Share a thon
save the date
Holiday Share-A-Thon Thursday, Dec 24th @ 3pm
Frequently asked questions
On this page we have provided information and answers to the questions that have often come up
about your Shareathons.
Should you have a question please, email shareathon@queensaa.org.
We will answer your questions without, in any way, identifying you
Table of Contents
Location
Entrance to the big parking lotEntrance to the building
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South-bound side of Farmers Boulevard |  |
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street Address
Christ The King Center
Springfield Gardens, NY 11434
Map & Directions
guidelines
- All share-a-thon meetings are open meetings. Meetings start on the hour and end punctually ten minutes before the hour. Burning desire (last call) is at fifteen minutes before the hour. Please try to keep speakers to this schedule.
- You are responsible for making coffee, replenishing condiments and providing one gallon of milk, or more if needed.
- Seventh tradition is observed after the speaker’s qualification. When the basket is passed please do a “head count” of the room. After the basket is passed please count the collection and put it in the marked envelope. Be sure to write the head count and collection amount on the envelope. Put all completed collection envelopes in the marked box at the front of the room!
- Please try to keep the meeting room and all other areas as clean as possible!
- There is no smoking anywhere in the building!
- Contact person is listed on the sheet at the telephone desk.
- Please. No collect telephone calls.
suggested meeting format
- PLEASE READ:
- “Welcome to the holiday share-a-thon hosted by Queens Intergroup. The Group that meets here has agreed to expand their meetings to help us provide this service during the holiday season” (mention the current schedule of Share-A-Thon meetings, hourly, around the clock etc.).
- (READ PREAMBLE & PRIMARY PURPOSE (BLUE) CARD – OPEN MEETING)
- “The format of the meeting is the speaker will share for about 10 minutes and go to a show of hands. This meeting will end promptly at ten minutes before the hour. We ask your cooperation in quickly exiting the room to keep us on schedule.”
- (PASS AROUND QIAA VOLUNTEER SIGN UP SHEET)
- “We need your help in cleaning up after ourselves when the meeting is over. Dump any liquids in the sink (in the small room in the back) before throwing out your cups. There is no smoking anywhere in this building. Please use the ‘Butt Cans’ when smoking outside beyond the fence.”
- “Thank you for helping us out.” “Have a good meeting and please don’t make it your last!”
- Your cooperation in this will help us keep these Shareathons alive! Please help us to help others! Thank You.
about the lottery
Note that the term Group representative as used here refers to an individual representing their Group for the Shareathon lottery. They need not be their Group’s Intergroup Representative, but they can be as their Group sees fit.
When they arrive the Group representatives are asked to sign in. This helps to assure that the service commitments are going to the Queens Groups and not to outsiders or those having special interests.
Each Group rep is given half a numbered ticket with the other half being placed in a basket.
No record or notation of the numbers is made anywhere. Only the ticket holder knows what number they have.
The timeslots available are then awarded (in order) by a drawing from these tickets
When the numbers are called the group may accept the commitment, which will then be so noted
if the holder of the ticket number called is representing a group that does not want, or cannot take, that slot, nothing needs to be said. Only that group representative knows that their group has declined to accept the time slot being offered
Tickets for which no time slot is awarded are put aside for a “second chance” drawing of the timeslots that have not been covered
Any slots that remain after the second drawing are then offered, on a volunteer basis, to the group representatives. The exemplary spirit of service, shown by the groups here in Queens over the years, assures that all timeslots are usually covered by the end of the day. On occasion, a group will opt to pick up an additional or “extra” timeslot.
Group members may check their commitments on this page.
Other individuals looking to do service may wish to contact the groups that have been awarded commitments and are listed here.
Should you have any additional questions please go to the Frequently Asked Questions Section.
Thanking you in advance,
Queens Intergroup
Thank You
Queens Intergroup wishes to thank you for your support, help and service in making the Shareathons the success that they have always been. Our Chairpersons (past & present) have expressed their gratitude.
2015 Shareathon
QIAA’s Former Chair
Greetings and Happy New Year 2016 from Queens Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous. Hope the year is filled with abundance, good health and many days of sober living. We have an opportunity to live two lives in one lifetime, and that’s quite extraordinary.
I am honored and humbled to serve in the position of QIAA Chairperson. I look forward to participating in exciting events including QIAA 25th Anniversary, which will take place in September, 2016.
To recap, our 2015 Thanksgiving and Holiday Share-a-thons were a great success. There were 78 Thanksgiving Share-a-thon meetings, attended by 1,554 people. Our Holiday Share-a-thon had 266 meetings over the course of 11 ½ days, attended by 4,589 people. Feedback surveys were distributed at the Holiday Share-a-thon, and the majority of responses received were positive, especially as it related to location, and parking.
We encountered some minor glitches which the QIAA Steering Committee solved expeditiously. We will strive to improve communications with groups so that they are informed earlier regarding the importance of group representation at the lottery planning meetings in order to secure a slot at the Share-a-thons.
Please feel free to contact me at QIAA with any questions, or comments. Till then, I look forward to seeing you all on this incredible journey.
Diane S.
Former Chairperson QIAA
2014 Shareathon
Former Chair Jo Ann Mc.
As the Chairperson for Queens Intergroup of AA, I want to start out by thanking each and every member for their support during this year’s Holiday Share-A-Thons. It was a little scary for the steering committee this year because we were afraid that the word would not get out and attendance would be low at the events. Between the Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Years Share-A-Thons there were more than 5,000 members attending the meetings. Thank you for your continued support of Queens Intergroups’ Share-A-Thons. You folks Rock!!
I also want to thank those who completed the Share-A-Thon surveys. Since we had to move the event to the new location, we wanted feedback from the attendees. The surveys were geared toward answering questions regarding the location, the facility (including parking) and ease of travel. Additionally, we requested suggestions for locations we could investigate that may be AA friendly and accommodate future Share-A-Thons.
The survey responses were overwhelmingly positive toward the location and facility. Members traveled from all Boroughs, Long Island, and beyond by publicand private transportation and most indicated traveling was fairly easy. There were some complaints about the restrooms which will be addressed regardless of where the next Share-A-Thon is located. We realize that change is not always easy for us and we were hoping that everyone was satisfied and had a good time. There was a complaint about parking by someone unaware of the rear lot.
There were a few members who suggested other locations and I would like to respond to them. One suggestion was the former Share-A-Thon location. The reason the Share-A-Thon was moved is the new administrator at Our Savior wanted to cut the event short. We would not have had meetings on the three crucial days leading up to and including January 1st 2015. Another location mentioned was the Community House in Forest Hills. From what I hear, it is not a big room and they would never accommodate an event like ours. The location in Astoria is a 20 minute walk from the subway.
Overall, the committee believes we had a successful event and look forward to the next holiday season. Our final thanks to Rodney P., and members of “A FreshWay to Start a Day Group” for allowing us to use their space! Suggestions and comments can be emailed to me at survey@www.queensaa.org.
Jo Ann Mc.
(Former) Chairperson QIAA