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| Alcoholics Anonymous in Southern Wisconsin | ||
Alcoholic’s Anonymous - Area 75
9:00 a.m. Sunday, April 9, 2006
Pre-Conference Assembly Meeting
Madison Senior Center
Madison, WI
AGENDA PLANNING MEETING
OFFICERS PRESENT: Howard P, Area Chairperson; Monica M, Alternate Chairperson; Nancy G, Delegate; Robert S, Alternate Delegate; John B, Secretary; Kathy W, Alternate Secretary; Nancy H, Treasurer
STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS PRESENT: Nancy S, Archivist; Terry R, Archives; Ken Y, Bridging the Gap (BTG); Paul H, Corrections; Stu E, Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC); George P, Public Information (PI); Marion B, Treatment; Cindy H, Conference Advisory Committee
Excused: Jo Mc, Grapevine; Michael N, Special Needs
DCM’s PRESENT: D1-John N; D2-Susan J; D3-Jim K; D6-JimMc; D8-Darryl S; D9-Apryl B; D11-John W; D12-Annette D; D13-Chris C; D15-Greg H; D16-Randy R; D17-Carol Mc; D19-Libby K; D20-Dan K; D22-Matt Z; D23-Darrel S; D25-Mark C; D27-Marty S (Alt); D28-Ken N; D32-Chris E, Bill S (Alt); D34-Todd U; D36-Dennis L
GSR’s & DISTRICT COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS PRESENT: D1- Al B, Dewey C; D2-Don G; D3-Tony B, Deb T, Marvin S; D6-Fred K, Liz Y; D7-Michael R; D8-Sheri P, Ken W; D11–Ric, C, Don K; D12-KatieG, Mike G; D13- Kevin T, Donna F, Cheri C, Rich F; D17-Dale K, James R, Mary S; D20-Jeremy S, Debra B, Kathy W (Alt); D22-Carl H, Brian W; D23-Candy P, Dan K; D24-JD O; D25-Brian A, Jon W; D27-Marty S; D29-Kurt V, Rick B, Beth S, Bill E, Dennis D; D32-Mike A, PJ E, Don D, Darwin M (Alt), Alex G; D34-Bebecca B, Lee Ann U, Rick D, Teri S, Drew A, Sharon B
OTHERS PRESENT: Past Delegates (Area 75)-John B(31), Joan J(43), Bill A(45), Leo M(51); Past Delegate (Area 74)-John C(48); Spring 2006 Chair-David F; Bill A; Fall 2007 Chair-Michael S; Kevin V; 2006 Unity Co-Chair-Barb W; Fall 2006 Chair-Wanda F
Howard opened the microphone to the floor in remembrance of Dave Larson a long-standing member of the AA community who passed away on Friday, April 7th 2006.
Howard P, Area Chairperson, opened the meeting with a moment of silence, followed by…
The Serenity Prayer.
Robert S, Alternate Delegate/Literature Chair, read the Twelve Concepts.
John B, Area Secretary, took Roll Call.
Secretary’s Report - John B reviewed the minutes from the Agenda Planning Meeting, which were subsequently approved unanimously. John stated that the area minutes were available to anyone who wished to receive them and asked that he be given a valid email or post office address. John also stated that the area minutes were available on the area website normally within a few days of publishing at www.area75.org. John also asked for the chairperson’s information for the upcoming conferences, so it could be included in the area directory.
Treasurer’s Report – Nancy H
Area 75 Pre-Conference Assembly
April 9, 2006
Area 75 Treasurer’s Report
Copies of the March 31, 2006 Balance Sheet, Budget Report and the Income Statement - Current to Prior Year Actuals are available today plus the reports have been sent to the Area Secretary for inclusion with the minutes.
We have had steady contributions from groups with checks received weekly. I want to thank those groups using the contribution form (copies available here and on the area web site) and especially those that include their GSO group number as it makes my job easier. I have copies of the contributions by group report available here for review and will have updated reports available at each assembly. The report is for contributions received by me since taking over the Treasurer’s position in January. No report is available for last year.
