Group Report For Online Freedom Recovery and Online Only Requirment Beginner – Dec 2024
IGR report for the OIAA (December 2024)
Online Freedom Recovery/Online Only Requirement Beginner
- Sometimes I don’t see the forest for the trees, or I’m trying to boil the ocean. That seems to happen when I find myself taking stock of my service work.
- Since I stepped up as IGR for the OIAA, I’ve realized that I’ve missed a responsibility as IGR for the OIAA. I admit have not written a report to post to the OIAA website.
- This report dates back to April 2023 when I first contacted the OIAA to find a committee to join, register my group and step up as an IGR for my group.
- My group, Freedom Recovery, was founded in 2019.
- We’re located in a corner of Area 83 Eastern Ontario, Canada. We are near the border of two other AA areas (85, 86).
- We support an online and in-person meeting and an online and in-person newcomer service meeting – the Only Requirement Beginner meeting.
My Report
- Online Freedom Recovery and Online Only Requirement Beginner meetings were registered in June 2023 with the OIAA.
- I stepped up as IGR for the OIAA and continue to hold that position. My group typically meets bi-monthly for our business discussions in a hybrid meeting (online and on a smartphone in-person).
- We are connected to the Fellowship in our monthly district meetings online (D02 – Malton) through our GSR.
- Our members take on service work chairing committees in our district and volunteering for and attending district and GTA Intergroup events.
- Our group supports a weekly newcomer meeting that is online and in-person in co-operation with all the AA groups in the city of Brampton and surrounding area.
- We have weekly online meetings at 7pm on Mondays and Wednesday (co-ed Big Book Study). Thursday (Women’s Meditation and Big Book Study) and a service meeting Friday for newcomers, the Only Requirement Beginner meeting.
- The Thursday meeting is invitation only at this time and not yet registered.
In the summer of 2024, I took a snapshot of our typical meetings.
- I’ve been showing up early for Online Freedom Recovery and Online Only Requirement Beginner meetings and greeting those who show up early.
- The purpose is to greet everyone as they come in before the room starts to fill up.
- Those who are familiar with our meetings know there is a 5 minute grace period (we start at 7:05). The ten minutes before the meeting is when the other greeters show up and we get ready for the start of the meeting.
- I do miss some people who show up in those last 5-10 minutes as we do not sit quietly, we engage with each other.
- Many who show up the first time share that this is different than other online AA meetings.
- Some are disrupters and we should express our gratitude for members who take on a Greeter service responsibility: Chelsea for Claiming Tech Host or being a Tech Co-Host and Renee for being a Tech Co-Host.
- Some are garden variety recovered drunks like us in another group looking for an online meeting because there is a new barrier that has come into their lives.
- Some are visiting us in their first AA meeting.
- Many are from another group and just looking to go to a different meeting.
- Some are calling in from a Recovery or Treatment facility as a group of newcomers.
- Some just prefer online meetings or some have to go to online meetings only.
- On average, we have 10-20 members join every meeting. We have core members who show up and support our meeting with chairing and greeter service positions.
Randy C. 1-647-720-0103
