6/2015 - Eastside Intergroup

Pass It On
Eastside Intergroup Newsletter
June 2015
Page 1
Commitment to Sobriety by
Country Marilyn R.
Page 2, 3 and 4
Commitment to Sobriety by
Country Marilyn R.
Page 5
Upcoming Sober Events and
Meeting Updates
Page 6
May Office Report by Nancy O.
Page 7
Birthday Club
Faithful Fivers
Pink Can Contributions
Page 8
Notes from the Archives
by David C.
Page 9
Tradition 6 by Bill W.
Page 10
Commitment to Sobriety
My Beginning
As a little girl I was unaware of what could happen to me. How could an innocent
child be molded into a mental mess? As a young adult, my father always said;
“you are free, white, & 21, so you can make your own decision”. How could I tell
him my decisions were clouded? My thoughts were not my own and they hadn’t
been since I was three years old. Today I have the opportunity to change and redirect those internal measurements.
I was conceived in a barn and raised by my folks in the house my grandparents
built. My sister and I had 146 acres to roam, play, run, and hide! We were able to
see life be born and learn about loss from the animals on our place. It was a captivating childhood for the most part. Ma would have her bouts of liquid insanity,
but there were places to hide during those times. We were the perfect looking
family. Pa worked two jobs, Ma made the home appear flawless, but because of
untreated “ism” there was her utter inability to leave liquor alone. One particular
night after a late night drinking Grasshoppers, my father had enough of Ma’s behavior. He stood at the end of their bed and stated, “This will not happen in our
house ever again.”
My mother was shaped into a state of reasonableness by a woman who recently
sobered up. Aunt Jackie heard of my mother through mutual friends, so AJ
showed up on our doorstep advocating, “no one had to live the alcoholic life anymore.” Current codes and morals created by the will were not sufficient. Both
woman agreed and started the first AA meeting in our town. My mother’s sobriety date took place 06/09/1979. Pa sobered up in Schick Shadle 15 years earlier.
Helping those that cannot help themselves was the theme at our household. My
parents supported the community by hiring folks to work around the farm. There
was plenty of work to be done and no need for a resume to get hired. Before Ma
got sober; she would find locals, like the librarian’s husband to come and paint
the house. After discovering recovery, she found folks under the local bridge.
Office Information
Newsletter Volunteers
Hotline Volunteers
Contributions
Page 11
Thank you Representatives
I Stood at the Turning Point
I was painstaking about this phase of my development. I was molested by the
hired librarian’s husband and felt lost in the crowd of additional household guests.
I wanted recognition. I wanted your time and attention! Understand it is not ok
to touch three year olds and is acceptable to stand up for one’s self.
(continue on page 2)
Commitment to Sobriety
By Country Marilyn R.
The situation was swept under the carpet as to not disturb community standings and relations. Childhood sense
of self vs. community self-respect. The result told me I was not important enough to stand up for.
I began to know a new freedom. I discovered cleaning my dollhouse with dusting spray gave me the ease and
comfort of that first spray. I felt light, care-free, yet in-charge. I scrubbed that dollhouse every day. Had the
cleanest dollhouse on the block! Eventually an adult discovered my habitual cleaning habits and told me to stop.
I followed direction. A few years later I discovered helium blowing up balloons for a party. After inhaling more
than allowed, I passed out on the lawn. I “came to” my foster brother laughing at me. He knew what just happened, but I didn’t.
My mother supported her journey by getting into action. Not only did she bring folks into our home to save, but
educated herself to inspire others to recover. She had the gift of experience. She was able to help alcoholics of
the hopeless variety. I was not going to be one of her little experiments. My little sister found religion and told
us our family was going to hell because we did not believe in the God of her understanding. Pa sat back and
watched each of his girls come into their own. I sat in the shadows. Self-pity did not disappear.