Since taking over the Treasurer’s position in January I have:
Had the bank link our 3 accounts together to avoid service charges if the minimum balance is not met on the checking account
Ordered and received needed checks for our main checking account and an endorsement stamp for the Count On Us/Rainbow Fund account. These items comprise the $144.50 bank charges on the Income Statement.
Reconciled all accounts. Current through March 31, 2006.
Added the Count On Us and Rainbow Fund accounts to the computer system so that the funds are included on financial reports showing contributions and disbursements. Contributions for this year will appear higher as the end of year balance for each account was entered as a deposit in January.
Deposited all contributions on a regular basis. Contributions received this past Thursday will be deposited this week ($1220.79 Area and $50.00 Rainbow). Acknowledgements have been sent whenever possible except when specified that none was requested.
The finance committee held a meeting on March 11, 2006. Discussion was held on Audit of the Books. An audit needs to be done however supporting expense statements for some checks is missing. The previous Treasurer has been asked for the missing items several times but has been unable to provide the missing documentation. We discussed a possible proposal to have the past treasurer on the Finance Committee audit the books and then have two other past Treasurers sign off. Another possible proposal is to amend the Finance Committee structure to have the Alternate Treasurer be a designated member of the committee and also to change the wording of the committee membership from current Area Committee members to Current or Past Area Committee members.
The committee discussed how updates to budgets during the year should be handled. It was decided updates should be brought up during my report. We have two updates that need to be made to the budget approved at the January assembly.
When we added the Rent for the Archives room to the Archives budget one month did not get included in the total. Rental for the year is $1200. Addition of the missing $100 increased the archives total to $4040.00.
The Alt. Secretary submitted a revised budget, which totals $474.87. This amount is less than the prior years budget and therefore does not require approval by the assembly.
The committee reviewed various Treasurers’ position procedures to ensure requirements in the Assembly Actions are being met. A requirement for two signatures on checks is in the assembly actions yet that has not been followed for several years. I was instructed by the committee to follow the two-signature requirement until it is either changed by future assembly action or we find a prior assembly action that didn’t make it into the binder. Nancy S. looked through proposals through 1997 and did not find any proposals that changed this requirement. All area officers and committee chairs were notified of this change as it means only issuing checks 6 times a year when the assembly meets.
The finance committee will be holding its next meeting in LaCrosse on May 6th.
There were two outstanding checks that are no longer valid as the 60-day limit has been passed. I spoke to Cathy W. and she said she had all expenses she had coming and I should void the check payable to her. The other check was payable to Conference Treasurer but there is no information on the duplicate check indicating what Conference and no supporting documentation. This check will be voided and any conference missing their seed money will need to contact me.
On the Income Statement the $17.01 Other Income was for Archive Room Contributions received. The $170.74 Conference Loss is from the 2005 Fall Conference. A problem occurred when the Marriott billed one of the Speakers for her room instead of putting it on the Master Account. The Speaker did not discover this until after the Conference Checking Account was closed. In addition $39.00 was received for 3 registrations. Somehow the check was misdirected and was eventually sent to the Area PMB.
The treasurer is to receive the mileage reimbursement used by GSO from the Delegate each year. Nancy G. has sent me the information and this year the rate is 36.5 cents per mile.
