11/ 2015 - Eastside Intergroup

Pass It On
Eastside Intergroup Newsletter
November 2015
Page 1
All About Steve by Steve
Page 2
All About Steve by Steve
Page 3
Upcoming Sober Events and
Meeting Updates
Page 4
Oct Office News by Nancy O.
Page 5
Birthday Club
Faithful Fivers
Pink Can Contributions
Page 6
Notes from the Archives
All About Steve
Hi. My name is Steve. I am an alcoholic. I am 60+ years old and in my 4 th
year of sobriety. I was non AA dry from 1992-1997. In 2002, I went to
treatment and joined AA. Those next 5 years were good years. I was riding
the pink cloud, thinking surely I would never drink again. I understood my
allergy and my obsession. My plan was simple. Just say no. That plan and
the dry plan before it were destined for failure from the beginning. I had
no contact with God; I went through the motions doing the steps.
When I was 6 years old my father dubbed me Stevie the Stinker the Whiskey Drinker because I would drink from the glasses at my parents’ parties.
Funny then, a horror show later. A cousin introduced me to scotch when I
was 14. That night I was fished out of a river, or so they tell me. That was
the first of countless blackouts. When I was 16, I became a regular Friday
and Saturday night beer drinker. My girlfriend and I had broken up and I
joined the drinking crowd. When I went off to college I vowed to minimize
my drinking and become BMOC, the envy of every guy and the dream of
every girl. But I quickly joined the drinkers. I went off to graduate school
and again vowed to minimize my drinking. But I quickly joined my kind
again. My final semester I studied at my designated table at my designated
tavern, beginning at 1PM, ending sometime.
by David C.
Page 7 & 8
Tradition 11 by Bill W.
Page 9
Office Information
Newsletter Volunteers
Hotline Volunteers
Contributions
Page 10
Thank you ESIG Representatives
After graduation I got a job. I intended to minimize my drinking, but found
the drinkers. I was offered and accepted a better job at another firm. I was
determined to become the polished executive and to minimize my drinking. But I quickly went back to my drinking buddies at the old firm. At retirement I made a mental list of things I wanted to do and accomplish.
None were achieved, because of my drinking. I became increasingly lonely,
secluded, and excluded.
I drank alcoholically for almost 35 years. That’s a lot of booze. There were
significant drink related issues at school and work. I was a menace on airplanes, and was physically removed from one before departure, or so they
tell me. How many times did I stop for a few with my buddies, promising
to be home for dinner, only to get home after closing hour?
(continued on pg. 2)
All About Steve
By Steve
My plan prior to extremely important meetings was always to quit drinking for the 3 day period prior to the
meeting. Never happened. Happy conversations turned to murmurs and sideways glances when I entered a
room. People “danced” around me to avoid conflict. My wife would send my son to follow me as I took
bathroom breaks at the ballgames. My wife pleaded with me to stop. Countless times I listened in shame as
she told me what I had done the night before. How this would potentially affect my son broke my heart, but
even that wouldn’t keep me away from the bottle.
The only thing that could control my drinking was the fear of losing my job. With money I could keep my
family. I could keep my house and the other material things I thought I needed to present success. People
would sometimes say to me “you certainly have your life in order.” I would cringe, knowing I was living a lie.
The appearance of any success was a façade, for inside I was a miserable wreck. About 2 each morning I
would wake up. Issue after issue after issue would rotate through my mind. I was filled with guilt and
shame. Procrastination was eating me alive. I would often take a drink around 2:30 in order to forget and
hopefully sleep. I had a 5 day period where each morning I would go to the basement and put the pointed
end of a scissors to my throat, urging myself to push it through. This was the second time suicide was an
instant away. Thankfully God had other plans for me.
I was not a high bottom drunk. I was not a low bottom drunk. I was a bottomless pit. I was filling the pit
with guilt and shame. The pit was like a balloon, expanding as more guilt and shame were dumped in with
each bad behavior. The guilt and shame was doubled when I added in the guilt and shame associated with
breaking every “covenant” of behavior I had made with my Mother. (I learned this was my spiritual malady,
page 64, BB, consisting of the bedevilments, page 52, BB.)