I engulfed my adolescence with older boys, alcohol, marijuana and rubber cement from art class. I thought that
was happiness. My physical being was a shell of self disregard for mind, body and spirit. I remember sharing
with Ma that I was tired of everyone talking about me at school. She explained, “If I didn’t give the kids something to talk about, they wouldn’t be talking.” I regret there was no solution in that conversation. This was my
first cry for help.
My rage and loneliness grew. I came home to Pa after a physical altercation and he asked, “Did you win?” My
interpretation of that conversation was of love and support. The alcoholic mind was shaped. The lack of power
was obvious and amused myself by looking at the defects of people. The manifestation of an allergy developed
and the problems of life started stacking themselves one on top of the other. I failed high school classes and believed physically fighting was the way to solve dilemmas.
By age 12 I was stealing booze from the local grocery store and sleeping with guys in exchange for drugs and
“love”. The boy who took my virginity also supplied his grandfather’s Pall Malls to me. Luckily his brother only
introduced me to marijuana. I unconsciously gravitated towards the dark spirited kids. We had black hair, lipstick, fingernails, and trench coats. I realized amongst my group of friends was the Librarian’s grandson. His
grandfather had molested me nine years earlier. I never talked about it with the kid, but understood why he was
dark too.
Gaining Interest in Our Fellows
As I was sitting in social studies a new kid walked into class. Faith had been involved all the time because he
chose a seat right next to mine. After introductions I learned he was recently released from an alcohol treatment
center. I was fooling myself because miraculous demonstrations showed me God put him in that seat for a reason. I was in love and marched right home to tell Ma to send me to treatment. I was convinced that life run on
self-will would not be a success. Has God restored me to my right mind? My original sobriety date 12/18/1988.
My whole outlook on life changed. I was concerned with self-seeking motives and knew my troubles were of my
own making. I returned home from treatment and was introduced to a group of seasoned recovering alcoholics
sitting around a table smoking cigarettes in a church basement. I became the secretary of Tuesday Young Peoples Group, a meeting created by a resentment. The founder was upset with a gentleman who had 30 years sober, so the meetings was developed for people with 29 years sober or younger!
(continue on page 3)
Commitment to Sobriety
By Country Marilyn R.
I had a teacher, Mr. C, who kept my feet on the ground and help me incorporate a new way of living as a teen. He
made a powerful impact in my life. I stayed in school because of Mr. C as I watched my old friends were dropping out.
I stuck through the discomfort of the situation. Doing things that I make me feel uncomfortable had a worthy impact.
No matter what the outcome. I made different friends and experienced joy. Much of the recovery community was
older than me, but found camaraderie in our common goal. Take off our skin we are all alike. My parents stepped
away from the Valley meetings in order for me to develop. I successfully finished high school and jumped into the next
phase of my development.
My venture onto college including going back out to continue my drinking story. The mental obsession of the first
drink resurrected the moment I moved out of the house. There were no thoughts of consequences. I believed my
youthful drinking was a cause and effect of growing up. I justified my teenage insecurities and wild behaviors. I was of
age and would be able to drink like a normal person. Especially if I stayed out of bars. I would be victorious where
others had failed. I was able to keep the bottom high and not suffer from my drinking spells. I didn’t get caught up in
bad deals, just bad boys. It was always someone else’s fault. I thought I was having fun.
Those YETs (you’re eligible too) were soon there to greet me. As the Big Book states, ‘By every form of self-deception
and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic.’ No amount of
willpower could resist alcohol consumption for long. The motivation to help others disappeared. The spiritual way of
living went away. Quickly my physical being was a shell of self disregard of mind, body and spirit again. I was once
again convinced I had failed and not important enough to stand up for. I was no longer having fun.
