Leading A Meeting At The Winter Roundup
Leading a meeting at the Winter Roundup is very similar as in a normal Al-Anon meeting, with the exception that the Opening, Steps, Traditions, etc have already been read and do not need to be repeated.
The leader has 50 min. You start at the top of the hour for your breakout session and it ends 50 minutes later. Your room and time slot is pre-assigned and posted beside the door of the room and on the Schedule of Meetings.
Topics are pre-assigned and the leader should be prepared when the meeting starts. The leader takes about 10 -15 min to introduce the topic to the group however they choose. — reading from CAL, giving their own experience with the topic, writing on the chalk board (if one is in that room), issuing handouts, showing illustrations, etc. Then the leader opens up the discussion with instructions how to proceed — in-turn sharing, popcorn style, call upon to talk, etc. Be sure, however, that everyone knows they can pass if they wish not to share. No pressure.
A word about Tradition 3 and Conference Approved Literature or CAL —-
Tradition 3 says, “The relatives of alcoholics, when gathered together for mutual help, may call themselves an Al-Anon Family Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.”
There are many other wonderful causes and pieces of literature in the world that people can and do choose for guidance and help. However, we are not affiliated with any of these other causes. In order for us to follow Tradition 3 and call ourselves an Al-Anon Family Group, we must keep all our topics at the Winter Roundup Al-Anon related using only Al-Anon Conference Approved literature.
Thank you for helping us follow Tradition 3.
Refreshment Coordinator
General Info:
Two Refreshment Coordinators (RCs) will be needed to manage the beverage and food at the Winter Roundup. They should be able to lift/carry 15 pounds with no issues.
Attendees of the Winter Roundup will be provided regular coffee, decaf coffee, tea bags and water throughout the day. Attendees are asked to bring a breakfast or snack item to share with others, if they wish. These refreshments will be set up in the banquet room and will be managed by the RCs.
The kitchen is easily accessible at the back of the banquet room. The church has graciously made available to us coffee, coffee makers, coffee dispensers and paper products for our use. Our Refreshment Coordinators will have access to and manage these supplies making them available on the food tables for our attendees.
Beverages:
The RCs will make regular coffee, decaf coffee and hot water in dispensers and keep them filled on a serving table for all attendees throughout the day. Attendees will dispense their own beverages. Multiple dispensers are needed for regular coffee. This requires filling dispensers many times during the day and carrying full dispensers between the kitchen and the coffee table. Also, tea bags, sugar, sweeteners and creamers need to be available on the coffee table. The RCs keep a check on the dispensers through the entire day. When empty they make fresh coffee to keep a good supply of coffee available at all times on the coffee table.
If/when spills happen on the coffee table the RCs will clean it up with supplies from the kitchen.
In addition to coffee and tea, the Winter Roundup will furnish bottles of water for attendees. These cases of bottled water will be supplied and stored close to the food tables and the RCs will make sure they are accessible to attendees.
Beverages will be needed by attendees throughout the entire day. A cooler will be supplied with ice near the beverage tables.
Snacks/Food:
Attendees to the Roundup will be encouraged to bring a breakfast or snack treat to share with others. The RC will use tables set up for food near the kitchen and ready to receive these items. Paper plates, napkins, serving and eating utensils should be stocked from the kitchen to the food table. Attendees will serve themselves. As boxes/bags of food are emptied, the RC removes the empty box/bag and discards in the trash. If the container is reusable, set the container aside so the owner can come back and pick it up. The RCs will not need to take out the trash — we will have other volunteers specifically assigned that duty.
Food will arrive and be eaten throughout the day.
Service:
The RCs need to come to the Church for the setup activities the Friday before the Winter Roundup. We have access from 12 noon to 7:00 pm on that Friday. This gives them time to learn what coffee making equipment is there and how to use it before the rush the next morning.
On the morning of Winter Roundup, I would like the RCs to arrive and begin their activities at 7:00 am when the doors open. Registration opens at 8:00 am and attendees will immediately be arriving with food and seeking out coffee.
The RCs activities are constant the whole day, but busier in the morning versus afternoon. We will have two RCs, so when one needs a break, the other can keep a closer eye on everything. They won’t be able to leave and go to a breakout session in a different room, but the room they are set up in, which is the banquet room, will also be holding a meeting during every breakout session. So, both RCs will be able to listen and participate if not needed to do something at a refreshment table.
