January 2015

In January, we received 521 requests. I sent 758 emails. We got 29 telephone calls.  

International connections made this month:

Ontario, Spain, Dominican Republic, France, Estonia, Austria, Guatemala, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nicaragua, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, Greece, Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, Quebec, Australia (all in the first week!) Serbia, Brazil, Zambia, Russia, Zaire, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Panamá, Latvia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Phillipines, Germany,

Remarkable events:

 ------------ Around the world:  On our website there are countries with 4 or less meetings, I contacted them all in Dominican Republic, France, Estonia, Austria, Guatemala, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nicaragua, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela and Panama to find out the history of their meeting, how they're doing, what literature they have and what WSO might help them with. Gloria and Ines helped me too. And this is what I found out: Turkey is fine. Estonia is thriving with 3 meetings in Estonian and 1 in English, the same person is the meeting contact for all, she is now working with Robin in translations. France has folded but since they are the only meeting in their country, I am trying to revive it with the Lights On program. Austria is the only registered meeting and it's English speaking, there is an "ACOA" meeting being held where German is spoken, her meeting is flourishing with 12 attendees, I told her about the Lights On program, waiting to hear back. Ukraine's 2 meetings are brand new. Nicaragua was removed never updating for two years (sigh). Lithuania registered reports they have a few meetings that are not registered and they've never had literature. Zambia's meeting is small but they are reading their way through the BRB, using Skype and email helps with their sponsor/fellow traveler work. (end) A member in Brazil emailed and I am hoping he will start the first meeting and help translate.  A member in Panama emailed saying she's ready to start a meeting, I contacted all Panama meetings to check status and report the new meeting. The Netherlands IG will be celebrating the ACA Anniversary, unfortunately the literature might not arrive in time. We received our first "African Group Email" using the contact sheet I made. It was wonderful to "hear" African adult children talking to each other and creating community and supporting each other, I replied to all and this generated more. A S. African meeting has doubled and is moving to a larger place and requesting help in a bulk order, I am working with them with the new seeding program and asking the office for big help on this. Zambia hasn't gotten their kit yet and the order was in November, the office investigated and it is lost, they're doing a claim. Martin gave me another needed geography lesson. Mid-month I asked Ines if she would work the request from anyone in the "Spanish speaking countries" a list I got from Wikipedia. She agreed to take on the following 20 countries Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Perú, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Cuba, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Paraguay, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Panamá, Uruguay, and Equatorial Guinea. and the first "fish" she "caught" was a request from Argentina on how to start the 1st meeting in the country, and she did beautifully. Majbrit added Turkey and Russia to her list of 35 countries. I got my very first contact from the Philippines and you know what I'm trying to make happen.

----------- Intergroups: IGSC found out that the Long Beach/South Bay Intergroup IG065 is not active. A group in Reseda Ca asked how to start an IG. I started using the new WSO IGSC email address [email protected] The IGSC shared the NL event announcement so I reached out to NL IG and we got it posted. The IG guidelines group reached out for more information on the BBI program. Sweden's IG is very active. It was asked, "Is it okay to post ACA literature on an IG website?" A Houstonian asked if TX IG covers him. CT IG is sending out an area mailer to announce their meetings.

-----------ACA Teen: - A meeting asked how to donate to an ACA Teen group, I sent literature snippets about self-support, etc. A minor reached out for help. 

----------ABC: - We're goin' to Austin!  A newcomer in TX asked how to go about coming to the ABC.

-----------Teamwork: Gloria 53 (one about an Al-Anon meeting both on our site and Al-Anon's site), Scott 6, Office 21 (one on meditation book missing over 50 pgs. and one order sent to wrong address and I sent a new list of countries designated MPS, Ines, and Majbrit), Sam 8 (one was a person looking for a job at DC), Majbrit 16, MaryJo 1, Ines 6, Larry 24  (2 literature committee volunteers) Joan 8, IGSC 3, Executive Board: - Jude: 54 She's increasing her scope of harder emails (also I bcc her to majority of my sents, trained Vonage MPS and concurrence procedures) Nastya said she will try to attend this month's teleconference. She and Jude are working beautifully together in training and toward the end of the month Nastya did a practice "find a meeting" email. I have such great support, I am so grateful for Jude and Nastya and everyone else I lean on. I can't believe how many personal projects I can do now. The world of adult children benefit too because of those who help me. Now I have to find the time to do all the work I've created for myself!

