What It's Like to Host the Fall Assembly
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This year, Seattle will host the Washington Area Fall Assembly, October 1st-3rd, at the Lynnwood Embassy Suites (and on Zoom). It’s stressful anytime when acting as host for any party, gathering, or Assembly, and I wanted to reach out to the person in charge of this year's event, Gary H. What exactly does a person in charge have to do for an event like this? I asked him a few questions about this, and you can read his answers below. To volunteer for the event, you can email Gary here.
What is Fall Assembly exactly, and why is it important?
Fall Assembly is a voting Assembly of the Al-Anon Area 59 (i.e., Washington State) Area World Service Committee (AWSC). It is suggested that all Group Representatives (GRs) attend to represent their groups. They will vote on several motions. In addition, the Committee elects a new Panel of Area Officers and Coordinators every three years, and Fall Assembly 2021 will see the election of this new Panel. The new Panel will help guide our Area over the next three years. So not only is it important to vote for this Panel, but it is also important to consider serving. This year, anyone who has been a District Representative (DR) may stand for the Panel election. But the Assembly is not just about voting. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to meet members from all over the state. We have not met in person for a full Assembly since Fall Assembly, 2019, so many Al-Anon members in service are eager to see one another again. There are also many great activities for members in service, such as the GR and DR circles, an Al-Anon meeting, and the ever-popular Saturday Birthday Countdown, followed by a Speaker meeting. In addition, due to our continuing adjustments to the post-pandemic world, the Assembly will give members the option of participating virtually. Fall Assembly 2021 will be held from Friday, October 1 to Sunday, October 3 at the Embassy Suites in Lynnwood.
What are the job duties in your role as a host? I imagine there are many.
The first job for the host district (District 21, North Seattle) is to find a facility appropriate for hosting the event. This process was greatly simplified for 2021 because all those arrangements were made in 2020 by the hosting districts (20, 21, and 22). So, we updated the arrangements for the same venue. The host district also coordinates several service functions intended to make the Assembly run smoothly. These include registration, hospitality, coordination with the venue, selecting lunch and banquet menus, coordinating the two meetings, assisting the Panel with its needs vis-a-vis the Assembly, and composing and sending out communications. The Panel sets the agenda and timeline and is deeply involved in planning how the hybrid meeting will work, very difficult tasks indeed and which the District 21 Committee is glad to cede!
How are you finding enjoyment, personally, as being the host?
I have greatly enjoyed working with Al-Anon members in Service. We have many committed and smart folks working diligently to set up registration, communications, hospitality, etc. I don’t have to do a lot. I just send out emails and run some meetings and voilà! Great things happen. It can be a little hard keeping up with their enthusiasm and ability to think of things that I didn’t know. I have worked a lot with the folks at Embassy Suites, and they have been very patient and helpful. In addition, I get to coordinate with the folks on the Panel, which is a treat. It is very healthy for my recovery to work with others who have a ton of recovery and have done a lot of service, especially when a spirit of cooperation and gratitude is necessary in the face of fear and uncertainty. I will say that none of this is a natural fit for me. I’m a details person, not a big picture person, and it’s hard to relinquish control. So, this service has been a growth opportunity for me, like most of the service work I’ve done in Al-Anon. I will be glad when we have finished, but it’s been satisfying to be able to serve.
**Registration is available online at the WA Area site or by mail. Registration is required for both in person and virtual attendance. Please register by September 10th to avoid a late fee. Also, meals will not be provided for members registering after that date. If you plan to stay at the hotel, contact them directly per the instructions on our registration form before September 3 to guarantee special pricing and room availability.
What is Fall Assembly exactly, and why is it important?
Fall Assembly is a voting Assembly of the Al-Anon Area 59 (i.e., Washington State) Area World Service Committee (AWSC). It is suggested that all Group Representatives (GRs) attend to represent their groups. They will vote on several motions. In addition, the Committee elects a new Panel of Area Officers and Coordinators every three years, and Fall Assembly 2021 will see the election of this new Panel. The new Panel will help guide our Area over the next three years. So not only is it important to vote for this Panel, but it is also important to consider serving. This year, anyone who has been a District Representative (DR) may stand for the Panel election. But the Assembly is not just about voting. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to meet members from all over the state. We have not met in person for a full Assembly since Fall Assembly, 2019, so many Al-Anon members in service are eager to see one another again. There are also many great activities for members in service, such as the GR and DR circles, an Al-Anon meeting, and the ever-popular Saturday Birthday Countdown, followed by a Speaker meeting. In addition, due to our continuing adjustments to the post-pandemic world, the Assembly will give members the option of participating virtually. Fall Assembly 2021 will be held from Friday, October 1 to Sunday, October 3 at the Embassy Suites in Lynnwood.
