Al-Anon/Alateen Matters
Newsletter
March 2015 – Newsletter
NEW ADDRESS FOR AREA 24
AFG of MD/DC Inc.
P.O. Box 878
Olney, MD 20832
AIS-DC-MD Meetings for 2015!
IN THIS EDITION
Steering Committee
AIS-DC-MD
A personal storyService Helps by Hannah G
March 19th
March 26th
April 16th
April 23rd
March 2015: All meetings are at 278 Carroll St, N.W. Washington, DC 20012
All meetings will be in the first floor conference room
WMAAAIS MEETING CALENDAR
4th Thursday of every month at June 18th
7pm
Sept 17th
AL-ANON EVERYWHERE:
Did you know the World Service
Office creates podcast? You can
listen to short meetings through
your podcasts device, iPhone,
iPad, mp3 players, etc. Go to the
Al-Anon/Alateen WSO site to find
out more details. Listen in your
car, on the bus or at home during
a meditation. Either way you are
never alone.
June 25th
Sept 24th
October 15th
October 22nd
November 19th
Dec 3 (elections)
The Ultimate responsibility and authority for Al-Anon world services belongs to AlAl-Anon groups (Concept 1)
All Steering Committee members are strongly encouraged to attend and vote on
issues. All Al-Anon members are very welcome!
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Also we have volunteer positions
available:
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION NEWS
 Service Center
Coordinator
The New Articles of Incorporation and how it will work for Al Fall Luncheon Chair
Anon. It will function somewhat like the WSO with the
Contact [email protected]
directors at the top and the groups at the bottom according to
the Concepts and Traditions. DC Law provides for a top down
UPCOMING EVENTS
structure with directors directing. Each group will have one
The annual Al-Anon Spring
Convention sponsored by Area 24 vote to select the initial four directors, which will include
will take place the weekend of
candidates for the Chair and the Treasurer. The four directors
June 5th - 7th, 2015 at
will elect four alternate officers who will also be directors. At
Washington College in
Chestertown, MD.
the regular monthly meeting of the directors, they will do the
Al-Anon's 6th International
business of the corporation. Following this directors meeting,
Convention will take place on July the group may then discuss other issues as they desire. The
5-8th 2018 in Baltimore
cost to incorporate is $700 and then an additional $700 to get
Registration is open on line for
the 2015 International
Convention of Alcoholics
Anonymous with Al-Anon
participation. The convention
will take place on July 2-5 2015 in
Atlanta, Georgia. To register
please go to the Al-Anon website
at: www.al-anon.org and click on
2015
AIS-DCSMD Fall Luncheon is
Saturday, October 31, 2015
the 501c non-profit status for the Corporation. Our office is
now in DC which is why we are incorporating there. If we
should have to move to Maryland the office will still be
incorporated in DC. There will be other changes to make such
as bank accounts and insurance. Please share a copy of the
Bylaws with your groups. At the meeting in January we voted
to deliver these papers to the lawyer to submit for
incorporation.
Area 24 Fall Convention will take
place the first weekend in
November from November 6th 8th 2015.
AIS-DCSMD JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR VACANT JOBS
Service Center Coordinator – Oversees the operation of the service center, spends time in the service
center once per week when the administrative assistant is there to provide guidance, locates and trains
substitutes, purchases and maintains office equipment and supplies, ensures that office files are properly
maintained. Attends and provides reports to Steering Committee and WMAAAIS business meetings.
Fall Luncheon Chairperson – Organizes and brings to fruition WMAAAIS’ Annual Fall Luncheon to
include recruiting a committee of Al-Anon members and delegating tasks. Some duties include selecting a
date and location, publicity, setting a ticket price, lining up speakers, and providing reports to the Steering
Committee and WMAAAIS meetings. (Contact Martha B. at 301-987-6639 for more information.)
WHY DO MEMBERS VOLUNTEER TO BE OF SERVICE?
There is as much to be learned as to be taught



Satisfaction/ Mutual helpfulness
Need to belong/ Desire to gain knowledge
Opportunity to put talents to work
What are the Personal Rewards of Service


Personal Recovery/Sense of Achievement
Enjoyment/Involvement/Filling a Personal Need
Where can you start to serve?