Submitted by: Nancy H, Area 75 Treasurer
Balance Sheet
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ASSETS |
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Current Assets |
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Cash in Checking-M&I |
1,637.80 |
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Prudent Reserve-M&I |
4,000.00 |
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Cash-Count On Us |
1,299.88 |
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Cash - Rainbow Can |
1,199.53 |
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A/R-Conference Seed Money |
1,500.00 |
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Equipment |
1,467.37 |
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Total Current Assets |
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11,104.58 |
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Total Assets |
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11,104.58 |
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LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL |
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Current Liabilities |
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Total Current Liabilities |
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0.00 |
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Total Liabilities |
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0.00 |
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Capital |
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Retained Earnings |
8,853.88 |
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Net Income |
2,250.70 |
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Total Capital |
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11,104.58 |
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Total Liabilities & Capital |
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11,104.58 |
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Budget vs. Actual
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Office/Committee |
2006 Budget YTD |
2006 Actual YTD |
2006 Total Budget |
2006 Variance YTD |
% |
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Overhead |
$994.50 |
$1,195.24 |
$2,958.00 |
1,762.76 |
59.59% |
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Delegate |
$1,874.00 |
$1,593.92 |
$3,064.00 |
1,470.08 |
47.98% |
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Alt. Delegate/Lit. |
$381.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,318.00 |
1,318.00 |
100.00% |
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Chair |
$277.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,538.28 |
1,538.28 |
100.00% |
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Secretary |
$215.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,615.00 |
1,615.00 |
100.00% |
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Treasurer |
$268.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,442.00 |
1,442.00 |
100.00% |
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BTG |
$500.00 |
$579.99 |
$2,836.28 |
2,256.29 |
79.55% |
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CPC |
$551.00 |
$333.17 |
$2,064.00 |
1,730.83 |
83.86% |
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Corrections |
$180.00 |
$711.23 |
$870.00 |
158.77 |
18.25% |
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Grapevine |
$330.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,766.00 |
1,766.00 |
100.00% |
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Public Info. |
$230.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,393.00 |
1,393.00 |
100.00% |
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Treatment |
$165.00 |
$0.00 |
$890.00 |
890.00 |
100.00% |
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Spcl. Needs |
$190.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,519.00 |
1,519.00 |
100.00% |
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Archives |
$910.00 |
$1,589.22 |
$4,040.00 |
2,450.78 |
60.66% |
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Alt. Chair |
$135.00 |
$38.66 |
$405.00 |
366.34 |
90.45% |
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Alt. Secretary |
$12.00 |
$44.66 |
$474.87 |
430.21 |
90.60% |
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Alt. Treasurer |
$80.00 |
$0.00 |
$481.00 |
481.00 |
100.00% |
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TOTAL |
$7,292.50 |
$6,086.09 |
$28,674.43 |
22,588.34 |
78.78% |
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2005 vs. 2006
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Current This Year |
Current Last Year |
Year to Date This Year |
Year to Date Last Year |
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Revenues |
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Group Donations |
821.68 |
3,678.69 |
5,170.79 |
3,678.69 |
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Group Donations - Rainbow |
110.00 |
0.00 |
1,849.11 |
0.00 |
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Group Donations - Count On Us |
36.00 |
0.00 |
1,299.88 |
0.00 |
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Other Income |
0.00 |
0.00 |
17.01 |
0.00 |
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Total Revenues |
967.68 |
3,678.69 |
8,336.79 |
3,678.69 |
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Expenses |
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Bank Charges |
18.11 |
0.00 |
144.50 |
0.00 |
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Conference Loss |
170.74 |
0.00 |
170.74 |
0.00 |
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Conference Booth Fee |
200.00 |
0.00 |
200.00 |
0.00 |
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GSO Fees |
0.00 |
800.00 |
1,200.00 |
800.00 |
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Literature - Rainbow/COU |
0.00 |
0.00 |
649.58 |
0.00 |
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Lodging |
202.04 |
181.70 |
604.34 |
181.70 |
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Meals |
46.68 |
278.00 |
230.68 |
278.00 |
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Mileage |
125.20 |
612.06 |
552.20 |
612.06 |
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Misc/Office Expense |
0.00 |
237.27 |
93.18 |
237.27 |
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Postage |
100.00 |
169.38 |
146.24 |
244.38 |
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Printing/Copies |
0.00 |
633.67 |
129.73 |
842.67 |
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Registration Fees |
20.00 |
129.00 |
131.00 |
129.00 |
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Rent |
0.00 |
360.00 |
780.00 |
780.00 |
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Archives Rent |
0.00 |
0.00 |
400.00 |
0.00 |
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Travel-Airfare |
0.00 |
247.40 |
653.90 |
247.40 |
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Total Expenses |
882.77 |
3,648.48 |
6,086.09 |
4,352.48 |
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Net Income |
84.91 |
30.21 |
2,250.70 |
<673.79> |
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Chairperson’s Report - Howard H
April 9, 2006
PRE-CONFERENCE ASSEMBLY
CHAIRPERSON REPORT
My name is Howard P, I’m an Alcoholic and I have the honor of being Area 75 Chairperson.