What are the job duties in your role as a host? I imagine there are many.
The first job for the host district (District 21, North Seattle) is to find a facility appropriate for hosting the event. This process was greatly simplified for 2021 because all those arrangements were made in 2020 by the hosting districts (20, 21, and 22). So, we updated the arrangements for the same venue. The host district also coordinates several service functions intended to make the Assembly run smoothly. These include registration, hospitality, coordination with the venue, selecting lunch and banquet menus, coordinating the two meetings, assisting the Panel with its needs vis-a-vis the Assembly, and composing and sending out communications. The Panel sets the agenda and timeline and is deeply involved in planning how the hybrid meeting will work, very difficult tasks indeed and which the District 21 Committee is glad to cede!
How are you finding enjoyment, personally, as being the host?
I have greatly enjoyed working with Al-Anon members in Service. We have many committed and smart folks working diligently to set up registration, communications, hospitality, etc. I don’t have to do a lot. I just send out emails and run some meetings and voilà! Great things happen. It can be a little hard keeping up with their enthusiasm and ability to think of things that I didn’t know. I have worked a lot with the folks at Embassy Suites, and they have been very patient and helpful. In addition, I get to coordinate with the folks on the Panel, which is a treat. It is very healthy for my recovery to work with others who have a ton of recovery and have done a lot of service, especially when a spirit of cooperation and gratitude is necessary in the face of fear and uncertainty. I will say that none of this is a natural fit for me. I’m a details person, not a big picture person, and it’s hard to relinquish control. So, this service has been a growth opportunity for me, like most of the service work I’ve done in Al-Anon. I will be glad when we have finished, but it’s been satisfying to be able to serve.
**Registration is available online at the WA Area site or by mail. Registration is required for both in person and virtual attendance. Please register by September 10th to avoid a late fee. Also, meals will not be provided for members registering after that date. If you plan to stay at the hotel, contact them directly per the instructions on our registration form before September 3 to guarantee special pricing and room availability.
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Step Nine
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 
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AIS Council Meeting
Thursday, September 9th, 730p - 9p Electronic Meeting Join Zoom Meeting: Click Here Meeting ID: 839 6957 0120 Passcode: 001086 The AIS Council Meeting is the business meeting for the Greater Seattle Al-Anon Information Service. Each Group has a vote and is encouraged to send a representative. All Al-Anon members are invited to attend. |
September Is National Recovery Month
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This Al-Anon literature rack at the Lynnwood Alano Club was refreshed by their AIS Location Liaison.
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Now in its 32nd year, Recovery Month celebrates the gains made by those in recovery. The 2021 National Recovery Month theme, “Recovery is For Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community,” is a reminder that alcoholism affects not only the alcoholic, but also their family and, as an extension, their community. It is also a reminder that we are not alone in our recovery from the effects of alcohol.
Please consider selecting a Group outreach project to help celebrate our Al-Anon recovery and share our message of hope and help with our communities. Looking for ideas? Please check out the Outreach Menu on our Outreach webpage.
Each member with a social media page can help spread the word by sharing and liking the WSO Al-Anon posts. Also, what a great time to celebrate your own recovery program!
Please consider selecting a Group outreach project to help celebrate our Al-Anon recovery and share our message of hope and help with our communities. Looking for ideas? Please check out the Outreach Menu on our Outreach webpage.
Each member with a social media page can help spread the word by sharing and liking the WSO Al-Anon posts. Also, what a great time to celebrate your own recovery program!
