Pass It On

Eastside Intergroup Newsletter

May 2016

Page 1 and 2

Unnamed Houseguest by Peter S.

Page 3

Upcoming Sober Events and

Meeting Updates

Page 4

April Office News by Nancy O.

Page 5

Birthday Club

Faithful Fivers

Pink Can Contributions

Page 6

Notes from the Archives

by David C..

Page 7 and 8

May AA History

Page 9

Office Information

Newsletter Volunteers

Hotline Volunteers

Contributions

Page 10

Thank you ESIG Representa-

tives

By the grace of God and the miracle of AA, I’m grateful to be a member of Alco-holics Anonymous.

Among my earliest memories of childhood is seeing my father patch the walls of the tiny hallway outside the bedroom I shared with my younger brother. I recall wondering what he was doing and why he was doing it. Those dingy blue walls re-mained unpainted for some length of time and those white patches of plaster al-ways caught my eye. When eventually my dad got around to painting over the rough patches, I would strain to detect where the dents and gouges had been, and I was inexplicitly fascinated by them. I later learned that a fight had taken place and some furniture (a chest of drawers, I believe) had been hurtled from an adjacent room and had caromed off the walls.

That early memory is just a blurry snapshot in a series of violent, alcohol-fueled family fights that would punctuate my life growing up in a Southern California suburb, long before it became known as “The O.C.” or home to any num-ber of “reality” television shows.

I also recall visiting the homes of other kids on the block and wondering why their homes weren’t “normal”? What was wrong, why were things there so quiet? Why weren’t the parents screaming at each other, yelling at the children, throwing around chests of drawers? Only later did I realize that “normal” didn’t seem to exist. Some homes had alcohol as an unnamed houseguest and some didn’t.

During my high school years I tried to cope with my home life by running. I mean running. I became an obligatory long distance runner and when things blew up at home (or if I caused them to blow up), I would simply run (and run and run). I also began to seek spiritual relief with a genuine hunger for a relationship with a God I didn’t know, but felt knew me.

Of course, as I grew older, went to college, launched a career, and started a family, I began to replicate those patterns of behavior that I saw in my younger life. Over time, my drinking became more a part of my life, and I began to lose interest in most of the things I once treasured. My drinking began to consume me and destroy my ability to love.

I believe Dr. Silkworth was accurate in describing what was happening with me:

(cont. on p 2)

“Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the only normal one. They are restless, irritable and discontented, unless they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks — drinks which they see others taking with im-punity. After they have succumbed to the desire again, as so many do, and the phenomenon of craving develops, they pass through the well-known stages of a spree, emerging remorseful, with a firm resolution not to drink again. This is repeated over and over, and unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of his recovery.” (“The Doctor’s Opinion,” pp. xxviii–xxix, Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition)

My drinking career lasted nearly 30 years, by which time I had lost my younger brother to addiction, my clients, my health, and my hope. Eventually (but not coincidentally, of course), I was introduced to AA during a 3-week treatment program in Eastern Washington. After treatment, I followed directions. I continued to go to committee meetings, started reading the book regularly, connected with an excellent sponsor, then began working the Steps in earnest.

When I was new in the Program, I often found myself saying during meetings, “I’m not sure how any of this works, but I’m grateful it does!” That is, until I read the chapter called, “How It Works.” In that chapter, it makes it clear that “we decided to turn our will and our life over to God as we understood Him.” “Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?” (p. 60, Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition)

In my case, I think it was more God as I misunderstood Him, but that too, is being healed, along with my mind, body, and relationships. Several days into treatment, I cried out and asked God to relieve me of my addictions, and I believe I had the instantaneous type of spiritual experience which is discussed at length in chapter 2, “There Is a Solution,” and further clarified in Appendix II, “Spiritual Experience.” While I realize not all AAs experience this immedi-ate type of awakening, and others don’t ascribe to it at all, for me it was likely the only way I was going to get sober, stay sober, and best of all, live sober.

