East Valley Information Center. Newsletter. August 2017 District 11, 12, and 13 Issue 26. On to Recovery

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1 East Valley Information Center Newsletter August 2017 District 11, 12, and 13 Issue 26 AL-ANON East Valley Information Center Officers and Coordinators Chair Lisa R. Vice-Chair Lee R. Secretary Jane W. Treasurer Chelsea G. Office Mgr. Nancy E. AA Liaison Rosemary B. Alateen Mary S. Archives (open) Events Karin L. Fundraising (open) Home Calls Michelle F. Info. Distrib. Julie W. Institutions Janie S. Literature Mary C. Meeting List Cecilia D. Newsletter Marty M. EVIC Liaison Wendy H. Public Outreach Christine Website Mary Ann N. District 11 DR Ann S. District 12 DR Carrie T. District 13 DR Elisabeth B. EVIC business meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend. On to Recovery It's all about me. It was from the beginning and it's true today. I did not come to Al-Anon to get anyone sober. I came for me. Twelve days ago my Higher Power let me experience addiction live and in living color. The image is etched in my head forever. As I stood there staring at the sight before me, I thought to grab my camera to keep that still forever but something bigger said no. It's true. Why would I want to be reminded of something so horrific? There it was: pain, suffering, fear all rolled up in one human being so angry that he began yelling angry profane words in my face, ugly things. I know enough from sitting in the rooms and from some of you privately that should I choose to let it continue, surely I would be physically as well as emotionally and verbally hurt. I left. Scared, I called the police. We were both given our rights and as I handed the car keys to the police officer, he looked at me and said, "Are there keys you want from here?" OMG, this officer knew that I wasn't thinking. I will never forget his kindness. I took the house and mailbox key. It's been twelve days. The old me would have moved directly into fear and unworthiness. I would have spun everything around in my head ad nauseam. I would have forced solutions. I would have shut down. I would have isolated. I would have done everything and al- (Continued on page 2) East Valley Information Center 1320 E. Broadway Rd. #109 Mesa, AZ E.V.I.C. Meeting Summer Time/Location Tuesday, August 22 7:00-8:30 St. Peter Lutheran Church 1844 E. Dana Ave. in Mesa office@al-anoneastvalley.org Al-Anon Declaration Let it begin with me. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen always be there, and -- Let It Begin with Me. Serenity Prayer God give me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.

2 Family Recovery Night and Speaker Meeting Keeping Your Cool! Saturday, August 26th St. Peter Lutheran Church 1844 E. Dana Ave., Mesa 5:30 pm Join us for dinner and fellowship 7:00 pm Speaker Meeting AA & Al-Anon Speakers Babysitting will be provided during speaker meeting. Refer to upcoming flyer for details! Extended Office Hours at E.V.I.C. The EVIC Office is now open on Mondays from 9:30-4:30 Tuesdays from 9:30-1:00 Wednesdays from 9:30-4:30 Thursdays from 9:30-1:00 Fridays from 9:30-1:00 Call for information! Buy literature! Stop in to pick up flyers! We are still looking for groups or individuals to cover the following shifts: Tuesdays from 1:00-4:30 Thursday from 1:00-4:30 Fridays from 1:00-4:30 Thank you to our volunteers!! Step 8: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. (Continued from page 1) most anything to distract myself so that I did not have to feel. I care deeply and I hurt deeply. Getting on with the good stuff. This time I did not run. I did not hide. I did not isolate. I reached out to several of my Al-Anon Soul Sisters when I felt the need. I cried. I cried a lot. Perhaps more than I ever have. It hurt and at the same time I felt comforted and hopeful. No doubt in my mind that it's all a gift from God. I worked the Steps, Traditions, and Concepts of Service every single day in one way or another. I spoke with one of my Sponsors regularly by phone and I met my face to face Sponsor for lunch. I am loved, I am wanted, and I am not alone. Because of Al-Anon's Spiritual Principles and the Fellowship, I learned to love myself. BTW, thank you for loving me until I could learn to love myself. I loved myself enough to take care of me in a volatile situation. I believe had I let it continue I would have been physically hurt or I would have found him dead on my couch. I was asked why I would voluntarily hook up with someone in recovery. It s because I believe in recovery. I know what it has done for me. Yes, there is always a chance of a relapse, however I have never nor will I ever begin a relationship on a negative. Although it will be some time before I will enter another relationship, I would not hesitate to date or be with someone in recovery. In my opinion, recovery has something to offer that I have never found anywhere else: the Steps, the Traditions, and the Concepts of Service. If one is walking the walk and talking the talk, that is a winner. Rosemary B., Chandler, AZ Tradition 8: Al-Anon Twelfth Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers. Concept 8: The Board of Trustees delegates full authority for routine management of Al-Anon Headquarters to its executive committees. 2

