THE GROUP SCOOP The Al-Anon Information Services Newsletter May/June 2016
State Speaker Meeting Service Concepts This issue of the Group Scoop contains a recap of the Oregon State Speak- er Meeting (SSM) May 13-15, 2016 which was held in Milwaukie. This suc- cessful sharing and fellowship event was the result of a lot of hard work, of the Month cooperation and dedication. The article on page two will give you an idea of the scope and tone, but nothing can take the place of being there in person. Concept Five The fellowship of the Al-Anon rooms is so present and the concentration of “The rights of appeal and experience, strength and hope is unmatched. petition protect minorities The hardworking committee, headed by Caralynn, several District groups and insure they can be heard.” and many individuals put their hearts and souls into the event. Besides speakers which inspired us to both tears of gratitude and smiles of enlight- enment; there were crafts (magic hat making!), skits, talent, good food and Concept Six the friendship which comes from getting to know other Al-Anons. “The Conference The July/August issue of the Group Scoop will have an official report from the SSM committee with regards to attendance and fundraising, but I could- acknowledges the primary n’t resist sharing my experiences as a participant in the hopes that some- administrative responsibilities day, you too will attend. ~Beth McQ of the Trustees.”
In This Issue:
District Meetings, 3
State Speaker Meeting, 1, 2
Focus on Alateen, 6
Spring Fling, 7
Meetings & Events, 5, 6, 7
Volunteers/Service, 2, 4, 8
Sharing, 2, 7
Al-Anon Information Services, serving the Greater Portland Area The Group Scoop 1
State Speaker Meeting Recap Opportunities The theme of the May 13-15, 2016 Al-Anon Oregon State Speaker Meeting was “Celebrating the Magic of Recovery.” The meeting opened Friday even- for Service ing in Milwaukie when about 40 early birds shared their Tools of Recovery and enjoyed the fellowship of an ice cream social followed by skits and a parade. AIS Office Saturday, close to 100 people from across the state filled the rooms. The Please consider volunteering at the Al- morning started with a panel discussion on Diversity of the people in Al-Anon; Anon Information Services (AIS) Office. all were encouraged to ask their home groups how to best welcome people There is a staff member there to help you from all backgrounds and to consider accessibility when choosing meeting and you can do it according to your own and event locations. schedule. Call (503) 292-1333 for more information. The Alateen Panel including sharing by teens, their sponsors and parents. The recovery and maturity demonstrated by the teens was awe inspiring. And more sponsors are needed to support this amazing program. November
There were AA and Al-Anon meetings going on throughout the day, as well as Assembly a walking Al-Anon meeting, which took place in a light drizzle. Throughout Districts 9, 11 and 12 will be hosting the Saturday, there was also a parallel Spanish Speaking program. The two November Assembly (see page 7). Vol- groups came together for meals, fellowship and the keynote speakers. unteers are needed to coordinate Regis- tration, Greeting and Hospitality. Please Saturday afternoon, the meeting broke into table groups to discuss the im- contact Mary W. for more information: portance of Service in Al-Anon. Among many topics, the groups considered [email protected] . the many types of service, giving back as part of recovery and how much ser- vice is too much. Alateen Families in Recovery was a panel which discussed detaching with love, com- passion and family dynamics. In particular, the use of the Al-Anon traditions in Sponsors families hit home with many, as well as the importance of forgiving oneself Alateen needs more sponsors in the and others. Portland metro area and beyond. There is a training program and shadowing for After a delicious dinner and more fellowship, the group gathered to hear the at least six months. Call AIS (503) 292- Keynote Speakers, Al S. from Portland and Beverly B. from Texas. Both shar- 1333 for more information. ings could not have been more inspirational and thoughtful. The speakers spoke from the heart and touched the audience with their honesty and com- passion. A lively Dessert Auction and Talent Show closed the evening with more fellowship.
Sunday morning, Beverly B. returned to hold The Magic of Recovery Work- shop. She shared more of her experience, strength and hope within in the framework of the recovery process; as well as the tools which help her to ex- perience the magic of recovery. These tools included meditation to set her direction for the day, sponsorship and sponsoring, the principles of Al-Anon and much more.
The meeting closed with a Spiritual Speaker who shared the touching evolu- tion of her relationship with her Higher Power over the course of her recovery. It was the perfect uplifting finale for the meeting. After the centerpiece auc- tion, basket and quilt raffles the meeting concluded and the grateful partici- pants headed back across the state
~ Beth McQ
State Speaker Meeting Magic!
