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District 19 E-News
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Volume 1 June 2009 Number 6

This month we would like to highlight some of the events that take place within District 19. All Area 21 and District 19 events can be found on the website calendar, as well as most of the local group events and surrounding area events. In addition, monthly events can be located right here on the District 19 E-News page.

The Journey Continues Big Book Study kicks of the year in style as one of the biggest events held within District 19. Although the JCBB Study is not a District Event, but a local group event, the JC packs in a crowd from all over hungry to learn about the Big Book from coveted presenters Don B. of Frankfurt IL and James L. of Evanston IL. The study is accompanied by an Alcathon, Hospitality Room, Banquet and great Speakers from around the country. Planning for the event starts early and provides many great service opportunities for local members. To check out what is going on for 2010, check out the Event Flyer.

District 19 is also a regular host of Area 21 Assemblies, and in 2010 will host the Annual Southern Illinois Spring Conference. With some of the same committee heads on tap as  Journey

  

 Continues, this event looks to be a great experience. Attendees can look forward to a host of  different A.A., Al-Anon, & Alateen meetings from the Alcathon, as well as a great speaker panel, panel discussions, hospitality room, and fellowship. An event flyer will be available soon. Be sure to check back and see what all the buzz is about for this upcoming event.

 For Spring the District annually hosts a picnic and/or breakfast around May or June. The picnic usually consists of a local speaker, games, and a great bar-b-que put on by the districts own Leo S. (If you haven't had any of this mans cooking you don't know what your missing). Because of other area events taking place this event was skipped for 2009.

The district ends summer in the same fashion with a Fall event usually in the form of great food, a speaker and outdoor activities held around September.

Another Local Favorite is the Annual Gratitude Meeting held on the eve of Thanksgiving. This coveted event, frequented by most local members as well as many visitors is a fellowship oriented

  

 event focused on the gifts of sobriety and a relationship with a higher power. Pie and Coffee are served during a social hour giving attendees the opportunity for fellowship accompanied by a panel of speakers from both A.A. and Al-Anon.

Rounding out the year is the annual Alano Dinner and Auction held on New Years Eve. This event is said by local members to be derivative of the "New Years Eve Party" started as a small gathering held at Springfield AA's founder Ward M.'s home to celebrate both his A.A. birthday and the New Year. The event is usually held at the Ansar Shriners building and includes a catered dinner (Leo S. usually has a hand in this) and an auction of donated goods which doubles as the Alano Hall's annual fundraiser.

As you can see. District 19 is in the thick of AA in Illinois. The major events and events hosted by the district are just the tip of the iceberg. Smaller events held by the groups and AA members fill out the year and don't leave any room for idleness. If your a fan of food this is the district to be in. As you may have already gathered, the infamous Leo S. has a spatula at the ready for most of the events. With fellowship at the heart of this AA's program, I am blessed to be part of such an active district.

Coming Up for 2010...

   

Thanks to the Following Groups for
Continuing Support of District 19
 Discovery 449 Group
Discovery Noon Group

Pink Can - Corrections Contributions
EDIC Speaker Meetings
Discovery Speaker Meeting

(Group Contributions based on District Treasurers Report from May, 2009)

The continuation of District 19 history continues here. Read more.... 
New Meetings
No new meetings at this time.

Cancelled Meetings
No cancelled meetings at this time.

Meeting Changes
Friday Alano 9:30pm CD12 Step 11 changed to CD Your Never Too Late

If your group has any changes, or cancellations, please email  info@aaspringfield.org

Alano
Every Friday
Night Speaker - 8pm

Discovery Noon Group
Last Friday of Month
Birthday Pizza Pie Speaker Meeting
Noon 

Discovery
2nd Saturday of Month
Potluck - 6:30pm
Speaker - 7:30pm

Easy Does It
3rd Saturday of Month
Potluck - 6pm
Speaker - 7pm

R-Club
1st Saturday of Month
Potluck - 7pm Speaker - 8pm

To see who is speaking, please check out our Calendar

     
     
     
Congratulations! One Day at a Time
If you would like your anniversary or birthday posted on the website, please email info@aaspringfield.org











 District 19 Business Meeting Minutes from April 2009
****Cherry & Bates ~ Big Book Study****

This type of A.A. group is rumored as existing, let me tell you it still does. At this particular meeting you see more than your average “elder statesmen” and ne’r a “bleeding deacon” (as the 12X12 calls old-timers).

In this group, there is a seriousness and a sense of growth that is consistent meeting in meeting out. Yes, there are a fair share of new-comers. And, yes, there is a laugh or two, but we are reminded every Thursday, at 8 PM, that if you don’t take the first drink, you won’t get drunk.

This group, The Big Book Study started about twenty years ago in a church in Edinburg. Some of the first A.A’s at that meeting were Dick G. and Carl H. Even Steve L. ventured over there once. When the meeting moved up here, it met in peoples homes-this was not so uncommon then and has made me wonder if the first “home groups” were like that-smaller and held in homes. Wendell was responsible for helping the group, which had grown, find it’s current location, the church’s basement on Cherry & Bates.

About every third time I attend, someone who is in probably the first five or ten years of sobriety claims, “This is the BEST MEETING IN TOWN”. Why, do you ask? Because it studies the Big Book. This meeting goes through the entire first 164 pages, plus the Roman Numerals about twice a year. To hear an A.A. tell you what he has learned the words to mean, which that A.A. probably learned from another old timer, makes for a fuller understanding of sharing experience of strength and hope. The group has just started over in the book, so it’s a great time to check in for a while or even longer.

