 |
||
| Alcoholics Anonymous in Southern Wisconsin | ||
Alcoholic’s Anonymous - Area 75
9:00 a.m. Saturday, May 6, 2006
Spring Conference Assembly Meeting
Radisson Hotel
La Crosse, WI
SPRING CONFERENCE ASSEMBLY 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; Doreen H, Alternate Treasurer
STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS PRESENT: Nancy S, Archivist; 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 Chair
Excused: Jo Mc, Grapevine; Michael N, Special Needs
DCM’s PRESENT: D1-John N; D3-Jim K; D6-Liz Y (Alt); D8-Darryl S; D9-Apryl B; D11-John W; D12-Pat S (Alt); D13-Chris C; D14-Frank S (Alt); D15-Greg H; D16-Randy R; D20-Dan K; D23-Darrel S; D28-Ken N; D29-Bill E (Alt); D32-Chris E; D34-Todd U; D36-Dennis L
GSR’s & DISTRICT COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS PRESENT: D1-Art B, Joe A, Jeff B; D3-Larry A; D8-Edna T, Toni M; D9-Randy H; D12-Mary R; D13-Cheri C, Rich F; D20-Jeremy S, Debra B, Todd C, Kris W; D22-Carl H; D23-Teri S; D25-Marty P, George B; D32-Mike A, David B (Alt), Laverne H, Patsy S, George D; D34-Lee Ann U, Teri B, Drew A; D36-Barb W, Carrie S
OTHERS PRESENT: East Central Regional Trustee-Bob M; Past Delegates (Area 75)-John B (31), Bob B (33), Bill H (41), Joan J (43), Bill A (45), Ken G (49), Leo M (51)
Howard P, Area Chairperson, opened the meeting with a moment of silence at 8:40 AM, 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 Pre-Conference Assembly Meeting, which were subsequently approved unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report – Nancy H
Area 75 Spring Conference
May 6, 2006
Area 75 Treasurer’s Report
Copies of the April 30, 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. Changes from the last report included contributions received, expense reimbursements and payments made and the voiding of two checks issued last December that were not cashed within the valid time period (checks are void after 60 days).
We continue to have steady contributions from groups. Since I have taken over in January there has been only one week that I did not receive a packet of contributions. Thanks again to those groups using the contribution form (copies available here and on the area web site www.area75.org) and especially those who include their GSO group number. I have copies of the contributions by group report available for review. The report is for contributions received thru April 30, 2006.
On April 11th I gave a presentation at the Milwaukee Central Office Secretaries meeting and on April 22nd gave a presentation at a workshop hosted by District 8 in Beloit “The Seventh Tradition (What Happens To My Dollar)” talking about finances at the area level.
The finance committee will be meeting at 12:30 this afternoon in the Banquet Room during the committee meeting time.
I also want to inform you that tomorrow I will be transferring $1000 from the prudent reserve to our checking account to cover checks written that are dated today.
Submitted by: Nancy H., Area 75 Treasurer
Balance Sheet
|
|
|
|
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Assets |
|
|
|
Cash in Checking-M&I |
1,655.08 |
|
|
Prudent Reserve-M&I |
4,000.00 |
|
|
Cash-Count On Us |
1,314.88 |
|
|
Cash - Rainbow Can |
1,126.11 |
|
|
A/R-Conference Seed Money |
1,500.00 |
|
|
Expense Advance |
350.00 |
|
|
Equipment |
1,467.37 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Current Assets |
|
11,413.44 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Assets |
|
11,413.44 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Current Liabilities |
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Liabilities |
|
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital |
|
|
|
Retained Earnings |
8,853.88 |
|
|
Net Income |
2,559.56 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Capital |
|
11,413.44 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Liabilities & Capital |
|
11,413.44 |
|
|
|
|
Income Statement
|
|
Current This Year |
Current Last Year |
Year to Date This Year |
Year to Date Last Year |
|
Revenues |
|
|
|
|
|
Group Donations |
2,461.58 |
2,562.42 |
7,632.37 |
6,241.11 |
|
Group Donations - Rainbow |
453.78 |
0.00 |
2,302.89 |
0.00 |
|
Group Donations - Count On Us |
15.00 |
0.00 |
1,314.88 |
0.00 |
|