How to Host a Hybrid Meeting
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Alateen Update
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Photo courtesy of Marjorie S
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Thanks to the support from AIS, we started our Alateen Groups with a Zoom Meeting on Saturday mornings, 10:30-11:30. This meeting is a continuation of the in-person Alateen meeting called RECOVERY IS FOR EVERYONE and will be added to the online Al-Anon meeting list. We recruited two certified AMIAS (Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service) to lead these meetings. We started the virtual meetings on Saturday, August 7th. Unfortunately, no Alateens attended yet, but we will continue to provide a meeting, hoping the group will grow.
Please pass information about this newly scheduled electronic meeting for teens to your groups to get the word out to interested teens or Al-Anon or AA members needing this information.
Here are two safety reminders for adults about our Alateen meetings.
The Alateen CHAT is still available for our teens. Information about this and other virtual meetings can be found on the Al-Anon website.
Please pass information about this newly scheduled electronic meeting for teens to your groups to get the word out to interested teens or Al-Anon or AA members needing this information.
Here are two safety reminders for adults about our Alateen meetings.
- We try to prepare the teens so they can find a private space to join the meeting
- Parents/Caregivers are not allowed in the online Alateen Meeting
The Alateen CHAT is still available for our teens. Information about this and other virtual meetings can be found on the Al-Anon website.
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AMIAS Update |
Al-Anon Poem of the MonthIf a Kiss Could Stop a Train
by Fawn B His disease was a barreling, brakeless, reckless train. We all, in our uniquely inadequate way blew kisses at it, frantically, compulsively, desperately hoping it would stop. We scolded. We pleaded. We lectured. We bargained. We prayed. We believed the lies and questioned the truth. We enabled. We cut off. We tried love and reason. We gave in. We gave up. We got angry. We got soft. We relocated, felt superior, took the blame. The train was headed for a destination we feared most. It barreled through every attempt to change its horrific path. Treatment centers, halfway houses and hospitals, sponsors, social workers and counselors, judges, clergy, family, and friends were left small and powerless as it slowed then gained speed again and again. Its whistle blew a frantic plea, “I’m in pain. I need help. I can’t stop.” But help is somewhere in the future where we recognize addiction is in the brain, not the spine, where mental health gets as much funding, focus, and compassion as cancer, heart disease, or heartburn. The unthinkable happened. He crashed into the last station, where he is finally at peace. We, those who knew him, who loved him, are left in the fiery wreckage with the deep knowledge we never wanted; A kiss can’t stop a train. For Shannon R 06/07/71 – 12/05/16 |
If you have an Al-Anon poem that you'd like to submit, please send it to newsletter@seattle-al-anon.org. Anonymous submissions accepted. |
Exploring 9/11 and Outside Issues
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Photo from unsplash.com
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In Al-Anon, an outside issue is defined as … well, actually, there doesn’t seem to be a concrete answer. Tradition 10 in Al-Anon states that we “have no opinion on outside issues; hence our name ought never be drawn into public controversy,” but the definition of an outside issue is not exactly clear to me.
I bring this up because 20 years ago, on September 11, an event happened that some (or most) in Al-Anon consider an outside issue. In the October 2001 issue of The Bits, there is a letter by the AIS office manager. This remarkable letter is the only mention of 9/11 that I could find in any Al-Anon media publication.
Curious about what others in Al-Anon said about this event 20 years ago, I looked up the October 2001 issue of The Forum. I found nothing about 9/11, not even an extra American flag or remembrance or memorial of the tragedy. I then browsed the Washington State Al-Anon newsletter, The Wanderings. Their Winter 2001 issue also does not mention it, though one alt-delegate mentions her fear of flying, how she had to do so, and how stressful that was to her.
The WSO newsletter at the time, Inside Al-Anon Xtra, not only did not mention the 9/11 events, but they did not have any issues at all in the Fall and Winter of 2001, which was unusual for them (interesting tidbit: in 1996, WSO had just moved from their office on One Park Avenue in Manhattan [a 1.9-mile walk from the Towers] to their present location in Virginia Beach, VA). When I asked WSO about the lack of coverage at all in any media, “Was 9/11 an outside issue, is that why it’s not mentioned?” they responded with “yes this is a true statement,” and referred me to Tradition 10, which discusses outside issues.
So, to briefly recap, the only mention of 9/11 in Al-Anon that I’ve ever found so far is the letter from the office manager in the Seattle Bits in October 2001.
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I felt compelled to ask previous Bits newsletter editors their thoughts on including any info on 9/11, had they been the editor at the time.
