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Sometimes we don't feel safe in life or in the relationships we are in. But if there is any safe place, it's here. I am so thankful for these rooms.
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Things were going so well I just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. But I realized: there is no other shoe.
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Pick up the mirror and put down the magnifying glass
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District Representative
925-586-8021
Alternate DR
707-643-4451
Secretary
925-683-8979
Treasurer
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D14 Coordinators
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Alateen
Alateen Safety (DAPP)
2015 Day In Al-Anon
OPEN
Institutions
Literature Depot
Meeting List
Newsletter
Public Outreach
Spanish Liaison
Speaker Meeting
Lending Library
Telephone Hotline
Website
OPEN
Archives
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Welcome to the District 14 Newsletter, created & distributed by Al-Anon members.
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We are in need of newsletter shares for our District 14 fellowship!
Thoughts & reflections. Heard at a meeting. Words of recovery. Experience, strength, hope... However minute it may seem, even the simplest words can aide a struggling member.
"...the health and regularity of the newsletter depend on the whole Al-Anon district particpating in this service. Reading it isn't enough; contributing makes it belong to everybody." Marilyn H.
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Editor's Note: "This is a Share of Recovery" |
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My sponsor asked me to think of some things that I wanted to do for myself--things to baby the little girl, the baby Michelle, inside of me. I had to tell her what was on my list and when I was going to do it; in that way, I gave myself some accountability for ensuring that I actually accomplished doing those things. One of the things that I wanted to do for myself was climb a tower at work during my breaktime. I put it on my list. I told several people that I was going to do it. My drive & desire to do it increased through the night.
I did it. Then, as I wrote an email to my sponsor about my experience, I realized: this is a share of recovery and I still don't have a share for the May Newsletter. Sometimes, God helps me find what I am looking for even when I am not even looking.
"Even if only one person hears exactly what he or she needs to hear, that is one person enough for whom I have done service." Below I share my experience, strength, and hope with you. And I urge you to share yours with me and our fellowship of Al-Anon.
In Service,
Michelle - District Newsletter Coordinator
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Recovery in Our Own Words
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Finding "Me" Again
In an email to my sponsor:
I just got down from my tower climb a little while ago--220 feet above grade, made it to the top, knees weak and hands shaking, panting for breath...and full of exhilaration, strength, and accomplishment! Oh, what a beautiful view it was of the night sky and all the lights from here to across the bay. I prayed the whole climb up, and spent about half an hour taking in the sight as I prayed and meditated and reflected even more.
It felt so good to not just be up there, but make it up there, to the very-very top. I cannot express enough the feeling of accomplishment I felt when I got back down, over what may seemingly be a minor feat. It was the very first time I ever actually desired to climb one of the towers here for the joy of what I knew I would receive by getting to the top, as well as the simple exercise it meant for me in the spirit of self-care. My arms felt like jelly on the way down, but oh it felt good knowing what I had just done...
But you know what I realized when I was getting ready to go start climbing it tonight? I remembered how, back in junior high and high school, I used to climb out of my window out onto the roof to look out at the hills and the houses and the lights and the sky. That was me, young & naïve and innocent me, full of desires & expectations of the future, taking in the beauty I could see around me in inconspicuous places. A "me" that had become lost along the way. It was like reaching out to that "me" again. I am so grateful to God, for more and more each day, I am finding ME again.
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<3 Michelle
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NEWS: District 14 & Beyond |
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District 14 Monthly Business Meeting | All members are welcome! | |
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When: First Wednesday of the month, 6:30 - 8pm. Tradition Study at 6pm.
Where: Lesher Auditorium, John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus, 2540 East St., Concord. |
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News from the Business Meeting | |
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Held on May 7, 2014 
- Alateen: Sponsors are needed! People are needed as subs and drivers for events. You do not have to necessarily sponsor a group.
- Hotline: An alternate coordinator is needed to help take on the duties with the hotline.
- Literature Depot: Shares needed for WSO publications! Use the linked "share sheets" to submit. Contact Wynne for more info.
