Minnesota South Area Al‑Anon/Alateen Meeting Information During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the threat of COVID-19, some Al‑Anon and Alateen events have been postponed or cancelled. However, many meetings and a few events have become “virtual”, using conference calls, email, or programs or apps that allow meeting over the internet. This page will try to provide up-to-date information.

If you know of other meetings or events in Minnesota South Area that are postponed, cancelled, suspended or become “virtual”, please notify AIS (Minneapolis Al-Anon/Alateen Information Service) by calling 952-920-3961 or emailing alanon@pobox.com. If your group is becoming virtual and still would like to attract newcomers but don't want full connection information posted on-line, provide AIS with the information, and the schedule will say "Call AIS (952-920-3961) for connection information."

When a group starts to meet face-to-face again, please notify AIS. This page will not change automatically even if an end date was provided at the start of suspension.

Under the Governor’s Stay Safe executive order, face-to-face Al-Anon and Alateen meetings are permitted under restrictions, although recovery groups are encouraged to meet virtually or by telephone. Indoor face-to-face meetings are limited to not more than 10 and participants are required to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing – six feet between members. See this FAQ on the Governor’s Stay Safe order and this FAQ on the face covering requirement. A few groups are meeting out-of-doors, maintaining social distancing.

If your group is suspended or if it has gone “virtual” and it is difficult for you to join, take a look at the WSO page on electronic meetings.

Below is a list of suspended and restarted meetings and a schedule of virtual neetings we know about.

Anonymity and Privacy Issues With On-line Meetings

Everyone should be aware that there are real issues of loss of anonymity and privacy with some of the services enabling on-line meetings. Before you set one up, you should carefully read the terms of use and privacy policy. Some of the most popular virtual meeting solutions state in their privacy policies that they cross reference multiple databases to identify you personally, anyone else in your online meeting, and even any contacts on your device they are able to access.

Although there are privacy and anonymity issues, many Al‑Anon and Alateen groups are conducting on-line meetings. One of the most popular providers is Zoom. We have prepared a Zoom information page which, among other things, suggests specific settings that should be changed to minimize risk to anonymity.

Whatever virtual meeting service is used – Zoom, Skype or some other – it is essential that, every time you log on, you check to see you are using the most recent version of the app or client program required. If not, you should download it only from the official website for the service. For an app on your phone or tablet, download from the Apple App Store (iPhone, iPad) or using Google Play on Android. For Zoom on a PC, Macintosh or Linux, go to zoom.us/download.

Because of well founded privacy concerns with some browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome, you should never partipate in a virtual meeting through a browser. Instead you should use an app or client program installed on your device. Using a special browser “extension” does not mitigate the problem.

Similarly you should never log in to Zoom meetings using Facebook, Google, Twitter or other third party accounts. Doing so breaches your anonymity and perhaps that of others in your meeting

Anonymity can be breached in a way that is easy to overlook – by the “hovering” by others in your household, whether done accidentally or purposefully. If they can see what is on your screen or hear what is being said, the anonymity and privacy of others in the meeting are in danger. Make every effort to shield your screen and sound from others’ eyes and ears.

Another often overlooked threat to anonymity is the smart speaker such as Amazon Echo with Alexa, Google Home with Google Assistant, or Apple HomePod with Siri. They are constantly listening for key words and may record audible voices in the room. All smart speakers should either be put in another room or turned off entirely when a virtual Al‑Anon or Alateen meeting is in progress.

Alano societies and other places multiple groups meet

Here is what we know about Alano Societies and other places multiple Al‑Anon or Alateen groups meet.

Fridley Alano, 6279 University Ave NE, Fridley has re-opened. Most of the Al‑Anon and Alateen groups meeting there have restarted or are meeting virtually.

Hutchinson Alano Club, 1170 Highway 7 W, Hutchinson has re-opened. Some groups meeting there have restarted in person or are meeting virtually.

New Hope Alano, 7550 Bass Lake Rd in New Hope, has re-openend but some Al‑Anon grroups may not yet be meeting or are meeting virtually.

Plymouth II Alano, 610 Hopkins Crossroad in Minnetonka, has reopened. Some of the Al‑Anon groups that meet there have restarted in person, are meeting virtually, or both.

Uptown House, 1344 Summit Ave in Saint Paul, has re-opened with no restrictions for Al‑Anon and AA meetings. Groups wanting to restart should notify the Uptown House steering committee (info@uptowngroupstpaul.com). Some groups are meeting virtually. See below.

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