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Page 1 ,2 and 3

Gallons of Disillusion

by Bob L.

Page 4

Upcoming Sober Events

Meeting Updates

Page 5

Information Corner

Page 6

December Office News

by Nancy O.

Page 7

Thank you Groups

Page 8

Birthday Club

Faithful Fivers

Pink Can Contributions

Page 9

Office Information

Newsletter Volunteers

Hotline Volunteers

Office Volunteers

Contributions

Gallons of Disillusion

The following is my story. Every night I would have red wine be-fore dinner, with dinner, and after dinner. I only drank a gallon of wine a day! That was enough to put me to sleep every night and guarantee a hangover every morning and the swearing that I would not do the same thing again.

I did not like throwing–up or losing control, so I limited myself to one gallon a night. It was important for me to manage what was going on around me. I always believed I could stop when ev-er I wanted to, I just did not want to. It never occurred to me that I could not stop when ever I wanted, until I tried to stop.

I grew up believing that I had to be totally self-sufficient. I learned not to trust anyone. When I trusted someone with any-thing they always seemed to violate my trust. Whatever it was would come back and hurt me. There was no emotional maturity until I came to grips with my alcoholism. Alcohol had impris-oned me. I was a slave to it. In some situations, trivial excuses motivated my need to drink. I went out and drank at situations or people. That would show them. I wished above all that I could regain control but I could not.

I never fit in. It was never my fault. I felt socially inadequate yet I could address hundreds of people without any problem. One on one was always an ordeal. Telling my story reminds me of how bad my life was and shows me a comparison to how good my life is now.

I could always find reasons as to why nothing was right with me. I needed alcohol to get me through every situation. I never saw that it was alcohol that was my problem. I always felt sorry for myself and was never understood by anyone.

(cont. on p 2)

PASS IT ON

Eastside Intergroup Newsletter

Issue 1 January 2017

2

I did not believe it or see it at the time but I was nothing but selfish, full of conceit, jealous, intol-erant, bad tempered, sarcastic and resentful of people and things. I was unable to relate. The only people in my life were my wife and daughters. I had no real friends. That all has changed. Today I have several people whom I am close to who accept me for who I am. It really is good to have friends. Today I can share life together with others.

I can’t tell you how many times I was looking at that empty wine bottle and asking myself why oh why does it have to be this way. I never left a half empty glass of anything. The glass always had to be finished no matter what. I even remember one time at the pizza place when the people at the table next to us got up to leave and left a half picture of beer on the table. I so much wanted to get it and drink it.

It took a lot of wine every night to conceal the nightmares of my life, the denials and dishonesty. Alcohol, the one thing I counted on to make my head clear, stop the worry, aid me to relax, and restore me was actually devastating me. If I could just control the things and people around me I would be fine.

My emotional and mental life was at a low point and a disaster. Every morning I would wake up vowing that I would not drink that day or ever again. Only, by three o’clock I would stop at the liq-uor store and buy another gallon or two of wine. This routine went on for over ten years until the summer of 1980 when I started contemplating ways to commit suicide to relieve the pain, the hate and the frustration. I wished that I could just have one regular glass of wine with dinner (because it was healthy and I liked the taste)! I really thought that I could control my drinking and just have one glass of wine. That did not work; I proved to myself that I was powerless over alco-hol. The first drink set me off and I had to finish the gallon.

I tried to take stock of myself and my life but there seemed no alternative but to move on to the streets of Seattle. I really did not want to do that and I could not do anything else. Any idea of treatment was out of the question. I had my principles. In retrospect that would have been an easier and softer way. Something just had to change! What was I to do? Reach out for help! Not my style. No one ever understood me, every one I ever trusted turned against me and turned my feelings and secrets against me, I could trust no one except the family. I was doomed to live in the torment of the squirrel cage I made for myself. Always hating, being remorseful, dreaming impos-sible dreams, and seeking revenge on people for things that happened in grammar school. I didn’t really think that God would or could help me, but then I truly did not seek out His/Her help either.

As my alcoholism grew I started compromising my principles. I went places that I would never go, did things that I would never do. I hated myself for it. My problem was me. The alcohol only made it worse. It took me some time to realize the truth in that statement.

