Chairperson s Corner:

Transcription

1 Maritime Assembly Area 91 Newsletter September 2011 Statement of Purpose News & Views is published in February, April, July, September & November. Subscriptions are $10/yr. The newsletter presents service related news and information to Al-Anon Family Groups in Area 91. Chairperson s Corner: Hello everyone! Summer is pretty well coming to a close, late coming for most. I m sure we all made the best of what we were given. September is right around the corner, and preparations for AWSCM in PEI are I m sure in full swing. Thanks to Districts 3 and 10 we will be visiting their beautiful island, can t wait. As always if you have any items to be put on the agenda please let me know before Sept. 15 as I will be setting up and ing the agenda out to all concerned by the end of Sept. Don t forget the Al-Anon Day in conjunction with AWSCM so fill up the Vehicles as we journey to the Island. Thanks to all those who answered the Ask-It-Basket questions in the last issue of News and Views, good job. I will have the results to the Assembly Evaluations ready for AWSCM. Looking forward to seeing you all in PEI in October. Bye for now as always any questions or concerns feel free to contact me: Area 91 Chairperson. DELEGATE S MESSAGE Here we are...labour Day weekend already! Where has the summer gone? I have noticed when I get up to do my regular morning routine of heading to the pool for my swim; it is just a tad chillier than it was just a few short days ago. However, it is nice to see that the daytime temperatures are still up there! I am going to try and keep this message rather short as I want to save a few things for my Area World Service Committee meeting report in another month. There hasn t been very much information sent to me from the World Service Office since the World Service Conference that I have not already sent you. You have also received a few messages from our Coordinators especially from Public Outreach. I also get this information from World Service Office so am aware of what is happening. Thank you Coordinators for sending out updates if and when you receive them. It is so important for all members to be kept informed. The next two months are going to be very busy for me with lots of Al-Anon going on. I have been invited to attend and participate in Al-Anon days in three districts so am busy preparing presentations for them. My intent is to share workshops that I participated in while at the World Service Conference. There is never enough time to do so neither at Assembly nor at the Area World Service Committee meeting. I do have a file of workshops and also a few skits if any district is looking for ideas. Please get in touch with me. Most of you should also be aware by now that I have been invited as a special guest to participate in Alberta/NWT Assembly in Red Deer the last weekend of September. I will be in Calgary at that time to visit my son so it works out very well. I have been given time on the agenda and was asked to bring GREETINGS from the Maritime Provinces. A few days ago I sent out a notice to Officers Coordinators, and District Representatives About this and asked them to pass this on to all the groups and members. I would like to have written messages from as many members as possible to convey to Alberta/NWT Al-Anon members. So far I have only received 4 messages from the 3 provinces. I would like to have more than that. It doesn t have to be wordy or lengthy. Just something simple. Perhaps you want to send greetings from your home town and tell them where it is and what it is famous for!!! Every area in the Maritimes has something unique to offer. A member made the suggestion that perhaps I could obtain lapel pins from each of the Maritime Provinces to take with me. I contacted my local MLA and he is getting some from NS for me and PE and NB members are in the process of doing the same. So hopefully I will have a few to take with me. My home group has chosen to sign their names on a Nova Scotia flag as their Greetings to our Western members. This was also suggested in another province as well. So use your imaginations and get me as many messages etc. as possible before September 12 th. I am counting on you!!!!! We are, after all, known for our friendliness so I want to make sure I take that with me! I will tell you all about it at the Area World Service Committee meeting. I am also going to Quebec City on October 6 th for a week to my High School Reunion (I won t say how many years) and will be meeting with the current Delegates from Canada East and Canada West. Those of you who attended our Assembly will remember our Canada East Regional Trustee. She will also be there as well as some past Delegates and past Trustees from Canada East. The intent of this meeting is to brainstorm some ideas on the possibility of holding regional meetings every year for Delegates and Trustees. This is already done in the United States and we want to discuss the feasibility of doing the same in Canada. Presently the only time we meet together is at our Canadian Delegates meeting at the World Service Conference which also included the Canadian Trustees. However, it does not include past delegates or Trustees. So, that is what my next two months look like! Whew! I am worn out just thinking about it. I said I would keep this message short, but alas, have done my usual run-on message again. I will sign off for now. I will ask you to keep me in

