July 2015 Volume15, Issue 4 AFG District 19 Newsletter Inside Out Special Events: Aug 7-9: 30th Anniversary of “Serenity in the Sierras”. An AA event with Al-Anon participation.-Oakhurst-register online at www.serenitysierras.com. Al-Anon speaker-Louise M. from Sacramento-Al-Anon luncheon also scheduled Aug 21-23: Attn Alateens: NoCAC August Bash “Rolling Through Recovery-Big Meadows Stanislaus, Arnold, CA. $20, min age 12, bring tent,sleeping bag, pillow, food, clothes for hot day and cool nights, etc. info:[email protected] Sep 4-6: Monterey Bay Area Roundup 2015-“Keep It Simple”Monterey Conference Ctr, 1 Portola Plaza. Info: montereybayarearoundup.com Sep 18-20: Alateen Sponsors Recommit and Revitalize at Westminster Woods, Occidental, CA. For Al-Anon members involved in Alateen Service For info: ncwsa.org Oct 9-11: NCWSA 3-Day Assembly-Modesto Doubletree Hotel. Info: ncwsa.org. Oct 30,31-Nov 1:NCCAA (Northern California Council of Alcoholics Anonymous) Conference, Radisson in Fresno with Al-Anon/ Alateen participation. Nov 20: Yosemite Summit Conference-info:serenityyosemite.com. Within the pain lies the joy Within the darkness lies the lite Within sorrow and heartache lies peace— deep settled peace. So run not away from pain and darkness sorrow and heartache But embrace them as they come feel their penetrating arrows suffer their anguish And be refined by their fires Purified—filled up whole and complete The hollow—empty—hole overflowing with wholeness when the arrow is removed and healing happens. Know joy because the pain has done it’s work See the lite because the darkness has stripped you of blindness Rest in peace because sorrow and heartache have bloomed and blossomed Fulfilled and able to be fulfilling Let the essence of you shine forth for all to see! Sharon R * “What Does Alateen Mean To Me?” (*Alateens at the Saturday June 13th Visalia Alateen picnic responded) Sofy G: Alateen means friendship and help. Sean B: Alateen is fun! Suzie: Alateen has made a difference in my life for the past six years. Alateen has helped me meet new people not only in Alateen but outside it too. I’m grateful to have joined all those years ago in that one only room with Katie. Aurora C: To me Alateen is my home away from home. M sponsors are so caring that they act like my grandmothers/mothers. Alateen is my way of life and I’m learning to live “One Day at a Time” in the program. Danny J: Today is my first day at Alateen. I’ve come with my best friend Suzie as a “sponsor”, and I can say that Alateen makes a difference, and means a solution and break from daily life troubles. An Al-Anon’s Gratitude: Kathleen D. I had a wonderful time meeting the Al-Anon members from Visalia and Fresno at the Alateen picnic on Saturday July 13th at Whitendale Park in Visalia. It was a great day of camaraderie, and of course the Alateen kids were precious. They danced and had projects that they made-love bags, and rock paintings. We were all happy to buy raffle tickets to support the Alateens. What a wonderful program so that young minds can receive healing at a young age and have a bright and healthy future to look forward too. We had a wonderful pot luck with a variety of salads, sandwiches, chips, fruit, and desserts. What a wonderful time of fellowship—my first conference. Sue W. gave an outstanding workshop on Conflict Resolution-something we all need. She used pocket pamphlet S-71 to explain the do’s and don’ts about conflict. What stood out to me (about conflict) was you can either be right or happy. You can make a commitment to presume goodwill. You can tell someone your expectations. And you can keep your hands off your hips. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. (My Monday Al-Anon meeting in Fresno has adopted Alateen to support and encourage). Conference Approved Literature (CAL) Our literature has a special place in my heart because it is composed of sharing’s from members like you and I. I don’t know if that is unique to our fellowship but it is always inspiring and comforting to read that I am not alone. I am so grateful that members took the time to share their experience, strength, and hope in print. What does Conference Approved mean? There is a literature committee comprised of past delegates, literature coordinator from WSO (World Service Office), and members of our fellowship. They read the sharing’s sent to them from members like us and, using the group conscience, decide which pieces to include in our literature. Once the process is complete, the rough draft is sent to the World Service Conference to be approved by the group conscience of the conference. The Higher Power of the committee and conference guides the process of the group conscience. I spoke with a member of the literature committee about the release of the new publication about intimacy. She reported to me that they hadn’t received enough sharing’s to compose a book about intimacy. So it couldn’t be submitted to the conference until they had enough to make up the publication. So I have a challenge for you District 19: send your experience, strength, and hope to WSO via email or snail