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Question 2: Please review our activities as outlined below.
What *more* can the group do to carry the message?

Summary:

As with many of our numbered and then lettered questions, responses came as overall commentory to the main question and/or individual answers to the sub headings.

8 people responded to the main question, with 1 member abstaining because they were new to e-aa. The overall answers reflected a positive response to the question. One member felt we needed online sponsorship and newcomer guidelines.

The responses to the individual activities will follow.

Responses:

  • Pick them up at home.
  • Not much more as far as I can see.
  • Doing a good job already.
  • Honestly - in my opinion and from what I have seen in my short time in AA - this online group does more than any face to face "group" I have attended.
  • I am not in e-aa long enough to answer this, but, I love what it is doing for me
  • I think we have everything covered in what we offer now.
  • I can't say that I have any problem with the way any of these are run.
  • Online sponsorship list with suggestions and guidelines to newcomers to choose sponsor (without prejudice)

Question 2a: Review of email meetings and suggestions for improvements

Summary:

15 replies. The overall answers were mixed. The suggestions were not negative, but were varying. A re-occuring note was the need for structured meetings, accomplished by having topics and a chairperson for each meeting. The high volume of mail and flaming were noted.
Suggestions included a Big Book study, Spanish speaking, men's stag, and Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Transgendered meetings.

Responses:

  • I can't think of a thing!
  • Not sure what folks want out of email meetings. I've gotten what I need but that may be different from other people.
  • NB has been my lifeline. I cannot imagine my life today without it. I cannot think of changes I would make, except to encourage more attention to decorum by the participants
  • For new beginnings.....topics introduced weekly. Keep flaming out of the lists.
  • I think the NB meeting needs more structure, it seems to get a lot of chit chat between people, but it is not really like a meeting. I think some moderation is needed. Or maybe we need a new meeting topic/discussion, maybe with weekly topics presented.
  • Have secretaries or chairpeople for the meetings.
  • I think there should be a secretary at every meeting to keep it on topic.
  • One of them gets a bit to chatty for me now and then, but I can come and go, so that's not a complaint. I would like to see AA and group information posted regularly to each email meeting. I think that the idea of having a secretary for each meeting is a something we should discuss.
  • Great concept, but: long silences from lack of participation, or off-topic postings (flame wars in particular) detract from message of recovery. A secretary for each meeting would be ideal.
  • I believe we can keep adding "specialty group" meetings such as Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Transgender," "Mens Stag Meetings" and "Spanish Speaking."
  • Add a Big Book study.
  • Email meetings aren't very focused. We spend a lot of time in complaints and chastisement. If sober members would spend more time posting what each meeting lacked, instead of all the time and effort pointing out the flaws, each meeting would be more focused on AA. The members list has been sort of drifting for quite some time, we are very disorganized. We need to follow the agenda more closely.
  • I only receive the members group email. Too many emails for me to process if I joined the others. Even with members meetings there is too much email when members send a reply to all to offer a personal note to someone.
  • I think when an email meeting starts reaching higher volumes it starts to lose some of its attraction.
  • Have less of them?

Question 2b: Chat meetings

Summary:

11 replies. The overall answers resulted in a positive response to the question.

Suggestions included: standardizing meeting times, fewer closed meetings, more closed meetings. A comment was noted about teaching cut and paste. Many responses noted the need for more secretaries to chair the meetings. Attendance by members to help the newcomer. It was felt many newcomers come from that format. And, some members have never been to a chat meeting.

Carrie and Dennis and the rest of the "crew" were complimented.

Responses:

  • Love them. Not as effective for me as f2f meetings, but a wonderful second best. And, can attend every day if I want to. I get a lot to think about from these meetings. The meeting repeats itself in my head sometimes throughout the next day. I also find that chairing a group makes me come better prepared to the meeting, and having read and thought about the text beforehand gives me greater insight into myself and the AA path. I get a lot out of these meetings.
  • These have come a long way. Carrie and Dennis, the past and present chat coordinators, respectively, are both great assets to the group. The current crew of "sysops" and greeters and regulars also deserve a lot of credit for staying on top of things. Things can get out of hand so quickly in chat rooms. Thanks to you all!
  • The chat meetings I've attended were great - it's been awhile because of my schedule, but I've always liked the meetings.
  • I think the chat room meetings are going great. We need more people to help in leading those meetings. The meetings have been well attended.
  • Chat meetings work very well in my opinion, especially for those of us who have no other access to AA in English. We need to inspire more chat room involvement to keeping meetings running, i.e. encourage those who can to perform secretary function, and teach those who are interested how to cut and paste.
  • The meetings themselves go good, very focused. We need to train more meeting leaders so that there is more consistent coverage of the meetings. Our admins have been picking up on this and providing gentle encouragement. The cut and paste bit is tedious. There must be a better way to have a book study on line! We need more closed meetings!
  • More secretaries.
  • There could always be more of a presence from the members there, I think that is where the newcomer most often enters the website looking for help.
  • Fewer "closed" meetings.
  • I think we need to standardize meeting times. I am secretary for a 9pm edt meeting and frequently people show up at 10 because that's what they're used to doing in most of the other meetings.
  • I have no experience in the chat rooms.