The RCs will need to stay until the end of the day so as to clean up the coffee dispensers and return everything to the way we found it when we arrived. They will not need to take out the trash — we will have other volunteers specifically assigned that duty.
Registrar
Winter Roundup Registration opens at 8:00 am. Registrars need to arrive at 7:30 am to be ready for “early birds”. The Registration table must be occupied by at least 1 Registrar until at least 3:00 pm. Cash box, list of pre-registration names, chart and easel for attendance counting, and markers all must be ready when attendees start arriving.
Once the cash box is on the table someone must be there to keep it safe at all times.
- First registrar will take cash registrations and manage the cash box making change for attendees. They can also take Zelle and Venmo payments. They will then instruct the attendee to make a mark on the attendance chart for a headcount. Name tags and markers will be found on individual tables.
- The second registrar will process on-site credit card registrations and those who pre-registered online. We will have a list of pre-registered names to cross reference and mark the attendees’ arrival. This person can also take Zelle and Venmo payments. They will then instruct the attendee to make a mark on the attendance chart for a headcount. Name tags and markers will be found on individual tables.
The registration table will be set up at the entrance of the large banquet room. The banquet room is used for breakout meetings every session. Therefore, the 2 registrars WILL be able to listen to the meeting leader, discussion and even participate if not needed to process new attendees at that time.
The heaviest hours are early in the day and continuing until about noon. But you will still have new attendees coming in during and after lunch. So, one registrar will have to attend the table during the lunch break and until at least 3:00 pm or until the cash box is taken away by the District Treasurer.
The District Treasurer will stop by the registration desk and remove the cash once or twice during the day. If you do not know who the District Treasurer is, ask the Winter Roundup Coordinator to identify the person for you.
When you take a break, be sure your co-registrar knows you are leaving so they can cover for you.
Silent Auction & Raffle Helpers
Silent Auction Early in the Day:
As soon as Registration is open, four helpers will be given a supply of 2 Silent Auction forms – Basket List Sheet and Basket Bid Sheet. Both forms need to be completed for every basket/item in the Silent Auction. The forms should be brought in by the donating group/person but sometimes, for a variety of reasons, they aren’t. The 4 Silent Auction/Raffle helpers are assigned to stay around the front entrance of the banquet room and watch for people bringing in baskets for the silent auction. The helpers should Intercept these people and ask if their item is for the auction and if they are also bringing the 2 completed forms. If they do have the forms, look over the forms to be sure they are complete and include a list of contents and approximate value and name of the group or person donating. If they don’t have the forms, please give them blank forms and ask the person delivering the basket to please complete the forms right there. Follow them to a table, if necessary, and wait for the forms to be completed. After the forms are completed, thank the person for the donation and take the basket to the Silent Auction table and put it next in line. The Silent Auction Coordinator will look at the value of the basket, determine the opening bid for the basket and the amount of each successive bid for that basket. Then the basket will be assigned a number and put on the table. This activity needs to take place until no additional baskets are coming in. Some baskets, maybe even the best, may be moved over to the Raffle table to encourage greater Raffle ticket sales, if Raffle items are few. The Silent Auction/Raffle Coordinator will make that determination.
Raffle Items Early in the Day:
As soon as Registration is open, the four Silent Auction/Raffle helpers taking Silent Auction baskets (described above) will also watch for people bringing in items for the Raffle. Only one form is needed for Raffle items. If this form has not been completed, the helper should give the doner a form and pen and ask it to be completed before taking the donated item to the Raffle table. Then the Raffle item should be taken to the Raffle table for display. A label identifying the item should be written and attached to a bucket that will sit in front of that Raffle item. The bucket will be for Raffle tickets to go into. This activity needs to take place until no additional raffle items are coming in.
Raffle Tickets Early in the Day:
Four DIFFERENT helpers will be assigned to walk around the banquet room during breaks with a supply of raffle tickets and ask people if they wish to purchase raffle tickets at $1 each. Inform the people that they can place their ticket in the buckets of the items for which they wish to bid upon ….. not for the items they do NOT wish to bid upon. This increases their chances of winning the item they bid upon. Each helper is given an envelope that starts out with 10 $1 bills that can be used to make change. Sell the tickets at $1 each and put the money in the envelope. After an hour or so, bring the money back to the assigned person who will collect and hold the cash. Then get more tickets and go back out to sell more. However, when you go to a meeting or conduct another duty, please secure your envelope by taking it back to the assigned person who will secure the cash. This activity needs to take place during breaks until 1:00 pm when raffle ticket sales end.