mail. You can go to the WSO website to submit your writing and there are guidelines provided for you too. WSO is currently asking for sharing’s regarding intimacy in alcoholic relationships. I will have copies to be distributed at the July district meeting. If you don’t want your name to be used, you can always sign anonymous. No need to worry about your grammar or type O’s. The committee will take care of that. You have a gift to share no matter how long you’ve been in program. Love in Service, Sue W. Literature Distribution Coordinator A Special Evening with D19 Al-Anons and Alateens Friday, June 12th, an AA event with Al-Anon participation took place at the Park Inn in Fresno. I have been to several events like this, but I must say that this one was one of the most unique. The room was small, the air conditioner inadequate, the program started about thirty minutes late (and we were told to vacate the room thirty minutes sooner than expected), the Al-Anon play was missing people, and delayed, the Alateen play took forever to set up, and the audience were chattering all the time. But for all of this, this event will be my most memorable. Yes, the room was small, but it overflowed with attendance. It wasn’t anticipated that 40-50 Al-Anons and Alateens would show up, but they did. I quickly realized that the chattering was a good thing too. People were socializing and enjoying each others company. The Al-Anon play was missing people, but people from the audience were quickly recruited, and their impromptu performance gave the play (a scene at Lois and Bill W’s home on the first days of Al-Anon’s existence) a humorous flare especially when Lois W. gave her shoe throwing tantrum. Bill W. (an audience recruit) didn’t realize Lois’s aim was so good. After a few delays the Alateens came out with a table full of literature. The older Alateens read a terrific script naming off each piece of literature- books and pamphlets. As the title of each piece was read, the younger Alateens scrambled to hold up each piece for the audience to see. It was a great performance and very enthusiastically appreciated. There weren’t very many big items to raffle off, but the Kingsburg group donated sixteen boxes of berries (blueberries and raspberries) so many people had the chance to be a winner. No, things did not go smoothly, but they did go exactly as they were supposed to. It was a great evening-fun, laughter, fellowship, and entertainment. What more can you ask for? (If you weren’t there, you missed a great time. Use the AlaNews Event Schedule on page one to know what events are coming so you don’t miss any of these great opportunities to be involved with D19 Al-Anons and Alateens). See you at the next event, Linda W. AlaNews Coordinator District 19’s Coordinator’s Corner: This month featuring “MEETING LIST” It’s my privilege to serve as your Meeting List Coordinator, and I thank you for this opportunity to learn and grow in my Al-Anon journey. There are two things I’d like to talk to you about: MEETING LIST: Please check the Meeting List for ANY meetings that you attend and make sure that we have ALL of the correct information – starting time ‐ ending time, too, if it’s a meeting that is different from the usual 1 ½ hr meetings/ location – address, name of building, any special instructions/ name of meeting – book study, beginners, etc. We need everyone’s eyes to be able to keep our list as cur‐ rent as possible. Just call, text, or email the information to me. Contact info: [email protected]. And remember that our most current meeting list will always be on the southvalleyalanon.org website. WHERE WE MEET: This second item came to my attention recently and is something that we all need to be reminded of. We are invited guests in the facilities where we attend our Al‐Anon meetings. We need to be vigilant that we DO NOT go anywhere in that building that we ARE NOT invited. We meet in churches, medical facilities, Red Cross buildings, meeting halls, and many other places. When an organization graciously allows us to use their building we need to be SURE that we go into our meet‐ ing room, the restroom we’ve been designated to use, and any lobby that might be available to us and NO WHERE ELSE! This would also include supervision of any children or teenagers that you might bring to a meeting place. I know that we will all be more aware of how we conduct ourselves when we attend meetings, realizing that we are guests and we are representing Al‐Anon and our own recov‐ ery. I hope this finds you enjoying serenity, living with courage, and finding wisdom. Sharon B. – Meeting List Coordinator Meeting Update: The Write on Spirituality AFG meeting on Wednesday 6:45 - 8:00 pm has moved to Fresno Center for Nonviolence @ 1584 N. Van Ness Ave, Fresno (s/e corner of Van Ness & McKinley) Jody D. Donations from D19 Groups made in Mar/Apr 2015 that go towards D19 General fund and D19 Alateens: General fund $10.00 $50.00 $25.00 $45.00 $110.00 $3.34 $50.00 $3.33 $80.00 $10.35 $3.33 $40.00 $15.00 $25.00 $19.05 Alateens $54.25 $40.00 $15.55 $11.00 $10.55 $25.00 $97.32 $50.00 $40.00 $300.00 * Totals: $879.40 $253.67 Group Donating Day/Time: YLP Topic Meeting Mon/7p El Nuevo Amanecer Fri/7p Start Your Wk with a step Mon/noon Changing What I Can Mon/7pm Sat Morning Women’s Sat/10am Courage to Change Sat/7pm Straight Talk Book Study Sun/7pm Thurs Courage to Change Thu/7pm Tues Noon Step Power Tue/noon Tues New Lifers Tue/7pm Tues Courage to Change Tue/7pm Wed Noon 11th Step Wed/noon Steps/Action/Serenity Wed/5:30pm Mon Step Study Mon/7:30pm Fri Night Book Study Fri/5:30pm Visalia Mon Night Mon/6:30pm Thur Al-Anon Reg mtg Thu/7pm D19 Business Mtg Sat/1:00pm Misc Donations (information provided by D19’s treasurer) Location: Coarsegold Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Fresno Hanford Visalia Visalia Visalia Fresno Fresno WHAT PRICE FOR SANITY? I’m going to talk about money. There, I’ve said it. “Money!” For a long time now I’ve been thinking about the $1 donation I put into the 7th tradition basket. The $1 that seems to be the official, unannounced, on-going “traditional” donation at all the Al-Anon meetings I have been to. Why $1? I read an article in the Forum many years ago about this $1 donation. If my memory serves me correctly, a $1 donation was what the forefathers of Al-Anon gave. Wow, how some things never change. When I came to Al-Anon I couldn’t afford counseling, but here at Al-Anon for only $1, I get more counseling, more sanity than I would get paying hundreds to some professional. Don’t get me wrong, the professionals are needed and over the years I’ve had some professional counseling too. But think about AlAnon. For $1 I get more than my money’s worth. (Continued on page 4) DISTRICT 19 TRUSTED SERVANTS (2015‐2017 panel) Officers Trusted Servant Email Address District Rep Sheri W. [email protected] District Secretary Kathy B. [email protected] District Treasurer Karen N. [email protected] Alternate Officer Helen OPEN Joni Coordinators Alternate Coordinator AlaNews Linda W. [email protected] OPEN Alateen Mary O. OPEN Archives Jody D. [email protected] Elaine H. Diversity Beatriz Irma Group Records Ken S. [email protected] OPEN Hotline Tamara S. [email protected] Merrily L. Institutions Sandy [email protected] Literature Sue OPEN Meeting List Sharon [email protected] OPEN Public Outreach (PI) Mary M. [email protected] Monique OPEN Speaker Meeting Debbie K. Special Events Ellen K. [email protected] Dorothy Website Christopher H. [email protected] OPEN To contact a District Trusted Servant call District 19’s Hotline number 559‐444‐0224, and leave a message with a volunteer for a return call. District Update: **New Site & Time for D19 Business Meeting‐ Kingsburg Community Church, 1590 Smith St., Kingsburg, CA 93631, 1:00‐3:00pm (continued from page 3, “What Price For Sanity” So this started me thinking (again). What if I doubled my giving? Now that’s a new concept for me. Give more? But how could I? I prayed over it and started to put this new concept into practice. Just as I don’t profess to know how AlAnon works, but I know it does; I don’t know how this giving thing works either, but I know it does. So, at my next meeting I doubled my giving. Wow, that didn’t hurt at all. Next meeting- I doubled my giving. Again it didn’t hurt. As a matter of fact it felt good. It down right surprises me. he more I attend Al-Anon the more money I seem to have to give. So today, when I see that 7th tradition basket go around, I’m doubling up. If $1 has brought me out of insanity, I can hardly wait to see where $2 will lead me. (I wrote this article nearly fifteen years ago for the AlaNews. The journey has been spectacular and only for $2 a meeting! Linda W.) World Service Office (WSO) Mail Donations to: 1600 Corporate Landing Parkway Virginia Beach, VA 23454 Phone: 757‐563‐1600 Fax: 757‐563‐1655 Meeting Info: 800‐344‐2666 Web: al‐anon.alateen.org NCWSA (Northern California World Service Area) Web: ncwsa.org Mail Donations to: NCWSA Treasurer P.O. Box 728 Vacaville, CA 95696‐0728 (make checks payable to NCWSA) D19 Calendar District Speaker Meetings (1st Monday of month) Aug 3: 7:00-8:30pm Sep 7: 7:00-8:30pm Oct 5: 7:00-8:30pm East Princeton Baptist Church, Fresno District Business Meetings (2nd Saturday of month) 2015: Aug 8, Sep 12, Nov 14, Dec 12, 2016: Jan 9 Time for all meetings: 1:00-3:00pm Kingsburg Community Church 1590 Smith St. Kingsburg District 19 Information (Fresno, Madera, Kings & Tulare Counties) Web: southvalleyalanon.org Hotline/Information: Phone # 559‐444‐0224 Leave a message with a volunteer for a return call! Mailing Address: 4974 N. Fresno St., PMB 353 Fresno, CA 93726 Donations to District: Mail to above address. Make checks payable to AFG , and include your group name and group WSO num‐ ber Literature: Sales are by appointment only: email: [email protected] AlaNews: For submissions or to subscribe to the AlaNews email distribution, please email: [email protected] District Meetings: District 19 Business Meetings are held the 2nd Saturday of the month at the Kingsburg Community Church, 1590 Smith Street, Kingsburg. All Al‐Anon/Alateen members are welcome! 1:00pm‐3:00pm
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