I over compensated the feelings of uselessness by working and going to school full-time. I justified my drinking habits
by being a “functioning drunk”. I migrated to professors that drank like I drank. This I knew was a guarantee to graduate. I gave all I had to give, but it was never enough. The craving for alcohol became vital to all other activities. The
mental twist had restarted from where I left it at age 15. The overpowering need to drink was beyond my mental control. I ceased fighting anyone and anything. I could not prove myself an exemption to the rule. I tried hard and long
enough to drink like other people. I was done.
The Moment of Clarity
Intuitively I knew I had to stop drinking in order to redeem myself. I did not feel proud of the woman I had become
even though I managed to graduate and obtain a successful job with the family. It was not good enough. I was not
good enough. Alcohol was my master and self knowledge prevailed inadequate. I recognized I was a hopeless drunk
like the ones Ma saved and wanted to grow up to be considered. I sobered up a day before her belly button birthday
04/06/1997.
If I was going to make something of myself I had to be involved with the program of action. I knew deep in my gut that
AA had saved my parent’s life and rescued me once as well. I showed up at an AA meeting with only a desire to stop
drinking and knew the rest of the gifts would follow. My Higher Power was my home group and Dave H. was the voice
of reason. HP worked through him in order to help me. I was not ready to believe the Big Books definition of a Higher
Power and I was defiantly not going to call it God. I became accountable to the group, earned a service position, and
felt proud of every pot of coffee I was able to make.
I knew that Ma helped hopeless alcoholics, so why couldn’t I help myself. Service was in my blood. It was a sober second nature to serve others. I wanted to give back for what was so freely given to me. My existence depended on a
constant thought of others. I was a young recovering alcoholic and not ready to sponsor. I was insecure of my life experiences and high bottom. Dave H. pointed me towards the service of groups. I became a Group Service Rep and
knew ‘I had arrived’. I served the District for years and after five I became the District Service Rep.
(continue on page 4)
Commitment to Sobriety
By Country Marilyn R.
Batters Up
I moved from the political service realm of AA to serving an association for clean & sober softball players. I happened to be putting on a District New Years Eve dance and needed an espresso machine. Through a friend of a
friend I found the machine AND the director of this Association. He asked if I played ball and there is where my service began. After a year playing in the league I was appointed secretary of the Association. It was a perfect fit for
me and service! Faith without works is dead! I understood my spiritual direction must be accompanied with self
sacrifice and unselfish, constructive action.
In 2001 I joined the Association with 24 teams of clean and sober players, 4 Divisions, and 350 player members. The
true gift of willingness and determination was watching how these recovering players acted on the field. The softball field gives each player a variety of situations. I rarely saw a player storm off, scream at an umpire, or beat the
other team into oblivion. The primary purpose to provide a wide variety of consistent activities that reinforces the
sense of community shared by persons in recovery and their personal support group was #1 in my life. Many players’ sobriety relied on the game.
In 2011 the Association has grown to 66 teams, 6 Divisions, and 1,000 player members. These players are my brothers and sisters. The organization has kept me accountable when at times I couldn’t be accountable to myself. We
used to have teams composed of Home Group members, but have attracted people outside the rooms. Our group
welcomes Alanon Family Group members and allows two exceptions, non-recovery players per team (spouse or domestic partner). What is the attraction of a bunch of clean and sober people hitting the ball around a dirt field?
Strike Out or Ball Four, My Choice
On the ball field I met the man of my dreams. My real dreams!! I had always pictured I would find a good looking
city boy; Mr. GQ, and drag him home to the farm. It so happened I was drafted to a team with a hunky pitcher and I
was the catcher. That was September 24, 2003 and on that same day two years later, we were married. First marriage and no kids for both of us despite our age to be over 30. Destine.
I knew I did not want to marry an alcoholic because I knew what work we were. Good thing my partner was a heroin addict. That I could control much better. My program of recovery turned into his life of relapse. I would wake up
in the middle of the night and hold my hand over his nose to see if he was still breathing. I would get home from
work, open the garage door and hope to not see him hanging from the ceiling. I allowed him to consume me. I because the shell of a person I once remembers as a young, suffering alcoholic, except this time I was addicted to HIM.
