Dave F. Introduction Manastash Men's Retreat 2026

Dave F. Introduction Manastash Men's Retreat 2026

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This talk from the Manastash Men's Retreat 2026 centres on exactly that, as longtime AA member Dave Fredericks sets the tone for a weekend aimed at men who want depth, honesty and spiritual growth in recovery. Speaking to a room full of guys, Dave introduces himself simply: "My name is Dave Fredericks.

I'm an alcoholic." From there, he shares how he got sober as a teenager after growing up in a family deeply involved in AA, with his first meeting all the way back in 1976. With more than four decades of sobriety, he’s open about having "made pretty much every mistake you can make" and uses those experiences as part of his teaching.

You’ll hear how Dave uses meditation, written exercises and a strong relationship with a higher power to keep growing spiritually. He talks about going back to "the ultimate sponsor"—his relationship with God—especially after losing multiple sponsors over the years. Out of those experiences, he created around 40–50 written exercises based on AA literature and spiritual principles, which he plans to share throughout the retreat. Connection is a huge theme.

Dave warns that "addiction… is a disease of isolation" and jokes about the danger of listening only to "the itty-bitty shitty committee" in his head. He encourages the men to meet people they don’t know, look each other in the eye, and build what he calls a "spiritual license"—a brief, genuine connection that can change how someone feels about themselves. With humour, self-deprecation and straight talk, Dave invites the group to bring just one thing: an open mind.

Anyone curious about long-term sobriety, spiritual growth and genuine fellowship among men in AA will find plenty here to think about. Who might you need to shake hands with and really see today?