Become Willing/Let your group know you can serve
Stand for elections/Work with beginners



Begin a Step & Traditions Meeting/Work with Alateen
Become active at the District Level/Edit a Foreign Language
Begin an archives at the Group/District Level
39TH ANNUAL AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS OF MARYLAND AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIASPRING CONVENTION WITH AA PARTICIPATION
June 5, 6 & 7, 2015
Washington College, Chestertown, MD
Workshops, Al-Anon and AA Speakers, Spirituality Speakers, Entertainment, Dance, Bingo, Hospitality Room, Meals
Including Saturday Banquet, Vegan and Gluten-free Meal Options Lodging registrations must be received by June 1,
2015 Registration refundable before June 2, 2015.
Convention starts 2:00 pm Friday and ends after lunch Sunday.
Registration form can be filled out and printed at http://www.marylanddc-alanon.org calendar page
Questions? Email Nancy T., Convention Chair, at [email protected]
A PERSONAL STORY FROM HANNAH G
LET’S KEEP THE FOCUS ON AL-ANON
\When I began Al-Anon I noticed that this program has its own language. Some of the words used were unfamiliar.
Examples include Higher Power, turning it over, God Box, the family disease, the three C’s, the 3 A’s.
In recent years, words have crept into use in meetings that are not Al-Anon language. They appear to be words that
come from the ‘treatment’ perspective. Our reminder states that we do not discuss “….treatment centers...” among
other items. Treatment center vocabulary includes words such as ‘qualifier’, ‘enmeshed’, ‘triangulate’ and ‘codependent.’
I do not need a ‘qualifier’ to attend Al-Anon. Tradition 3 states “the only requirement is a problem of alcoholism in a
relative or friend.” [‘Of mine’ is implied.] I am here because someone else’s drinking bothers me. This may include
more than one person, such as parents, children, co-workers and spouse. I am advised to “keep the focus on myself
and not on the alcoholic” per the reminder and work on myself.
Tradition five indicates that “…practicing the twelve steps of AA ourselves…” is how we recover from the disease of
alcoholism. Our literature refers time and again to the “family disease of alcoholism.” My ‘qualifier’ is me being
affected by the family disease.
The words ‘enmeshed’ and ‘triangulate’ are words used in family therapy. While Al-Anon can be therapeutic to an
individual, it is not ‘psychotherapy’ in the strictest sense. More simply stated, these words imply distorted family
relationships and the Al-Anon focus can heal these by teaching me ways to change my attitude. We can replace the
therapy words with basic language such as alcoholic instead of qualifier, unhealthy relationship for enmeshed, and
distorted boundaries for triangulate.
Co-dependent is a term from self-help literature and refers to an unhealthy relationship in which one puts one’s
own needs below fulfilling other’s needs and wants. This is indeed an example of a relationship between an
alcoholic and partner. Again referring to our reminder, it is suggested that we refrain from discussing “self-help
programs and the use or mention of non-conference approved literature.”
Please, let’s leave the therapy terms to therapy and treatment centers, and the self-help definitions to its own
literature and keep the focus on Al-Anon.
Hannah G.
WMAAAIS Public Outreach Coordinator Seeking volunteers and suggestion for WMAAIS
Area Public Outreach activities.
Do you have a meeting location/place of worship or community activity that would be an outreach opportunity for
Al-Anon participation and information?
If you have any ideas/suggestions/locations where Al-Anon information could be displayed, such as a wellness
center, Human Resources bulletin board, etc. and/or activities for a WMAAAIS outreach booth such as a health or
community fair, or would like to join the WMAAAIS Public Outreach Committee for developing new and continuing
WMAAIS outreach activities, contact Maureen M, volunteer Public Outreach Coordinator at 301-513-0255 or send
email to: [email protected].
Past WMAAAIS Public Outreach activities have included the annual NBC-4 Health and Fitness Expos, the Bowie
Health Center fairs, and other health fairs. Distribution of literature to wellness centers, hospitals and churches has
been provided, but, statistics indicate that for every problem drinker 10 people are impacted so we need to
continue to get our message of hope to families and friend of problem drinkers in keeping with Tradition 11,
through methods of attraction, not promotion.