My freedom began the day a policeman woke me in my car in front of a liquor store. He gave me the option
of a breath test or calling my wife. I made the right decision. She gave me the option of AA or hitting the
streets. I chose AA over death by drinking. I went to a meeting the next morning and announced I needed a
sponsor. A man said he would be my temporary sponsor and that he would find a sponsor for me. He made
the perfect choice.
Beginning with day one of my sobriety every alcoholic I have met has helped me. God put a handful of recovering alcoholics directly in my path. Collectively they guided me through the Big Book of Alcoholics
Anonymous. They were God’s messengers. They made sure I was convinced that I was an alcoholic, that I
couldn’t solve the problem, that only God could get and keep me sober. They made sure I found my God,
who became God. The reigns were loosened, but never removed, and I began working with God one on one.
He showed me what I had to do to get rid of the guilt and shame. I did all my amends (more will pop up, I
am sure). He promised that he would continue to take care of me if I became, and continued to be, His
agent. I promised that I would carry the Big Book message to other alcoholics, and to practice the principles
He taught me in all my affairs. I know my work can never end. He promised and has delivered sobriety, happiness, serenity, and peace. I can have all of this forever if I continue to follow His directions, to carry out
His will for me. I know He will always provide the power.
Upcoming Sober Events
Nov. 7th: Treatment & Bridging the Gap Workshop from 11 am to
1pm at Grace Lutheran Church. Free Workshop.
Nov. 7th: Area 72 Western WA Archives Quarterly Meeting from 9
am to 3 pm at Maple Valley Presbyterian Church in Maple Valley.
Nov. 7th: District 35 Gratitude Dinner from 5:30 to 9:30 pm at
Pine Lake Covenant Church in Sammamish.
Nov. 7th: District 36 Gratitude Dinner at 5:30 pm at Si View
Community Center in North Bend.
Nov. 13th: District 39 Gratitude Dinner from 5:30 to 9 pm at the
Eastside Foursquare Church in Bothell. The cost is $6.
Nov. 14th: District 38 Gratitude Dinner from 5:30 to 9 pm at the
Eastside Foursquare Church in Bothell.
Nov. 14th: Area 72 A.A. PI/CPC Quarterly from 9:30 am to 3 pm at
the Presbyterian Church in Kelso.
Nov. 14th: : Live at Pine Lake Speakers Meeting at 7 pm at Pine Lake
Covenant Church 1715-228th Ave SE, Sammamish. Doors open at
6:30pm. Speaker is Nancy N. from Burbank, CA (childcare available)
Nov. 19th: Eastside Volunteer Workshop from 1:30 to 2:30 pm at
Eastside Intergroup Office in Bellevue. Great opportunity for service
work and fellowship.
Nov. 21st: Conway Oldtimers Speakers Meeting from 5 to 8 pm at Fir
Island Lutheran Church in Conway.
Nov. 28th: District 34 Gratitude Dinner from 6:30 to 9:30 pm at the
North Bellevue Community Center in Bellevue. The cost is $5.
Meeting Updates
NEW MEETINGS!
12 & 12 Fellowship Hall
5 NEW (open) meetings 6am-7am
Country Village
23732 Bothell Everett Hwy, Bothell
Monday: Architects of Adversity
Tuesday: Sobriety at Sunrise
Wednesday: A Good Days Start
Thursday: ODAAT Lives
Friday: Seeing Thru the Haze
B.Y.O.L. (Bring Your Own Lunch)
12:00-1:00pm Wednesdays
Hope Hall in Snoqualmie
8305 Meadowbrook Way NE
SUPPORT NEEEDED
Unbridled
7:30pm Thursdays
United Methodist Church
7525 132nd Ave NE, Kirkland
Steps to Freedom
12:30 p.m.