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DISTRICT MEETINGS
District 9
3rd Wednesday of the month from 7 to 8 pm at the Alano Club, 909 NW 24th Avenue, Portland
District 10
3rd Tuesday of the month, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, Calvin Presbyterian Church, 10445 SW Canterbury Lane, Tigard
District 11 Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature is also available in Spanish at the AIS Office 3rd Monday of the month, 6:30-7:30 pm, St Paul Lu- Visit the Al-Anon Information Services office, conveniently located at theran Church, 3880 SE Brooklyn St. Portland the intersection of SW Skyline Boulevard and the Sunset Highway (Enter at the door to the (Rte. 26). In addition, to the outstanding staff and volunteers, you will right of the main entrance find a large selection of Al-Anon literature to consider and you can and downstairs; ring bell if door is locked) 1st floor li- save any shipping fees by picking up your order. The AIS office also brary room/ wheelchair ac- offers an excellent selection of Alateen, large print and Spanish lan- cessible. guage publications. District 12 Keep an Open Mind One Day at a Time Easy Does it 2nd Wednesday of the month, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, GOT SOMETHING TO SHARE? Providence Hospital, 4805 NE Glisan St, Portland, Room 2E Where are you in your Al-Anon/Alateen journey?
District 17 What is your Higher Power inviting you to do? Do you have a personal sharing on how you are applying the Steps, Tradi- 1st Thursday of the month; tions or Concepts in your life? 7:00 pm - 8:30pm; Faith on Hill Church, 3615 SE Hill How has service enriched your recovery? Rd, Milwaukie Write about one of those topics or anything else related to your Al-Anon/Alateen jour- AIS Meetings ney and send it to [email protected]. The deadline for the July/ 3rd Thursday of the month; August Group Scoop will be Friday, July 15, 2016. 7:00 pm - 8:30pm, 1750 SW Skyline Boulevard, Some guidelines for submitting articles to The Group Scoop: Portland Conference Room Keep the focus on your Al-Anon/Alateen recovery.
Service Committee (ISR) If you include quotes from Al-Anon/Alateen Conference Approved Literature be aware there (odd months) are restrictions on what can be quoted without first receiving permission from the WSO. Please see the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual 2014-2017 pages 102-103 or contact the WSO directly with questions at [email protected]. Service Board (even months) Due to length and available space in the printed version, it is possible your sharing will only be published in the Online Version of the Group Scoop.
Let us know if you would like your article published with your first name and last initial or as anonymous.
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Literature Sales/ Pick Up Is your group having trouble getting to the AIS Office during regular business hours to pick up more books and pamphlets?
Your group’s ISR or GR can pick up literature on the third Thursday of the month prior to the AIS Board or Service Committee Meeting.
Please call in your order during office hours and plan to come by the AIS office by 6:30PM at the latest.
Thank You AIS Office Volunteers and Group Contributors
March Volunteers May/June Group Contributions
Joan B. Fran P. Diana D. Barbara O. Don H. Judi W.
March Calls
AL-Anon 120 Alateen 4 Business 39 Other 6 Total 169
April Volunteers
Diana D. Joan B. Fran P.
April Calls
Al-Anon 110 Alateen 8 Business 42 Other 11 Total 171
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THEY WANTED A MEETING…
THEY NEEDED A MEETING…
AND NOW THEY HAVE A MEETING
IN AURORA…
Please come and support us.
EVERY Sunday night from 7:00 – 8:00 pm.
(AA meets here too)
*SUNDAY NIGHT WINNERS*
CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH 15029 2nd Street, SE Aurora, OR 97022 For more info call Jill @ 541.870.5413
Love & Service Meeting Sundays, 5:00 – 6:00PM 14645 SW Davis Road, Beaverton Desiree C. (503) 449-7763 Deena T. (503) 330-6709 Babysitting Available
Reflections Speaker Meetings Please note the updated schedule for the Reflections Speakers Meetings through January 2017. Mount Scott Community Center, Auditorium, 5530 SE 72nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97206 At 7:30 P.M. Mark you calendar for these future meetings: August 12, 2016 – Panel/Workshop on “Principles Above Personalities.” January 13 & 14, 2017 – Kathy H., Cincinnati, OH
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2016 Alateen Roundup
April 23, 2016 was the Alateen Roundup at the HOW Alateen Meeting site on Sunnyside in Clackamas. It was such a huge success!! About 22 teens attended the Roundup. All Portland Alateen meetings were represented. A car load came up from Salem too!! All members shared on the theme—Keep It Simple at the first meeting. We had a quick workshop on the Links of Service and the teens learned how they fit into the overall program. Our speakers, Devon and Zane, shared their stories of courage and hope. During craft time, they made tiles with the slogans and peanut butter bird seed treats. Anniversary coins were given to all attendees from three weeks to eight years!! Gift card raffle prizes were enjoyed by many! So many pizzas were devoured by hunger teens and their sponsors. The highlight of the day was the dance with the best DJ!