“I would not have put anything about 9/11 into the Bits if I had been editor. If I had been editor of a NY newsletter with meetings canceled due to 9/11, I would have put pertinent info into the newsletter. And, if WSO was located there then, and the offices were closed, I would have noted that as well.”
Another previous editor said:
“I think it is an outside issue except for how I might have used my program to manage my own behavior after a traumatic experience. How the fear or agitation impacted me and how I used the steps to detach from something outside my control. I remember feeling as if I should take action. No idea what I thought I should do.”
The office manager from 2001 could not be reached for comment.
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What about members in New York City? Was it an outside issue to them?
I wrote to the New York Al-Anon office and asked them what they might remember about that day in 2001 and how it affected them. Sam G, a volunteer with their intergroup office, was in New York City at the time. I asked him if there were any meetings in the Towers or if he knew any members involved.
“The closest meeting was at 74 Trinity Place, which was about one block South of the Trade Center. They relocated for a while after 9/11 & then came back to the original location.
Our Intergroup office was closed for a week afterward. At that time, the Intergroup office was located on Broadway below Canal St. Also, for a certain amount of additional time, access was limited. I did hear personally at that time from a member who worked in the South Tower who was told by her co-workers to leave as soon as the North Tower was hit, and she walked down many flights of stairs, leaving her pocketbook behind, but she was safe.”
I asked Sam G if he could connect me to their archives coordinator, but sadly, the position is vacant, and there is no contact person. However, I’m very curious to know what the NYC Al-Anon newsletter from October 2001 contains.
When I asked Sam G if 9/11 was an outside issue, he said something that still shakes me up a little every time I read it.
“For those of us in NYC who lived or worked near the WTC , 9/11 was not an outside issue as many of us had to evacuate the area on that day. Did it remind us of some event in the past that was alcohol involved? How did I get home? Was I afraid? We had some members who worked in the buildings. We had members who responded to the disaster area (firemen & retired firemen). Was that an outside issue to them? Could Intergroup get repaid by the government for they were closed, the salaries that they paid to their employees while they were closed? (WSO said yes because everyone was eligible for this).”
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Finally, I spoke with Seattle members who were in Al-Anon at the time. “Yes ... 9/11 was an outside issue and did not ‘hijack’ meetings. My recollection was that emotion about what had transpired and reference to the falling of the towers were noted in people's shares, but emoting or commenting on the event was not in line with our primary spiritual aim,” said one member.
Another member noted that a speaker meeting that she was going to attend was postponed.
“9/11 was a cancelled event. I was to attend it as my first AFG Speaker event, only being in Al-Anon for a few months and still unsure what a step was and why they could be useful. I recall that the event was rescheduled about 6 months later and at the end some members were running around with a hat as there were surprise expenses at a hotel ... like garbage and security and other "standard industry" fees in the contract that the committee had not considered. Sometimes I wonder if the lore of that 9/11 cancelled event ... and the scramble at the re-do are part of why WA area has become proficient in contracts with venues ... perhaps no connection, but I have not been to a "frantic hat passing" to make ends meet since those old days.”
I’ve always been a little confused about what an outside issue is, so I reached out to WSO again to ask for a definition. They directed me to a few CAL books, in particular Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. In it, they state, “Taking a position on any outside issue would surely divide us from within. A free, unbiased, uncontroversial atmosphere in which to develop belongs to all. Individual Al-Anon members carrying the message at the public level do not express opinions on outside issues. Al-Anon, as a fellowship, has none” (p. 128). After reading this and what previous editors, members, and Sam G have said, I continue to doubt myself, and I remain confused on what an outside issue is exactly, or if I would have written about 9/11 had I been the editor at the time.
Thank you to all who have contributed.
I bring this up because 20 years ago, on September 11, an event happened that some (or most) in Al-Anon consider an outside issue. In the October 2001 issue of The Bits, there is a letter by the AIS office manager. This remarkable letter is the only mention of 9/11 that I could find in any Al-Anon media publication.
Curious about what others in Al-Anon said about this event 20 years ago, I looked up the October 2001 issue of The Forum. I found nothing about 9/11, not even an extra American flag or remembrance or memorial of the tragedy. I then browsed the Washington State Al-Anon newsletter, The Wanderings. Their Winter 2001 issue also does not mention it, though one alt-delegate mentions her fear of flying, how she had to do so, and how stressful that was to her.