Silent Auction and Raffle Helpers Activities Late in the Day
The 4 Silent Auction Helpers and the 4 Raffle Ticket Selling Helpers will participate during the Silent Auction and Raffle drawing announcements at 2:00 pm. They may help with take the payment from the winners and help deliver the items to the winners.
Suggested Ideas for Winter Roundup Raffle Items
For Al-Anon Members to Donate for the Raffle
- Gift card to a spa
- Gift card to a movie theatre
- Gift card to any store or service.
- Paintings, drawings, prints
- Homemade items such as knitting, crocheting, woodworking, pottery
- Do you own your own business? You could donate a service or item from your business to be bid upon.
- You would need to present a certificate of some sort explaining what service/item you are donating, your company or your name, approximate value of the service/item and time frame for using it.
- Do you own a vacation home? You could donate a week-end visit to your home as a vacation to be bid upon. You would need to present a certificate of some sort explaining what you are donating, your name, approximate value of the vacation and time frame for using it.
- Do you have a band? You could donate your band to entertain a party.
- Do you teach music? You could donate a number of sessions for lessons.
- Anything that has value for which you believe others might be willing to buy raffle tickets to win that item.
Al-Anon groups are all asked to create and donate a themed basket of Al-Anon appropriate items to the Winter Roundup to include in the Silent Auction. See suggestions of basket themes on this website. Contact Whitnie C. at 614-499-6067 or at carter.whitnie@gmail.com to let her know what you intend to bring. You will need to complete these two forms and bring with the basket to the Winter Roundup.
Suggested Ideas for Winter Roundup Gift Baskets
For Al-Anon Groups to Donate for the Silent Auction
- Tea – tea ball, tea bag holder, tea bag squeezer, tea infuser, honey ball, small jar of honey, sugar tongs,
sugar cubes, herbal teas, iced tea mix, biscuits, melba toast, jellies/jams, dried fruit, shortbread cookies,
chocolates, citrus scented candle, pretty tea towel. - Coffee – gourmet coffees, Biscotti, Chocolate cappuccino sticks, hot chocolate, chocolates, peppermint,
cookies, mug, flavored creamers, roasted coffee beans covered in chocolate, sweetener, fancy sugars,
jar of honey, tea towel - Pet oriented basket – treats, coat, leash, collar, brush, dog coffee mug.
- Plants/gardening – Farmer’s almanac, seed packets, plants, plant books, small gardening tools,
gardening gloves, knee pads – you could even offer a terrarium. - Spa items – scrubby gloves, bath salts, shower gel, lotions, candles, soaps, cd’s of peaceful music.
- Food – salsa and chips, jars or envelopes of seasonings, chili powder, oregano, taco seasoning, paprika,
garlic flakes or powder, fajita seasoning, cumin, dried chili peppers, jalapenos, hot sauce, cookbooks.
Dessert items are nice finishing touches. Add snack foods such as tortilla chips, corn chips, black bean
dip, cheese sauces. Dry or canned black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans are good
items as they take up a lot of space and make a good foundation to hold smaller items in place. - Breakfast foods – Syrup and pancake mis, egg cups, an egg timer, silicone pancake turner, bagel slicer,
kitchen or tea towels, pot holders, syrup pourer or pitcher, pancake, biscuit, muffin or scone mix; maple
or fruit pancake syrup, honey small jars of jams or preserves; small boxes of cereal, envelopes of
oatmeal, granola bars, gourmet coffee, herbal tea, fruit or spice scented candle. - Soup mixes & crackers, cornbread mix, spices, recipe book.
- Movie – DVD’s, popcorn, sparkling water, jelly beans, anything you love from the concession stand,
tissues, movie passes - General – small books, paperweights, appointment organizers, calendars, deck of cards, candles, photo
of serene scenes, journal. - Good Luck items – There are many good luck symbols such as four leaf clovers, horseshoes, angels,
ladybugs, or hearts. Look for gifts with any of these symbols and include candles, and candy, cookies or
other treats. Look for a paperweight with a meaningful symbol or words. - Angels – any items showing an angel
- Books – reading light, bookmarks, coffee/tea accessories
- Picnic – A cooler packed with all types of outdoor eating supplies
Al-Anon groups and Al-Anon members are asked to donate items of value you wish to contribute for the Raffle at the Winter Roundup. See suggestions on this website. Contact June L. at 617-901-3426 or at ttpasek@gmail.com. You will need to complete one form and bring it with the Raffle item to the Winter Roundup.