St. Judes
10526 166th Ave NE, Redmond
Vounteers Needed
Conferences
ESIG Table at Live at Pine Lake
To volunteer call ESIG at 425-454-9192
Nov. 13th to 15th: 2015 Serenity at the Shores in Ocean Shores. Please
view www.oceanshoresjamboree.com for additional information.
Nov. 27th to 29th: Gratitude in Action Everett Conference 2015 in Everett at the Holiday Inn. The cost is $125 and the website is
www.everettconference.org.
Live at Pine Lake
Held the second Saturday of every
month. Service positions available.
For further information email:
[email protected]
February Office Report
We love our volunteers! Our October Volunteers were: Rick L, Carrie W, John E, Leslie G, Steve C,
Robin, Wallene D, John M, Sandy C, Ted W, Dina L, Leah W, and Don D. Thank you all!
October 10th was the open house in our new office space. It happened to be a very windy and rainy day but
despite the weather we had a great turnout! We grilled hotdogs in a tent in the parking lot and had fruit, veggies & cake to celebrate! Thank’s everyone that attended, we had a great turnout despite the weather!
There has been a handful of people ask about having the office open on weekends. Before we consider
whether to open on Saturdays I’d appreciate some feedback. Would you come on a Saturday to pick up
literature for your group if we were open? Please give me a call if this is something of interest. Currently our
office hours are Monday through Friday 10am to 6pm.
Twenty-Six 12th-Step calls were answered during office hours in October. This doesn’t include the caller
looking for a meeting, calling about events or after hours calls—just the newcomer asking for help stopping
drinking during business hours. We even had a few people call back to thank us and let us know how they
were doing. What a gift to be a part of carrying the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to the still suffering
alcoholic. After hours the calls go through our Hotline which is coordinated by Eric C. and Bill J.
We have a Treatment & Bridging the Gap workshop scheduled for November 7th from 11am to 1pm at
Grace Lutheran Church in Bellevue. Come join our Treatment Chair, Tim M. and his committee members for
a light lunch and learn what we can do to help with bridging the gap between treatment centers & hospitals
and Alcoholics Anonymous. And… we’ll be done in time to make it to the Gratitude dinner!
Another workshop is scheduled for November 19th at the Intergroup Office from 1:30 to 2:30 and will cover
service work available in the Intergroup Office from answering phones and 12th-Step calls to literature, coins
and more. Please RSVP if you are interested. 425-454-9192.
We’ve been busy putting together hundreds of packets at the office to go out to Doctors through a project
Erin A. our CPC chair has been working on. The plan is to have everyone offer a packet to their doctor for
information on AA. It sounds like many of them have been very receptive and appreciative.
We also have some samples of the “Adopt a Rack” that Andy G. our P.I. Chair is using in his program to
reach the community. In this effort, he is asking meetings to adopt a rack by agreeing to keep the literature
stocked in the rack at various establishments. The meeting would purchase the pamphlets to fill the rack
and then continue to do so to keep the rack filled. These are small racks that hold only a few different pamphlets. The purpose is to make the community aware of Alcoholics Anonymous so that we can continue to
carry our message of recovery.
All of our committee chairs are doing a doing a great job in our community — Thanks!
The Grapevine has a new book out called Forming True Partnerships that I hear is really good. We should
have a new order in soon—stop in and look at the wide selection of Grapevine books we have in addition to
our regular selection of AA World Service literature. We also carry a wide selection of sobriety coins from
aluminum or bronze to special “bling” coins! We’ve sold 1,480 Big Books since 1/1/2015!
I hope that you all have the opportunity to attend a Gratitude Dinner in November.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Our office is closed on Thanksgiving day and the
day after Thanksgiving.
Thank you for allowing me to be of service!
Nancy O.
How Can You Help Support Your Intergroup in
Addition to the 7th Tradition at your Meetings?
Become a Faithful Fiver! Or 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
Intergroup 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 remembered 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.
Thank You October 2015 Faithful Fivers!
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Dave W.
Barbara M.
Pam Z.
Beth L.