Al-Anon members nationally have established Al-Anon telephone and email meetings: http://www.alanon.alateen.org/electronic-meetings for those whose work schedules prohibit them from attending in-person
local meetings, have anonymity concerns, and those home bound by children and/or illness of themselves or a
relative, as well as weather and transportation restrictions. These daily meetings are in English and foreign
languages such as Spanish. There is a daily telephone meeting in Spanish at 9 pm. Email meetings are in French,
Spanish, Russian and German. Anyone interested in establishing an in-person Spanish meeting in our local area
contact Maureen M or send email to: [email protected] for outreach materials and opportunities
to provide outreach brochures to the various local Spanish communities.
Washington Metropolitan Area Al-Anon & Alateen Information Service Budget
12/31/14
PLAN
ACTUAL
PLAN
ACTUAL
PLAN
ACTUAL
PLAN
Budget 11
CY2011
Budget 12
CY2012
Budget 13
CY 2013
Budget 14
RECEIPTS (IN)
Bank Interest
Contributions
Fall Luncheon
Literature Depot
Spring Workshop
TOTAL IN
EXPENSES (OUT)
AFG contribution
Fall Luncheon
Literature Depot
Miscellaneous
Public Outreach
Spring Workshop
Copier Maint.
Liability+D&O Insur
New Office Equipment
Office Supplies
Payroll
Phone/DSL
Postage
Rent
Computer/web/email
Alateen
Petty Cash
Incorporation
TOTAL OUT
ACTUAL
CY 2014
PLAN
Budget 15
56.98
21,144.49
5,621.00
13,599.53
65.34
40,487.34
50.00
21,430.00
4,800.00
14,000.00
0.00
21.10
23,925.54
6,912.00
13,523.14
0.00
10.00
21,500.00
4,800.00
13,500.00
0.00
14.58
21,287.70
5,865.00
12,187.06
10.00
22,000.00
4,800.00
13,500.00
0.00
41,159.84
100.00
19,060.00
4,500.00
15,000.00
0.00
38,660.00
40,280.00
44,381.78
39,810.00
39,354.34
40,310.00
-
500.00
4,015.63
10,475.96
0.00
286.20
150.00
497.57
540.00
0.00
26.48
11,648.95
1,195.74
132.91
4,800.00
210.32
500.00
4,500.00
10,500.00
0.00
400.00
180.00
300.00
540.00
500.00
500.00
14,560.00
750.00
400.00
4,800.00
230.00
0.00
4,799.58
10,272.97
0.00
0.00
200.00
242.96
540.00
31.10
548.45
13,664.51
1,094.15
15.00
4,800.00
226.36
500.00
4,800.00
10,500.00
540.00
200.00
850.00
14,560.00
1,100.00
400.00
4,800.00
230.00
0.00
5,921.54
11,972.41
0.00
1,414.28
367.54
9.20
534.00
0.00
1,063.16
16,262.24
1,214.14
29.23
4,800.00
0.00
0.00
200.00
500.00
4,800.00
10,500.00
0.00
500.00
200.00
10.00
940.00
200.00
850.00
18,200.00
1,100.00
400.00
4,800.00
250.00
1,560.00
0.00
-
400.00
16,000.00
5,000.00
12,800.00
0.00
34,200.00
0.00
21,072.37
4,413.25
15,674.22
500.00
5,000.00
10,000.00
0.00
400.00
180.00
0.00
550.00
0.00
700.00
14,560.00
720.00
100.00
4,800.00
200.00
37,710.00
34,479.76
38,660.00
36,435.08
40,280.00
43,787.74
44,810.00
41,764.65
2,000.00
4,800.00
10,000.00
0.00
2,900.00
700.00
10.00
1,300.00
200.00
850.00
17,000.00
1,500.00
100.00
4,800.00
250.00
500.00
0.00
800.00
47,710.00
RECPTS LESS EXPS
(3,510.00)
6,680.08
0.00
4,052.26
0.00
594.04
(5,000.00)
(2,410.31)
(7,400.00)
checking
money market
7,584.68
17,448.57
Total
Less prudent reserve
Discretionary Funds
25,033.25
(21,000.00)
4,033.25
ACTUAL
CY 2015
1,600.00
200.00
6,152.00
9,942.99
1,156.74
1,286.00
99.99
687.77
16,185.63
1,329.86
96.67
4,800.00
27.00
-
Suggested contributions after Group and District Expenses:
70% to WMAAAIS c/o Seekers Church,278 Carroll St. NW, WDC 20012
20% to AFG MD/DC, P.O. Box 10898, Parkville, MD 21234-0898
10% to AFG, Inc., 1600 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
Please include Group's Name and WSO number on check or money order.