(cont. on p 3)

Gallons of Disillusion by Bob L. (cont. pg. 1)

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Today things and events that were mental anguish for me, which made me ashamed or dis-graced no longer have any hold over me. I have learned not to take myself too seriously. Life is too important. I must be an alcoholic yet I did everything to convince myself that it was not true. Sobriety is not willpower.

My mental, emotional, and physical life is so much better today. I sometimes think I am dream-ing. My worse day now is better than my best day when I was drinking. In the course of over thir-ty years of recovery many, many miracles have happened to me.

Let me name a few. My marriage and family stayed together. I became less interested in myself, my grandiose plans and designs. My peace of mind returned, and I discovered I could face life. Today I can be by myself at peace and ease. My old fears are gone. I have found that I can feel the closeness of my God.

Today life has meaning. I live with freedom and have found happiness. I have found profound calmness and know a peace I never thought possible. I no longer live a life of disappointment nor do I feel helpless and useless. My approach and position toward life today is positive and not so negative.

Life today is not totally just about me, rather it is about loving people and helping where I can. One other miracle is that I can handle situations with people that used to confound and perplex me. These are not outrageous possibilities. These are people I can trust, talk to, discuss my prob-lems and listen to their help and solutions.

Gallons of Disillusion by Bob L. (cont. pg. 1)

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January 14th: Area 72 Treatment Quarterly from 9:00am to

1:00pm at Grace Lutheran Church in Bellevue. It will be held in

the Fireside room and hosted by District 34. Potluck morning

snacks and lunch will be provided.

January 14th: Pine Lake Speakers Meeting from 7:00pm to

9:00 pm at Pine Lake Covenant Church in Sammamish. Speaker

is Jim H. from Palm Desert, CA. Childcare available by 6:30 pm.

January 21st: Area 72 Accessibility Quarterly from 9:00am

to 5:00pm at Greater Seattle Intergroup Office in Seattle. Hosted

by District 31st. Lunch will be provided. Pastries and side dishes

appreciated.

January 28th: Grapevine Writing Workshop from 10:30am to

1:00pm at Grace Lutheran Church in Bellevue. Write your story

in a group setting and send it off to the Grapevine magazine.

January 29th: WSCYPAA (Washington State Conference of

Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous) Elections from

10:00am to 2:00pm at the Seattle Intergroup Office, 5507 6th

Ave S., Seattle, WA.

February 2nd: ESIG Intergroup Rep Meeting from 7:30 pm to

8:30 pm at Bellevue Christian Reformed Church in Bellevue.

Nominations for Board positions.

February 11th: Live at Pine Lake Speakers Meeting 7 to 9pm

at Pine Lake Covenant Church in Sammamish. Speaker Debbie

D. from Concord, CA. Childcare available by 6:30pm.

March 2nd: ESIG Intergroup Rep Meeting from 7:30 pm to

8:30 pm at Bellevue Christian Reformed Church in Bellevue.

Nominations for Board positions.

March 11th: ESIG Helpline/Phone Training 10:00am-11:30am.

ESIG office 13401 Bel Red Rd. #B6, Bellevue.

March 18th: GSR School Co-hosted by Districts 38 and 34

from 1 to 4pm at Kirkland Congregational Church, 106 5th Ave.

April 6th: Eastside Intergroup Rep Meeting from 7:30pm to

8:30pm at Bellevue Christian Reformed Church, 1221 148th Ave

NE. Election for Board positions.

April 7th-8th: Western Washington Area 72 Business Quar-

terly from 4:30pm on April 7th through 5pm on April 8th

Hosted by District 39 and being held at the Eastside Foursquare

Church, 10115 Main St., Bothell, WA 98011.

Meeting Updates NEW LOCATIONS!

Big Book Step Study

Saturdays 7:00am

Issaquah Fish Hatchery

125 W. Sunset Way, Issaquah

BELLEVUE BREAKFAST GROUP

Sundays 8:00am

Kenmore Senior Center

6910 NE 170th St., Kenmore

BEL-KIRK BREAKFAST

Saturdays 7:30am

Overlake Denny’s

2233 148th Ave. Bellevue 98007

NEW TIME

HAPPY DESTINIES

Sundays 7:00pm

Eastside Alano Club

NEW DAY, TIME AND PLACE!