May 2009 I went to my first alanon meeting, asked a tough woman to be my AA sponsor, dug into the book and
started fresh in the steps. My sponsor helped change my life by replacing the word alcohol with the word husband.
I soon realized how powerless I had become. After ten years I asked for a divorce because I could no longer live
with the destruction of someone else’s life. I realized what step 2 and 3 meant. I was 12 years sober and finally felt
self love felt. What surrender meant.
Today I continue my service work with the Clean and Sober Softball Association. I have a home group for AA as well
as AlAnon. I attend meetings regularly. I meet with sponcees monthly if not more when they want it. My mornings
are filled with meditation and prayer. I have come to know a new freedom and happiness as a direct result of doing
the steps myself. I don’t sweat the small stuff …. Because it is all small stuff. I have a choice when I wake up in the
morning ….. I chose Joy!
Upcoming Sober Events
June 6th: Bingo at Hope Hall in Snoqualmie from 10 p.m. to 12 am. Hosted
by Three Bridges Gameout.
Meeting Updates
NEW MEETINGS!
June 6th: No Reservations Speakers Meeting in La Conner at Swinomish
Bring Your Own Book (BYOB)
Gymnasium at 7 pm. Speakers are AA - Don H. from Los Angeles, CA and AlFriday 7pm—1 hour
Anon - Joe W. from Bonney Lake, WA
The Salt House
June 13th: Live at Pine Lake Speakers Meeting at 7 pm at Pine Lake Cove11920 NE 80th St. Kirkland
nant Church 1715-228th Ave SE, Sammamish. Doors open at 6:30pm.
☼
Speaker is Rich B. from Ocean City, MD(childcare available)
Wednesday Willingness
Wednesday 7pm
Lake Washington Christian
Church
343 15th Ave. Kirkland
June 14th: “Sponsorship Workshop” hosted by District 36 from 12 to 4
☼
p.m. at Hope Hall.
AA Tradition Study
June 26th: Open Mic Jam Night at the Alano Club of the Eastside in BelleHosted by Stillwater Serenity
vue. The jam is from 8 to 11:55 p.m. Bring your instrument. P.A., AMPS &
3rd Monday each month 7:30 pm
Drums provided. $5 donation.
Foursquare Church
June 27th: “Unpacking Steps 6 & 7 Workshop” hosted by District 35 from 14610 Main St. NE #102, Duvall
☼
1 to 4 p.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Issaquah.
June 13th: Wit’s End Warriors Summer Outdoor Potluck and BBQ at 5 pm
at Haller Park in Arlington, WA. The outdoor meeting takes place in the covered
area. Plenty of parking.
June 18th to 21st: PSYPC 21st Annual Alta Lake Campout on Father’s
Weekend. Check out www.psypc.org for more information.
July 2nd to 5th: The 2015 International Convention Alcoholics Anonymous in Atlanta, Georgia. Eighty years - Happy, Joyous and Free.
July 31st-August 2nd: Three Bridges Campout in Carnation.
August 3rd: Rock Sober 9th Annual from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Cherry Garden
Community Club in Duvall. Contact Ray H. at rvbutcher@yahoo.com for more
information.
August 7th to 9th: Step Ashore 2nd annual at Ocean Shores Convention
Center in Ocean Shores. Full package pre-registration is $79. Check out
www.nwwoodstockofaa.org
August 7th to 9th: Women In Sobriety Annual Retreat “Recipe for Living” at
Rainbow Lodge in North Bend. Speakers, workshops, hiking, raffle & more.
August 15th: ESIG Intergroup Annual Picnic at Beaver Lake Park in
Sammamish from 11 am to 3 pm.. $5 adults & kids under 12 are free Check
out the flyer on the ESIG website for additional information.