“The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God’s universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed mi-raculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves.” (p. 25, Alcohol-ics Anonymous, 4th Edition)

For me, that is the miracle of AA: it met me where I was, and helped take me where I needed to be, even where I wanted to be. What amazes me today, 4½ years into my sobriety, is that it has taken me to a place I couldn’t imagine I could be. Relationships renewed, career reestablished, faith restored. Sound unrealistic? Impossible? Unlikely? Miraculous?

Exactly. .

Unnamed Houseguest (continue)

Upcoming Sober Events

May 5th : Eastside Intergroup Meeting from 7:30 to 8:30 pm at the Bellevue

Christian Reformed Church in Bellevue.

May 7th : No Reservation Speaker Meeting from 7 pm to 9 pm at the

Swinomish Gymnasium in La Conner. Speaker is Butch M and Desiree C.

May 14th: Live at Pine Lake Speakers Meeting from 7 to 9 pm at Pine Lake

Covenant Church in Sammamish. Speaker is Mike R. from Bend, Oregon.

May 14th: AA District 38 Sponsorship Workshop from 1 to 4 pm at

Kirkland Congregational Church in Kirkland. Keynote Speaker Steve C —

Area 72 Alt-Delegate. Four Panel Speakers on Keys to Effective Sponsorship.

May 21st: A.A. Hotline Training from 10 am to 11:30 am at ESIG

Intergroup’s office in Bellevue. The training is free and minimum of 6 months of

continuous sobriety. RSVP please at 425-454-9192.

May 21st: B’Ham Oldtown OldTimers Open Speakers Meeting from 1 to

4 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Parish Hall in Bellingham. May Speakers

are Stan R and Ruta P. Potluck at 5 p.m. Speakers from 6 to 8 pm.

June 28th: District 38 Archives Display—In it’s entirety—in excess of 2,500

pieces. 10:00am to 3:00pm at Kirkland Congregational Church 106 5th Ave.

Aug. 5th-7th: Women In Sobriety Retreat at Rainbow Lodge in NorthBend.

Register at www.womeninsobriety.info.

May 27th to May 29nd: Sisters of the Sound Women in Recovery 2nd An-

nual Spiritual Retreat rom 12pm to 12 pm at St Andrew’s House on Hood

Canal. www.sistersofthesound.com

May 20th to May 22nd: Living in the Solution by Parker Men’s Group AA

Retreat from 5 pm to 12 pm at Estes Park in Colorado. This is the 10th annual

stag retreat held by The Parker Men’s Group. Please contact Thomas W. at

956-800-3029.

June 16-19th: PSYPC 22nd Annual Alta Lake Campout at Alta Lake State

Park. Please visit www.psypc.org for additional information.

June 24-26th: Pacific Northwest Conference 2016 at the Pendleton

Convention Center in Pendleton, Oregon. Please view

www.pnc1948.org for additional information.

Meeting Updates

NEW MEETINGS!

Sammamish Sober Sisters

Monday 7:00—8:00 pm

Sammamish Presbyterian Church

22522 NE Inglewood Hill Road

Room C205

Highland Happy Hour

Friday 6:00—7:00 pm

Open—Young People

Highland Covenant Church

15022 NE Bel Red Road

Bellevue

NEW LOCATION

Tuesday 10:00 am

Eastside Women

Church of Resurrection

15220 Main St (Cabana in Back)

Bellevue

SUPPORT NEEEDED

UNBRIDLED GROUP

Thursday 7:30 p.m.

Open meeting

United Methodist Church

7525 132nd Ave NE.

Kirkland

BRING YOUR OWN BOOK

(BYOB) Big Book Study

Friday 7:00pm-8:00pm

Salt House—11920 NE 80th St.

Kirkland

Conferences

February Office Report As of this writing on April 28th Eastside Intergroup had sold 556 copies of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous! How

exciting to be carrying the message of recovery to that many more people!

The NOONERS and LIVING SOBER meetings at the Eastside Alano Club were both very welcoming when I dropped in on

them in April. Thank you for the good meetings! My hope is to try a few new meetings every month and name them here

in our newsletter--- So watch for your Home Group to show up!