SAMMAMISH PLATEAU WOMEN’S STEP STUDY

Mondays 10:00am-11:30am

Pine Lake Covenant Church 1715 228th Ave SE, Sammamish

NEW MEETING!

SOBER ON THE RIDGE

Mondays7:30pm

Snoqualmie Fire Station

37600 SE Snoqualmie Pkwy.

SUPPORT NEEDED!

JOY OF LIVING

Tuesdays & Thursdays 4:00pm

Issaquah IHOP

1433 NW Sammamish Rd.

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Information Corner

It’s the sure and comforting sign of an A.A. meeting. People congregating with Styrofoam cups in hand and a cloud of cigarette smoke above. But the truth is that those comforting Styrofoam cups pollute our Earth. Every Styrofoam cup you’ve ever used is still in exist-ence, because Styrofoam takes over 1 million years to decompose. Styrofoam became widely used in AA in the 1960s. Most of those men and women who got sober back then are no longer with us (or they are super old timers!), but the Styrofoam cups they used are still part of our planet sitting in landfills. According to a report from the General Service Office in New York, the estimated number of AA groups and members as of January 1, 2014 is 59,565 and 1,295,037 respectively. Suppose, hypothetical-ly, each member attends 3 meetings a week. However, not every meeting has coffee, not everyone drinks coffee, and some members do bring their own coffee mugs. So we say only half of the total number of members use Styrofoam cups. This still brings the count to 1,942,555 Styrofoam cups per week and 101,012,886 Styrofoam cups per year. This is not the legacy we are supposed to leave! As we grow in recovery, we learn to practice all the principles in all our affairs, including how we treat the Earth. These changes have been successfully made at Holiday Isles, the Koala group, and the Experience, Strength and Hope group. These groups began to slowly phase-out Styrofoam and encouraged members to bring their own coffee cups if they do not want to use the ones provided. A new service position was also created for members to contribute to their group and clean mugs after the meetings.

The 3 Legacies of

Alcoholics Anonymous

Recover—We learned recovery

after completing the 12 steps of

alcoholics Anonymous with a

sponsor. WE achieved a clean

conscience for the first time in a

long time. This enabled us to

begin to experience God’s Love.

Unity—Through the 12 Tradi-

tions of Alcoholics Anonymous

we learned how to get along with

each by placing the welfare of

others before our own. We

learned equality.

Service—We grew with God by

serving others in our Home

Groups, our District and our Ar-

ea. (The 12 Concepts). We car-

ried the message of our Spiritual

awakening to suffering alcoholics

we attempted to reach out to

them in places they might seek

us.

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February Office Report In lieu of our regular December Intergroup meeting we held a potluck fellowship get together. We decorat-ed the church with lights, played holiday music and I believe a good time was had by all that attended. It was nice to have time visiting with each other outside of the regular meeting.

Mid December we had an Office Volunteer appreciation luncheon at the office to thank the people that have given their time in the office this past year. We also had few of our Board members join us which was a very pleasant surprise.

Over this past year our office volunteers have been: Anne W., Brian Mac., Carrie W., Corrine C., Dennis D., Erica E., Elizabeth H., Helen G., Jon L., John E., Leah W., Leslie G., Nate W., Paul P., Ray R., Rick L., Rick L., Sharon R., Sherre P., Steve C., Sue M., Susan H., Susan W., Ted W., Terry P., Terry O., Travis S., Virginia M. and Wallene D. Thank you all for your service with Eastside Intergroup!!!

Looking over the past year, we can all be proud of our Intergroup Office. We have now been at our new location for a little more than a year and I feel so blessed that we found the space we are in. We have had so many visitors this past year that had never stopped by the old office because it was so difficult to find. We are right in the middle of the community and I believe together with our groups that support us, we are fol-lowing our fifth tradition, carrying the message to the alcoholic that still suffers.

We had a trial run at having the office open one Saturday a month for about six months and ended up decid-ing to go back to M-F 10am-6pm due to lack of interest. We have however been able to let PSYPC and the District 34 Treatment Committee use our space on Saturdays for their meetings. The Area 72 Web Commit-tee also used our space for a quarterly.