I wish to thank all of you being here today. Your participation in our Alcoholics Anonymous Service Structure is paramount. It is only by your attendance and participation, which allows us to continue to fulfill our Primary Purpose of our 5th Tradition of carrying our message of Recovery. And in turn offers us to participate in our third Legacy of Service.
I thank those Districts who continue to send me your District minutes. And encourage those who can please add our Area 75 Standing Committee Chairs and Area Officers on your mailing list.
I also wish to thank those Districts who have the duties of hosting future Area 75 Conferences, who had forwarded me your Conference Committee minutes. If not already doing so, please include our Area 75
Conference Advisory Chairperson in your mailing.
I appreciated attending your District meetings and District workshops. Because of some recent health
issues, I have been restricted of being able to drive. So please understand that as soon as this situation changes I will attempt to attend more of your District meetings.
For those here who have not registered for our Area 75 Spring Conference, May 5 – 7, 2006 in LaCrosse
to please do so as soon as possible.
There is one subject I would ask each District to please give this some consideration. If there is anyone
within your respective District, who has Internet access, to please forward that name and email address
to our Area Secretary. This would be of great aid for us to communicate with your District. It also reduces the costs of coping and postage.
Please understand that the Area 75 Directory is confidential information, and is not distributed to everyone. It has become a vital tool for all of us to communicate with each other, in a more timely manner.
Note that I have made available the remaining Area 75 calendar, Conference bid forms and our Area 75
Standing Committee resume form. All of these forms are on our Area 75 Web Site.
We will be holding Area 75 election at our Fall Conference, Oct. 20 – 22, 2006 Beloit.
We will be following our Alcoholics Anonymous Third Legacy Procedure as shown in our Service Manual, page S20, for electing Area 75 Officers. Those position being, Delegate, Alt. Delegate, Area Chairperson, Alt. Chairperson, Treasurer, Alt. Treasurer, Secretary, Alt Secretary.
Please refer to the Service Manual for listed qualification for these A.A. Service position.
For those interested of being considered for chairing a Standing Committee position please forward you’re Area Resume Form to me as soon as you can. I will then pass on those resumes to the newly elected Area 75 Chairperson. I would also suggest you keep a copy of your submitted resume for yourself.
AND LAST, A REMINDER THAT OUR NEXT AGENDA PLANNING MEETING WILL BE
IN MADISON, JUNE 11, 2006. ANY MEMBER OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND AND PARCIPATE. WE ARE BUT YOUR TRUSTED SERVENT. YOU ALL ARE THE VOICE OF A.A.
Yours in Service and Fellowship
Howard P.
Delegate’s Report – Nancy H
DELEGATE’S REPORT
Pre-Conference Assembly
April 9, 2006
Welcome to all and thank you for being here today.
I have a calendar available to schedule visits to your GSR meetings and District workshops. If you would like me to visit, let’s get a date scheduled today. I have had many great experiences while visiting your GSR meetings and workshops, and I look forward to more visits before the rotation ends.
The Group Contribution report for the fourth quarter 2005 is available for your review. Overall, our group contributions for Area 75 fell to 42% from 44% in 2004. This is disturbing. I encourage you all to review the importance of the 7th Tradition in your group business meetings and reassess your commitment to self-support. And let’s make better use of the birthday plan. There are plenty of envelopes, for both birthday and group contributions, available at the registration table.
