Recovery . . . Take It Everywhere You Go!
Make It a Recovery Vacation
When you go on vacation, don’t leave recovery at home! Why not add a District or Area event to your itinerary? Whether it’s a meeting, workshop, or special gathering, these events are a great way to stay connected while you travel. Go to Al-Anon WSO Facebook Events or alanon.org/wso-events to find exciting events happening at your destination.
Accommodating Members with Special Needs
Not all meetings can accommodate special needs, but there are a lot of steps groups can take toward welcoming anyone, anywhere.
- Is there elevator access as an alternative to stairs?
- Can groups provide information about how to obtain Conference Approved Literature (CAL) on electronic devices to assist hearing- or sight-impaired members?
- Do the facilities in which groups meet allow service animals?
Look up your group on al-anon.org to see what information is provided.
How Long Has Your Group Been Meeting?
Group Anniversaries
Some groups celebrate their anniversary with a speaker meeting or a special gathering. Are you curious about when your group started meeting? Have you considered checking the group’s “box”? Sometimes, this information can be found at the bottom of the “box,” where various pieces of forgotten information tend to reside. Other possible sources for this information include the District, the local Al-Anon Information Service/Intergroup, the Area Archives or Group Records, and even longtime members!
I’ve Been Elected to a Service Role—What’s Next?
I felt comfortable in my early days of attending Al-Anon, but I noticed some members had what seemed to be “official” roles. Someone received information and shared it with the group, another member collected our contributions, and a secretary recorded our business meeting notes. I didn’t know how these positions were assigned until our group held elections. During our quarterly business meeting, the trusted servants took the time to describe their roles. The simplicity intrigued me, as well as the group members’ assurance that I would not be alone in any service journey. At the time, I relied on other members doing most of the work, allowing myself to help only with projects requiring little commitment. Help was always just a question away.
When I began to feel comfortable with the positive changes recovery was bringing to my life, I decided to branch out into service to support my group. The Group Representative (GR) position became available, and I was the only group member interested. I thought this meant a guaranteed position, but I learned that members act with care when making the informed decision of electing a GR. We still held the election, and I was voted in.
With the election came the fear: What am I supposed to know? Who can I ask for help, and how do I connect with them? I remembered that help was always just a question away. Members wanted me to succeed. This level of support was something I hadn’t experienced much outside of the program. I was encouraged to ask the previous GR questions, always refer to the current Al‑Anon/Alateen Service Manual (P-24/27) and the Group Representatives Guideline (G-11), lean on a Service Sponsor, and take it “One Day at a Time.” My Service Sponsor encouraged me to be myself in the position, reminding me that we are not all the same.
My service as a GR allowed me to meet members throughout my District. When my GR term ended, my Service Sponsor encouraged me to stand for District Representative (DR). Once elected as the DR, I felt the same fear I had experienced before. Representing a District was a bit different than representing a group. I remembered the tools I used to become an informed GR and applied them to my new position. The growth I experienced paved the way for more service roles, including World Service Delegate for my Area.
As I rotated out of these service positions at the end of each three-year term, I made sure that I was available to share my experience, strength, and hope, along with other available resources if needed, with the next person stepping in. I wanted to follow the loving example that had been set for me.
By Christa A., Senior Group Services Specialist
“Inside Al-Anon Family Groups” presents news, policy, and commentary from volunteers, staff and readers sharing experience through service. Please feel free to reprint these articles on your service structure website or newsletter, along with this credit line: Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.
Carrying the Al-Anon Message Online
"Our Common Welfare" --Notes from the WSO
Carrying the Al-Anon Message Online
Whether we use social media to connect with friends and family or follow our favorite interests, [CC1] it has become a large part of our lives. Social media is one way we can carry the Al‑Anon message, but it can be tricky.
The Social Media Policy found in the Public Outreach section of the “Digest of Al-Anon and Alateen Policies” in the Al‑Anon/Alateen Service Manual (P-24/27) provides guidance about using social media to spread our message of help and hope to those suffering as a result another person’s alcoholism.
The Policy provides carefully defined service authority, such as who can create Al-Anon or Alateen social media pages/profiles and what roles groups and members can take on, so that each member and service arm can understand the role they play in using this avenue for carrying the message.
While sharing the message of help and hope to families and friends of alcoholics on social media, members are encouraged to practice obedience to the unenforceable by adhering [VF2] [ER3] to Al‑Anon Traditions. Tradition Eleven states, in part, “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, and TV.” This applies to our online presence as well, as does Tradition Twelve, which states, “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.”
“Inside Al-Anon Family Groups” presents news, policy, and commentary from volunteers, staff and readers sharing experience through service. Please feel free to reprint these articles on your service structure website or newsletter, along with this credit line: Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.