Nancy O.
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Ulf W.
Eastside
Open
Breakfast
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
Birthday Club!
Name______________________
Home Group_________________
Sobriety Date_________________
Contribution $________________
Get your name & homegroup in the newsletter!
November 2015 Birthdays
Terry O. 11/1988—27 years
Pine Lake Stag
Yes! Please enroll me as a Faithful Fiver!
Here is my contribution of
$_______for_________months
Name________________________________________
Address______________________________________
City__________________ State/Zip_______________
Return this form to:
Eastside Intergroup
13401 NE Bel-Red Rd. Suite B6
Bellevue, WA 98007
Shelly N. 11/2011—4 years
Inglewood Hill Women’s Recovery Group
Pink Can Contributions
Reflections
Five & Dime
District 35
Living Sober
Anchor Group
Women of Worth
Better Odds Sober
Wake up
Seven& Sober
Fresh Start
Lifeline
Sober Cartooners
Eastside Open
Breakfast
u!!!!
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y
k
Than
Notes from the Archives
By David C., District 38 Archivist
Hello from the vaults of the District 38 Archives. As November is Gratitude month, I
wanted to let you know how grateful I am to serve as the Archivist for the District. I have spent
the last 20 years in collecting and preserving our rich AA history, and hope to continue for
many years to come! After my sobriety, this search for knowledge has been my consuming
passion. Every time I find the answer to my questions, there always seems to be more doors
opening, and more questions that need answering. I cannot begin to tell you how rewarding it
is to see people come up to me and ask questions about our history that I can answer!
I hope that you will be coming to our Gratitude Dinner on November 14 th, at the
Eastside 4 Square Church in Bothell. I will be exhibiting a large display in the Fireside Room.
Amongst other items, I will have my new exhibit on my trip to Dr. Bob’s House. In that exhibit,
there is a unique item that was given to me in Cleveland. It is a very rare pin from the 1935
AMA Convention in Atlantic City. This is the convention that Dr. Bob went to and got drunk
after he found sobriety. The collector that gave this to me said that he has found only 2 in his
25 years of collecting AA history! I will also be showcasing my new exhibits on the Washingtonians and the Oxford Group. These two displays took me almost 6 months to put together and
are filled with photos and information on those two historical groups. You might ask what do
those pre-AA groups have to do with our Fellowship? Well the answer is without them we
would not be here today.
I am so fortunate to be able to bring items like this to you all. I know that most of you
don’t care about things in the past, and would only like to see pieces of AA history. Well, the
District has almost every piece of literature that AA has produced to the present, in the traveling display. There will be a lot of those items at the Gratitude dinner also. Come see the Big
Book display and find something you might have never seen before. Remember “It’s not I’ve
seen the Archives, but What’s New in the Archives. More will be revealed.
P. S. Stop by the Archive room at the District 38
Gratitude dinner on Nov. 14th at the 4 Square Church
in Bothell and see all the new exhibits. Till next
time……
Tradition Eleven
“Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal
anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.“ A.A. Grapevine Editorial by Bill W. on October 1948
"Our relations with the general public should be characterized by personal anonymity. We think
A.A. ought to avoid sensational advertising. Our names and pictures as A.A. members ought not
be broadcast, filmed, or publicly printed. Our public relations should be guided by the principle
of attraction rather than promotion. There is never need to praise ourselves. We feel it better to
let our friends recommend us."
Providence has been looking after the public relations of Alcoholics Anonymous. It can scarcely
have been otherwise. Though more than a dozen years old, hardly a syllable of criticism or ridicule has ever been spoken of A.A. Somehow we have been spared all the pains of medical or
religious controversy and we have good friends both wet and dry, right and left. Like most societies, we are sometimes scandalous -- but never yet in public. From all over the world, naught
comes but keen sympathy and downright admiration. Our friends of the press and radio have
outdone themselves. Anyone can see that we are in a fair way to be spoiled. Our reputation is
already so much better than our actual character!