3 From the 2018 Convention Chair: Congratulations to the 2017 Convention Committee on a wonderful job preparing for and presenting this year s Al-Anon Convention with AA Participation! I have agreed to chair the 2018 Convention which will take place July 20-22, 2018, in Phoenix at the same hotel where it was held in this year. We still have some positions to fill on the 2018 Convention Planning Team. We need a Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Co-Chair, Hospitality Chair and Co-Chair, Entertainment Co-Chair, Fundraising Co-chair, Spanish Chair and Co- Chair, AA Chair and Co-Chair, Fundraising Co- Chair, Alateen Co-Chair, Spanish Chair and Co- Chair, and AA Chair and Co-Chair. The turn-over meeting where the 2017 Convention gives the 2018 Convention its reports is scheduled as follows: Saturday, August 5, :30 a.m. Mesa Fire Station # E. 1st Street, Mesa, AZ The first planning meeting is: Saturday, September 9, :30 a.m. Mesa Fire Station # E. Baseline Road, Mesa, AZ Please note that these are two different fire stations! If you want to volunteer or have any questions, please let me know. Hugs and prayers, Sue Hetherington Convention 2018 Chair EVIC LITERATURE REPORT July 25, 2017 We continue to have in stock 2017 AL-ANON FACES ALCOHOLISM booklet for Public Outreach. We encourage your groups to purchase and distribute to your communities as an Outreach Project. The cost is $.40 each. The new booklet will come out in September. We also have in stock the NEW Paths to Recovery workbook as well as the companion hardback book by the same name. The new workbook will cost you $11 each and the hardback companion book will cost you $20.90 each. I did a little research project. If I was to order both books online through WSO website the cost would be $40 for both books which includes $10 for shipping. Our cost here at EVIC for both books would be $31.90 which also includes the shipping. We have plenty here to purchase as well as many other pieces of literature. If you don t see the books on the shelves, we have additional books in the storage cabinet to the right of the shelves. Also, if you are in need of a quantity of a specific book for an upcoming workshop or event, please let me know and I will be glad to order them for you. Just keep in mind it will take approximately three weeks to receive once ordered so plan ahead. I can be reached at: Lit@Al-AnonEastValley.org Thanks for letting be of service to this awesome fellowship. Mary Cancik EVIC Literature Coordinator I ve been through a lot of horrible things in my life, some of which actually happened. 3

4 Area Public Outreach Meeting Save the Date! Winter Extravaganza Saturday, November 11, :30-9:30 p.m. St. Peter Lutheran Church 1844 E. Dana Ave., Mesa, AZ Join a committee and help make it a great success! winter@al-anoneastvalley.org Co-Chairs: Carrie T. and Karin L. We have a couple of projects in the works to get the message of Al-Anon to the public. August 5, :00-10:30 a.m. Pyle Adult Recreation Center 655 E. Southern Ave., Tempe Meetings will be held in the Prescott Room You can also remote in via computer if you can t attend in person. Just let us know ahead of time. Questions? Contact Mary C. at: publicoutcoord@al-anon-az.org AL-ANON and AA OPEN SPEAKER MEETING 2 nd Saturday of each month 7:00 pm 8:30 pm If there are 5 Saturdays in the month, there is a second meeting on the 4 th Saturday. Queen Creek Meeting House E. San Tan Blvd., Queen Creek Looking for Stories of Experience, Strength, and Hope Share your writing with members of E.V.I.C. in this newsletter. You may remain anonymous or sign your first name. Help is available for proofreading and editing. Submit your writing to the newsletter coordinator at: news@al-anoneastvalley.org 4

