In all likelihood your Group Representatives will be voting at the January district meeting to make the Holiday Bash an annual event. To best serve the needs of you, the district members, your input is requested. Please answer any of these survey questions or send whatever comments you wish on the subject via email.

1. Did you attend the Holiday Bash this year? If so, what did you like about it?
2. What do you think we could do to improve for next year?
3. If you didn't attend, why not?
4. Is there anything we could change that would persuade you to attend next year?

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Website Update
Exciting changes to our district website include -

• An updated, uplifting look
• Fresh news on the What's New? page, renamed News and Events
• Updates to the Meetings page and the Hotline as requested
• The preámbulo and tildes added to the Español page, reuniones updated
• New content on the Contact Us and Links pages, which have been combined and renamed the Resources page

9/8/06 - 9/10/06:
NCWSA Assembly in Modesto, CA.
GRs (Group Representatives) within the 27 districts that make up the Northern California World Service Area go to vote on policy decisions and bring back news to their groups. Stay tuned for reports from Assembly.

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A GR’s Assembly Report:
Being an only child of two alcoholic parents, I had always dreamed of what it would be like to have siblings. I now can say I have that extended family in Al-Anon Family Groups. I love every minute of the time I spend with other members. Read more >

District Holler:
"District 5 is So Alive, and That's No Jive!" This was sounded off by at least 20+ people from Sonoma and Napa counties when Erik our District 5 Rep went to the podium to give his report to the groups. Read more >

Groups at Assembly:
"The groups are the foundation of Al-Anon and have the final say in the fellowship, but a group can have no say unless it participates and sends a voice through an elected group representative"... So groups, give yourselves a pat on the back for having sent your GRs to the Area Assembly. Read more >

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11/23/06:
Alathons for the holidays. Meetings every hour!
All meetings will be held at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, 1165 Montgomery Drive, Room A
Hourly meetings will be held from 8 am - 9 pm.

District Representative's Report:
I attended the last of three annual Area Committee Meetings for 2006 in Oakland. Here are some of the highlights:

As of October 19, 2006, there were 706 registered groups with the Area, including:
- 52 Alateen meetings
- 22 Institutions meetings
- 37 Spanish speaking meetings
- 20 Men's meetings
- 17 Women's meetings Read more >

Humor Corner:
Life is Iced Tea with Cherries
A group of about six of us from my Al-Anon family group often go out for a snack after our weekly meeting. The waitress at our local down home restaurant has become fond of us, and has realized that my sponsor and I have a fondness for the maraschino cherries that she puts in our iced tea, each with a little colorful paper umbrella. Read more >

Topic - Sponsorship:
Thoughts on Step Work and Sponsorship
I first came to Al-Anon in April 1990. I bought an ODAT*, and for the next four years I went to one meeting a week. I learned some things about alcoholism, and it helped me be a little more at peace with myself. I heard about sponsors and step work, but it didn¹t appeal to me. The alcoholic in my life continued to drink in spite of rehab and his exposure to Alcoholics Anonymous. I thought I understood the program pretty well and liked the ideas; but not much was really changing in my life. After all, it really was HIS problem, and if he couldn’t put out the effort to go to AA, why should I keep going to Al-Anon? Read more >

Topic - Sponsorship:
Sponsorship: The Cornerstone of my Recovery
Like many newcomers to Al-Anon, I heard the word "Sponsor" used at meetings I attended, and it didn't take me long to figure out a Sponsor or having a Sponsor was a good thing.... I finally got the courage to ask someone to be my Sponsor. This was hard for me because I was not used to asking for help. Unfortunately, this person turned me down. Apparently, he felt that he was too new in the program to take on this service responsibility. I was disappointed at first, thinking I would never find a Sponsor, but then I realized that it would happen in God’s time, not when I wanted it to. About three or four months later, I again got the courage to ask another person to be my Sponsor, and he said yes. It was at this point that my recovery went to a new level. Read more >

Topic - Keeping Focus:
When I Keep the Focus on Myself, I Discover... serenity. First and foremost, I discover serenity. Because I am no longer focusing outward and taking on the problems of the world at large, or of my own world, or of my co-workers, or friends, or family, or children, or of my alcoholic, I am able once again to experience serenity more regularly (surprise, surprise!) Read more >

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12/02/06:
Friends of Lois and Bill's Holiday Bash! Saturday 5-11 p.m.
Cotati Veterans Memorial Building, 8505 Park Avenue, Cotati, CA
Sponsored by District 5 AFG with AA participation. This is your chance to support your district's fundraiser. $15 at the door for the dinner-dance. There will be a pasta dinner, dancing and live music by Raising Cain, and a donation drawing for themed gift baskets provided by the groups in our district. There will also be speakers from AA, Al-Anon, and Alateen.

12/09/06:
Hospital and Institution Conference volunteers needed.
A committee meeting will be held at the Marie Callendars on Mendocino, Saturday at 1 p.m. Volunteers who are interested in working on this event are still needed for our district's Al-Anon participation in A.A.'s annual Hospitals and Institutions Conference, which will be held in Petaluma April 13 - 15, 2007.

12/15/06 and 12/22/06:
The 8:00 pm Friday Night Church of the Roses meeting
will not be held tonight. The church needs the room for their holiday events.

12/24/06, 12/25/06, 12/31/06, and 1/1/07:
Alathons for the holidays. Meetings every hour!
All meetings will be held at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, 1165 Montgomery Drive, Room A
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, News Years Eve, and New Years Day.
Hourly meetings will be held from 8 am - 9 pm.

Treasurer's Report:
A Request from the District Treasurer --
When sending a check to the district, please put the Al-Anon group number, name, meeting place, day and time on the donation checks. For example: Wednesday night, 8 p.m., Santa Rosa, group #1111111.

Calling all Group treasurers - I'll be doing an end of year report showing where all our money comes from and goes to so I'd be grateful if you could steel yourselves to make sure any group donations you have can be with me by Friday December 29th. That way my report will be PERFECT and up to date, just what we strive for in Al-Anon (NOT!!) Thanks to everyone for your service and here's to another wonderful year in recovery!

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How does service keep me sane? I have to say that maybe it doesn’t.

But for fear of knocking Service, I’ll explain. I’m a great believer in the AWARENESS, ACCEPTANCE and ACTION aspects of the program and service. Read more >

Event Coordinator's Report:
The district’s calendar for next year’s events
goes something like this:

- A.A. Hospitals and Institutions Conference with Al-Anon participation, April 13 - 15
- Spring Workshop
- Summer Event
- Sugarloaf Campout
- Fall Workshop
- Alathon Thanksgiving 1 day
- Holiday Bash
- Alathon Christmas 1.5 - 2 days
- Alathon New Years 1.5 - 2 days    
Read more >

BASH 2006 Events Report:
If you didn't go to the Bash this year, you missed a great time. For all the people who came, thanks for showing your support and sharing in a fantastic event.

The Events Coordinators, Paula and Pattie, stood back in awe at their handiwork. Paula said, "I just asked and then let it go." She also said that there was so much help. Read more >

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