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Heard in a Meeting: When I finally asked my parents for help to go to rehab…

When I finally asked my parents for help to go to rehab, they said they couldn’t, because I had stolen every cent from their bank account. [Talking about character defects]: A different flavor, but same ice cream shop. All my bottoms had trap doors I kept on falling through. I did not pandemic well. Don’t […]

A Room Full of Sponsors

by Bill M. When your sponsor’s not available to take your call—then what? “Inevitably, there was a day when the wheels came off. I didn’t know up from down, the anxiety was paralyzing, the terror palpable. The relief offered by a few drinks seemed to be the answer. I called David—no answer…” I was probably […]

AA History: Ebby T.

by Dan M. One of the first miracles of AA can be found in the story of Ebby T., before AA had even begun. It was Bill W.’s old friend from boarding school who brought to him the principles of the Oxford Group, which would lead to the development of The Twelve Steps, and it […]

Heard in a Meeting: My friend warned me on the way to the meeting…

My friend warned me on the way to the meeting, “People will be VERY nice.” She was right. I needed to put the ritual in spiritual. If you have a list of reasons why you’re not an alcoholic, you might be an alcoholic. Sponsor to sponsee: Let’s pretend you’re not in charge. Figuring it out […]

A.A. History: Sister Ignatia

by Dan M. This is the first of what we intend to be a regular column on A.A. history. We hope it will appeal to both those who have read deeply in A.A. history and those who are new to it. “She also insisted that there be a coffee bar, not something typical in a […]

Welcome, Linda S., to the Newsletter Team

We welcome Linda S. to the Newsletter Team. Linda joined in February and will be producing the email newsletter and sourcing events. The March issue is her first! She has extensive experience editing and producing newsletters for various groups and has already contributed some good ideas to the Scoop. We very much look forward to […]

Board Nominations

The EBI Board of Directors seeks members interested in service to apply for a Board position for the 2025-2026 term (Jan 2025-Dec 2026). This is a deeply gratifying way to help our community! We seek new members who have experience with accounting, budgets, and technological experience.