Our Volunteers during April were: Leah W., Rick L., Carrie W., Susan H., Ted W., Steve C., Travis S., Wallene D., Nate

W., John E., and Erica E. Rick F. picked up and delivered Seattle Intergroup schedules to us. Thank you all for your help --

your service is greatly appreciated! If you are interested in volunteering at the Intergroup Office we still have open times on

the calendar. It’s a lot of fun, you get to meet new people and the phone calls can be extremely rewarding. If interested,

please contact via email at nancy@eastsideintergroup.com or call any afternoon Monday through Friday.

We have elected new Board members for a three year term and would like to welcome John K. and Mary B. as new

members of the Board of Directors. Jon S. has been re-elected for a second three year term. We would like to thank Mike

O. and Mike S. for their service on the Board as their terms have come to an end.

Jane L. has resigned from the accessibility committee and leaves an opening for anyone interested in this committee.

District 34 in Bellevue initiated contact with Overlake Hospital about bringing 12th step calls into the hospital. The PI

and CPC committees for Area 72, District 34 and Eastside Intergroup have been working with Overlake Hospital in Bellevue

to try and provide what is called “peer support visits” for patients admitted to the hospital with symptoms of an alcohol

problem or in acute alcohol withdrawal. The offer for a peer support visit can be made any time during their time in the

hospital and can be made by a doctor, nurse, social worker, etc. If the patient would like the visit the visit is coordinated

through the social worker. The patient signs a release of information form before the social worker can contact AA. The

coordinating is all done via a secure email and is confidential. Then the visit by 2 AA members can take place. Anyone

interested in being on this 12th Step list which is specific to Overlake Hospital can contact us at

esig@eastsideintergroup.com. Great job everyone that has worked on this project!

Our 2016 Pancake Breakfast was a huge success again this year with more than 200 people in attendance. Thank you

Mike O. for a job well done as Committee Chair. Also thank you everyone that attended and those that volunteered as well.

The groups that donated to the raffle this year were: Pine Lake Stag, 59 Minutes at Pine Lake, Joy of Living, Sharing the

Legacy, Any Lengths, Friday Night Firehouse, Bill’s Story, Moss Bay, Living Sober, Eastside Women, Juanita Triangle,

District 35, Lifeline, Issaquah Tuesday Night and Millennium. We also received donations from several anonymous

individuals. Thank you all! We had amazing raffle prizes!

Hotline and Phone Training is scheduled for Saturday May 21st here at the Intergroup office from 10:00am to 11:30ish.

This training is required for anyone wanting to answer the phones for Alcoholics Anonymous, both on the Hotline and in the

Office. Please email us if you plan to attend so that we have enough materials.

Our next event will be the Annual Intergroup Picnic on August 6th from 11am to 3pm at Beaver Lake Park in

Sammamish. Kristi G. is the Committee Chair for the Picnic and will be looking for lots of help and this is a great way to be

of service. We will also be starting to collect raffle items and/or cash for raffle items so that we can have another one of our

awesome raffles!

Thank you for allowing me to be of service.

Nancy O.

Office Manager

April Office Report 2016

Barbara M. Pam Z. Beth L. Nancy O. Pat A.

Ulf W. Susan M.

How Can You Help Support Eastside Intergroup in

Addition to the 7th Tradition at your Meetings?

Become a Faithful Fiver! Join Our Birthday Club!

What are Faithful Fivers?

Faithful Fivers are AA members who graciously pledge to

contribute $5.00 each month to support Eastside Intergroup

in its efforts to carry the AA message of hope and recovery

to those alcoholics who still suffer in the Eastside area. As a

Faithful Fiver, your contribution can and will make our vital

services possible.

The Faithful Fiver idea came about when we remembered

that we wasted much more than $5 each month during our

drinking days.

Contributions to Eastside Intergroup from AA members are

limited to $3,000 per member per year and are tax deducti-

ble under Internal Revenue Code: 501(c)3.

Yes! Please enroll me as a

Faithful Fiver!

Here is my contribution of

$_______ for _________ months

Name ___________________________________

Address ________________________________

City ______________ State/Zip ______________

Please return this form to:

Eastside Intergroup

Eastside Intergroup Birthday Club!

Many of our members contribute to ESIG $1, $2 or $5

per year during their

AA Anniversary month.