Question 2c: Chat rooms

Summary:

12 replies, with one abstention. The majority of the comments noted approval. It was felt that the room needed more help, but people felt safe there. Responses noted issues with screen names and a club atmosphere. Some members wished their answers to 2b (Chat meetings) to be used for this question also.

Responses:

  • Love them. I logged in here where I was about five or six days sober. I am an e-AA baby and am growing up in AA through e-AA and local meetings. There was many an evening during the first couple of months that I spent hours on line knowing that I was safe there. I was in contact with other sober alcoholics. I owe much of my sobriety to the e-AA chatroom as this chatroom gave me the chance to interact with others as well as gave me a safe haven.
  • Usually some one there. The chat people have done real good to help keep it a safe place.
  • These have come a long way. Carrie and Dennis, the past and present chat coordinators, respectively, are both great assets to the group. The current crew of "sysops" and greeters and regulars also deserve a lot of credit for staying on top of things. Things can get out of hand so quickly in chat rooms. Thanks to you all!
  • Going very well now with the monitoring and the word-of-mouth. Lots of good 12 step work available there, fellowship and a place to link with other members over different e-AA issues as they come up. I see a danger in that various chat room participants consider themselves "members" of the chat room as such, but have no interest in participating in e-AA.
  • 2 big problems I see. 1) We have lots and lots of newcomers come through the chat rooms. The vast majority of these people are not willing to go to a face to face meeting, never mind the any length thing.:-) Which is ok, I understand. The trouble comes when they start sharing the AA program. Sober members need to do a better job of talking about AA and debunking things. 2) The chat program is old.
  • More volunteers.
  • There could always be more of a presence from the members there, I think that is where the newcomer most often enters the website looking for help.
  • Wish there were someone to explain to newcomers how the different chat functions work. No one seems to read them:) Is this a greeter issue?
  • Use of "screen names" should be discouraged. At registration, use of first name should be recommended.
  • These can turn e-AA into a club.
  • Dunno!

Question 2d: Discussion forums

Summary:

13 replies, both positive and stating lack of participation. Len and other moderators praised. Members suggested more help and more participation from the membership, with some worriesabout posting of copyrighted material. Suggestions included: an open all topics forum, and Spanish speaking forum.

Responses:

  • The forums have changed significantly over the past year. They've changed from being an information-oriented venue to a more meeting-and-fellowship-oriented venue. I don't think one is better than the other. It's a matter of personal preference and interests. An important thing I hope we stay on top of is being very, very careful with our posting of copyrighted material. Thanks, Len and all the moderators!
  • The forums are good - really, you can provide the space, suggest some topic areas, and get the word out - but you cannot make people post!
  • More participation could be encouraged rather than promoting the email or chat facilities. But I guess people end up where they're comfortable being.
  • Working well. The level of participation seems to vary.
  • More volunteers
  • Fine as is
  • I believe additional Forums should evolve as we recognize opportunities...such as: Spanish/Espanol (we have several e-aa members who speak/write Spanish well and could moderate)...many English speaking folks have Spanish as a first language and may participate more enthusiastically and comfortably in a Spanish Forum.
  • Open a new "open" all topics welcome forum.
  • I have only visited the forums infrequently. I prefer the immediacy of the e-mail meetings. I haven't developed a habit of checking out the forums, but I will make an effort to do that.
  • I seldom go there. There sure is a lot of copyrighted stuff posted there, I hope that we don't get someone mad and get sued.
  • Rarely go there. No useful comment to offer.
  • Don't know. Haven't visited enough yet. Have seen some interesting stuff being discussed though. Seems to have a more reasonable tone than the e-lists.
  • I can't get interested in this format!! Sorry!

