[Businessmtg] Newcomer packet contents and my view

[ASP Secretary]

I wanted people to know exactly what piece of literature we were talking
about. This is the K-10 item.

Having stuffed a few thousand of these newcomer packets at WSO, I am
familiar with the literature that goes into them. This is what the latest
version contains (according to the website)

   - So you love an alcoholic (P-14)
   - What Do YOU Do about the Alcoholic's Drinking? (P-19)
   - Understanding Ourselves & Alcoholism (P-48)
   - Al-Anon Spoken Here (P-53)
   - Alateens Share with Adults in Their Lives (P-67)
   - Information for the Newcomer (S-4)
   - Just for Today, Al-Anon Bookmark (M-12)
   - Sponsorship Bookmark (M-78)

This is all under copyright and cannot be scanned and posted, nor would we
be given permission to do so. There is no electronic equivalent.

This packet is available through all literature distribution centers and
from the WSO. Most groups that I have been to have a supply on hand for
newcomers.

However, going out to the website, I am seeing that K-10 is no longer put
in a sleeve, but rather a booklet format and the cost is no longer $1 per
packet. So we will have to take that into account as well when deciding
because the cost is significantly higher ($1.40) from the previous version.

I received a newcomer packet both times I started Al-anon. I probably got
one in Alateen too, but that is lost in the dim reaches of history. Neither
time I read anything in that packet, other than the Just For Today
bookmark. I was in too much pain and confusion to read any of the rest of
it. And no, I never went back to read it when the fog cleared.

Now, my opinion (and yes I am allowed to give it, even though I am chairing
this meeting). I feel that the usefulness of the paper-based newcomer
packet is limited in our particular meeting format. While it might give a
newcomer a lifeline in a F2F meeting, the time gap between newcomer and
receiving a packet here removes that possible benefit. I think it was a
good experiment, but shouldn't be continued in ASP.

Laura M