5 Upcoming Dates: 2017 Fall AWSC August 19 Tombstone High School, Tombstone, AZ AA State Convention with Al-Anon Participation Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Prescott Resort Center 2017 Fall Assembly October 14 St. Pius X Catholic Church, Tucson, AZ 5

6 EVIC Al-Anon Home Calls Open Shifts Available Are you looking for an easy way to be of service? Taking calls for EVIC during off hours (5PM to 9AM) could be the answer! Consider taking one shift, several, or a portion of a shift Calls are forwarded to your personal phone. You do not need to leave the comfort of your home! Instructions are easy. A willing Al-Anon member and phone is all that is needed. Most of the time the person on the end of the line is looking for a meeting and hope. Available shifts are: All Monday shifts EXCEPT the second Monday of the Month All Thursday shifts. Please contact Michele Fleming at to help spread the word! Newest copies of Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism 2017 are available in the E.V.I.C. office at a cost of $.40 apiece. First come first served!! Service Opportunity! Are you available on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m.? Have you been through all 12 Steps with a sponsor? Would you like to share your Experience, Strength, and Hope about how you worked the steps and how they worked for you? Are you able to make a five-week commitment? If so, the Sunday Beginner s Step Meeting is looking for you! We are an all speakers all the time meeting, and we group the steps as follows: Week 1: Steps 1, 2, and 3 Week 2: Steps 4 and 5 Week 3: Steps 6 and 7 Week 4: Steps 8 and 9 Week 5: Steps 10, 11, and 12 The same person speaks every week for 5 weeks and is also the chairperson. Because we have a lot of newer members and attract a lot of newcomers, we start every week with Steps 1, 2, and 3 the foundation steps. Does this sound interesting? Come and join us for a few weeks! We love our meeting and we re sure that you will too! Pigeon Coop 4415 S. Rural Road SE corner of Rural and US 60 behind Denny s in the strip mall next to the bowling alley Contact Elisabeth for more information at

7 Would you like to receive the Message Carrier? The Message Carrier is published after each AWSC and Assembly and carries all the reports from Area Officers, Coordinators, and Districts Representatives. You request a print and/or electronic copy by contacting the newsletter distributor at: newsletterdistrib@al-anon-az.org. Links to previous issues are available on the Area website at al-anon-az.org in the Members section. You may also subscribe from there. We need your help!! Volunteers needed to work at the EVIC office for either the morning (9:30-1:00) or afternoon (1:00-4:30) shift. Volunteers will be trained and there is an office worker s notebook to refer to. Your duties will include: answering the phone selling literature fielding questions distributing materials Feeling energetic and want to do more work at the office? You can: vacuum and clean up organize literature spruce up the place Feeling like you ve got a lot of your own things to do? You can: read a book or write a letter knit or sew bring your laptop or tablet we ve got wi-fi! Call Nancy at or Share your experience, strength, and hope. Submit your story to news@al-anoneastvalley.org If you want to share but need some help, I can assist. Let s work together to help others! Marty M. From Nancy E., Manager at the E.V.I.C. Office Thank you to everyone who has come to the E.V.I.C office to attend meetings, get information, and buy literature. We currently need staffing for the following shifts: Tuesday: 1:00-4:30 Thursday: 1:00-4:30 Friday: 1:00-4:30 Anyone willing to volunteer to fill in any of the openings above may contact Nancy at or or her at office@al-anoneastvalley.org Call ahead to make sure we are here if you want to come in! We are looking for used Al-Anon books that we can resell for half price. We have a some gently-used books available for purchase. 7