June 2025

COOPERATION IN RECOVERY

New Meeting in
Hillman City

A new meeting opened on May 25 in Hillman City. Ivy V., the founder of the group, tells us how she went about opening a meeting in this Seattle neighborhood.

Ivy had been attending the Fremont AFG (Al-Anon Family Group) at 7:30 pm on Thursday for the past two and a half years. She was comfortable in that meeting. It was convenient and in-person. It had been around more than ten years and had maintained attendance of about twenty members per meeting. Newcomers were welcome and tended to stay. Members consistently upheld Seventh Tradition in service and donations.

When Ivy moved to the Mount Baker neighborhood two years ago, she found an “Al-Anon recovery desert.” There was only one other meeting near her home. Commuting to Fremont at 7:30pm every week was challenging. She and another member from her home group, Darik, who had also moved to the Rainier Valley started talking about the need for a meeting close to home.

Ivy’s New Year’s resolution for 2025 was to start the process of opening a new meeting. She immediately ran into challenges. There were very few venues that were affordable in the area. She was surprised that awareness of recovery was not high in spaces such as churches and community centers which typically welcome Al-Anon meetings. She went back to her home meeting and asked for help. One member suggested that she look for existing Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous meetings (A.A. or N.A.) to see if it would be possible to start an Al-Anon meeting in the same space. She found one! The SouthEast Seattle Senior Center had a room available!

But there was a catch. The Senior Center was not willing to rent the space to someone they did not know and trust. Ivy’s hope to have a weekday meeting was not to be. The Center was not staffed after 4:00 pm, so they would only rent if the new AFG could meet at the same time as A.A. at 6:00pm on Sunday. After negotiation with the Center and collaboration with the A.A. group, they all agreed that Al-Anon could host its meeting if the A.A. group would hold the keys and be responsible for opening and closing the building. It took time to work out the rental agreement, but finally it was done! The first meeting was on May 25.

Ivy said that the entire process felt right. It was the next step in her recovery. She was aware of working Step 11 (“…seeking only for God’s will for our lives…”) and Step 12 (“…tried to carry this message to others…”) and felt reinvigorated in her program.

When asked what she might say to others who want to start a meeting, she said, “Every meeting started somewhere. Just get going. Put your mind to it. Consider rejection as part of a learning and growing experience. Remember that Higher Power is in charge.”

Ivy’s next challenge is getting out the word to those who need a meeting in the Rainier Valley. She invites you to attend on Sundays at 6:00pm at 4655 S. Holly, Seattle, and spread the word. Feel free to print the poster (at the top of the article) and share it at your meetings!

Meetings: Hybrid

In The Bits, May 2025, we discussed using a Group Inventory to review our meetings, including electronic ones. We asked readers to send us their stories of how they use the Legacies to guide their decisions when facing challenges. Here are stories about how two groups have made choices about hybrid meetings.

Women Living in Focus

Sarah W. is the Alternate Zoom Host for the hybrid meeting Women Living in Focus (WLIF) that meets on Thursdays at 6:30pm on Zoom and in-person in West Seattle. She originally joined Al-Anon during COVID. She enjoys meetings that focus on women, so Friday Women’s AFG became her home group. When the pandemic ended, that group chose to stay online and became a Global Electronic Meeting on the World Service Office (WSO) website. It did not “go back” to being an in-person meeting. Sarah wanted to try the face-to-face experience, but her familiar meeting no longer had that option. Although she resisted the idea at first due to the weather, the driving distance, etc., she finally tried WLIF.

Sarah has found her new home. Apart from WLIF being a women’s meeting, she finds her recovery is enhanced there by a richly active membership, dedicated to welcoming newcomers, service and sponsorship. Most visitors do not just drop in; they come back again and again. There is a strong feeling of community.

WLIF has a mission to support women in recovery who have young children. Sarah feels that the hybrid format supports this mission in two ways. 1) Hybrid is flexible. Women can find 90 minutes of serenity at the in-person meeting where they take advantage of the free childcare, or they can join online at home while still being available for their kids. 2) Hybrid is an easy way for newcomers to try out the program, to see how it works and to know that if they choose to come in-person, that their children will be safe.

Sarah admits that the hybrid format is still evolving. WLIF continues to work on the mechanics.

=The tools for hearing and seeing are just not the same online as in-person. Microphones continue to be a challenge. For example, muting can be a problem for the Zoom host.

=Their members online do not donate as generously for the Seventh Tradition as they do in person.

=WLIF Business Meetings are robustly attended, and it is sometimes messy to work as a group. Because service roles are not balanced, Zoom members are outnumbered.