 
Website Committee

The AA District website 19 was formed as a dual purpose website for both AA members and non-members as a source for information on AA, meeting listings, events, and other local information. Headed up by Public Information, the District 19 website committee has been given the opportunity to produce the site you see today, complete with a monthly newsletter that originated from the Intergroup Newsletter of yesteryear and has found a new home here on the web with a print version in the making.

As a part of Public Information the website committee is based in the traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and thus serves as attraction rather than promotion. The General Service Office has created a set of Guidelines that can be found at: http://www.aa.org/lang/en/en_pdfs/mg-18_internet.pdf.

Serving on the Website Committee can be fun, rewarding, as well as educational. The District 19 Website Committee is comprised of the Public Information Chair, a Website Chair/Webmaster, a co-chair, and committee members who take on roles such as gathering information, writing articles on the events, groups, committees, as well as personal stories of hope.

Currently the District 19 website committee has several opportunities for AA members interested in serving in this capacity. If you are interested in getting involved with the Website, please email: info@aaspringfield.org or contact your groups GSR for more information

  
 
June 2009
     
 
For Additional Events:   Please Check out our Calendar.
June 2009 Bridging the Gap Newsletter
  

Here's What's Going On:

  • Bridging the Gap really needs the support of EVERYONE that has signed up to be a volunteer. On May 28th our meeting had only 13 people present. This is not enough people to lead groups at the treatment centers and be volunteer speakers. Although we call volunteers we prefer to use those who are actively involved first. Our next meeting will be on June 25th at 6:45 at the Alano Hall. 

  • We are back in the TRIANGLE Center!!! Thank you Pam for following up and continuing to be persistent with the staff there in coordinating our involvement once again. We now go into the Triangle Center every Saturday from 1-2 p.m. They are requesting 4 people to go in and speak at a time. There is no gender preference here but they do ask that at least one member of the group has at least 2 years of continuous sobriety. For the month of June: Ruth W. will be taking in a group on June 6th, Don June 13th, Pam S. June 20th (however she would prefer that someone else step up and take this group as she has already committed to going into Gateway once this month), and Amber E. June 27th. If you are interested in going on a panel to speak here please contact one of the fore mentioned individuals.

  • Pam has also been in constant contact with the Illinois Institute of Recovery and feels confident that we will soon be able to go and speak at this facility.

  • We are in the works with the Salvation Army Core (on 6th Street) to get meetings up in running in their facility. Kelly M. has been working on this project. Pam was a speaker there and said that there was a very good response. It is our hope that BTG will be shortly to follow once the doors are opened to an AA closed meeting.

  • BTG is always looking at new ways to get the word out. It was suggested by Dan that a function could be held. There was talk of a cookout or possibly a talent show that would be held in late July. Please let us know your ideas or thoughts on this.

  • Charla also suggested that BTG could join in the Central Illinois Recovery Coalition walk. It was agreed that this would be a good way to spread the word about BTG. Charla will be providing more information about this as it becomes available to her.

What can you do now?

  • Volunteer to go to Gateway to speak on a panel (1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 6:30p.m. – 8p.m.). Gateway asks that people coming here have two years of sobriety. Six is the magic number for this, so any volunteers to go or to lead a panel are much needed! Pam will be taking a group June 7th and Dan will be taking a group on June 21st. 

  • Volunteer to go to Salvation Army (unfortunately this is for men only). This is on the fourth Saturday of every month at 6 p.m. Brad C. will be taking a group on June 27th. 

  • Dan C. also needs volunteers to go to McFarland’s. He has been going there regularly on Monday nights and needs other volunteers to go on a rotating basis. This does require a form that you will need to get from Dan C. 

  • There is also an opportunity to go speak once a month at the Sangamon County Jail or at a few prisons (we are working on expanding this). This also does require paperwork that you will need to see Pam S. for.

  • Be prepared to be called, if you are not called please let Pam S., Ruth W., or Amber E. know so that you can be better utilized. Very soon we are going to need 10 to 15 volunteers a month. So if you are not contacted this month please be patient, your time is coming soon.

  • Also please make sure that I (Amber E.), Pam S., or Ruth W. has all of your contact information. If you think that your information may have changed recently Pam or Amber have updated contact information that you may look over and make corrections to.

Please feel free to contact info@aaspringfield.org if you need to get forms or anything else! We want you to feel a part of this group! If you are feeling left out than reach out and we can better help you. Thanks for all that you do and please remember that our next BTG meeting will be at the Discovery on April 28th at 6:45 p.m. Please come and bring someone along! The more the merrier!
     
     


Alano
516 Bryn Mawr
Springfield, Il
(Between 5th and 6th)
(217)789-0789
 Cherry and Bates
First Congregational United Church of Chist
2100 S Bates
Springfield, Il
Discovery
313 W Cook
Springfield, Il
(Settlers Row), Enter in rear
(217)544-9049
Easy Does it Club
514 N Walnut
Springfield, Il
Enter through alley off Reynolds Street
(217)528-0332
 Second Timothy Baptist Church
1122 E. Pine
Springfield, Il

If you have any suggestions on how to improve aaspringfield.org or are interested in helping build our site, please contact info@aaspringfield.org