One sponsor shared: Thanks to all that made the Roundup a success! My kids said that it was a lot of fun this year! Hurray!
Another sponsors shared: One of the teens said that it was the best day! She loved meeting so many other Alateens and had so much fun dancing!
AIS and Al-Anon members: Thanks for making this possible for your kids, our kids-these ALATEENS-our future!!!!
- Portland Alateen Sponsors Focus on Alateen
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Spiritual Awakening Spring Fling
The power of the program to change lives is in the Twelve Steps of AA, Wrap-Up which we practice ourselves as Al-Anons. At first I was loath to accept that the ‘other program’ had anything beneficial to offer besides a place for alcoholics to be safe and out of everyone’s hair for a little while. Then On April 23rd this year, slowly, and at my own way and pace I began to learn the facts about al- District 17 held our An- coholism. nual Spring Fling. We had three speakers I discovered I owe much of my own spiritual sobriety and a huge debt share with us “Why of gratitude to the ‘other program’ and the wonderful humans that They Keep Coming make up their numbers. It was this revelation that led me to one of the most profound spiritual awakenings of my Al-anon career, the Back” and they were ter- power to change my mind. rific. The recovery in the I realized that if I can change my mind about the alcoholic, about al- room was so wonder- coholism and about the very disease that I decried as the source of ful…one of those things all my misery and shortcomings, then I could do just about anything I that could almost be set my mind to. “felt”. I learned that at any moment I can reserve the right to change my opinion on any issue, any person or anything. I can give that opinion We are so grateful to all to my High Power and if I choose I can change it right back. I learned that not only is no situation really hopeless but I am never who participated in this really hopeless, unless I want to be and that no one has the power to fun event—from the change my mind for me about any subject, unless I let them. planning and cooking, the speakers and the I would love to say this spiritual awakening came after I had finished sev- clean-up. This year we eral turns of the 1, 2, 3 waltz, or after my four-hundredth meeting, but had desserts for sale; instead it came just as it is suggested it would, following the Tenth and Eleventh steps and just shorty before I took step Twelve. we had a wonderful plant sale (my garden I have a new life as a result of these steps and I know, if I want to, I can will have beautiful flow- change my mind and go back to the way I was living before. But just for ers in it next year); we today, I will choose to be happy. had an auction of bags our District 17 Groups - Will S. created; and the food was wonderful as usual. Save the Dates: Having an event like this is always so much fun … and the fellowship is Upcoming Oregon Area Assemblies what it’s about. Oh, yeah, we also are send- The Oregon Area Assembly are held three times a year and are open to all ing a check to our AIS Al-Anon members; even though only Group Representatives vote. The next office in the amount of two assemblies are July 16—17, 2016 at Alder Creek Middle School in SE $1,329.86. Yes, it was a Portland and November 19—20, 2016 at the Embassy Suites Washington fundraiser and yet Square in Tigard. Contact your GR for more information. sometimes the Fun and the Fellowship seem so Fall AIS Fundraiser much more when our willingness to give back The annual AIS Fundraiser will be held at the Tabor Space on October 29, is so generous. Thanks 2016. More information to follow. to all! I know I am one of those folks who will keep coming back. Our program really does work! Love, Barb L
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12th Step Call Volunteers Needed
The Al-Anon Information Services (AIS) Office is updating its Al-Anon Contact Us th 12 Step Call list. Al-Anon Information Services Occasionally the AIS office receives an urgent call from someone in distress over someone else’s drinking and needs to talk to someone 1750 SW Skyline Blvd., #133 right away. Portland, OR 97221 (503) 292-1333 The office puts them in touch with an Al-Anon member who has been there, from the 12th Step Call List. They do this by contacting a mem- www.al- ber on the list, asking them if they are willing to take a 12th step call anonportlandoregon.org and gives them the newcomer’s phone number. The office never gives ais@al- out your number to the newcomer. anonportlandoregon.org
The AIS Office has been using the same 12th Step Call list for many Open Monday – Friday; 9:00AM – 5:00PM years. Currently there are only 3 or 4 working telephone numbers left on the list. If you are willing to reach out to newcomers and you have at Spanish Information: least one year in Al-Anon, we invite you to contact the AIS Office with (503) 916-9913 the days and times you are available at 1750 S.W. Skyline Blvd. Suite 133, Portland, OR 97221 or at www.al-anonportlandoregon.org. Thank Monday – Friday; 9:00am – 5:00pm you. Saturday – Sunday; 10:00 am – Love in Service ~ The AIS Service Committee 5:00PM
The Three C’s
We didn’t cause it
We can’t control it
We can’t cure it
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