The new group forms I have received from GSO since our last meeting are for the following cities: Beloit, Janesville, Mishicot, Milwaukee (D29), and Racine. Please take the copies with you, contact these new groups, and make sure they are welcomed into the general service structure. If there is no district number on the form, please notify the GSO Records Department of the correct district number as soon as possible. Also, if there is anyone who knows of the Hales Corners Tuesday Night Group, please let me know. I continue to get mail for them and would like to get that mailing address changed.
The March 17, 2006 A.A.W.S. Highlights were also available at the registration table. If you did not get a copy, let me know and I will email or mail one to you. As always, this is a good snapshot of what is going on at your General Service Office.
Delegate’s Workshop/General Service Conference
Thanks to all of you who attended the Delegate’s Workshop on March 12. We had 61 people! It was extremely informative for me and my hope is that it was for you also. With the input from that day, as well as that received via district visits, various workshops, the January Board weekend in New York and the Delegates/Past Delegates Conference, I feel well prepared to participate in the 56th General Service Conference.
Ken and I leave for New York on April 20 and return on April 30. The Conference opens Sunday, April 23 and runs through Saturday, April 29, at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Hotel in Manhattan. I am looking forward to the experience differently this year, simply because I know what to expect. I will only have five days in which to prepare my report for the Spring Conference for you, but with God’s help, it will all come together.
Thank you once again for allowing me to serve as your Delegate. God bless.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy G
AAWS HIGHLIGHTS
MARCH 17, 2006
General Manager, Greg Muth reported that on February 10th a delegation of eight Russian professionals concerned with alcoholism and interested in AA as a resource visited the General Service Office. Some of the professionals were from Siberia and the far eastern regions of Russia who spoke of the challenges they face in dealing with widespread alcoholism in rural and isolated communities. Leonard Blumenthal, Chair of the General Service Board, Elaine McDowell, Trustee Emerita, and Dorothy Wilson, Trustee-At-Large U.S., joined several of the G.S. O. staff to provide information on Alcoholics Anonymous and answer questions.
G.S.O. .Archivist Amy Filiatreau reports that 69 films, filmstrips, and videotapes were sent t.o our vendor for preservation and transfer to Digital Beta and DVD. Films in poor conditiop will be restored, organized in ascending numbers, and labeled with catalog numbers using archival marking pens. When we receive the originals and copies back and perform quality control checks, original films will be transferred to environmentally-controlled bunker storage.
In December, our Records Department received responses from most Area Registrars on format preferences for updating information via hardcopy or CD. The Delegate Area program and blank database disks were ready for mailing on schedule but distribution was delayed for two weeks because of errors by the vendor.
Group Information sheets were scheduled to be mailed the end of January 2006, with a return date of April 1st. A delay occurred in preparing the sheets that necessitated extending the return date to May tho This delay should not effect the July 1, 2006 publication of the regional AA Directories, but emphasizes the importance of the new version of G.S.O.'s record system (Del/Area) currently under construction by our Project Management Office (PMO). Our intention is to implement a secure password-protected, stand-alone web based portal for Area Registrars to use when updating group records at G.S.O. The Project team is currently gathering functional requirements and will distribute a Request for Proposal (RFP) by June, with implementation scheduled for year end.
Voluntary contributions in January and February are almost 113% ahead of budget, possibly as a response to the October 2005 contribution letter explaining the numerous services provided to AA groups and committees, and offered by the General Service Board.
Services,
Staff Coordinator - It is the time of year when invited staff members participate in area AA service events where the focus is often on the theme, workshop topics and agenda items of the upcomiQg annual General' Service Conference. Eva reported that in 2005 the staff responded to 12,830 letters, 22,311 emails and 794 faxes, which adds up to a grand total of 35,935.
Conference - Thanks to all committee secretaries and a wonderful in-house team, all background was sent to Conference members who requesteq it in early February. We are compiling the contents of the Conference Manual, including general data and rosters; committee agendas; workshop information; and staff, trustees' Committee and Corporate Board reports.