2 your thoughts and prayers while I am working on your behalf throughout the next few weeks. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about any of this.. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen always be there, and - Let it Begin with Me Love in Al-Anon Service Panel 50 Delegate, Area 91, Maritime Provinces Secretary s Corner Hello Folks, Hope everyone had a great summer even though it has been a very wet one. As secretary, I have nothing to report but I would gently remind all those AWSC members, who have reports to read, to me your reports before the meeting on October 1st. Even if you are unable to attend the AWSCM please send in your report and it will be read by one of the members at the meeting. Reports are one way of many ways of communicating with the Al-Anon fellowship. Last year at the AWSCM we discussed using Skype as a means of communication with other AWSC members. Skype offers free calls from one computer to another. If you have a webcam you can visually communicate, also. I have now downloaded Skype and been Skyping back and forth with my cousins in England and Nova Scotia at no charge. I have learned that it is very easy to download and even easier to make calls than using the phone. The one drawback, in my opinion, is your computer has to be on at all times to receive every call. Thus, my family and I often each other and say, "I will call you at such and such a time." If anyone is connected to Skype, please feel free to add my name to your contacts. On a personal note, when I returned home from Assembly my family doctor asked me if I would like to have a second opinion on the lump they had found just before Assembly. Of course I said, "Yes." The second specialist concurred with the first and said they believe I have a "normal abnormality" often found in older woman. My sense of humor came back first with the oxymoron words, normal abnormality, and secondly in having to face the fact I can't fool everyone about my age. My daughter, husband I had a good belly laugh over this. I still am being watched closely but I am feeling competent everything will turn out well. Thank you everyone for all your love and support at Assembly. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in Charlottetown at the AWSCM. Safe trip everyone. Treasurer See everyone in October, all is well nothing to report until October. News from Area 91 Public Outreach Hello Al-Anon Members, What are you doing for Al-Anon Public Outreach in Area 91? Public Outreach is when we say and do things to reach individuals and professionals who are not familiar with Al-Anon and Alateen programs. We all do it everyday! Public Outreach actions and words keep us connected to each other within our groups, districts, Areas, and the World Service Office. We are Public Outreach workers for Al-Anon and Alateen when we form relationships with (to name a few): our local libraries, schools, hospitals, correctional centers, addiction centers, police stations, our local MLAs and MPs, lawyers, doctors, health clinics, wellness centers, when we visit other Al-Anon Family Group meetings and open AA meetings, and we participate in Al-Anon Service work at all levels. One of our Area AFG members as suggested that we all participate in an outreach project within our Area to find out HOW newcomers and professionals actually find out about Al-Anon and Alateen. We would like all GRs to take a poll at weekly meetings during the month of September take a few minutes of your meeting time to ask How did you find out about Al-Anon?. We don t need names, but it would be helpful (for example) if you let us know how many in your AFG read it in the paper, was referred by a doctor or other professional, by friend or Al-Anon or AA member, or saw the PSA on TV, on Facebook, on radio, by googling, or saw poster somewhere (where). The more information we get on how, where, and when (how many years ago), will help us see what is the most effective way of reaching people in our world as it is today. If each AFG in Area 91 could participate we could come up with some very interesting information that would benefit our Area s public outreach activities and I am sure would be most helpful to WSO. I will compile the information in some order, report it to our Area, and send it to WSO. Please get your copies of AFA out in the community. Don t hang on to them! Act now! Al-Anon works when we pass it on! Also, I want to remind you that our Maritime website and our WSO website have a wealth of current information to help you come up with new and create public outreach ideas. However, our long time, reliable public outreach activities have worked wonders, and thank you to all the groups and districts that continue to make Public Outreach a priority. 2

