Dear Members of our Community ~

When we build a house, we use tools. When we plant a garden, we also use tools. If we cook a meal, there are kitchen tools we use. And when we work a recovery program we use tools. There are many tools ... but one of the most important by far is Sponsorship. When The Recovery Group started the TRG Sponsor Program, the goal then and is now to see that everyone working the 12 Step Program had a sponsor. You may ask ... "What IS a Sponsor and how do I get one?" Sponsors are Recovery Group members who are living the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions in their daily lives who are willing to share recovery with other members of our Fellowship and are committed to abstinence.

There are a number of different ways to get a Sponsor. Here are some of them and we have put them in a reasonable order.

1. Attend a face-to-face meeting of OA and find someone who has what you want.

2. Join a TRG support loop and read the shares. As you find yourself looking forward to the shares of certain members, write him/her privately and establish a dialogue. It may be that you have found a match for a sponsor.

3. After you have been on a home loop for a while, write the loop and let them know you are seeking a sponsor and let the members know what kind of sponsor you're looking for and what kind of sponsee you'll be. You will receive replies and you may find your sponsor among them.

4. The Recovery Sponsor Coordinators regularly send out the Sponsor Directory to all members of the Recovery Group. Look it over and write several and see if there's a match. There may be.

5. Write to the Sponsor Coordinators at:
Sponsors@TheRecoveryGroup.org
and request a copy of the Directory and Biographies. Be sure that you let them know which home loop you're a member of. After you have had a chance to review the members of the directory and their biographies, write several and begin sharing back and forth with them.

6. Attend online meetings on IRC in #Recovery and meet other compulsive eaters in real time. Perhaps you will meet your sponsor there.

7. Write:
RecoverySponsors@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org and let them know you are seeking a sponsor. This is a restricted list and no one is on it except those TRG members who are actively taking sponsees. By sending a letter telling about your TRG loop membership and a little bit about yourself and your needs, you may receive several replies from sponsors and choose from among them.

8. Join WTS and begin working the 12-Steps-in-Step-Weeks Step Study. These studies begin on the first day of January, April, July and October. Our sponsors are very familiar with this program and will be happy to work with you on it. Please write Sponsors@TheRecoveryGroup.org for a directory and biographies.

9. If someone is seriously interested in getting a sponsor, one of the above ways will result in that. And even after that is done and you and your sponsor are developing this important relationship, The Recovery Group has a loop called Sponsor-Sponsee-Talk available to discuss sponsor/sponsee issues. It may be that a Sponsor is having difficulty with a sponsee and needs to share anonymously about that with others. Receiving input representing the viewpoints of both sponsors and sponsees can help resolve issues. The same is true with a sponsee. Perhaps they need to ask a question about something their sponsor is doing and need to get the input from others. Sponsor- Sponsee-Talk is the place to do that. To maintain anonymity, please do not use personal names of either sponsors or sponsees. To join this special loop for sponsors, please send a blank email to: Sponsor-Sponsee-Talk-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org

10. Bookmark this page:
www.TheRecoveryGroup.org/sponsors.html

Good luck in finding your sponsor. It will be one of the most important things you will ever do for yourself ... and for your recovery.

In service to all,

The Recovery Group Sponsor Program Trusted Servants
www.TheRecoveryGroup.org
www.TheRecoveryGroup.org/sponsors.html
Sponsors@TheRecoveryGroup.org

TRG SPONSOR RESOURCES

The Recovery Group
The Recovery Sponsor Program
Recovery Sponsors Support Group
Recovery Sponsors Directory
Recovery Sponsors Biographies
Sponsor-Sponsees Talk Group
Sponsor Coordinators
TRG Loop Sponsor Directories
Recovery Sponsors

CONTACT:

Sponsors@TheRecoveryGroup.org

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