The WSO newsletter at the time, Inside Al-Anon Xtra, not only did not mention the 9/11 events, but they did not have any issues at all in the Fall and Winter of 2001, which was unusual for them (interesting tidbit: in 1996, WSO had just moved from their office on One Park Avenue in Manhattan [a 1.9-mile walk from the Towers] to their present location in Virginia Beach, VA). When I asked WSO about the lack of coverage at all in any media, “Was 9/11 an outside issue, is that why it’s not mentioned?” they responded with “yes this is a true statement,” and referred me to Tradition 10, which discusses outside issues.
So, to briefly recap, the only mention of 9/11 in Al-Anon that I’ve ever found so far is the letter from the office manager in the Seattle Bits in October 2001.
---
I felt compelled to ask previous Bits newsletter editors their thoughts on including any info on 9/11, had they been the editor at the time.
“I would not have put anything about 9/11 into the Bits if I had been editor. If I had been editor of a NY newsletter with meetings canceled due to 9/11, I would have put pertinent info into the newsletter. And, if WSO was located there then, and the offices were closed, I would have noted that as well.”
Another previous editor said:
“I think it is an outside issue except for how I might have used my program to manage my own behavior after a traumatic experience. How the fear or agitation impacted me and how I used the steps to detach from something outside my control. I remember feeling as if I should take action. No idea what I thought I should do.”
The office manager from 2001 could not be reached for comment.
---
What about members in New York City? Was it an outside issue to them?
I wrote to the New York Al-Anon office and asked them what they might remember about that day in 2001 and how it affected them. Sam G, a volunteer with their intergroup office, was in New York City at the time. I asked him if there were any meetings in the Towers or if he knew any members involved.
“The closest meeting was at 74 Trinity Place, which was about one block South of the Trade Center. They relocated for a while after 9/11 & then came back to the original location.
Our Intergroup office was closed for a week afterward. At that time, the Intergroup office was located on Broadway below Canal St. Also, for a certain amount of additional time, access was limited. I did hear personally at that time from a member who worked in the South Tower who was told by her co-workers to leave as soon as the North Tower was hit, and she walked down many flights of stairs, leaving her pocketbook behind, but she was safe.”
I asked Sam G if he could connect me to their archives coordinator, but sadly, the position is vacant, and there is no contact person. However, I’m very curious to know what the NYC Al-Anon newsletter from October 2001 contains.
When I asked Sam G if 9/11 was an outside issue, he said something that still shakes me up a little every time I read it.
“For those of us in NYC who lived or worked near the WTC , 9/11 was not an outside issue as many of us had to evacuate the area on that day. Did it remind us of some event in the past that was alcohol involved? How did I get home? Was I afraid? We had some members who worked in the buildings. We had members who responded to the disaster area (firemen & retired firemen). Was that an outside issue to them? Could Intergroup get repaid by the government for they were closed, the salaries that they paid to their employees while they were closed? (WSO said yes because everyone was eligible for this).”
---
Finally, I spoke with Seattle members who were in Al-Anon at the time. “Yes ... 9/11 was an outside issue and did not ‘hijack’ meetings. My recollection was that emotion about what had transpired and reference to the falling of the towers were noted in people's shares, but emoting or commenting on the event was not in line with our primary spiritual aim,” said one member.
Another member noted that a speaker meeting that she was going to attend was postponed.
“9/11 was a cancelled event. I was to attend it as my first AFG Speaker event, only being in Al-Anon for a few months and still unsure what a step was and why they could be useful. I recall that the event was rescheduled about 6 months later and at the end some members were running around with a hat as there were surprise expenses at a hotel ... like garbage and security and other "standard industry" fees in the contract that the committee had not considered. Sometimes I wonder if the lore of that 9/11 cancelled event ... and the scramble at the re-do are part of why WA area has become proficient in contracts with venues ... perhaps no connection, but I have not been to a "frantic hat passing" to make ends meet since those old days.”
