June
2010
Providing up-to-date information to groups within our Montana Area
INTERESTING TIDBITS FROM HELENA SPRING ASSEMBLY
Here are some interesting tidbits learned at the April Spring Assembly in
Helena:
Alateen facts and figures: According to WSO, Montana has 8 active Alateen
groups, 10 inactive. According to Area’s records, Montana has 5 active
Alateen groups, and 7 inactive. Please verify your local Alateen group(s)
and email or call our Group Records Coordinator so she can update the
records - her email address is in the Area Directory. Also, please check our
MT website to see if your meetings/times/locations are accurate: MT AlAnon Website
Up-Coming Writing Working: On June 12th, Great Falls is hosting a writing
workshop for the Forum. It will be held at the First English Lutheran
Church. Contact Nancy R. (more information below) If other groups have
special events coming up, please email your flyers to
mtalanon@hotmail. Please remember to get an anonymous email at
www.yahoo.com or www.hotmail.com so we can post your flyers on our
website and/or include your email addresses in this newsletter.
IN THIS ISSUE
INTERESTING TIDBITS
WRITING WORKSHOP - GT
FALLS - JUNE 12
ALATEEN CORNER
HE LIED TO ME, I LIED TO
MYSELF
FINAL CONCLUSION OF
GLASGOW ARCHIVED
STORY...
SPOTTED ALONG A
MISSOULA TRAIL
News & Views: Currently we have 170 subscribers. 88 subscribers are
actively opening up the newsletter, 88 are not. Watch for an up-coming
campaign to increase readership and think about ways you can help.
Public Service Announcments (PSAs): WSO is creating a new Al-Anon PSA
for television. We watched the working drafts at Assembly.
First On-Line Al-Anon Chat in District 1: District 1 (which includes
Kalispell, Yaak, Troy, Libby, Eureka, Fortine, Trego, Stryker, Polebridge,
Apgar/West Glacier, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Kila, Essex, Somers and
Bigfork) had their first Al-Anon, On-Line Chat Room with 10
participants! Congratulations, District 1! If you'd like to find out how to
create an on-line chat for your District, please call or email Mary Carol, the
new DR for District 1. Great job, District 1!
Hi-Line Campouts: Havre AA and Al-Anon have monthly campouts from
June through September. The first camp out will be on June 24th in
Beavercreek Park. In July and August, the campouts are held on the 3rd
weekend of every month. If you’ve never been to a campout, please do it
this year! Don’t miss out on the fun. (FYI: Al-Anon’s District 3 includes
Havre, Rudyard, Gildford, Kremlin, Fresno, Lohman, Chinook, Savoy,
Chapman, Loring, Whitewater, Lloyd, Savoy, Dodson, Wagner, Malta,
Bowdoin, Ft. Belknap Indian Reservation, Rocky Boy Indian Reservation,
Lodgepole, Sortman, Saco and Landusky) Note: We are building into our
Area Directory a space that includes all small cities in your district...so
look for that in the next updated Area Directory.
I spotted this star hanging
along a hiking trail last
month. To me it
symbolizes the stars that
we all are--for finding
program and continuing to
show up--to discover a
better way, along AlAnon's Pathway to
Recovery!
--Mardi
QUICK LINKS
EMAIL MEETING UPDATES
FOR OUR AL-ANON
WEBSITE
MT Area Becoming (501) (c) (3): Your Montana Area 32 is currently in the
process of obtaining a non-profit (501) (c) (3) status, complete with bylaws and articles of incorporation. Thank you to our wonderful Task Force
for all the hard work: Penny K., Donna E., Frances M., and Connie W!
How To Support Your Electronic News & Views Newsletter: Some
of you have asked how to pay for your new electronic newsletter
subscription. Since Area is currently paying for the News & Views, please
feel free to make your annual contribution to Area - just make it a
general donation and please don't earmark it for the newsletter. Note: For
ALL Area donations - including your quarterly donations from your
individual groups - please send Area donations to our new Area Treasurer,
Penny K., listed in your updated directory and make your checks payable to
Montana Allied AFG. An updated directory will be sent out after this
eZine.
WRITING WORKSHOP - GT FALLS - JUNE 12
Writing Workshop on June 12th, 9 a.m. – 12 noon.
Earn your "poetic license" by attending HUMOR IN RECOVERY
First English Lutheran Church, 726 2nd Ave North, Great Falls MT
Added bonus: MT Delegate Cindy C. on Cultural Diversity
Bring pot luck dessert or salad as sandwiches will be provided
Make sure to come and join the fun!
Your "poetic license" examiners will be:
Nancy R. - Forum Coordinator: 406.868.8679
Kay S. - DR 12: 406.453.0545
A grateful hello to all. What a great Assembly! There, the introductory
Alateen WSO presentation was aired with the offer for a traveling Alateen
workshop to the districts. Summer is fast approaching, and I'm looking
forward to your invites and training requests.
The following treat is a sample selection from Alateen Talks Back on
Slogans, p. 16:
"THINK: Alateen has helped me so I don't think it was my fault that my
mom and dad used to drink. I learned a slogan, Think before I speak. I used
to just say something without thinking, then get into a heap of trouble.