Surely these phenomenal blessings must have a deep purpose. Who doubts that this purpose
wishes to let every alcoholic in the world know that A.A. is truly for him, can he only want his
liberation enough. Hence, our messages through public channels have never been seriously
discolored, nor has the searing breath of prejudice ever issued from anywhere.
Good public relations are A.A. lifelines reaching out to the brother alcoholic who still does not
know us. For years to come, our growth is sure to depend upon the strength and number of
these lifelines. One serious public relations calamity could always turn thousands away from us
to perish -- a matter of life and death indeed!
The future poses no greater problem or challenge to A.A. than how best to preserve a friendly
and vital relation to all the world about us. Success will heavily rest upon right principles, a
wise vigilance and the deepest personal responsibility on the part of every man jack of us.
Nothing less will do. Else our brother may again turn his face to the wall because we did not
care enough.
So, the 11th Tradition stands sentinel over the lifelines, announcing that there is no need for
self-praise, that it is better to let our friends recommend us, and that our whole public relations policy, contrary to usual customs, should be based upon the principle of attraction rather
than promotion. Shot in the arm methods are not for us -- no press agents, no promotional devices, no big names. The hazards are too great. Immediate results will always be illusive because easy shortcuts to notoriety can generate permanent and smothering liabilities.
(continued on pg. 2)
Tradition Eleven
“Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal
anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.“ A.A. Grapevine Editorial by Bill W. on October 1948
More and more, therefore, are we emphasizing the principle of personal anonymity as it applies to our public relations. We ask of each other the highest degree of personal responsibility in this respect. As a movement, we have been, before now, tempted to exploit the
names of our well known public characters. We have rationalized that other societies, even
the best, do the same. As individuals, we have sometimes believed that the public use of
our names could demonstrate our personal courage in the face of stigma; so lending power
and conviction to news stories and magazine articles.
But these are not the allures they once were. Vividly, we are becoming aware that no member ought to describe himself in full view of the general public as an A.A., even for the most
worthy purpose, lest a perilous precedent be set which would tempt others to do likewise
for purposes not so worthy.
We see that on breaking anonymity by press, radio or pictures, anyone of us could easily
transfer the valuable name of Alcoholics Anonymous over onto any enterprise or into the
midst of any controversy.
So, it is becoming our code that there are things that no A.A. ever does, lest he divert A.A.
from its sole purpose and injure our public relations. And thereby the chances of those sick
ones yet to come.
To the million alcoholics who have not yet heard our A.A. story we should ever say,
"Greetings and welcome. Be assured that we shall never weaken the lifelines which we float
out to you. In our public relations, we shall, God willing, keep the faith."
Thank you October Hotline Volunteers!
Office Information
Mailing Address
13401 NE Bel-Red Suite B6
Bellevue, WA 98005
Phone: 425-454-9192
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.eastsideintergroup.com
Office Hours
Monday-Friday 10:00am-6:00 pm
Bob B.
Carmen A.
Carrie W.
Chuck M.
Elton B.
Fred M.
Ginny K.
Guy P.
Intergroup Meeting
Jim R.
Joe M.
John K.
John R.
Keith S.
Leslie G.
Matthew M.
Merrill G.
Newsletter Contributors
First Thursday of each month
7:30-8:30pm
Bellevue Christian Reformed Church
1221 148th Ave NE, Bellevue 98007
All members welcome!
Office Manager
Nancy 0.
Email: [email protected]
Publisher……................Alma O.
Editor……………..…….Sandy B.
Archivist……………..…David C.
Mike S.
Sara K.
Sheree P.
Steve C.
Susan M.
Ted W.
Tim B.
Tina B.
Office News …….…… Nancy O.
Directions to the office
www.eastsideintergroup.com
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AA Team
Afternooners
Bellevue Breakfast
Group
Big Book Step Study
Bills Story
Downtown Stag
Eastside Beginners
Eastside Open Breakfast
Eastside Women
Fresh Start
Grace Rules
Kenmore Friday Nighters
Mercer Island Monday
Mornings
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Moss Bay
Nameless Bunch of
Drunks
Newport Daytimers
Serenity Break
Serenity on Sunday
Sober Valley
Wake Up
Women’s Big Book
Study
Women’s Saturday
Share
Women’s Saturday
Steps
Rick L.