August 29th: District 38 Sober on the Beach 3pm to 8pm at OO Denny
Park, 12032 Holmes Pt. Drive NE, Kirkland, WA , WA 98034
MEETING UPDATES
Recov ‘R We—Time change
VFW Hall, 4330 148th Ave NE
Redmond
Change from 8AM to 10AM
Saturday and Sunday
☼
DELETED MEETINGS
Wednesday 7pm
Open Mind Recovery
Holy Cross Church—Redmond
☼
Saturday 7am
Sunrise
12 & 12 Fellowship Hall
February Office Report
FIRST THINGS FIRST—
I know that people have heard we are looking for a new location for our office and yes, it is
true. Our landlord is increasing the rent nearly 50%. We of course understand rent increases
and we want to pay what’s fair, however a 50% increase is not fair. We don’t have heat in the winter, in fact we have
no circulation. When we plug in heaters, it blows fuses and the fuse box is in an office next door. We have cockroaches and rats that they have refused to take care of. These are only a few of the issues. So, regretfully we are looking
for new office space. It’s tough to move after we have fixed the office up so nice. It really does feel like an Intergroup
Office, But….. It just isn’t working anymore and our lease is up August 31st. We have a broker helping us but if any of
you have ideas, please let me know (425-454-9192) and I’ll share with our re-location committee.
ESIG is moving!
Thank you to our May Volunteers! JOHN M., JAMES K., PATRICIA, MARGO L., TED W., MARITA M., KRISTI G. and
LEAH W. And, a big THANKS to MIKE S. for being patient while training me on the new website. If you would like the
opportunity to be of service at your Intergroup Office, please email me directly at
nancy@eastsideintergroup.com. We get things done and we have a lot of fun too!
At our May Intergroup meeting we had 43 meetings represented! We also had 4
We had 43 meetings
District Intergroup Reps, several District committees, as well as our Eastside Intergroup committees. Not only do we conduct some business at our meetings,
represented in May!
but we share information about what is going on in the Districts that are a part of
Eastside Intergroup and give you that information to take back to your home groups. . It is wonderful to see the involvement in our Intergroup meetings and the commitment from those that attend. Thank you all! We are very fortunate indeed to have an Intergroup Office here on the eastside that represents our five Districts 34, 35, 36, 38 and 39.
Check out the last page of the newsletter to see if your group is represented! If not, Intergroup Rep is a service position in your Home Group. It is different than the GSR which attends your District meeting. IR’s get the info at the Intergroup meeting from all the Districts to bring back to their Home Group.
The annual Eastside Intergroup Picnic will be here before you know it! Kristi G. is our Event’s Coordinator this year
and is looking for people to help on the committee. You can reach Kristi through the Intergroup Office at 425-4549192 or at esig.picnic@gmail.com. Check out the flyer under the events tab at www.eastsideintergroup.com. Thank
you Derek B. for sharing your talents with us and making the beautiful picnic flyer for this year.
Recently it was brought to my attention that some AA members are not aware
The 24 Hour Alcoholics
that the after hours AA number IS the 24 hour Eastside Intergroup Hotline.
Anonymous Helpline IS
They are one in the same. Anyone reaching out for help in the greater eastside
the 24 hour ESIG hotline.
area and calling the AA helpline outside of office hours will reach our Hotline
volunteers and during office hours will reach either myself or an office volunteer. We receive calls from a lot of cities outside of our area. When people volunteer to answer calls on the Eastside
Intergroup Hotline, they are mainly helping alcoholics within the communities that surround them. If you ever have
questions about the Hotline, you can reach Eric C. or Bill J. via email at: hotline@eastsideintergroup.com or
feel free to contact me at the office.
Nancy O.
ESIG Office Manager
How Can You Help Support Your Intergroup in
Addition to the 7th Tradition at your Meetings?
Become a Faithful Fiver!
or 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.
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.
The Faithful Fiver idea came about when we remembered
that we wasted much more than $5 each month during our
drinking days.