3 Remember Public Outreach will ensure there are newcomers for our Al-Anon and Alateen programs, and for future generation s who will be reaching out to us for help, hope and encouragement. Yours in Service to Al-Anon Everywhere, PO Coordinator, Area 91, Maritime Provinces Literature Depot I will be going on a little holiday in November. I will be away from November 13 th until November 24 th. The depot will be closed at that time. The following report is from information from WSO: Legacy Workbook Sharings Needed: Please continue to encourage members to post sharings on any of the three Legacy blogs found on our Members Web site ( Postings are still being considered for use in the new Legacy workbook in development, as conceptually approved by the 2010 World Service Conference. We hope for the workbook to be available at the 2013 Al-Anon International Convention in Vancouver, B.C. The policy committee has approved a title change for the pamphlet To the Mother and Father of an Alcoholic to To Parents of Alcoholics (P-16), to be more inclusive of all parents of alcoholics. This will appear on the next printing. Cal Sample Chapter: Each quarter we post a Sample Chapter for Conference Approved Literature on both the Public Outreach site and the Members site, Through September the chapter is from Discovering Choices (B-30) and the topic is Attending Meetings. The Sample Chapter on the Members site also includes an opportunity to share on this topic, as well as quotations, meeting topics, a list of where to find this topic in other CAL, and discussion questions from this book that were submitted by group members. The Sample Chapter for October through December is In All Our Affairs (B-15) and the topic is From Denial to Awareness. Intimacy Sharing Sheet: The Literature Committee has approved wording for a sharing sheet for INTIMACY IN ALCOHOLIC RELATIONSHIPS (working title), the piece approved by this year s World Service Conference. It will be available on the Members Web site, and mailed as an attachment to The Forum. I will have copies attached to my report for the Area World Service Committee meeting in October. If you have not received your literature that you ordered at Assembly could you please let me know? I have 2 orders but no addresses to mail them. I did send s but received no response. After the performance that Carol put on at Assembly I thought for sure that you would all remember to make your checks for your orders out to Maritime Literature Depot, please try to do so. Literature Depot Manager Group Records Coordinator To the District Representatives: I'm still looking for Postal codes for group address. Let me know if any changes that might have taken place over the summer. Yours in Service. Alateen Coordinator/AAPP/Alternate Chair Nothing new since Assembly. Online was slow during the summer. Public Outreach in District 7 is getting ready for a school blitz. Those members during Assembly who talked to me about signing up for the online meetings, we could still use you. Wishing you an energized autumn Love and Peace Forum Coordinator Nothing to report at this time, see everyone in PEI. Alternate Delegate/ Forum Coordinator News and Views I have managed to take a break from many of the work related activities in the fellowship for the past 2 months, now it is time to get back at er as they say. I wish to say thanks to all of those I sent s to for clarification and address correction over the summer, guess it wasn t all play, for your responses and looking for the information. Thanks, many hands make light work. A suggestion came to the committee over the summer asking if we would consider sending out a 3

4 reminder to all AWSC members, Coordinators and DR s 2-3 weeks in advance of the submission cut-off date. We think that s a great idea and discuss at the AWSC meeting in October and possibly add it to the News and Views Coordinators Guidelines. All is going well, the lick and stick portion of this committee along with the proof readers keep me outta bushels of mistakes, which I m very grateful for their support. I personally will not be in attendance at AWSC in October, a GR will be representing District 7. She will also give the News and Views report, She and the Tech Coordinator are both part of the committee so can answer questions. NEWS.VIEWSA91@gmail.com News & Views Coordinator, Representing the committee that makes this newsletter possible. Technology Coordinator Happy Fall All, since it is just about here.. and sadly, I think summer was far too short. Thanks to all who sent in changes for meeting lists and announcements/events for the calendar. There was a change sent that was actually old, hence the reminder that if there is a change we are not told of, it stays the old way on the website until we are told. Don t just assume we know about it, tell us. It also reinforces what I have been saying have someone periodically check the listings for your district to make sure they are correct and up to date, and tell us of changes. We had another reminder about the importance of anonymity on the site. Through an innocent oversight on a different Al- Anon site, a person s anonymity was compromised in this Area. It was fixed as soon as they were notified, but served as a reminder to our vigilance when it comes to protecting anonymity. It also reinforces the need to not put personal identifiers (names, phone numbers, etc) on the site in order to ensure anonymity is safe. Anonymity is worth the work to keep it safe! Additions to the website: A link to the WSO site for meetings outside the Maritimes on the Find a Meeting page; a link to the Quebec East meeting lists on the District 1 page, as they list French meetings in Northern NB, an Area Log Entry for the Delegate s request for Maritime Greetings when she visits the Alberta Assembly (to be removed after the event). Also updated Motions, both Chronological (A) and Categorized (B) may be found in the Assembly Resources. As always your suggestions, comments and questions are always welcome. See you at AWSC. Technology Coordinator/Website, area_91@hotmail.com SPECIAL NOTICE It has been noted that there are special events taking place in districts that are not being sent into webmouse or Tech Coordinator for inclusion on the calendar. Perhaps it would draw more people to your event if other districts knew about it. Some members just might be looking for an event to attend. So, send in your anniversary meeting dates and your Al-Anon day dates to be included..as well as the details. Let s get to know each other! Participation is the key to Harmony! District Reports District 7 & 11 A big breath of fresh air as we step into September and the air cools off somewhat and enables us all to have a better night s sleep. A number of anniversaries have come and gone over the summer as we relaxed ourselves for the coming activities in the districts. I mentioned in the last newsletter that our AIS office had change telephone providers, Bell Aliant to Eastlink, we ve been connected to Eastlink since mid-june and all is working well to a savings of 50% in billing for the same service we had with Bell Aliant. A number of events are scheduled with Bedford-Sackville AA Day in September for the first full day event with Al-Anon participation. The next large event is October 22nd, AIS Fellowship evening where this year we ll have a number of members give us their view as they have experienced their time in Al- Anon. This is how we ll celebrate our 60 th birthday, come join us for an evening of fellowship. For further details on the activities in Districts 7 & 11 please check out the calendar on the Area Web site. Submitted by AIS Office Coordinator. District 9 Public Information Committee will host a Public Information Al-Anon Day on October 15 from 9:00 to 4:00 at the AA Rooms 401 Ling St. New Waterford, Cape Breton. We are pleased that our Delegate will spend the day with us. Please try to attend and help make this a special day. District 10 North Shore AFG held its 20 th anniversary at Tracadie Community Centre on Thursday, July 21, 2011 with 25 people in attendance. The meeting opened with a moment of silence followed by the Serenity Prayer. The Al-Anon meeting preamble was read. Al-Anon s 12 Steps and 12 Traditions were read. A member spoke on Anonymity and another said a few words on Sponsorship. Another read our page for the day. There was an AA speaker. We really enjoyed her sharing on how alcoholism affected her life. Also an Al-Anon speaker, who delivered a very nice message. Our meeting closed with the Lord s Prayer and the Al-Anon Declaration. After the meeting we shared a cup of tea, a piece of anniversary cake and other treats. We were very blessed to have a former member of our group who is now 4