I’ve always been a little confused about what an outside issue is, so I reached out to WSO again to ask for a definition. They directed me to a few CAL books, in particular Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. In it, they state, “Taking a position on any outside issue would surely divide us from within. A free, unbiased, uncontroversial atmosphere in which to develop belongs to all. Individual Al-Anon members carrying the message at the public level do not express opinions on outside issues. Al-Anon, as a fellowship, has none” (p. 128). After reading this and what previous editors, members, and Sam G have said, I continue to doubt myself, and I remain confused on what an outside issue is exactly, or if I would have written about 9/11 had I been the editor at the time.
Thank you to all who have contributed.
Help Bring Us Diversity
AIS is looking for new leaders to write for the Bits Newsletter! Writers who identify with the LGBTQIA2+ community, or are BIPOC, and would like to contribute to the Bits on any Al-Anon topic, please let us know at newslettereditor@seattle-al-anon.org
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How Important Is It? |
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When living in an environment dominated by the dysregulation of alcoholism, it is often hard to gauge the hierarchy of “importance.” The alcoholic(s) tend to create routine crises by way of irrational reasoning and irresponsible choices. It became second nature to me to field the consequences and clean up the messes left in the wake of the alcoholic. It seemed like the right thing to do, even though I often felt conflicted.
I have experienced the hypervigilance and adrenaline rush of the fight, flight, or freeze, living in the chaos and insanity of the alcoholic home. I have catered and cowered to the rageful tantrums that can explode within a microsecond. Then when that same person becomes sweet and gregarious the next day, I feel confused and off-balance. “How important is it,” gives me pause to step out of alarming emotions and to engage my intellect.
Just because someone is screaming foul doesn’t mean there is a true calamity. I have been blamed for locking someone out of the house when I wasn’t even home! I received a nasty voicemail on my phone that sent me into a cycle of fear and anxiety. I have been castigated for a door blowing open in the middle of the night during a storm. The intensity coming from the alcoholic made these rather benign occurrences seem like a big deal. “How important is it?” Helps me to gain perspective and allows me to let go of circumstances that I did not create.
The alcoholic offered me some of the muffins they bought, but when I ate one, they were upset because that was their “favorite.” If I didn’t eat one, they would complain that I never eat what they bring home. This is a classic catch 22. I can’t use logic with an irrational person. I need to stop engaging in these energy-draining exchanges and detach or remain autonomous from the ongoing dysfunction.
As I discern what is important to my wellbeing, I gain distance from the unpredictability and recklessness of the alcoholic lifestyle. The murky waters of confusion begin to clear. Often, the belligerent outburst of the alcoholic is over something trivial or even nonexistent. Mostly they don’t remember or are in denial over their disturbing behavior. So, it is on me to create the boundaries that will protect me and keep me from caretaking and enabling. I am getting better at catching myself before I immediately step in and accommodate the turmoil of a person caught in the riptide of addiction. I need to swim free of those treacherous waters to save myself. How important is that?
I have experienced the hypervigilance and adrenaline rush of the fight, flight, or freeze, living in the chaos and insanity of the alcoholic home. I have catered and cowered to the rageful tantrums that can explode within a microsecond. Then when that same person becomes sweet and gregarious the next day, I feel confused and off-balance. “How important is it,” gives me pause to step out of alarming emotions and to engage my intellect.
Just because someone is screaming foul doesn’t mean there is a true calamity. I have been blamed for locking someone out of the house when I wasn’t even home! I received a nasty voicemail on my phone that sent me into a cycle of fear and anxiety. I have been castigated for a door blowing open in the middle of the night during a storm. The intensity coming from the alcoholic made these rather benign occurrences seem like a big deal. “How important is it?” Helps me to gain perspective and allows me to let go of circumstances that I did not create.
The alcoholic offered me some of the muffins they bought, but when I ate one, they were upset because that was their “favorite.” If I didn’t eat one, they would complain that I never eat what they bring home. This is a classic catch 22. I can’t use logic with an irrational person. I need to stop engaging in these energy-draining exchanges and detach or remain autonomous from the ongoing dysfunction.
As I discern what is important to my wellbeing, I gain distance from the unpredictability and recklessness of the alcoholic lifestyle. The murky waters of confusion begin to clear. Often, the belligerent outburst of the alcoholic is over something trivial or even nonexistent. Mostly they don’t remember or are in denial over their disturbing behavior. So, it is on me to create the boundaries that will protect me and keep me from caretaking and enabling. I am getting better at catching myself before I immediately step in and accommodate the turmoil of a person caught in the riptide of addiction. I need to swim free of those treacherous waters to save myself. How important is that?