Question 2e: 12th step list

Summary:

12 replies, very positive, with a number of suggestions including bringing up chairperson idea again, reviewing list of participants, a way to alert other lists when a help request comes through, working with Al-Anon, getting updates on requestors, and more involvement by members.

Responses:

  • I think this is a great service, and I have learned so much by being on it and reading the replies of those who have more experience in AA than I do. I am grateful to be on the list. I try to reply to those messages which provoke some thought in me that I think will be helpful, or to those messages that I see to which I have seen limited response.
  • One of the best things this group does.
  • It's pretty good !
  • Fine as is
  • Possibly the most important piece of any AA group.
  • Need to resurrect the idea of a chair person. Most e-aa members who expressed an opinion were in favour of this in principle.
  • This group is great. Recently JimV came to the NB list looking for a woman because there was one on helpnow who wanted to talk to an alcoholic *right now* It would be good to have an automated message that we could use for that, then it could go to all the lists in case no one was talking on NB
  • Hey! I'm on this list. It's a great list. I want more people to join us there. Imagine the benefit to the newcomer when he or she writes to us and we write back with multiple messages of hope, often in a matter of minutes or hours. I think we can do better with keeping the list cleaned up. I think we need roll calls. I think it's okay to unsubscribe people who aren't there to actually do 12th Step work.
  • Great way to reach out. Wish we could pare down listmembers to those who have responded in last, say, 2 months.
  • Helpnow is especially well done I believe. I sometimes wonder if the "help requesters" are authentic but there is not much to do about that!
  • Perhaps we could report back on successes/outcomes. We often answer, answer, answer and never know what happens. Also, we might identify an Al-Anon group online and pal up with it as a number of our help requests are actually Al-Anon people.
  • We need more workers.

Question 2f: Member photo gallery

Summary:

13 replies, overall positive. One member suggested we post members profiles. One member would like audio linked to the stories. Very cool. Thanks, Ketra!

Responses:

  • Wonderful addition to our fellowship and creates a further opportunity for us to "know" one another as friends and firm up the bond of unity, recovery, service.
  • Really Great
  • Excellent
  • Fine as is
  • Very cool. Thanks, Ketra!
  • Totally fun, nice to see people
  • I like this feature and like putting faces to the names.
  • Let's have less arguing about "anonymity" and more talk about recovery, however this is achieved. What is its purpose in accordance with Tradition 5 if it must effectively be kept secret?
  • Don't know what it has to do with our purpose but it's a feelgood to be able to see each other.
  • I'm not interested in participating here! But enjoyed seeing Jenny's picture :)
  • Would prefer that this not exist. I think it is a bit dangerous on an Internet setting even if it is pass worded. But, many members seem to use it to post pictures of their pets, so okay.
  • Call this Members Profiles and include some basic member information. Photo optional.
  • Add links to Our Stories or audio files?

Question 2g: Newsletter

Summary:

11 replies, resulting in 14 answers. The replies were all very positive. One member felt that it should be posted before hand for comments and corrections. The editor welcomes suggestions. One member asked where it gets sent to other than the members' list. There was a question about formatting when it arrives to the members' list, and a question about procedure of contributions posted first to members' and then being included in newsletter which is also posted to members'.

Responses:

  • Good recapture of the monthly events. I've never seen it anywhere but Members' list. Does it show up somewhere else?
  • Really Great
  • Excellent
  • fine as is
  • I'd like to see a copy of the newsletter posted to the members list before it gets mailed out and there be a day for comments and corrections. That's just a request. I wouldn't want to see a group motion requiring our newsletter editor to do such a thing.
  • Informative and interesting
  • Very nice indeed. I'm confused about why all the different contributors post to members, and then the whole thing compiled is also posted to members.
  • I'm Newsletter Editor...I've been thinking recently we need to have more "regular news" from all the "lists" as well as Trusted Servant reports! Maybe blurbs about e-mail lists would encourage folks to participate at the lists...blurbs like BREAKING e-AA NEWS topics! I welcome more ideas on how to "pep up" the newsletter.
  • Useful.
  • No changes needed.
  • For some reason, the copy I get through the members list here always has funny formatting and punctuation in it? This is a software glitch of some sort it appears? Is it my mail reader, or is it the newsletter program? The newsletter itself is interesting and informative.

Question 2h: Links directory

Summary:

8 replies. Very positive response. Dave B. complimented :).