Your Birthday Club contributions directly support
your Eastside Intergroup Office which provides a 24
hour phone line, literature, coins and more!
Contributions to Eastside Intergroup from AA members are
limited to $3,000 per member per year and are tax deductible under Internal Revenue Code: 501(c)3.
Birthday Club!
Name______________________
Home Group_________________
Sobriety Date_________________
Thank You May 2015 Faithful Fivers!
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Pat A.
Dave W.
Colin R.
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Pam Z.
Barbara M.
Contribution $________________
Get your name & homegroup in the newsletter!
MAY 2015 BIRTHDAYS

Jene Z. (Lifeline): 5/10/2003: 12 years

Pam Z. (Sharing the Legacy): 5/19/1993: 22 yrs

Merrill G. (Tiger
Mountain Stag):
5/22/1978: 37 yrs
Yes! Please enroll me as a
Faithful Fiver!
Here is my contribution of
PINK CAN CONTRIBUTIONS
$___________ for _________months
Name__________________________
Address_________________________
City_______________
State/Zip______________
1299 156th Ave NE Suite 160
Bellevue, WA 98007
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Better Odds Sober
Fresh Start
Joy of Living
Kirkland Attitude
Modification
Ladies Step Study
Living Sober
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Sharing the Legacy
Seven & Sober
Sober Cartooners
Sober Women
Wake Up
Notes from the Archives
By David C., District 38 Archivist
Hello from the vaults of the District 38 Archives. This month I want to talk about the birth of our
Fellowship. On June 10, 1935, (more about that at the end) was the founding date of AA. Earlier Bill W. met
with Dr. Bob in the Seiberling Gatehouse in Akron, Ohio. I’m sure you all know the story and how it came
about, but have you ever thought of the amazing steps that led to this momentous meeting? So many people
and events had to have happened for those two persons, Bill Wilson “a rum hound from New York”, and Dr.
Robert Smith, “an inept proctologist” to have even come into contact with each other.
First, Frank Buchman leader of the Oxford Group, had to bring that movement to Akron, so that eventually Bob would join. Then Henrietta Seiberling had to also be a member of the OG. Second, Bill’s failed proxy
fight of the National Rubber Machinery Company, had to put him into a depression that only a drink could fix.
Next, Bill had to see the church directory and decide he needed to talk to another “drunk”. His choice of Rev.
Walter Tunks was at the very least a one-in-ten divinely inspired gamble. Third, and most important, Tunks
giving Bill Henrietta’s phone number, which set the meeting in motion. Dr. Bob didn’t even want to talk to Bill,
but had promised his wife Anne that he would “give him fifteen minutes.” Well, those fifteen minutes
stretched into almost six hours! I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to hear those two talk.
This summer in Atlanta, AA is putting on its 2015 International Convention, celebrating “80 YearsHappy, Joyous and Free. I will be attending that convention, and have been asked to spend a little time in the
Archives Exhibit Hall welcoming visitors and answering questions about Archives, as well as the nature of archival service. I feel honored and have humbly accepted this great honor. I know that within that exhibit there
will be displays of that timeless meeting between our two Founders. In 1998 I had the great pleasure of interviewing Dr. Bob’s children Smitty and Sue. I asked them about this meeting and Smitty told me that after he
came out of the Gatehouse a profound change had occurred in his Father. “He seemed to be an entirely
different person, full of a wondrous spirit.”
So, the next time anyone tells you that joining Alcoholics Anonymous was just simple or easy,
remember how much went into the first two members struggle! More will be revealed….
P.S About that date. Unfortunately the AMA convention Bob attended didn’t start until June 10 th, so Dr. Bob
could not have gotten drunk, come home from the convention, and take his last drink as their memory said. It
was around the 17th of June when the good doctor drank last. Till next time……
Traditions
Tradition Six
“An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose. “
Editorial by Bill W.