Enjoy Talking on the Phone or Sleeping on the Job? Seattle Al-Anon Information Service (AIS) Is Looking for Phone Volunteers! Shifts are available 7 days a week in 3-hour intervals starting at 7am during the day, and at night there is one shift starting at 10:30pm, which goes until 7am. The focus is to answer questions about Al-Anon and Alateen meeting times and Zoom availability, give hope to people whose lives may be affected by someone else’s drinking, and help others reach the appropriate source of help. A manual is provided with resource numbers and helpful suggestions on maintaining anonymity and talking to people in distress. FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT phones@seattle-al-anon.org |
Tradition Nine
Our groups, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. 
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Al-Anon Mailbag
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Question: Evelyn G from Van Buren, MO asks, What is a "Home Group"?
Answer: My own personal definition of a home group is the meeting that I attend the most and like the best. The Al-Anon Service Manual defines a home group as "the group a member attends regularly and commits to participate, vote and give service. It is frequently the strongest support for an Al-Anon member since relationships tend to be developed through close and regular contact." |
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AIS Needs You!
Current Service Opportunities *Web Editor* *Office Volunteers* *Phone Volunteers* If you are interested in a particular area of service, please contact chair@seattle-al-anon.org |
Is This a Joke?
(actual item found for sale on a very popular site, for this price) 
Do you have a funny or not so funny Al-Anon joke? Please send it along to newslettereditor@seattle-al-anon.org
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Pictures from an Al-Anon Slide Presentation
1982
Now on display in the Seattle AIS archives
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Concept Nine
Good personal leadership at all service levels is a necessity. In the field of world service the Board of Trustees assumes the primary leadership. 
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Feeling Scatterbrained with Your Thoughts? It Might Help to Write Things Down.
If you ever feel like you would like to write something for the newsletter, please let us know at newslettereditor@seattle-al-anon.org Pen Names Accepted 
photo courtesy of Marjorie S
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July 2021 AIS Council Meeting Minutes (Summary)
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photo courtesy of Marjorie S
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Opening: Serenity Prayer by Mary R. Traditions and Concepts of Service were read.
Secretary’s Report: Kathy B motioned to accept the minutes as read, and Mickey K second. Minutes were accepted as revised. Motion carried.
Vice-Chair Report: Linda H read the Bylaws committee report. The attorney came up with suggestions, and our committee needs to continue making corrections and meet with him again. His invoice is for 5½ hours, which is ½ more than was authorized at the last meeting. His total bill is $687.50. Linda H made a motion for $600 ($123 x 6 hours, no tax). Doug L seconded, discussion followed, and the motion carried.
Treasurer's Report: Mariann M created a spreadsheet to simplify Literature sales and shipping and expenses such as Rent, Phone & Internet, etc. Discussion followed.
From the Chair: Eliza D hasn't had a chance to explore an inventory further.
Old Business: Resentment Bon-Fire, some were concerned about fire danger.
Coordinator Reports:
Outreach: Mickey K and Teresa H are still working together on outreach. The airport ads are no longer going to happen. Instead, we are considering audio ads on YouTube and Spotify. They have a better recall rate and cover a larger demographic. A member put together a map showing areas that have no Al-Anon meetings. Another idea was partnering with AA groups in those areas to develop Al-Anon meetings. Valley Medical Center is open to dialogue about sponsoring organizations to partner with us to have a 1-hour Zoom on outpatient substance abuse treatment.
Tech: Doug L continues working on glitches. Renewed Adobe subscription.
Alateen: Kathy B says we have our Alateen AIS Zoom account set up with our meeting id and passcode. Hoping to start mid-July. Will check to see if the lead AMIAS for the West Seattle and Queen Anne Alateen meetings are interested in starting their own members. Can have up to 9 meetings on this Zoom account. Got in touch with the counselor for the Seattle middle schools to find out there was still interest (4) schools.