We have continued to hold Hotline Training quarterly on the second Saturday of March, June, September and December with three 12th Step workshops this past year as well.

Our two events are always the Pancake Breakfast in early Spring and then the Picnic in the Summer. This year they were both more successful than ever. Our groups are so generous with the baskets and the money they donate towards baskets. It makes it so much fun!

We held a very successful book drive this year to help support Sanity in Sobriety, a meeting that needed literature. We also had several members donate used books that were then forwarded to a few different places but mainly to a women’s shelter that holds AA meetings in Seattle.

Leah W. who has been with us for nearly five years has met and married a man which takes her to her new home in Montana. As I wish her many blessings for a wonderful future, Rick L. will replace Leah as our office assistant and will be available when I am not. Rick has volunteered at ESIG for about a year and a half and has the most hours donated of the volunteer staff. ---congratulations to Rick! And thank you for your service!

In December, we had David M. elected as our Accessibility Chair and are happy to have him with us. All committees are active so if you are interested in service, you can check out the committees on our website.

There is a tab for committees and the email address for the committee chairs. And, all of our committees meet at 6:30pm on the first Thursday of each month prior to our 7:30pm Intergroup meeting. All members are welcome to attend.

As always, thank you for letting me be of service, Nancy O., Office Manger

December Office Report 2017

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12 & 12 Fellowship Hall

59 Minutes at Pine Lake

90 Minutes in Preston

A Way Up

AA Team

Afternooners

Anchor Group

Any Lengths Group

Bel-Kirk Saturday Breakfast

Bel East Lunch

Bellevue Breakfast Group

Bellevue Group

Better Odds Sober

Beyond Sobriety

Big Book Step Study

Bills Story

Bothell Wednesday Night

Came to Believe (Bothell)

Came to Believe (Carnation)

Clyde Hill Step Study

Coal Creek Study Group

Come as You Are

Come as You Are Part 2

Core Relations

Core Relations/IBBS

District 34 Treatment Committee

Downtown Stag

Duvall Big Book Study

Duvall Candlelight

Duvall Sunday Morning

Eastside Beginners

Eastside Men's Group

Eastside Open Breakfast

Eastside Women

Enough is Enough

Fresh Start

Friday Night Firehouse

Gay Men in Recovery

Grace Rules

H.O.W.

Happy Destinies

High Nooners

Inglewood Hill Women's Recovery

Issaquah Women

Joy of Living

Juanita Triangle

Kenmore Big Book

Kenmore Friday Nighters

Kindred Spirits

Kirkland Sobriety Headquar-

ters

Ladies Step Study

Lifeline

Living Sober

Main Street Saturday Night

Maximum Service

Mercer Island Serenity Book

Study

Mercer Island Sunday Night

Moss Bay

Nameless Bunch of Drunks

Newcomers Meeting

Newport Daytimers

Newport Hills Study

Nooners

OSAT

Pockets of Enthusiasm

Raging River Recovery

Recov R We

Redmond Friday Night

Redmond Recovery

Reflections

Right Side of the Tracks

Sammamish Big Book Study

Sammamish Plateau

Women’s Step Study

Sanity in Sobriety

Serenity Break

Serenity on Sunday

Sermon on the Mount

Seven & Sober

Sharing the Legacy

Snoqualmie Stag

Sober at Cottage Lake

Sober Camels

Sober Cartooners

Sober on Sunday

Sober Seniors

Sober Valley

Sober Women

Sobriety Lifeline

Steps to Freedom

Stillwater Serenity

That 12 & 12 Meeting

The Shack

Tiger Mountain Stag

Tons of Grace

Tuesday Night Solutions

Tuesday Nite Starters

Unbridled Group

Up the Creek

Valley Girls

Wake Up

Women's Saturday Share

Women's Saturday Steps

Women in Recovery

Women of Worth

Women's Big Book Study

Woodinville Wed. Fellowship WSCYPAA

Thank You to the Following Groups for your 7th Tradition Financial Support of

Eastside Intergroup during 2016

Your contributions go to pay our rent and bills so that we can provide a 24-hour hotline, maintain our website, handle 12th Step calls, sell literature and coins, print a monthly newsletter, maintain and print meeting sched-ules, provide workshops and training, make available volunteer opportunities and much more!