=The Secretary’s Script must reflect the experience of both in-person and Zoom participants.

WLIF has embraced these challenges because of the benefits of hybrid. They identified “space” as a parameter that they could control. They noticed that the current room setup served neither in-person nor Zoom well. They formed the Setup Committee made up of about six people from both Zoom and in-person to explore the use of space.

In the in-person meeting, the person sharing sat behind the monitor. This allowed them to be seen and heard well by the online attendees but blocked them from being seen by those in the room. To address this, the Committee turned the monitor to face the room. They designated a “Share Chair” and set it just to the left of camera (built into the computer). Now each speaker moves to the Share Chair to share. The speaker is consistently visible and audible to people on Zoom as well as to people in the room. The Secretary, Meeting Chair and Trusted Servants all move to the Share Chair to address the meeting. The Setup Committee realized that the traffic to and from the Share Chair needed some thought. They concluded that they needed more aisles and shorter rows so that people could get in and out of their chairs with ease.

No wonder WLIF is a strong and vibrant meeting! The Legacies are alive in their quest for solutions. They observe honestly, listen to each other with respect, take risks, and are willing to seek guidance. We look forward to hearing more as they continue to grow.

-Artwork by Cynthia B.

Sunday AM Fresh Start

In the years leading up to the pandemic, Sunday AM Fresh Start (FS) was a mainstay meeting on the North Side of Seattle. Once located in a pizza restaurant, it moved to the University of Washington School of Social Work in the 2000s. It featured a writing format and was so well attended that it had to break up into smaller groups after the Chair presented the topic so that everyone would have a chance to share.

Like so many groups, FS met on Zoom during the pandemic. Liz L. became the Group Representative (GR) for FS in spring of 2022. At that time group attendance started to drop. When the group returned to an in-person format, they experimented with hybrid. It grew to be a hardship for everyone. The difference in the experience of those attending in-person and Zoom groups was too great.

The groups did not separate right away. Liz described a process that was sometimes quite emotional. There were worries. Would the two groups be able to survive if they split? Would enough people step up to take on the extra service positions? If the attendees in Zoom meetings were drawn increasingly from out of state, would they commit to service? Members wanted to maintain the pre-COVID identity of the meeting. Would splitting the meetings change that?

In the end the group did break up into “Sunday AM Fresh Start AFG” and “Sunday AM Fresh Start Online AFG.” The Zoom meeting kept its affiliation with District 20 rather than switching to the Global Electronic Area. This decision allowed it to be listed on the Greater Seattle Al-Anon Information Service (AIS) website Meeting Directory so that it would continue to attract local attendees. It also gave the Zoom group the right to have their own GR and be connected to the district and the Washington Area (Area) through the links of service.

Liz L. is now the District Representative (DR) for District 20, which has sixteen meetings. Ten meetings are Zoom only, five are in-person and only one is hybrid. Liz feels that smaller hybrid groups struggle with being “fully self-supporting” in both money and service. So, you may be surprised to know that she is a strong advocate of hybrid for Area meetings. She is pleased that the Washington Area Fall Assembly in 2023 voted to hold Area voting meetings in hybrid format. They also voted to add a Meeting Technology Coordinator and set aside a budget for improving hybrid technology. As the Area explores hybrid, they can discover best practices and share their findings with the districts and groups so that they can improve their use of hybrid.

-Artwork by Ruth RL

SERVICE

Outreach to
Recovery Facilities-
District 15

Sarah B. is Outreach Coordinator for District 15. She spoke with The Bits about the work that her district is doing at Lakeside-Milam (L-M) Drug and Alcohol Recovery Center in Kirkland.

L-M staff facilitate a monthly Family Night to support the families of resident patients at the Center. As part of the program, a panel of six Al-Anon members from District 15 share their stories. Even when they are not polished speakers, they connect with the families through talking about their experience and how Al-Anon has helped them.

After speaking, the Al-Anon guests answer questions and share resources that the district purchases from the Greater Seattle Al-anon Information Service (AIS) Literature Distribution Center (LDC) such as newcomers packets, copies of the Forum, and a bookmark with a QR code that links to the AIS website with the meetings list and literature sales.

During the pandemic, outreach efforts in general had stopped. The previous Outreach Coordinator in District 15 had started the process of reconnecting with recovery centers last year. When Sarah took over the job, she reached out to Lakeside-Milam and worked with them to send Al-Anon members to sit on a weekly panel of speakers.

She was worried that there would not be enough volunteers, but the opposite was true. The first group of speakers wanted to do it again! They found it meaningful. Some had had family members at L-M and wanted to give back. She now has a group of about twenty members who rotate on the panel.