Carrie W.
John E.
Leslie G.
Steve C.
Robin
Wallene D.
John M.
Sandy C.
Ted W.
Dina L.
Leah W.
Don D.
District GSO & Area Info
Thanks to the following groups for sending contributions to the
Eastside Intergroup office in the month of OCTOBER 2015 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.
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Back-ups:
Bob F. Pat A.,
Bill R., Sheree
P., Steve C.
Hotline Coordinators:
Eric C. and Bill J.
Thank you to our office volunteers too!
They ensure that when someone reaches
out for help by calling Alcoholics Anonymous, the caller always reaches a real
person!
Personal Story…..…… John M.
Group Contributions
Travis S.
Eastside Intergroup:
Eastside Intergroup
13401 NE Bel-Red Rd. Suite
B6
Bellevue, WA 98007
District 35
Issaquah
District 35
P.O. Box 442
Issaquah, WA 98027
Western WA Area 72
702 Kentucky St., #535
District 36
Bellingham, WA 98225
Snoqualmie Valley, Duvall,
North Bend
General Service Office (GSO)
District 36
P.O. Box 459
P.O. Box 1963
Grand Central Station
North Bend, WA 98045
New York, NY 10163
District 38
District 34
Kirkland
Bellevue, Redmond, East Lake
District 38
Sammamish, Mercer Island
P.O. Box 322
District 34
Kirkland, WA 98083
P.O. Box 50081
Bellevue, WA 98015
District 39
Bothell, Kenmore, Woodinville
Thank you Intergroup Reps!
The following Intergroup Reps were in attendance at our meeting. See you on Thursday, Nov. 5th!
Andy G. - Core Relations, District 35 PI & ESIG
PI Chair
Betsy N. – Women of Worth
Brian G. – Living Sober
Charlie C. – ESIG Web Committee
Dan H. – Pine Lake Stag & ESIG Corrections
Chair
Erin E. – District 34 Liaison
Hayley H. – Millennium Group
Holly F. – Women’s Way
Jack S. – Eastside Nooners
Jackie S. – Bothell 12 X 12
Jane L. – ESIG Accessibility Chair
Jen T. – Sobriety Lifeline/Joy of Living
Jerry B. – Anchor Group
JoAnn P. – Eastside Sunday Breakfast
John K. – Sammamish Big Book Study/Live at
Pine Lake
Kathy H. – Sober Seniors
Kiera E. – District 35 Intergroup Rep
Kristi G. – ESIG Events Chair/Issaquah Tuesday
Night
Lisa S. – 59 Minutes at Pine Lake
Margaret H. – Eastside Women
Margie C. – ESIG Web Committee
Mary B. District 38 Rep/Bellevue Breakfast
Phil K. – Area 72 Corrections Chair
Rob P. – Lifeline
Robbie D. – Better Odds Sober
Sandy B. – ESIG Newsletter Editor/FSHQ
Sheree H. – Fresh Start
Susan M. – Sober Cartooners/Sanity in
Sobriety/Wednesday Willingness
Tiffani N. – Wake Up
Tim M. – ESIG Treatment Chair/A Way Up/
Newport Hills Step Study
Todd G. – Juanita Triangle
What does an Intergroup Rep do?
An Intergroup Rep is elected at his/her Home Group and attends the Eastside Intergroup Meeting
on the 1st Thursday of each month from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. You represent your home group at
the monthly meeting and hold a vote for your group.
Because Eastside Intergroup covers five Districts and is a central clearinghouse for local AA activities and information, you become a vital link between the Intergroup office, the Districts, and your
home group. The Intergroup Rep keeps his or her home group informed about work being done,
activities going on, etc. You become a part of the networking between Eastside Intergroup and the
groups.