Washington Metropolitan Area Al-Anon & Alateen Information Service, Contribution by Groups
12/31/2014
Day/time
Montgomery Co
Sun 1:00pm Sunday AFG
Sun 2:00pm Silver Spring ODAT Al-Anon
Sun 3:30pm Courage To Change ODAT
Sun 6:30pm Seventh Heaven Al-Anon
Sun 7:00pm Step 11 By Candlelight Al-Anon
Sun 8:00pm Olney Sunday Night
Mon 12noon Monday Matters ACOA
Mon 12noon NIH Monday Al-Anon
Mon 1:00pm Monday AFG
Mon 1:00pm Gracefield Rd
Mon 7:00pm Olney Step Study
Mon 7:00pm Rockville East Al-Anon
Mon 7:00pm Women's Adult Childern
Mon 8:30pm Suburban Parent AFG
Tue 10:30am Garrett Park Women's
Tue 10:30am Kensington Women Steps
Tue 7:00pm Courage to Change Al-Anon
Tue 7:00pm First Steps Al-Anon
Tue 7:30pm Open Door GBLT & Friends
Tue 8:30pm Bethesda Al-Anon
Tue 8:30pm Gaithersburg Al-Anon
Wed 12noon Westmoreland Crcl Adult Child
Wed 12:15pm Germantown Lunchtime
Wed 1:00pm Wed AFG Step/Trad/Con
Wed 7:00pm Burtonsville Step
Wed 7:15pm The Surrender AFG
Wed 8:00pm Rockville Al-Anon
Thu 12noon Thursday Noon Al-Anon
Thu 1:00pm Montgomergy Hills Thurs Afternoon
Thu 1:00pm Seven Locks Al-Anon
Thu 7:00pm Hope for Today Adult Childern
Thu 7:00pm New Beginnings Al-Anon
Thu 7:30pm Wheaton Family Group
Thu 8:00pm Hope for Thursday
Thu 8:00pm White Oak Al-Anon
Thu 8:30pm Neelsville Al-Anon
Thu 8:30pm Potomac Stag Al-Anon
Thu 8:30pm Women's Al-Anon
Fri 12noon
Friday Noon Adult Childern Lit
Fri 1:00pm
Friday AFG
Fri 2:00pm
Norbeck Boulevard
Fri 7:00pm
Colesville Al-Anon
Fri 8:00pm
Focus on Recovery
Sat 9:15am
How Al-Anon Works Study
Sat 11:00am Serenity Step Al-Ann
Sat 11:00am Steps to Serenity Al-Anon
Sat 12noon
Northwood Noon Al-Anon
Sat 12noon
There is Hope
Sat 8:30pm
Saturday Nite Alive AFG
Total Montgomery Co.Contributions
Total Contributions
D.C. Contributions
Montgomery Co. Contributions
P.G. County Contributions
Individual Contributions
Other contribution
Total Contributions for 2014
Grp #
53483
501422
63518
6009
305320
5980
503306
60657
53132
502641
41392
6008
42697
48369
28567
502745
62653
42322
502760
30632610
5924
33832
45964
6011
38350
66431
6005
39204
6035
29637
66994
60333
6063
503121
6036
5927
5857
5856
65794
53133
30555587
6029
5780
61600
42081
52341
26272
30595361
43468
$ 5,056.02
$ 12,511.94
$ 1,319.74
$
$ 2,400.00
$ 21,287.70
Total
$0.00
$280.00
$409.83
$182.74
$0.00
$520.00
$280.00
$0.00
$0.00
$147.70
$659.99
$25.00
$0.00
$194.00
$1,500.00
$856.80
$0.00
$240.00
$29.00
$246.40
$300.00
$700.00
$270.63
$0.00
$0.00
$899.00
$0.00
$0.00
$622.22
$0.00
$300.00
$40.00
$0.00
$0.00
$128.00
$0.00
$0.00
$385.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$200.00
$0.00
$729.20
$896.82
$1,094.61
$275.00
$100.00
$0.00
$12,511.94
Day/time
Washington, D.C.