We are working with the Delegate chair to make sure that information about the Delegates Only meeting is distributed, and are coordinating with the local volunteer Host Committee that will be showing Conference guests around the city.
Cooperation with the Professional Community - On March 1, several G.S.O. staff members met with the Executive Director and staff members from AI-Anon/Alateen Family Group Headquarters to discuss AI-Anon's guideline? on their relationship with AA, and AA's guidelines on the relationship with AI-Anon, with the goal of providing accurate and consistent information on the other fellowship.
In February, a mailing went to all 2,600 female outside correspondents currently listed in our Corrections Correspondence Service (C.C.S.) to update the status of their correspondence with inside "female" AA members. An activity update was mailed to chairpersons of 729 Correctional Facilities, Hospitals & Institutions (H&I) and Bridging the Gap committees.
International - Doug Richardson, Don Meurer (G.S.O.'s Chief Financial Officer) and John Kirwin (event consultant), traveled to Malahide, Ireland for on-site planning meetings for the 19th World Service Meeting that will take place October 15-19, 2006. The theme is "Anonymous, but not Invisible." Doug also visited Ireland's G.S.O. in Dublin to discuss the formation of the host committee for this event.
Following the on-site planning meetings in Ireland, Doug traveled to York, England where he met the staff of Great Britain's G.S.O. Doug was invited to sit in as an observer of an "Executive" meeting that included the Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and General Secretary of Great Britain's Board of AA .
Literature - An Activity Update was mailed to approximately 713 Literature committee chairs. This mailing included the updated service piece "The AA Message in Print - Summary of Distribution," information regarding the extended deadline for Spanish-language stories for the Spanish Third Edition Big Book, and Literature items on the Final Agenda for the 2006 General Service Conference:
Nominatina/Special Needs/Remote Communities - Final preparations are being made for the new pocket folders and catalogs for Special Needs that will be sent to 144 Special Needs/Accessibilities Committee chairs at the area, district and other levels. This will be accompanied by an assignment activity update letter, which will summarize the responses received to a letter sent in November 2005 requesting shared experience from the committees.
Regional Forums - In February a little over three-hundred AA members gathered in Winnipeg, Manitoba for the Western Canada Regional Forum. A show of hands indicated that more than 50% were attending their first Forum.
Treatment Facilities/Loners - The UM correspondence service continues to be a vital way for AA members to stay sober while living in areas where there are no AA meetings. At the same time, our list of "sober soldiers" has grown to 14 persons deployed and 8 returned, with 13 AA meetings in camps in Iraq and in Afghanistan.
The A.A.W.S. Services Committee's recommendation was approved by the Board to add to G.S.O.'s AA Web site the following pamphlets: "AA for the Native North American"; "Can AA Help Me Too?"; "AA for the Woman"; "Questions and Answers on Sponsorship"; and, "Problems Other Than Alcohol"
The committee requested that the Intra Office Web site committee in conjunction with the Project Management Office provide detailed cost savings information in a proposal to make the newsletters: Markings on Journey and About A.A. available electronically.
The A.A.W.S. Publishing Committee discussed a report from the Publications Department on suggested items to be discontinued from inventory. The committee asked Chris Cavanaugh to prepare a "recycle" strategy for the disposition of items to be discontinued from inventory for review at the A.AW.S. Publications committee meeting in June 2006
Translations - The pamphlets "AA in Your Community," "Understanding Anonymity," "Speaking at Non AA Meetings," "Let's Be Friendly With Our Friends" and "Problems Other Than Alcohol" in Dutch, the book Dr. Bob and the GoodOldtimers in Polish, the pamphlets "Questions & Answers on Sponsorship" and "The Jack Alexander Article about AA." in Portuguese have been reviewed and/or completed.