Sarah was also concerned that conducting a project that needed lots of volunteers would deplete the number of members willing to do other kinds of service in the district. She decided to trust Higher Power. She discovered that activity stimulates participation. When members are enthusiastic, their energy inspires others to service.

Sarah B. encourages other districts or groups who want to conduct outreach in recovery centers. She suggests:

=Be clear about what the center expects from the Al-Anon volunteers.

=Be very respectful of the recovery method that the center uses-it may differ from Al-Anon. Do not criticize them.

=Look for centers that understand Al-Anon and are receptive to and respectful of its methods.

=Be patient. It takes time to find the person in the center who oversees family engagement programs.

=If your district or group has more questions send a message to Sarah B. at district15@seattle-al-anon.org

-AIS Outreach Bookmark

Teens in Service-WAAC

Hi! My name is Samuel M., and I have been a member of Alateen for over two years. I have been to WAAC (the Washington Area Alateen Conference) twice. It is a great opportunity to interact with people who are in a similar situation to mine. It’s like an average camp with swimming and climbing, but there are group meetings about the Twelve Steps and how to progress through them. It’s a good time to have the community with you to talk about goals and how you want to achieve them. Weekly meetings are great, but at WAAC you have more time to process your thoughts in the light of others’ experience. WAAC is a great experience and a chance to build memories.

Last year when I was fourteen, I was the Treasurer for WAAC. I kept track of the money for the setup and the event. Of course, each of us with leadership roles had an AMIAS (Al-Anon Member Involved in Alateen Service) counterpart to help. They have been, perhaps, a little too involved as we rebuild after COVID, but the teens are learning to take more responsibility so that the AMIAS can relax.

When I have challenges in a service position, I work my program. I sometimes have trouble staying motivated and I procrastinate. When I mess up, I keep moving forward. When I think back on how I have got help from Higher Power in the past I trust that I will again. It never crossed my mind that I would fail because at WAAC I am always surrounded by people who can help me.

We must honor the Seventh Tradition and raise money to pay for the event. Your support is good, and we are grateful for it, but when you hear my story, you become part of the WAAC community and that is great in itself!

Note from the Editor: Please consider donating to WAAC. Any amount is greatly appreciated. To donate, please contact WA Area Alateen Safety Coordinator at alateen-safety@wa-al-anon.org or donate to Alateen through your district or home group.

-Photo from WAAC 2025 Application Form

AIS Positions Still Open For 2025!

Outreach Coordinator
Vice Chair
Phones Coordinator

Click on the position to find out more about the job.

Requesting Phone Volunteers

What do you need to be a Phone Volunteer?

=A desire to help
=Access to the Zoom app on a cellphone or computer
=A slot of time that works for you to work regularly:
-Once a month
-Several times a week
-A combination of times

Note: all of your personal information remains anonymous.

Contact the Phone Coordinator Phones@seattle-al-anon.org
or call/text 206-625-0000

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Greater Seattle Area Events

Washington Area Events

Al-Anon Information Service serves Districts 14-22.  If you want to know about Al-Anon meetings, events and resources in the greater Washington Area please go to the website. Check out the Events tab for

=AMIAS Training, June 7

=WAAC  (WA Area Alateen Conference) July 18-20

=August AWSC  (WA Area World Service Committee) August 2

Meeting Changes

Monday 7:00 – 8:00 AM Ballard Hope for Today AFG
in-person meeting closed (Now meeting on Wednesday & Friday.)

Friday 7:00 – 8:00 AM Ballard Hope for Today AFG
new day added to their existing Wednesday in-person meeting

Friday 7:30 – 9:00 PM Kent All Men’s AFG
new location Auburn First United Methodist Church, 100 N St SE, Auburn

Sunday 6:00 – 7:00 PM Hillman City AFG
new in-person meeting started May 25

For more info see Meetings — Greater Seattle Al-Anon

Group Records

Is your group listed incorrectly in the meeting directories? Do you need to make group records changes?

In Person and Hybrid Groups Submit your correct information to WA Area by using the form on the WA Area website. You may have to log in first. If you don’t have an account, you will need to set one up. Click here.  

Online ONLY Groups Submit your correct information to WSO by using the Electronic Group Change Form. If this is your first time using that form, here are some handy instructions.  

AIS will be sent a copy of the changes by WA Area and by WSO via the Area Group Records Coordinator.

AIS will make the change as soon as possible. For Online ONLY groups, please allow up to 10 days for the change to appear on the AIS meeting directory. If your listing is correct on WA Area and WSO, but not on AIS, please email meetingdirectoryeditor@seattle-al-anon.org.