Like if I called one of my sisters a bad name, then I got grounded off my
bike for a day and I'd have to go to my room. So, instead of going off really
ticked, I just go to my room and sit on my bed and Think about what I
said.” --Misty, Minnesota, U.S.A."
Sounds like recovery to me! Let it begin with me.
AL-ANON WORLD SERVICE
WEBSITE
FIND AL-ANON MONTANA
EVENTS HERE (send in your
flyers!)
Candy D.
Alateen Coordinator, Area 32
alateencoordinatormt@yahoo.com
The following article has been reprinted from the March 2010 Forum with
permission..
He Lied to Me, I Lied to Myself
By Anna D.
I had been living a lie for so long. I regularly told myself that my boyfriend’s
behavior was normal. I made excuses for him and wore rose colored glasses every
day of my life.
In fact, I told myself several lies. It was normal for us to fight every single day. It
was normal for him to leave town on drinking binges. It was normal for him to
judge me and snap every time I did something not to his liking. He played mind
games and frequently lied to me.
I was the nurturer—a learned behavior, I realized. My mother was an alcoholic. My
boyfriend’s behavior was irrational—just like hers. My friends and family told me
he was a troubled individual. They all saw the warning signs. I noticed he behaved
strangely but never wanted to admit it. He just needed someone to fix him. I
thought I could fix all his pain, if I just did everything right.
Our relationship was a disaster. He was never there for me emotionally. Instead,
he broke me down and destroyed by spirit. I became as messed up as he was. Still,
I thought of creative ways to salvage our broken relationship. I hoped the games
would eventually stop and one day he would wake up and be different.
I adopted a “love never fails” philosophy and began to regularly tolerate
unacceptable behavior. I sought help and everyone would say, “Just leave him,”
but I didn’t know how. He was manipulative and did a great job of concealing it. I
also knew that if things were going to change, I needed help.
My friend recommended an Al-Anon meeting. I read the literature. Step One said,
“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become
unmanageable.” I realized for the first time in my entire life that I couldn’t
control or change a person no matter how hard I tried.
Al-Anon was the beginning of my spiritual awakening and the meetings taught me
that living with an alcoholic is too stressful to do alone. I also learned that I had
to “Let Go and Let God” but not so much that I lost myself in the process.
I learned to set limits and learned to love without trying to control. Al-Anon is the
meeting I look forward to because it is the beginning of a life change. It is where I
take the first step of learning to self nurture and truly begin to heal.
Reprinted with permission of The Forum, Al-Anon Family Group Hdqts.,
Inc., Virginia Beach, VA. For $11, now you can order your own Forum at:
Order you Forum Here
FINAL CONCLUSION OF GLASGOW ARCHIVED STORY...
Continued....PART 2: The following is reprinted from our Montana Al-Anon
Archives, an entry from an early Glasgow Al-Anon Group. Thanks, Jeanne, for
submitting it to the News & Views:
GLASGOW AL-ANON GROUP
"…. Many coffee parties after the meetings were held in the homes & “what
fellowship”, these meetings also were pot lucks, Christmas parties, Thanksgiving;
we were all excited about an excuse for one & I mustn't leave out New Years as
many exciting moments can be recalled from our parties.
One of the funny but memorable incidences, was this fellow who came for help &
during the week before the New Year. The A.A. Group suggested to pay for his
motel room & each family sharing a day, meals & all, some clothing even a clock for
his room & I can remember the overcoat taken from the closet & some ready cash
for this man, he had more than he needed, attention & all, soon he realized all the
soft touches & escaped with more than his share & from this we learned the do's
and dont's but he sure looked great in his new “Western Shirt”.
We learned the seriousness of the family illness & our responsibility to our children,
through this, an Alateen group was started by A., & C. P. & D. M. were assisting
with the program. It grew & was fruitful for those who attended, many new members
were referrals from the schools, the students became aware of the help available
through the Alateen Program.
We grew in our membership, however there were times when the group was small.
Many had left Glasgow so with patience the new ones came & again there was
growth.
The groups have held conferences and successful ones, so the groups have been
tried & tested & is stronger than ever. We now have the Chemical Dependency
Center which has brought much growth to the groups & now a Fellowship Center, so
time marches on & I could name many who were so great & still are, reaching out,
this being, the names unimportant as I could omit names which would be unfair as
many help in unknown ways & their rewards are many as we live A Day at a Time.
There are many sober members & happy families in our town enjoying life through
the help of A.A. & the greatness of our Higher Power & it all relates back to the
small beginning group of people who found the courage & strength to carry the
message & to them we will be forever grateful.
M.R."
(Retyped & submitted by Jeanne H.)
Archivist
We, here at the News & Views, hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day
weekend, and you're ready to dive into a new week and a fun summer!
Thanks again, for all you do in Al-Anon.
Please feel free to forward this eZine (using the button below) to other AlAnon members who might not yet have signed up. Remember, there is no
charge to receive the News & Views. If so inspired, please write and
submit a 250-word articles regarding news or your experience, strength and
hope. Send it to us at newsnviewsmt@yahoo.com Deadline is June 20th.
Mardi M, News & Views Coordinator
Sue T, News & Views Assistant