We’ll print your name, sobriety date and home group

in our Newsletter.

Your Birthday Club contributions directly support

your Eastside Intergroup Office which provides a 24

hour phone line, literature, coins and more!

Birthday Club!

Name ___________________________________

Home Group _____________________________

Sobriety Date _____________________________

Contribution $ ____________________________

YES! I want to have my name & homegroup in the

newsletter!

Thank You April 2016 Faithful Fivers!

No Birthday Contributions for

April 2016

Women of Worth

Wake Up

Reflections

Sober Cartooners

Living Sober

Seven & Sober

Eastside Women

District 46

Anchor Group

Sober Women

Steppin Up

Big Book Step

Study

Fresh Start

Lifeline

Joy of Living

April Pink Can Contributions

Notes from the Archives

By David C., District 38 Archivist

Hello from the vaults of the District 38. This month I thought you might like to know a little about what I have in store for you if you come to the Traveling Display on June 18. I know some of you have thought you have seen the District Archives, but you have not really seen them. I have never even seen all the materials we have, put out in one place before. Yes, you might have seen bits and pieces here and there throughout the years, but never all of them in one place. Have I captured your attention yet? First there is the large pre-AA material I have been collecting for the past five years. Vast items from the Washingtonians and the Oxford Group. Then there is the many Christian books used by the early AA members before we had our book. In those early days they used books like the Bible and the Upper Room for guidance. We have a large collection of books by Rev. Sam Shoe-maker, and other Christian writers used by the new Fellowship. We even have an original mid nineteenth century copy of Abraham Lincoln’s address to the Washingtonians! This is paired with our oldest book, an 1848 copy of “Six Night with the Washingtonians”. You will be treated with an extensive collection of items about both Bill and Dr. Bob, including materials from their homes. There are many books written about both of our co-founders, and I think I have most of them. I even have a spoon from the Mayflower Hotel in Akron when Bill stayed there! I have two photos of Bill and Lois that have never been seen, and will for the first time show them to the public. There is so much more to tell you about, but I think I will leave it for the June edition of this newsletter. More will be revealed…..

P. S. Come and see the entire traveling display on June 18, at the Kirkland Congregational church. Till next time……

May AA History

May 1 1939 - Lois and Bill Wilson left their home at 182 Clinton St., Brooklyn. 1940: Rollie H, Cleveland Indians, first anonymity break on national level. 1941 - First Wisconsin AA meeting was held in a Milwaukee hotel. May 2 1941 - Jacksonville, FL, newspaper reported start of a new AA group. 1941 - First meeting was held in San Bernardino, California. 1941: The first AA group in New Orleans, Louisiana, was formed. (sometimes dated as May 2, 1943) by New Orleans Times May 3 1941 - First AA group formed in New Orleans, Louisiana. 1943 - Democrat Chronicle in Rochester, NY, reported first annual AA dinner at Seneca Hotel with 60 attending. May 4 1940: Sunday Star reported founding of first AA group in Washington, DC. 1946 - Marty Mann explained Alcoholics Anonymous and the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism on the "We the People" radio show. May 5 1940 - Washington, DC, Sunday Star reported formation of first AA group in the District of Columbia. May 6 1939: Clarence S of Cleveland told Dr. Bob, his sponsor, he would not be back to Oxford Group meetings in Akron and would start an "AA" meeting in Cleveland. 1946: The long form of the "Twelve Traditions" was published in the AA Grapevine. May 7 1956 - The first English AA Convention was held in Cheltenham, England. May 8 1943 - Akron AA group had its 8th anniversary celebration with 500 present and sober. 1971 - Bill Wilson was buried in private ceremony, East Dorset, Vermont. May 10 1939: Clarence S announced to the Akron Oxford Group members that the Cleveland members were starting a meeting in Cleveland and calling it Alcoholics Anonymous. 1946 - Searcy W. had his last drink. (Searcy died September 30, 2003.) May 11 1935 - From the Mayflower Hotel, Bill Wilson called Walter Tunks who referred him to Henrietta Seiberling who intro-duced Bill to Dr. Bob. 1939: First group to officially call itself Alcoholics Anonymous met at Abby G's house in Cleveland. (some sources say the 18th) (cont. on p 2)