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Monthly Speaker Meetings | |
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 Contact Sandy H. @ 925-577-9902 to volunteer your group! There are still openings for groups to host the District 14 Monthly Speaker Meetings for November and December 2014. Remember, smaller groups can join forces to host a meeting together. There are detailed guidelines with timelines to aide you in the process if this is new to your group. |
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Group Donations to the District
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 Send to District AFG, P.O. Box 416, Concord, CA 94522-0416. Please DO NOT FORGET to label your donation with your Group Name, Meeting Day & Time, and AFG number.
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Donations to the NCWSA
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Send to NCWSA Treasurer, P.O. Box 728, Vacaville, CA 95696-0728.
Donation form A-25 is available on the NCWSA website " Forms" page.
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Hotline Volunteers
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 Call Paula M. @ 925-513-1770 to volunteer! The Al-Anon Hotline still has gaps in the schedule that need to be filled. You can volunteer for any day, any period of time.
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NCWSA Spring One-Day Assembly
Saturday, May 17 at Crowne Plaza Hotel in ConcordAssembly with roving workshops. Early-Bird workshops and more. Lunch not included with late registration. Delegate Report to be presented by Patrick B. See Registration Flyer | |
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2nd Annual CCC AA Roundup with Al-Anon and Alateen Participation
Fri, May 16th - Sat, May 18th at Park Inn by Radisson, Fresno CA
Speakers, meetings, dinner, and entertainment. Limited number of tickets--don't miss out!
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D14 Monthly Speaker Meeting
Saturday, May 24th @ 6:30pm at Kaiser Walnut Creek, Medical Office Bldg., Oak Room, 3rd FloorFellowship, refreshments, birthday chips, donation drawing, Literature, tape library, meeting recorded. This is an Open meeting--welcome all! See Event Flyer
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Sponsor Workshop
Saturday, June 14, 8:30am - 1:30pm
Hillcrest Congretional Church
404 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill
D14 Sponsor Workshop for all! Potluck lunch and $8 suggested donation. Panels, speaker, Sponsor/Sponsee corner, Ask-It Basket, Love Gifts, Q&A.
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Neighboring District Speaker Mtgs
See each district website for detailsDistrict 6 - Solano & Beyond: On last Friday of month @ 7pm, Vacaville.
District 16 - Tri-Valley area: On 2nd Saturday of month, Pleasanton. District 26 - Hercules to Berkeley: 1st Saturday @ 6:30pm, Richmond.
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NCWSA Events Calendar
The NCWSA calendar lists Al-Anon and Alateen events occurring throughout Northern California, including AA events with Al-Anon participation. National and international events are also listed. Go to Calendar | |
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District 14 Service Positions | |
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Contact Carla G. for more information on serving for District 14!
Open District Coordinator positions are shown on the D14 Coordinators list in the sidebar. There are also Alternate District Coordinator positions open:
- Alateen
- Public Outreach
- Institutions
- Telephone Hotline - Assistance needed ASAP!
- Website
- Newsletter
- Lending Library
- Archives
Alternate Coordinators for a position assist the Coordinator and represent that position at D14 Business Meetings when needed. It is a great way to serve and learn a new position. If you are interested in providing service in your recovery, please review the Guidelines for the position in which you are interested. Then attend a business meeting to stand for the position.
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 District 14 Sponsor Workshop for AllSaturday, June 14 @ 9am - 1:30pm
Hillcrest Congretional Church, Fellowship Hall
404 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill CA
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Men's Day in Al-Anon 2014
Saturday, October 18"Men and Relationships, The Family Disease of Alcoholism." Join your brothers on the road to recovery! For more info and to inquire about service opportunities, contact the 2014 MDIA Coordinator John G. at 925-478-7848. Go to MDIA website | |
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Day in Al-Anon 2015
Next Planning Mtg: Sunday, May 25
@3pm at Peet's 5458 Ygnacio Valley Rd #10, Concord CA 94521
"Al-Together." A celebration of recovery! Planning meetings held on the last Sunday of each month at Peet's Coffee on Ygnacio Valley & Clayton Rd. Many positions open!