5 living in Ontario, and was home for a visit. Before our meeting we sold tickets on a small basket and the draw was won by a group member. Respectfully submitted by a grateful Al-Anon member. District 15 had a good summer. The ladies got together for a pool party with a pot-luck. Fun!! And Portland AFG held a successful "Open Meeting" in July. We are pleased that our Delegate, will be attending our District Meeting on September 10th. Portland AFG will host another "Open Meeting" to celebrate their 37th Anniversary on Sept 22nd at 8 p.m. The AA Grapevine has been invited to put on a short skit. An Al-Anon and AA speaker will also be invited. If you are going to be in Saint John, come visit us! Articles wanted from professionals for Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism magazine Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. is seeking articles from professionals for publication in the next edition of Al- Anon Faces Alcoholism. This magazine is used by Al-Anon members as a public outreach tool. Its purpose is to inform professionals and their clients about Al-Anon Family Groups as a community resource for helping families and friends of alcoholics to recover from the effect of someone else s drinking. A PDF file is posted on our Web site: which will give you an idea of the content of our magazine. Guidelines to follow when writing: Keep your article under 500 words. A short quote up to 200 words is also acceptable. Write your article from your perspective of a professional. If you are a member of Al-Anon or another Twelve Step program, please do not disclose your membership or write about your personal recovery. Please include the following: o Reasons why you recommend Al-Anon o Methods you use to identify patients, clients, consumers, or students who need Al-Anon (i.e. questions you ask) o Benefits and improvements you ve seen in your clients as a result of attending Al-Anon Submission For consideration for publication in the next year s issue, articles must be received by December 15 th, We will, however hold your article for the following year or another purpose. In either case, you will be notified and asked to review the text and your attribution. You can submit your article to us in three ways: 1. Mail your article to Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Attn: Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism, 1600 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA your article to wso@al-anon.org, using Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism or AFA in the subject line 3. Fax your article to (757) Publication Submission of an article or quote does not guarantee publication. Articles will be published using the author s full name, title, organization, city, and state or province. Professionals will be notified and asked to review their article or quote, or an excerpt from it if it is selected for publication in our Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism magazine. All articles become the property of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. They will be edited as necessary and may be used in whole or in part to develop Al-Anon/Alateen materials. Permission to Reprint When an article is accepted for publication in the Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism magazine, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. may submit the article to other organizations for reprint in their publications. Authors may also submit their articles to other organizations along with an attribution to Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism magazine, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. 5

6 MEMORANDUM The WSO s Canadian corporation is relocating on September 1st to a virtual office with an address in downtown Ottawa. Please share this announcement in the next issue of your service arm s newsletter or and post the information on your service arm s Web site. Here is an ad to photocopy, scan, or adapt: If the design of your Web site or space in a newsletter doesn t allow for an ad with a graphic, we hope you can provide an announcement in text. Here is an example: The WSO s Canadian corporation has a new virtual office and address: Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters (Canada) Inc. 275 Slater Street, Suite 900, Ottawa, ON K1P 5H , afgwso@al-anon.ca 6