SO..... THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! Happy New Year!!!

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How Can You Help Support Your Intergroup in

Addition to the 7th Tradition at your Meetings?

Become a Faithful Fiver 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 In-

tergroup 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.

The Faithful Fiver idea came about when we remem-

bered that we wasted much more than $5 each month

during our drinking days.

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.

Yes! Please enroll me as a

Faithful Fiver!

Here is my contribution of

$_______ for ____ (number of months)

Name______________________________________

Address____________________________________

City___________________ State______ Zip_______

Return this form to:

Eastside Intergroup

13401 Bel-Red Rd. Suite B6—Bellevue, WA 98007

Nancy O Terry O Rachel A. Susan M. Barbara M. Sherre P.

Beth L. David W. Pat A.

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.

Your Birthday Club contributions directly

support your Eastside Intergroup Office which

provides a 24 hour phone line, literature, coins

and more!

Birthday Club!

Name________________________________

Home Group___________________________

Sobriety Date__________________________

Contribution $__________________________

Get your name & homegroup in the newsletter!

Thank You December 2016 Faithful Fivers!

December 2016 Birthday

No Birthday Contributions

December Pink Can Contributions

Seven & Sober Duvall Sunday Morning

Nooners Living Sober

Fresh Start

Juanita Triangle

Better Odds Sober

Nameless Bunch of Drunks

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Office Information

Newsletter Contributors

Publisher……..................Alma O.

Editor……………..……...Sandy B.

Archivist……………..…..David C.

Personal Story…..…...…. Bob L.

Office News …….…….. Nancy O.

Office Support:

Anne W.

Carrie W.

Elizabeth H.

Rick L.

Sharon R.

Sherre P.

Steve C.

Ted W.

Wallene D.

QuickBooks Support:

Virginia M.

Computer Support:

Travis S.

Rick L.

Paul P.

Website Support:

Charlie, Margie,

Jason, Eric, Amber,

Mike

Thanks to the following Groups for sending contributions

to the Eastside Intergroup office in the month of Decem-

ber 2016. 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.

Thank You December Hotline Volunteers!

Susan W. Ted W. Sara K. Sheree P. Matt B. Tina B. Guy P. Matt D. Mark B. Chuck M. John R.

Susan M. Ginny K. Carrie W. John M. Guy P. Jim R. Tim B. Tina K. Carmen A. Sheldon A. Mike S.

Richard J. Elton B. Travis S. Mark J. Fred M. Bill J. Leslie G. Eric C.

Coordinators:

Eric C. & Bill J.

Hotline Backups: Sheree P. Bill J. Eric C.

Group Contributions District, GSO & Area Info

Eastside Intergroup:

Eastside Intergroup

13401 NE Bel-Red Rd. Suite B6

Bellevue, WA 98007

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 34

Bellevue, Redmond, East Lake

Sammamish, Mercer Island

District 34

P.O. Box 50081

Bellevue, WA 98015

District 35

Issaquah

District 35

P.O. Box 442

Issaquah, WA 98027

District 36

Snoqualmie Valley, Duvall,

North Bend

District 36

P.O. Box 1963

North Bend, WA 98045

District 38

Kirkland

District 38

P.O. Box 322

Kirkland, WA 98083

District 39

Bothell, Kenmore, Woodinville

13401 Bel-Red Suite B6

Bellevue, WA 98005

Phone: 425-454-9192

Email: esig@eastsideintergroup.com

Website: www.eastsideintergroup.com

Office Hrs.: Mon.-Fri. 10:00am-6:00 pm

Intergroup Meeting

First Thursday of each

month 7:30-8:30pm

All members welcome!

Bellevue Christian Reformed Church

1221 148th Ave NE, Bellevue 98007

Office Manager - Nancy 0.

Email: Nancy@eastsideintergroup.com

Nameless Bunch of Drunks (x 2)

Duvall Sunday Morn-ing

Eastside Men’s Group

Serenity Break Nooners Share the Legacy Living Sober Newport Daytimers That 12 & 12

Meeting Bellevue Breakfast

Recov R’ We Women’s Big Book

Study Gay Men in Recovery Tons of Grace Seven & Sober Downtown Stag Up the Creek Women in Recovery