AIS Council Meeting

The next Council meeting is June 12, 2025 @ 7:30-9:00 pm. Check the AIS Information Page for the Zoom link. 

AIS Board Meeting

The next Council meeting is July 17, 2025 @ 7:00-8:30 pm. Check the AIS Information Page for the Zoom link. 

AIS Office & Literature
Distribution Center Open House

Saturday, June 7, 11:00am-3:00pm
and the first Saturday of every month
All Pilgrims Church
509 10th Ave. E. Seattle 98102

Need A Free Newcomer Packet?

Anyone local to Seattle who is a newcomer and wants an individual newcomer packet (or in Spanish, too!), please submit your request via the New To Al-Anon page or send an email to outreach@seattle-al-anon.org with the name and mailing address.

EXPERIENCE, STRENGTH AND HOPE FROM MEMBERS

I Dove off the Deep End

He moved out when I was in Hawaii. I had not wanted to witness the transition of my home (furniture and belongings) or the transformation of my marriage and family. Coming home to the done deal was supposed to be easier.

Instead of wading into the pool and slowly adjusting to the temperature, I dove off the deep end into the shock of change. My grief was painful and debilitating. My mind could not contain all the ramifications that hit me. I was in bed, weeping as each new realization slammed into me. It was like an internal car wreck. So alone. Not wanting my kids to see me so broken.

I had just met the woman who was to become my sponsor in Hawaii. She had 26 years of sobriety and was also an Al-Anon alum (although I didn’t know what that meant at the time.) I called her. She accepted the call from the unhinged, distraught woman, then continued to receive call after call, slowly guiding me back to some semblance of functionality. I was a stranger. She took me into her heart, embracing me with love. She acted with God’s guidance. She was and is my blessing.

Break it down. Keep it simple. Do the very next right thing.

-Vickie M.

-Stock photo

Finding God

As the shower water poured over me, I was feeling as if I was standing on quicksand – that I was falling into the abyss of insanity because I had been gaslighted for so long. I was starting to believe that perhaps I was crazy, and I was sure no one could understand my pain or my situation. My husband was a secret drinker who repeatedly told me that he didn’t drink, and I was crazy. We were going to a couples counselor to try to save our marriage, and I was very anxious about the meeting, sure the therapist would not believe me and it would confirm I was indeed insane.

Early in the Al-Anon program, I hadn’t fully found my higher power. But I decided to pray. I repeated the words “help me” several times and the message I heard was “You know the truth.” Suddenly the quicksand turned to solid ground, and I knew no matter what happened I would be okay.

Sadly, I’m no longer married to my husband and the loss of a 24-year marriage was devastating. But my higher power has been with me through every step, providing miracles that kept me moving forward and able to handle a very different life. God is my sturdy ground who loves me and knows what is best for me and I am truly grateful.

-Claire B.

-Stock photo

Would You Like to Host a Writing Workshop?

The shares above were written at the Writing for Recovery Workshop at the Summer Seminar Assembly (SSA) in May. Writing workshops support recovery, provide opportunities for service and are a great way to do outreach. If your group or district is interested in hosting a writing workshop, please contact the Bits Editor. We have lots of ways to support you! Materials, literature, templates, and coaching.

Are You Looking For More
Experience, Strength And Hope?

Al-Anon’s monthly magazine, the Forum, features timely shares from Al-Anon and Alateen members, suggested meeting topics, and the latest information on worldwide Al-Anon recovery. Experience and insight you won’t find anywhere else!

Click here for sample articles from the June edition of the Forum and more.

If you like what you read, give this a try: Subscribe to the Forum.

SHARE YOUR E/S/H

If you have never written an article for the Bits, please click Guidelines for Bits Articles to find out how to do it. If you are hesitating, we will offer you guidance and give you a sounding board for your thoughts. please send in your articles, reflections, poetry and art to newslettereditor@seattle-al-anon.org.

What’s On Your Mind?

We welcome your thoughts, reflection, comments and suggestions about anything that you have read or seen in this newsletter.  Please share them with us at newslettereditor@seattle-al-anon.org.

Art Work

Unless attributed to an individual, images used in this publication are AI Generated and in the Public Domain. They are labeled “Stock photo”. They do not represent any specific individual or place and therefore respect the anonymity of our members and the intellectual property of the artist.

Subscribe to the Bits

Click here for printable Bits

Thank You For
Your Donations To AIS!

Our funding comes primarily from Donations by Members, Groups and Districts and Literature Sales. Please send all donations, to:

Seattle AIS
505 Broadway E #400
Seattle, WA 98102-5023