Promises

Every day, people enter the building marked only by a purple triangle. These people find serenity and community, things every person needs to live a sane life. Before Alcoholics Anonymous existed, the only cure for alcoholism was commitment to an asylum. Thankfully a program exists that helps those who have problems with drinking to function and live meaningful lives. There are those who question that success rate of AA, and while the percentage may not be the highest, it’s better than being declared insane. Alcoholics Anonymous isn’t a miracle cure, it’s a tool to help those who are willing to be helped.


If you have reached a point in your life where your life is no longer manageable due to drugs or alcohol, Alcoholics Anonymous may be for you. Alcoholism does not discriminate based on age, race, gender, or creed. Thousands of men and women have found sanity and understanding through AA. There are people who understand what you’re going through and have had the same experiences. For more information, or to find a meeting in your area, please go to www.aa.org

• The Sherman Serentiy group is open from 6 AM to midnight
• It's located at 106 South Elm Street
• Meetings are held Monday through Saturday at 8 AM, 12 Noon, and 8 PM
• Sunday 8 AM, 10 AM 12 Noon, and 8 PM