Sun 11:00am Courage to Change AFG
Sun 1:30pm Foggy Bottom Al-Anon
Sun 3:00pm New Life Al-Anon
Sun 5:00pm Capitol Hill Adult Childern
Sun 6:30pm All But 1st Sunday
Sun 7:00pm Georgetown Step Meeting
Sun 7:00pm Sunday Night Sanity
Sun 8:30pm Pitstop Al-Anon
Mon 12noon Lafayette Square Al-Anon
Mon 12:15pm Serenity AFG
Mon 8:00pm Care Givers AFG
Mon 8:00pm Chevy Chase Al-Anon
Mon 8:00pm Let It Begin With Me
Tue 12noon Judiciary Square Noon
Tue 12noon Noon Day Al-Anon
Tue 12noon Tuesday Noon Al-Anon (Dupont)
Tue 6:00pm DC Al-Anon Beginners
Tue 8:30pm Brightwood Step Study
Tue 8:30pm Mideast Al-Anon
Tue 8:30pm Palisades Al-Anon
Wed 12noon Monumental Al-Anon
Wed 6:45pm Early Friendly Adult Childern
Wed 7:00pm Family Matters
Wed 7:15pm Wed.NightGay&LesbianBeginners
Wed 7:30pm Fourth Step Study Al-Anon
Wed 7:30pm Wed Evening Al-Anon
Thu 12noon Desperados Al-Anon
Thu 1:15pm Circle of Hope
Thu 7:15pm Conscious Contact 11th Step
Thu 7:15pm New Perspective
Thu 7:30pm Palisades Family Goup 2
Thu 8:00pm Parents Meeting at Tenleytown
Fri 12noon
Friday Step
Fri 12noon
Gallery Place Friday Noon
Fri 5:30pm
Al-Anon Service for Fun
Fri 8:30pm
Friendly Al-Anon
Fri 8:30pm
Friends of Lois
Sat 10:30am Westside Al-Anon
Sat 12noon Conscious Contact AFG
Sat 1:30pm Pathfinders Al-Anon
Sat 7:00pm Saturday Nite Gratitude
Sat 7:30
Palisades Saturday
Total D.C. Contributions
Grp #
36916
42766
2435
36535
30606314
30864
30568760
2436
2429
65736
2440
2417
2433
30536644
2422
48540
30576594
2415
2430
42848
2432
23954
503724
65532
40274
500480
38308
30581810
30609392
2438
30586955
30562478
2443
30555420
67295
2424
29743
66938
54161
39718
2437
30624002
Total
$0.00
$0.00
$29.14
$350.00
$50.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$364.00
$0.00
$42.00
$140.00
$0.00
$84.00
$350.00
$0.00
$0.00
$241.68
$122.32
$140.70
$280.00
$231.00
$100.00
$0.00
$240.42
$0.00
$140.00
$148.50
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$497.00
$0.00
$251.71
$140.00
$234.85
$104.30
$100.00
$294.00
$360.40
$20.00
$5,056.02
Day/time
Prince Georges Co.
Sun.7:00
Sunday Evening Laurel Al-Anon
Mon 10:00am Bowie Monday Morning Al-Anon
Mon 11:30am Ft. Wash. Women's Step Study
Mon 7:30pm College Park Step Study
Mon 8:00pm Southern Serenity AFG
Tue 8:00pm College Park Discussion
Tue 8:00pm Homecoming Adult Children
Wed 10:00am Old Town Bowie Al-Anon
Wed 11:30am Clinton Daytime Al-Anon
Wed 8:00pm Beltsville Al-Anon
Thu 8:30pm Seabrook Al-Anon
Fri 12noon
Hyattsville Lunch Al-Anon
Fri 7:00pm
Laurel Friday Nite
Sat 8:30pm AFG Bethel
Total P.G. County Contributions
Grp #
500932
5862
30578529
6052
46897
6051
46224
5863
5884
5849
63353
41614
61462
6053
Total
$325.50
$22.85
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$66.39
$250.00
$325.00
$0.00
$160.00
$50.00
$120.00
$1,319.74
Always include group name and number on check or money order.
Questions about info above? Contact WMAAAIS Treasurer Jill B.. through the service center [email protected]
Suggested contributions after group/district expenses:
70%
20%
10%
WMAAAIS 278 Carroll Street NW, Washington DC 20012
AFG MD/DC, P.O. Box 878, Olney, MD 20832
AFG, Inc., 1600 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454