A.A. Grapevine, May 1948
The sixth of our 12 Points of A.A. Tradition is deemed so important that it states at length the relation of the
A.A. movement to money and property.
Too detailed to print here, this Tradition declares in substance that the accumulation of money, property and
the unwanted personal authority so often generated by material wealth comprise a cluster of serious hazards
against which an A.A. group must ever be on guard.
Tradition 6 also enjoins the group never to go into business nor ever to lend the A.A. name or money credit to
any "outside" enterprise, no matter how good. Strongly expressed is the opinion that even clubs should not
bear the A.A. name; that they ought to be separately incorporated and managed by those individual A.A.s who
need or want clubs enough to financially support them.
We would thus divide the spiritual from the material, confine the A.A. movement to its sole aim and insure
(however wealthy as individuals we may become) that A.A itself shall always remain poor. We dare not risk the
distractions of corporate wealth. Years of experience have proven these principles beyond doubt. They have
become certainties, absolute verities for us.
Thank God, we A.A.s have never yet been caught in the kind of religious or political disputes which embroil the
world of today. But we ought to face the fact that we have often quarreled violently about money, property
and the administration thereof. Money, in quantity, has always been a baleful influence in group life. Let a well
meaning donor present an A.A. group with a sizeable sum and we break loose. Nor does trouble abate until that
group, as such, somehow disposes of its bank roll. This experience is practically universal. "But," say our friends,
"isn't this a confession of weakness? Other organizations do a lot of good with money. Why not A.A.?"
Of course, we of A.A. would be the first to say that many a fine enterprise does a lot of good with a lot of money. To these efforts, money is usually primary; it is their life blood. But money is not the life blood of A.A. With
us, it is very secondary. Even in small quantities, it is scarcely more than a necessary nuisance, something we
wish we could do without entirely. Why is that so?
We explain this easily enough; we don't need money. The core of our A.A. procedure is "one alcoholic talking to
another," whether that be sitting on a curbstone, in a home, or at a meeting. It's the message, not the place; it's
the talk, not the alms. That does our work. Just places to meet and talk, that's about all A.A. needs. Beyond
these, a few small offices, a few secretaries at their desks, a few dollars a piece a year, easily met by voluntary
contributions. Trivial indeed, our expenses!
Nowadays, the A.A. group answers its well wishers saying, "Our expenses are trifling. As good earners, we can
easily pay them. As we neither need nor want money, why risk its hazards? We'd rather stay poor. Thanks just
the same!"
Office Information
Mailing Address
1229 156th Ave NE Suite 160
Bellevue, WA 98007
Phone: 425-454-9192
Email: esig@eastsideintergroup.com
Website: www.eastsideintergroup.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10:00am-6:00 pm
Intergroup Meeting
Thank you May Hotline Volunteers!
Bob B.
Alma O.
Carmen A.
Chelsea O.
Chuck M.
Eric B.
Eric C.
Fred M.
Ginny K.
Guy P.
Jim R.
Joe Mc.
John B.
John R.
Keith S.
Leslie G.
Mark J.
Matthew M.
Merrill G.
Mike S.
Sara K.
Ted W.
Tina B.
Tom M.
First Thursday of each month 7:30-8:30pm
All members welcome!
Bellevue Christian Reformed Church 1221 148th
Ave NE, Bellevue 98007
Directions to ESIG Office
Heading north on 156th Ave NE, go past Crossroads Shopping center and make a U-turn at NE
15th St., then use the following directions.
Heading south on 156th Ave. NE, go past McDonalds and turn right (Piedmont Apartment sign) at
NE 13th Pl.. Go over one speed bump and immediately turn left. We are half way down on the left
in Suite 160
Thank you to our hotline volunteers!
They ensure that when someone
Publisher……................Alma O.
reaches out for help by calling AlcoholEditor………….…………….Sandy B.
ics Anonymous, the caller always
Archivist………..………...David C.
reaches a real person!