Publications - Total distribution of all books in January and February was 323,534, down 1 % from 2004's total of 327,083 units. The total AA purchases in January and February amounted to 272,756 units, while non-AAs accounted for 50,778 units, or 16% of the total. We distributed 174,683 Big Book units in January and February, compared to 154,205 in the same period of 2005. For January and February 2005 gross sales were budgeted at $2,150,179. Actual sales, unaudited, were $2,045,255 or 5% under budget. In the same period of 2005, gross sales amounted to $1,867,727.
Online Ordering for large purchasers: On Monday, March 13, 2006 we opened online ordering to "qualified" customers.
Standing Committee Reports:
Corrections – Paul H
AREA 75 CORRECTIONS COMMITTEE REPORT~ 9 April 06
1) The Area 75 Corrections committee has handled 38 contact requests from inmates in the first 3 months of this year.
2) A Wisconsin/ UP Michigan corrections will be held on June 3rd at Trinity Lutheran Church (1904 Winnebago St.) in Madison, WI.
Contact persons: Kathy W. (608) 225-2620 & Nancy G. (608) 221-2891
3) $1154 in books for prisons and jails has been given out since Jan. 1, 2006.
4) Prison literature is funded solely by the Area 75 Rainbow Fund. This is collected by passing Rainbow cans at group meetings. So far this year we've received $713.25 in donations and our current balance is $622.33.
5) Flyers for the corrections conference, books & rainbow cans will be available during lunch recess.
Respectfully submitted, Paul H, Area 75 Corrections Chairperson
Literature – Bob S
Literature Report
4/09/06
My report today reflects what is going to be happening at the General Service Conference in regards to literature. If you attended the Delegates Workshop, you are already aware of these items.
Some of these are considered a work in progress, which means the items have been worked on during previous years and are in a continuing process.
Those items are as follows:
Review the revised draft pamphlet “Too Young”.
Review the revised draft pamphlet “It Happened to Alice”.
“Young People and AA”. Draft manuscript
Consider revised front matter.
Review stories.
Review trustees’ Committee on Literature
Progress report on the Spanish-language Third Edition Big Book.
The following are new agenda items:
Discuss request for a review of language in AA literature that refers to the first 164 pages of the Big Book.
Discuss requests to develop an Intergroup/Central Office pamphlet.
Consider requests to develop an AA history book covering the years 1955 to 2000.
Consider proposal that the pamphlet “Letter to a Woman Alcoholic” be discontinued.
Consider developing a pamphlet concerning AA, religion, and spirituality.
These are only the literature agenda items. Ten major items. Now think about the other committees that I haven’t even mentioned. There’s much work to be tended to at the conference. Every time I see one small part of the agenda, it gives me renewed respect for the diligent work our Delegates and Trustees do when in New York and at home. I’d like to say “thank you” to each and every one of them.
Respectfully submitted,
Bob S.
Area 75 Alt. Delegate/Literature Chair
Public Information – George P
Report of the Public Information Committee Chair
4/9/2006
I have the following things to report since we last met:
I have visited Districts 2, 6, 25 and 27. In each case, I tried to speak about how important service work is to me. I was greeted warmly everywhere.
Several more districts have requested logins and passwords so that they can post their meetings on Area75.org. We still do not have meetings posted for districts 4, 5, 9, 14, 18, 22, 24, 27, 29, 35 and 37.
You can now find forms on our website for the following:
Area Donation Form
Area Proposal Form
Standing Committee Chairperson Resume
Conference Bid Form
Conference Guidelines
Expense Report Form
Group Information Change Form - from aa.org
Things you can do to get PI going in your district:
Post meetings in local papers and advertisers
Deliver literature to social service agencies, treatment centers, probation offices, etc.
Offer AA books to libraries, school and public.
Set up an AA hotline
Keep your district meeting list up to date.
Publish business cards with your hotline number and spread them around with AA literature.
Communicate with local media, print, radio and TV and mention our PSA’s and ask if they would like to run them.
Contact schools and ask if they would like someone to speak about what AA is and what it is not.
Set up a District AA website?