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Other Service Opportunities | |
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TEAM (Together Empowering Al-Anon Members) Event
Beyond the Group: Reaching for Personal Freedom
September 6, 2014 from 10 am - 6 pm at San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church in Alamo
The WSO and NCWSA will be holding a TEAM event this coming Fall. These events occur about once every three years. There are many service opportunities available! Volunteers are needed for Alateen, greeting, signage, decorations, setup, and take-down. Helpers for the day of the event are also needed. Contact Johanna at alternatedelegate@ncwsa.org with any questions or to volunteer. See Signup Sheet
 Start New Al-Anon MeetingContra Costa Regional Medical Center, 2500 Alhambra Ave, Martinez
Volunteers needed! The hospital would like to start an Al-Anon meeting at their facility. We are looking for Al-Anon members interested in getting it established. Contact Carla at 925-586-8021.
Sponsor for Spanish Alateen Meeting
Monday 6-730pm in Pleasant Hill
We need one more Alateen Sponsor / AMIAS (spanish-speaking or bilingual) to support this meeting! Please contact Kristine B. at 925-407-6053 for more info or to volunteer. |
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 Become an Alateen Sponsor For more information and/or applications, contact the Alternate Alateen Coordinator Marilyn G. at 925-759-1452 or Alateen Safety Coordinator Kristine B. at 925-407-6053. |
Pre-Alateen & Alateen Meetings
There are programs of help for young people who believe their lives have been influenced by someone else's drinking. Different meetings are available for different age groups: Pre-alateen for children ages 6 - 13 and Alateen for ages 12 - 20. See the District 14 Meeting List (bottom right corner) to see Pre-Alateen and Alateen Meetings currently available in our area. |
NoCAC and District 12 Beach Fundraiser
Saturday, July 19th
Ocean Beach at Great Hwy & Fulton
BBQ potluck, beach games, fire pit, and speakers. Bring beach blankets, chairs, other beach equipment, and
jackets (it can get cold!). See Event Flyer | |
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NoCAC Bash at Clear Lake
Friday, June 20 - Sunday, June 22
Clear Lake State Park, Kelseyville CA
Come for love, peace, program, and fun! Minimum age 12 years, suggested $20 donation. Tents only! Registration starts Friday at 5pm. See flyer for more details.
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2nd NoCAC Bash
Friday, Aug 15th - Sunday, Aug 17th
Turkey Hill Equestrian Campground
Lake Camanche, Valley Springs CA
Love, fellowship, and fun! Minimum attendance age is 12. Bring tents, food, supplies, cool day clothes, and warm night clothes. No RVS/campers/sleeping in cars.
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NCWSA Alateen Sponsors R&R
Friday, Sept 19th - Sunday, Sept 21st
Westminster Woods, Occidental CA
Al-Anon Members Involved in Alateen Service (AMIAS), Al-Anon Members interested in serving Alateen. Recommit and revitalize. Sponsor training and sharing experience, strength & hope!
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Alateen Talk
Alateen Talk is the WSO Alateen quarterly publication. Alateen members from all over the world share their experience, strength, and hope. Their sharings relate to their personal lives, how their Alateen group is functioning, and ways in which they carry the Alateen message to young people who are still suffering from someone else's drinking.
Go to Alateen Talk page
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Alateen Express
The Alateen Express is the official newsletter for Alateen groups of the NCWSA of AFG, Inc. It contains information about Alateen that may be helpful to Al-Anon/Alateen groups. All members of Alateen and their sponsors are urged to contribute information about group news, fundraisers and other special events. Articles present members' personal views & experiences.
Read More
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Institutions & Public Outreach Corner |
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Institutions
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 Any Al-Anon or Alateen member can volunteer!
Institutions Service brings the Al-Anon presence to the institutions in our community while separating the Al-Anon philosophy from that of the treatment centers. Our Al-Anon/Alateen members reach out to families of alcoholics who are residents/outpatients of hospitals or treatment centers or are inmates of correctional & other residential facilities.
