Who starts up Al-anon meetings?
 

Since there is no alanon meeting in my town anymore, and the next one is quite a distance, I am wondering about how one would go about getting one started?
I cannot believe that there is no need here in my town. I sure need it.

I have some road anxiety, and the less I have to drive in the evening, the better. Nights are the worst.

Does anyone know about how meetings are started? Do we call someone affiliated with alanon?
thanks,
chicory

I know in our town, someone decided they wanted to start one and then spoke to the local AA club about it and they did it there. If you have a "clubhouse," that might be a good start.

I believe it is started by people or a person who feels the need to begin one for their community, neighborhood, scheduling preference etc.

I could be wrong but I think someone who wants to start one contacts the main al-anon folks to get started. It seems simple enough but I could be wrong with that info. Don't quote me.

I've done of few of them right here through this forum. For me, it was actually better than the "real" meeting downtown.

Kassey would often start them.

You do...
 

http://www.al-anon.org/members/pdf/S...gAlAnonENg.pdf

Take care,

Cyranoak

This is a smallish town. I worry that if I start one, no one will come, for one thing. and then, if only one person comes, and we both have a meeting weekly, how will that be satisfying? I am sure that we would get a bit bored. maybe meet biweekly? and then what if I am alone with a fellow, and feel weird? what if i want to give up, and the other person does not?
I guess you advertise in the local paper , and wait?
If you build it, will they come? My luck, the strange fellow who dominated the other meeting, before it caved in, will come back. I may be a codie, but i have no problem finding an excuse when i want to avoid someone. that does not seem very nice.
has anyone been to a very tiny meeting? do they work?
maybe someone will give me advice at the world service office.

thanks,
chicory

It's probably not a great idea for someone brand new to try to start up an Al-Anon group, single-handedly. It's important to have a good grasp of the program, the Steps, and the Traditions.

My suggestion would be that you contact the groups in the surrounding areas and tell them that you'd like to have a group closer to where you live. There might be someone else from your neck of the woods who has also been traveling and would prefer to have a meeting closer to home, too. You could certainly help get it going, without having all the responsibility right off the bat. There's a lot involved: finding a meeting place (you have to pay at least a token rent), handling the money from the Seventh Tradition, getting supplies like coffee (most groups have coffee or tea or something), buying literature, etc.

Contact your local Intergroup or Information Services and see if you can get contact info for the other local groups.

Thanks (((Lexie))).

I am thoroughly qualified to make the coffee;)

Yep, I would surely not want me guiding the meeting-whew! Talk about blind leading the blind.Was not thinking of the possibility that someone might help out. This town is not a town that you would send your least loved addict to. they would only find more support for their addiction. Guess that may make us prime location for alanon-lol
I would really love it if there was a local meeting. I so need one!
hugs all,
chicory