Archives: Eric G found an old comic book in the archives from 1972 by Kurt Schaffenberger. A comic all about Al-Anon. The 1990 Seattle International Conference recordings are in the office and available to members if interested. A display case was purchased for $275. Doug L made a motion to reimburse Eric G, motion carried.
Phones: Dave M said 77% of the phone shifts were covered. The hot spots were from 7 am to 7 pm, and especially 10 am to 4 pm. Volunteers are still needed.
Communications: Newsletter Editor Eric G will be stepping down at the end of 2021, and the position will be open. The meeting directory has added hybrid meetings and concurrent meetings to the schedule. For Events, please send us any Speakers meetings or Workshops to list on the website. In addition, the Web Editor contacted the member who was interested in the position and will meet again later in the month.
LDC: Doug L said the LDC is fully stocked and open but needs more volunteers. Contact: LDC@seattle-al-anon.org
Group Check-in: Discussion on SSA
Adjournment=Al-Anon Declaration: Next Meeting – August 12, 2021
Attendance: 20 members
Secretary’s Report: Kathy B motioned to accept the minutes as read, and Mickey K second. Minutes were accepted as revised. Motion carried.
Vice-Chair Report: Linda H read the Bylaws committee report. The attorney came up with suggestions, and our committee needs to continue making corrections and meet with him again. His invoice is for 5½ hours, which is ½ more than was authorized at the last meeting. His total bill is $687.50. Linda H made a motion for $600 ($123 x 6 hours, no tax). Doug L seconded, discussion followed, and the motion carried.
Treasurer's Report: Mariann M created a spreadsheet to simplify Literature sales and shipping and expenses such as Rent, Phone & Internet, etc. Discussion followed.
From the Chair: Eliza D hasn't had a chance to explore an inventory further.
Old Business: Resentment Bon-Fire, some were concerned about fire danger.
Coordinator Reports:
Outreach: Mickey K and Teresa H are still working together on outreach. The airport ads are no longer going to happen. Instead, we are considering audio ads on YouTube and Spotify. They have a better recall rate and cover a larger demographic. A member put together a map showing areas that have no Al-Anon meetings. Another idea was partnering with AA groups in those areas to develop Al-Anon meetings. Valley Medical Center is open to dialogue about sponsoring organizations to partner with us to have a 1-hour Zoom on outpatient substance abuse treatment.
Tech: Doug L continues working on glitches. Renewed Adobe subscription.
Alateen: Kathy B says we have our Alateen AIS Zoom account set up with our meeting id and passcode. Hoping to start mid-July. Will check to see if the lead AMIAS for the West Seattle and Queen Anne Alateen meetings are interested in starting their own members. Can have up to 9 meetings on this Zoom account. Got in touch with the counselor for the Seattle middle schools to find out there was still interest (4) schools.
Archives: Eric G found an old comic book in the archives from 1972 by Kurt Schaffenberger. A comic all about Al-Anon. The 1990 Seattle International Conference recordings are in the office and available to members if interested. A display case was purchased for $275. Doug L made a motion to reimburse Eric G, motion carried.
Phones: Dave M said 77% of the phone shifts were covered. The hot spots were from 7 am to 7 pm, and especially 10 am to 4 pm. Volunteers are still needed.
Communications: Newsletter Editor Eric G will be stepping down at the end of 2021, and the position will be open. The meeting directory has added hybrid meetings and concurrent meetings to the schedule. For Events, please send us any Speakers meetings or Workshops to list on the website. In addition, the Web Editor contacted the member who was interested in the position and will meet again later in the month.
LDC: Doug L said the LDC is fully stocked and open but needs more volunteers. Contact: LDC@seattle-al-anon.org
Group Check-in: Discussion on SSA
Adjournment=Al-Anon Declaration: Next Meeting – August 12, 2021
Attendance: 20 members
Thank you for your donations and for your support of AIS!
Our funding now comes primarily from:
*Donations by Members, Groups, and Districts
*Literature Sales
Please send all AIS mail, including checks for literature orders and donations to:
Seattle AIS
505 Broadway E #400
Seattle, WA 98102-5023
Donate Now
Our funding now comes primarily from:
*Donations by Members, Groups, and Districts
*Literature Sales
Please send all AIS mail, including checks for literature orders and donations to:
Seattle AIS
505 Broadway E #400
Seattle, WA 98102-5023
Donate Now
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