Newsletter Contributors
Personal Story…..…Marilyn R.
Office Report…….…... Nancy O.
Group Contributions
Thanks to the following groups for sending contributions to the
Eastside Intergroup office in the month of May 2015. Group
contributions enable us to pay the rent and bills for your Intergroup Office, maintain our phone lines 24 hours a day 7 days a
week, publish a monthly newsletter, provide a meeting
directory, and carry AA information and literature.
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12 & 12 Fellowship
Hall Lifeline
District 35
Downtown Stag
Fresh Start
Ladies Step Study
Monday Mumblers
Nameless Bunch of
Drunks
North Bend
Newcomers
Redmond Friday
Night
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Recov R We
Serenity Break
Serenity on Sunday
Up to the Creek
Serenity Break
Wake Up
Women’s
Wednesday Meeting
Backups on hotline volunteers:
Mark J. Eric B. Pat A and Bill R.
HOTLINE COORDINATORS:
ERIC C. & BILL J.
District, GSO & Area Info
Eastside Intergroup:
Eastside Intergroup
1299 156th Ave. NE, #160
Bellevue, WA 98007
District 35
Issaquah
District 35
P.O. Box 442
Issaquah, WA 98027
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 36
Snoqualmie Valley, Duvall,
North Bend
District 36
P.O. Box 1963
North Bend, WA 98045
District 38
Bellevue, Redmond, East Lake
Sammamish, Mercer Island
Kirkland
District 38
P.O. Box 322
Kirkland, WA 98083
District 34
P.O. Box 50081
Bellevue, WA 98015
District 39
Bothell, Kenmore, Woodinville
District 34
Thank you Intergroup Reps!
The following Intergroup Reps were in attendance at our May 7th meeting, Thank you!
Andy G. – ESIG & Dist. 35 PI Chair, Core Relations Rep
Betsy N. – Women of Worth
Bob R. – Pocket of Enthusiasm
Dan H. – ESIG Corrections Chair, Pine Lake Stag
Eric C. – ESIG Hotline Coordinator
Eric D. – Gay Men in Recovery
Erin A. – ESIG CPC Chair
Finn S. – Wake Up
Gerry Z. – Nameless Bunch of Drunks, ESIG Literature
Chair
Holly F. – Women’s Way
James D. – District 35 Alt PI
Jane L. – ESIG Accessibility Chair
Jen T. – Sobriety Lifeline, Joy of Living
Jennifer P. – Seven & Sober
Jim B. – Redmond Recovery
John K. – Friday Nite Firehouse, Sammamish Big Book
Step Study
John P. – Sanity in Sobriety, Eastside Sunday Open
Breakfast
John W. – District 34 Intergroup Rep
John W. – Essentials Group alternate
Judi D. – Ladies Step Study Kathy H. – Sober Seniors
Kerry A. – Reflections, Saturday Women’s Share
Kiera E. – District 35 Intergroup Rep
Leah H. – Bill’s Story, Kirkland Thursday Niters
Lindsay L. – Maximum Service
Margaret H. – Eastside Women
Margo J. – Sober Women
Mark P. – Overlake
Mary B. – District 38 Rep, Bellevue Breakfast Group
Mary B. – Eastside Beginners
Matthew M. – Live at Pine Lake Liaison
Melissa B. – 59 Minutes at Pine Lake
Michelle B. – Women’s Saturday Steps
Mike O. – Living Sober
Mike S. – ESIG Web Committee
Pam Z. – Sharing the Legacy
Pauline O. – Sober Women
Robbie D. – Better Odds Sober
Rodney L. – Redmond Friday Night
Sandy B. – FSHQ & ESIG Newsletter Editor
Sara K. – District. 34 CPC Chair
Sheree H. – Fresh Start
Susan M. – Sober Cartooners
Tim M. - ESIG H & I Chair, A Way Up, Newport Hills
Study Group
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 activities 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.