Like sugarbear1, the meetings I've gone to do give out chips, but at the end of the meetings (no breaks, thus giving the person, who may not be sure if he/she want to commit, a bit more time).
The chips are the aluminum ones; these chips are not for every month but for.....: the 24hr chip that we call the 'desire' chip; 1 month chip; 2 month chip; 3 month chip; 6 month chip; 9 month chip (actually this one's bronze and called a 'heavy metal' chip), and the big one....the one year chip (this one is given to anyone who is celebrating one year, or any multiple thereof. ...and then comes what most of my recovery friends, who got sober when I did, what we call the 'resentment' chip (also a 'heavy metal' chip). This is the 18 month chip.....when my friends and I reached 18 months, there was no 18 month chip; it didn't come into being till the next year....grrrrr
On the last Saturday of the month we hold a Birthday/Aniversary meeting where all those celebrating a year or any multiple of years gets his/her 'heavy metal' yearly medallion.....and a certificate.....and they speak for a bit.....(some a bit longer than others.....LOLOL). This can lead to a very long meeting, but it's worth it (most of the time).
I still remember my first year.....I almost didn't graduate high school because I was no good at public speaking and had to give an oral book report (Vance Packard's The Status Seekers).....and here I was expected to speak in front of 300+ folks.....? AAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!! (my high school english class only had 30 folks in it.....HAH).
(o:
NoelleR