What is the West Central Intergroup (WCI)?
The West Central Intergroup (WCI) is a group of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) members whose purpose is to provide services to those individuals or groups of individuals in our area (Frederick, Carroll and Upper Montgomery Counties) seeking to recover from the disease of alcoholism through the Twelve Steps of A.A.
The primary purpose of WCI is to carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous and serve the groups in our area by carrying out certain functions common to all groups, and best handled by a central office.
How can I get involved?
There are several ways you can become involved with WCI.
You can represent your home group as its Intergroup Representative at WCI’s monthly Intergroup Council meetings. In this capacity, you link your group to Intergroup, attend the Intergroup Council meetings, participate in discussions, make motions and vote on WCI policy and services. In short, you are part of the decision-making process affecting Intergroup activities, on behalf of your home group.
You can also participate on one of several WCI committees as a member, using your enthusiasm, experience and talent to provide services to our local A.A. community.
WCI Committees and the services they provide:
Office volunteers answer the phones and talk with alcoholics in need of help, sell A.A. literature (Big Books, Twelve and Twelve, etc.), furnish information to callers and visitors about meeting times and provide other information as needed.
The Public Information Committee keeps public facilities stocked with current Open Meeting directories and informational pamphlets published by A.A. World Services; staffs A.A. booths in health fairs and other appropriate community events and provides information/volunteers upon request to schools, businesses, and other organizations interested in learning more about the A.A. approach to recovery from alcoholism.
The Literature Committee maintains the stock and manages the sales of A.A. literature available at the WCI Office. It also makes literature available for sales at WCI events and workshops.
The Corrections and Treatment (C&T) Committee coordinates and brings meetings and A.A. literature to hospitalized and incarcerated alcoholics, and to those attending or living in recovery treatment facilities.
The Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) Committee provides information to those professionals and professional communities who have occasion to deal with alcoholics in a professional capacity.
The Newsletter Committee produces and distributes (in print and electronically) the monthly WCI newsletter “The Winner’s Circle” and writes articles and gathers articles from A.A. members for the newsletter.
The Activities Committee is self-supporting and conducts all social events sponsored by WCI. Its purpose is to identify and develop events to attract and engage A.A. members in fellowship.
The ‘Where and When’ Committee maintains, publishes and distributes an accurate and current standard and ‘Open’ versions of the WCI local area meeting directory.
The Website Committee and Webmaster are responsible for the content, design, and maintenance of the WCI website, www.westcentralaa.org.
The 12th-Step-Call Committee is responsible for training participants as volunteers for 12th-Step-Call List. It keeps a current list of A.A. members who are willing to be available when an alcoholic reaches out for help.
The Outreach Committee maintains a communication link between WCI and local A.A. groups to inform the groups of Intergroup’s function and services, encourages participation in Intergroup activities, and promotes general cooperation between the Intergroup and individual groups. It visits new groups/meetings to welcome them and provides them with information about Intergroup resources that support efforts to carry the A.A. message.
How West Central Intergroup makes decisions
Our operations policy statement as provided by the “WCI Bylaws”
“The A.A. Guidelines and the A.A. Traditions shall be followed in the operation of the West Central Intergroup. Where questions of policy arise that do not appear to be answered in these two sources, the Intergroup Council Steering Committee, in consultation with the Directors, shall obtain an opinion from Area 29 (Maryland General Services, Inc.) and/or the General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous.”
Regular West Central Intergroup Business ‘Council’ Meetings:
are held in person on the third Thursday of every month and the meetings start at 7PM. Check the WCI calendar for the latest meeting details.
“Any A.A. member is welcome to attend Intergroup Council meetings as an observer but only a WCI Representative (or in their absence, their Alternates) may make motions, participate in discussions, or vote.” (WCI Bylaws)
WCI Council Steering Committee Meetings:
are held on the second Thursday of every month and the meetings start at 6PM. Check the WCI calendar for the latest meeting details.