May 12 1935 - Mothers' Day - Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith met for the first time in Akron, Ohio, at the home of Henrietta Seiberling. May 14 1948 - Long Beach, California. Central Office was opened. 1998 - Sybil C., first woman to enter A.A. west of the Mississippi, died. Her date of sobriety was March 23, 1941. Her name at the time was Sybil Maxwell, though she later opened her talks by saying, "My name is Sybil Doris Adams Stratton Hart Maxwell Willis C., and I'm an alcoholic." May 15 1961 - Bill Wilson's mother, Dr. Emiliy Strobell, died. May 16 1941 - Ruth Hock learned that Joe W. (credited with coming up with the name Alcoholics Anonymous) had a "wet brain." May 17 1942 - The Journal-Herald in Dayton, Ohio, ran a story on A.A. with photos of members in Halloween masks to protect their anonymity. 1942: New Haven, Conn paper has article on AA. Picture shows faces of members sitting in a circle. May 18 1950 - Dr. Bob told Bill "I reckon we ought to be buried like other folks" after hearing that local A.A.'s wanted a huge memorial. May 19 2000 - Dr. Paul Ohliger died at the age of 83. His story, "Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict," was retitled "Acceptance Was the Answer," in the 4th edition. May 22 1948 - Atlantic City Group celebrated its second anniversary with Dr. C. Nelson Davis of St. Luke's Hospital, Philadelph-ia, and other A.A.s speaking. May 28 1974 - The first World Service meeting of AA outside of America was held in London. May 29 1980 - "Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers," AAWS biography of AA co-founder and a history of early Mid-west AA, was published. May 31 1938 - Bill and other AA's began writing the Big Book. Thanks to Joe D. from Salem, Or

May AA History

Office Information

Newsletter Contributors

Publisher……................Alma O.

Editor……………..…….Sandy B.

Archivist……………..…David C.

Personal Story….....….Peter S.

Office News …….…… Nancy O.

Thank you to our office

volunteers too!

Thanks to the following Groups for sending contributions to the

Eastside Intergroup office in the month of April 2016. Group

contributions enable us to pay the rent and bills for your Inter-

group Office, maintain our phone lines 24 hours a day 7 days a

week, publish a monthly newsletter, provide a meeting directo-

ry, and carry AA information and literature.

Thank you April Hotline Volunteers!

Barbara P. Carmen A. Carrie W. Chuck M. Elton B. Fred M. Ginny K. Guy P.

Jim R. Joe M. John K. John M. John R. Keith S. Kristen B. Leslie G.

Mark J. Merrill G. Mike S. Richard J. Sara K. Sheldon A. Sheree P. Susan M.

Ted W. Tim B. Tina B. Tina K. Tracy A. Travis S.

Backups : Sheree P.

Bill J.

Bob F.

Eric C.

Wallene D.

Nancy O.

Group Contributions District, GSO & Area Info

Eastside Intergroup:

Eastside Intergroup

13401 NE Bel-Red Rd. Suite B6

Bellevue, WA 98007

Western WA Area 72

702 Kentucky St., #535

Bellingham, WA 98225

General Service Office (GSO)

P.O. Box 459

Grand Central Station

New York, NY 10163

District 34

Bellevue, Redmond, East Lake

Sammamish, Mercer Island

District 34

P.O. Box 50081

Bellevue, WA 98015

District 35

Issaquah

District 35

P.O. Box 442

Issaquah, WA 98027

District 36

Snoqualmie Valley, Duvall,

North Bend

District 36

P.O. Box 1963

North Bend, WA 98045

District 38

Kirkland

District 38

P.O. Box 322

Kirkland, WA 98083

District 39

Bothell, Kenmore, Woodinville

13401 NE Bel-Red Suite B6

Bellevue, WA 98005

Phone: 425-454-9192

Email: esig@eastsideintergroup.com

Website: www.eastsideintergroup.com

Office Hrs: Mon.-Fri. 10:00am-6:00 pm

First Saturday each month 10am-2pm

Intergroup Meeting

First Thursday of each

month 7:30-8:30pm

All members welcome!