The Laundry List and Flip Sides (draft) feedback- Trait 6 shows the Flip Sides incorrectly, what's the history of the 4 lists? Typos continue to come in, someone suggested a title, did Tony A write this?, this document has helped our meeting so much, can we change some wording? Each time someone offers suggestions, I respond and I also mention that working on the literature committee might be interesting to someone who is so careful about literature, and we got 2 takers this month.

-----------Comline: I gathered up all those who have inquired over the years and made 2 documents to give to the committee so they can send a Comline grand opening notice that it's coming back! I sent a person to Phyllis with newsletter editing experience who volunteered! I sent another person her way from the Phone meetings who wanted to help.

-----------Events:  2 events were posted (MD meeting one year birthday, AZ IG speaker meeting , Sponsorship Workshop Ca, British Columbia combined event) (ACA Celebrations in both NL, and Central California). The page got an update to show the Anniversary Celebrations worldwide. A British Columbia meeting asked to post a joint ACA and Coda event, after board concurrence it was posted. Mid December a member asked WSO to take action about receiving unwanted bulk mails using her WSO website contact information and again in January (action is pending). There are 7 Non WSO sponsored events listed. There were a total of 3 ACA Anniversary Celebrations listed this year: NL IG, NY IG, CCA IG.  There are 2 WSO sponsored events listed: The yearly Annual Business Conference and the monthly Teleconference.

----------- Public Information related:Here is a list of who I'm helping for BBI packages: TN Treatment Center. In one week we received over 30 requests from California: 6 Mental Wellness Centers, Service Institutions: Human Services, Social Services, 3 Adult Services, 2 Marriage Family Therapists, 3 facilities serving families seeking temporary housing, 8 Youth and Family Behavioral Health sites, 2 Crisis Centers, 2 Nurses: Foster Care and High School, 3 Substance Abuse Centers, Teens: Teacher of Emotionally Disturbed Teens and Group home for teen girls, and a Migrant Education Program,,,, I "cold-called" an author Ute Lawrence who works in the PTSD recovery field, .....  I updated our listing with a Resource Crisis Care, a Helpline Center & a WI Resource. Public Health Online asked us to put their link on our website. A therapist requested a BBI package since he is starting a women's ACA meeting in his office, we had a conversation and I'm not ordering the package. A student from Cal State Channel Island University is looking for 90 hours of volunteering, we're working together

-----------From the fellowship: Telephone meetings: 3 concerns, 2 complaint, 2 requests for clarity, inquiry about an IG I responded there isn't one, 2 questions about blocking a number I was told 247365 pin has never had a person kicked or blocked from the call-Facebook: We got 2 more complaints about the same Facebook page. I explain each time that there are no ACA meetings on Facebook and I suggest attendance at ACA registered meetings.  Comments: -Almost every month there is one person starting a meeting alone, struggling to make all the decisions, I encourage them to find others who can share the decision making and service, someone who misused funds in the past is volunteering for treasurer again what do I do, why don't you print Tony A's book, can I use the ACA logo on anything for my group, where's the Forum?, How was the ACA Anniversary date selected?, Our meeting closed what do we do with the money?, our unregistered step study has a lot of people not adhering to ACA principles, how to start a  meeting an IRC channel for ACA on the Undernet IRC network, a member sent a PDF of 21 eBook typos, is it okay to have a lending library of non ACA literature? Can we use the ACA logo for homemade flyers and signs?

-----Common requests:  = How do I get a therapist, how do I get a sponsor, I found a typo, I've never worked the ACA program or attended a meeting, but I'd like to start a meeting since there aren't any in my town, Every month a member confuses AFG meetings for adult children with the ACA fellowship thinking they're the same, trying to register it or start another one with WSO help, I'm a counselor and I'd like to do ACA with my clients, how do I get meeting insurance? Will the meditation book become electronic, I've never done ACA but I'd like to start and ACA meeting since there isn't one in my town. My wife needs ACA