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Public Outreach
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 Contact Claudette N. at 925-470-8939 if you have questions or to volunteer to be a speaker! Volunteers needed for speaking about Al-Anon to members of the community (at medical facilities, health fairs, schools, etc.). We are also considering holding a workshop to teach members how to do public outreach speaking.
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Reflections from The Forum
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Al-Anon's Monthly Magazine
 Subscribe to The Forum and receive your own monthly
"Meeting in Your Pocket" for only $11 per year. The Forum contains many personal stories of inspiration, some of which are made available each month online by authorization of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. Click here to see the current month's featured shares in full.
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 I have happiness and peace--whether my sons are sober or not
I grew up in a loving, stable home; there was no alcoholism. One of my mother's uncles was said to have enjoyed his drink, but I never witnessed any odd behavior. I didn't have a clue.
Unfortunately, my husband and I became all too familiar with the behavior by the serious addictions of two of our three adult sons. One was a binge and blackout alcoholic; the other went from pain meds to heroin. They weren't functioning. They had ruined their marriages, lost their jobs and their homes, and their health was failing. How could we not help them?
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I needed a new kidney, but I found more than a match when I let go
This journey began long before I was fortunate enough to join Al-Anon. I was diagnosed with a kidney disease in 1997, a disease for which there really was no known successful treatment for adults. I was told to expect to be on dialysis in five to seven years, as I would gradually lose the functioning of both my kidneys.
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I didn't know how to love myself
 When I shared that I was feeling lonely and unloved in my marriage, it was suggested that I needed to love myself first. (I would always try to smile when I heard that, because it helped to suppress my gag reflex.) I absolutely hated what I perceived to be an over-simplified and corny approach to my serious problems. My bigger problem was this: I didn't know how to love myself.
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Used with permission from The Forum, April 2014.
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Bienvenidos a Al-Anon y Alateen |
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Recuperación. Unidad. Servicio. | |
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Los amigos y familiares de los bebedores problema encuentran comprensión y apoyo en las reuniones de Al-Anon.
- Fortaleza y esperanza para los amigos y familiares de bebedores problema... Aquí
- Cómo localizar una reunion: Si la bebida de otra persona le preocupa, el asistir a las reuniones de los Grupos de Familia Al-Anon o Alateen le puede ayudar. Aquí
¿Cómo puedo ayudarle a mi bebedor problema a que deje de beber?  No existe fórmula mágica que le permita a usted ayudarle a alguien a que deje--ni a que disminuya--la bebida. El alcoholismo es un problema complejo en el que existen muchos asuntos que se relacionan. Sin embargo, Al-Anon le puede ayudar a que aprenda la forma de enfrentar las dificultades de la bebida de otra persona . . .
Cómo me ayuda Al-Anon.  En Al-Anon, los miembros no orientan ni les dan consejos a otros miembros. En su lugar, comparten sus experiencias e historias personales, e invitan a otros miembros a "quedarse con lo que les agrada y desechar el resto"--es decir, a determinar por sí mismos qué experiencias podrían aplicar a sus propias vidas . . .
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Contribute to this Newsletter
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Send your contribution* by email with "Contribution" in the subject line.
 All Al-Anon & Alateen members are welcome to contribute to this newsletter: something heard at a meeting, work on one of the Steps or Traditions, a thought while reading CAL (Conference Approved Literature), a share or short story about your experience, strength, and hope. *Submissions may be edited for length/grammar and in keeping with the 12 Traditions. Authors will be notified of any changes to their submissions. Publications will be made at the discretion of the editor as space permits.
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Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism
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 No matter what relationship you have with an alcoholic, whether they are still drinking or not, all who have been affected by someone else's drinking can find solutions that lead to serenity in the Al-Anon/Alateen fellowship. For more...
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Closing Reflection | | |
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
With Love in Service,
Michelle - District 14 Newsletter Coordinator |
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