Responses:

  • Gosh-well set up, excellent guide through our pages, can't think of any possible improvements.
  • Still one of the best.
  • Excellent.
  • Seems fine as is.
  • This is one of the things we do that is noticeably important to AA as awhole. For those who are newer to the group, you may not know that ours was the first comprehensive AA links directory on the web, for English-language sites. (There was one that was fairly comprehensive but included only the United States and Canada.) I hope we will continue to support this thing. Thanks, Dave!
  • Super helpful - it always comes up when I'm doing a search for something about AA!
  • A great asset. Usually have found what I needed there when searching for meetings.
  • DaveB does a excellent job as links coordinator. I would like to suggest the "links coordinator" automatically become moderator of the worldwide "Trudgers" e-AA Forum...the coordinator could highlight/feature various links one-a-month at the Forum and enocourage comment and participation and AWARENESS of the AA worldwide network of meetings.

Question 2i: Our Stories

Summary:

11 replies, all very positive, with multiple requests for more stories as well as invitations from stories committee members to those who haven't yet to write theirs. Improvements suggested were: categories, updates and search capabilities.

Responses:

  • Love the stories section -- helps newcomers to relate to those in recovery and it's nice to read our fellows' stories
  • A wonderful part of our web site. I'm a great fan.
  • Excellent. The "Our Stories" are like stories from the back of the BIG BOOK...where's yours ANN? Send your story to words@e-aa.org if you would like to tell us more about you and your sobriety...OUR STORIES is one of the MOST exciting venues because it allows PRIVACY...a visitor arrives drunk/sober/inbetween and READS stories that perhaps they will identify with...who knows what impact/influence they have on the eventual sobriety of our guest...identifying one alcoholic with another is a very important dynamic of AA and recovery.
  • Some great stories there!
  • Seem fine as is.
  • Writing mine was a great experience. I wonder if we could ask people who have contributed their stories to update them from time to time, or add to them; sort of a "where are they now" kind of thing.
  • I'd like to see more stories. Of course, being on the committee, I could probably do more to attract more stories! Also, I'd like to see the development of topic categories. For example, we could have a story that focused on someone's experience in doing a specific step, or related to a specific tradition, or "coming to believe." Etc. At some point, I think it would also be a nice touch to add search capabilities specific to the stories.
  • Need some new ones.
  • We could use some more.
  • More stories.
  • Sometimes read them, but I would rather spend my time online talking to real people in the chatroom.

Question 2j: Misc (postcards, tell a friend, polls, random quote,search)

Summary:

8 replies. The replies will stand on their own.

Responses:

  • Excellent.
  • I believe the all participation and activity generated at our e-AA site is important...the momvement and enthusisam of our spirit of/in recovery matters...it's a force that prostpects can feel...plus, WE FEEL that spirit of well being with goodwishes for all.
  • Seem fine as is.
  • Never use most of this.
  • Nice, but seldom used?
  • I no longer care about these, one way or the other.
  • I have not taken advantage of these enough to have an opinion- sorry!
  • I can take'em or leave'em.

Question 2k: Web site content

Summary:

12 replies, mainly positive, with suggestions for a site tour, a more visible link to Our Stories, simplification and a note regarding the existence of dead links.

Responses:

  • The web site is well designed, easy to navigate, and is chock-full of serious and fun stuff. If I was newly recovering, or even just thinking about getting help, I think that the e-AA web site would draw me back time and again.
  • It got me to stay and sign up on NB!
  • Fine by me.
  • I don't think it's a good idea to fancy up the graphics or anything like that. It's simple and fine as it is. Can't think of any possible improvements.
  • Good.
  • I love our comprehensive Website content...I believe the Our Stories Section should even be portrayed in a more important way so people/prospects for sobriety SEE the "Our STories" tab easier.
  • Overall, it's good, as far as it goes. I think we could do more to help new people, either new to AA or new to AA online, get started. Some sort of orientation page or pages that say do this then that then this other thing. Rather than essentially requiring everyone to read everything to understand the options. We talked a long time ago about perhaps doing a " site tour." Something like that.
  • I couldn't find the links to set myself to nomail. The site perhaps needs a revamp, although the overall appearance is very good.
  • Good, a little staid for my taste, but then again we are hoping to attract not promote.
  • Simplify, always simplify.
  • Some pages are out of date and have dead links.
  • Hmmm ...Not sure
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