Bellevue Christian Reformed Church

1221 148th Ave NE, Bellevue 98007

Office Manager - Nancy 0.

Email: Nancy@eastsideintergroup.com

Nameless Bunch of

Drunks

Bills Story

Women’s Big Book

Study

Anchor group

Kirkland Sobriety

Headquarters

Bellevue Breakfast

High Nooners

Serenity Break

Big Book Step Study

90 Minutes in Preston

Sammamish Big Book

Study

Wake Up

Kenmore Big Book

Bothell Wednesday

Night

Bellevue Group

Sober Cartooners

District 38

Living Sober

Maximum Service

Lifeline

Eastside Women

Seven & Sober

Sober Women

Joy of Living

Women of Worth

Carrie W.

Erica E.

John E.

Leah W.

Nate W.

Ray R.

Rick L.

Steve C.

Susan H.

Ted W.

Travis S.

Wallene D.

Hotline Coordinators: Eric C. and Bill J.

Ally B. – Sobriety Lifeline

Andrew L. – ESAC Essentials

Andy G. – ESIG PI Chair, Core Relations,

District 35 PI Chair

Ari B. – Sunday Breakfast at Alano

Betsy N. – Women of Worth, Sober Women

Brent S. - Better Odds Sober

Brian G. – Living Sober

Chris P. – ESIG Co-Chair, NCS

Dan G. – District 34

Dan H. – ESIG Corrections Chair,

Pine Lake Stag

David B. – ESIG Board

Eric C. – ESIG Hotline Coordinator

Eric D. – Gay Men in Recovery,

Sober at Cottage Lake

Erin E. – District 34 Liaison

Holly F. – Women’s Way

James T. – Issaquah Big Book

C. Sortan – ESAC Nooners

Jen T. – Joy of Living

John D.D. – GSIG PICPC Committee

John G. – CPC Committee

John K. – Sammamish Big Book Study

Live at Pine Lake

Jon S. – ESIG Chair, District 39 Liaison

Kathy H. – Sober Seniors

Kristi G. – ESIG Events Coordinator

Issaquah Tuesday Night

Kyle M. – Maximum Service

Lisa S. – 59 Minutes at Pine Lake

Margaret H. – Eastside Women

Margot B. – Seven & Sober

Mary B. – Eastside Beginners

Mary B. – District 38 Intergroup Rep

Bellevue Breakfast

Meghan W. – ESIG GVLT Chair

Mike F. – Anchor Group

Mike O. – ESIG Board, Living Sober

Nancy O. – ESIG Office Manager

Pat A. – ESIG Treasurer

Phil K. – Area 72 Corrections Chair

Robin O. - Millennium

Rodney L. – Redmond Friday Night

Sandy B.— ESIG Newsletter Editor,

Friday Sobriety Headquarters

Scott H. – Nameless Bunch of Drunks

Shelly N. – ESIG Board

Sheree P. – Lifeline

Steve C. – Sober Seniors

Susan M. – Sober Cartooners, Sanity in Sobriety,

Wednesday Willingness

Tim M. – ESIG Hospital & Institution Chair,

Newport Hills Study

Todd G. – Juanita Triangle

Tracy A. – Wake Up

Travis S. – Friday Night Firehouse

Val F. – Serenity Break

Wade S. – ESIG Board

Willy H. – ESIG Board Secretary

What does an Intergroup Rep do?

An Intergroup Rep is elected at his/her Home Group and attends the Eastside Intergroup Meeting

on the 1st Thursday of each month from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. You represent your home group at

the monthly meeting and hold a vote for your group.

Because Eastside Intergroup covers five Districts and is a central clearinghouse for local AA activi-

ties and information, you become a vital link between the Intergroup office, the Districts, and your

home group. The Intergroup Rep keeps his or her home group informed about work being done,

activities going on, etc. You become a part of the networking between Eastside Intergroup and the

groups.

Thank you Intergroup Reps!

The following Intergroup Reps were in attendance at our April meeting. See you on Thursday, May 5th!