Go to meetings other than your usual ones and talk about service and opportunities to do PI work.
If I have not yet visited your district, I’d love to know that you want to see me. There are plenty of dates open on my calendar.
Thank you for the privilege of serving as Area 75 Public Information Chair. If there is any way I can assist your district, please feel free to contact me.
George P
Area 75 Public Information Chair
Cooperation with the Professional Community – Stu E
CPC Chair’s Report to Area 75 Pre-Conference Assembly
April 9, 2006
First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all those DCM’s and GSR’s who are attending their first Area 75 Assembly. For many of our new GSR’s this will be your first opportunity to vote the conscience of your group in our common affairs as an area. And welcome as well to our returning DCM’s and GSR’s. None of this could work without you and your groups. Thank you for coming to be with us this morning.
The question I am asked most as CPC Chair is, “and what was CPC again?” Area 75’s CPC, or Cooperation with the Professional Community Committee’s goal is to reach suffering alcoholics through the professionals in their lives. Any district CPC chair, DCM, or any interested AA member is welcome to attend and to participate at our meetings, which use a round-the-table discussion format. We will next meet as a committee on Saturday afternoon at the Spring Conference in LaCrosse.
In January, I reported to you that the CPC Chair from District 25 (Fond du Lac County) and I had made a presentation to a group of social services workers. Feedback tells me that some good things came out of that. After working with me on this one, Barb has plans to approach some other professionals as well. If other districts are planning similar presentations, I would be very pleased to hear about them.
In February, I traveled for you to Waukesha County a number of times in conjunction with the new OWI Treatment Court very recently established there. Besides district meetings, I helped conduct a training workshop for booth volunteers. Those volunteers, one of the three Waukesha County district CPC Chairs, and I then set up and worked a booth at a health fair in the Waukesha County Courthouse. Literature support came from the CPC Desk at GSO. An ample number of very capable volunteers worked the booth while Shelly D., CPC Chair from D13, and I met other exhibitors, mainly outpatient treatment providers. She and I also met briefly and informally with the judge in charge of the court, the District Attorney, Court Manager, and the head of the Public Defender’s Office there. At this point we are still trying to arrange a sit down meeting with key court officials. We cannot seem to get the court to tell us what form they would initially like our cooperation to take. Please be assured that we are ready and that our cooperation will follow our 12 Traditions and the AA guidelines for cooperation with this sort of court entity. I have been told by a court clerk that no offender had yet opted into this court as of a few weeks ago. None of us involved know more at this point, and I will update you when we do.
Immediately following our own Spring Conference, I will be traveling to Madison to work with volunteers from D20 at our booth at the annual convention of WAAODA, the WI Association on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. GSO’s literature shipment should be on its way to me as we speak. District 20 is not only our exhibit partner, but also our financial partner as well in this effort. They have evenly split a $400.00 booth fee with us again this year. Tom G., District 20’s CPC Chair, will again be acting as my local co-chair. Since the members of this organization, mainly alcohol and drug treatment professionals are spread all over Wisconsin; their efforts are benefiting all of your groups and districts. I feel we all owe District 20 our gratitude for shouldering this burden on our behalf. This will be our second consecutive year at that convention. Last year’s effort was highly successful. We hope to build and expand on that success.
Thank you all for your support in our endeavors, both through spreading the word as you do and through your group and individual contributions which allow us to hand out literature and staff the exhibits. Finally, my thanks to all those DCM’s and district secretaries who forward minutes to me each month.
Yours in Recovery and Service,
Stu E., Area 75 CPC Chairman
Special Needs – Leo M reporting for Michael N
AREA #75 - Special Needs Report - April 9
1. The Area #75 "Accessibility Survey" is on our website. I'd like to
encourage all DCM's and special needs chairs to download this document
and get it into the hands of all GSR'.
2. Area #75 special needs was featured in the April newsletter from
GSO.
3. I've asked Gayle (special needs desk) from GSO for the contact
information for the 39 area special needs c