Other Income |
0.00 |
0.00 |
17.01 |
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Revenues |
2,930.36 |
2,562.42 |
11,267.15 |
6,241.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
Bank Charges |
0.00 |
0.00 |
144.50 |
0.00 |
|
Conference Loss |
0.00 |
0.00 |
170.74 |
0.00 |
|
Conference Booth Fee |
0.00 |
0.00 |
200.00 |
0.00 |
|
GSO Fees |
0.00 |
0.00 |
1,200.00 |
800.00 |
|
Literature - Rainbow/COU |
577.20 |
0.00 |
1,226.78 |
0.00 |
|
Lodging |
0.00 |
181.70 |
604.34 |
363.40 |
|
Meals |
44.00 |
0.00 |
274.68 |
278.00 |
|
Mileage |
662.06 |
262.79 |
1,214.26 |
874.85 |
|
Misc/Office Expense |
41.11 |
274.96 |
134.29 |
512.23 |
|
Postage |
112.52 |
85.97 |
258.76 |
330.35 |
|
Printing/Copies |
237.61 |
130.33 |
367.34 |
973.00 |
|
Registration Fees |
27.00 |
85.00 |
158.00 |
214.00 |
|
Rent |
420.00 |
420.00 |
1,200.00 |
1,200.00 |
|
Archives Rent |
500.00 |
0.00 |
900.00 |
0.00 |
|
Travel-Airfare |
0.00 |
0.00 |
653.90 |
247.40 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Expenses |
2,621.50 |
1,440.75 |
8,707.59 |
5,793.23 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income |
308.86 |
1,121.67 |
2,559.56 |
447.88 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Budget vs. Actual
|
Office/Committee |
2006 Budget YTD |
2006 Actual YTD |
2006 Total Budget |
2006 Variance YTD |
% |
|
Overhead |
$1,486.00 |
$1,615.24 |
$2,958.00 |
1,342.76 |
45.39% |
|
Delegate |
$2,074.00 |
$1,781.42 |
$3,064.00 |
1,282.58 |
41.86% |
|
Alt. Delegate/Lit. |
$381.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,318.00 |
1,318.00 |
100.00% |
|
Chair |
$359.50 |
$0.00 |
$1,538.28 |
1,538.28 |
100.00% |
|
Secretary |
$385.00 |
$246.08 |
$1,615.00 |
1,368.92 |
84.76% |
|
Treasurer |
$393.00 |
$177.21 |
$1,442.00 |
1,264.79 |
87.71% |
|
BTG |
$600.00 |
$549.99 |
$2,836.28 |
2,286.29 |
80.61% |
|
CPC |
$663.00 |
$404.81 |
$2,064.00 |
1,659.19 |
80.39% |
|
Corrections |
$250.00 |
$194.42 |
$870.00 |
675.58 |
77.65% |
|
Grapevine |
$425.00 |
$218.50 |
$1,766.00 |
1,547.50 |
87.63% |
|
Public Info. |
$305.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,393.00 |
1,393.00 |
100.00% |
|
Treatment |
$200.00 |
$0.00 |
$890.00 |
890.00 |
100.00% |
|
Spcl. Needs |
$231.00 |
$0.00 |
$1,519.00 |
1,519.00 |
100.00% |
|
Archives |
$1,430.00 |
$2,190.22 |
$4,040.00 |
1,849.78 |
45.79% |
|
Alt. Chair |
$180.00 |
$38.66 |
$405.00 |
366.34 |
90.45% |
|
Alt. Secretary |
$12.00 |
$22.66 |
$474.87 |
452.21 |
95.23% |
|
Alt. Treasurer |
$80.00 |
$41.60 |
$481.00 |
439.40 |
91.35% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
$9,454.50 |
$7,480.81 |
$28,674.43 |
21,193.62 |
73.91% |
Area Registrar’s Introduction – George D
George D was introduced as the newly appointed Area 75 Registrar. His duties will include maintenance and distribution of the Area 75 Directory and data collection and entry for the directory distributed by the General Service Office.
Unity Confernce 2006 Report – Barb W
Unity Conference 2006
July 7-9, 1006 @ the Hotel Mead in WI Rapids.
Yes, the conference is on. I apologize for the confusion surrounding this conference & want to thank everyone who has been so quick to get the word out.
We initially decided to cancel the conference based on the number of registrants and the perceived lack of support and concern over how that lack of support would effect the quality of the conference. Further, we incorrectly thought canceling the conference would incur a very minimal loss. This was not the case.
So we are doubling our efforts to get the word out & are asking your help.
If you had previously made a room reservation, please call the hotel to double check that it is still valid. Some reservations had been canceled in error. Please also make sure to mention the conference when making your reservation.
Friday Night “Ask-It-Basket”
Bob M. – ECR Class B Trustee, Milwaukee, WI
Robin B. – Exec. Editor, AA Grapevine; New York, NY
Friday Night Speaker
Torv T. – Former Delegate Area 74; Ontonagon, MI
Saturday Al-Anon / Alateen Speaker
Al-Anon Speaker: Cheryl A. – Waukesha, WI
Alateen: (invited)
Saturday Night Banquet
Saturday Night Speaker
Robin B. – Exec. Editor, AA Grapevine; New York, NY
Sunday Morning Speaker
Ken G. – Former Delegate Area 75, Madison, WI
Respectfully submitted by
Barbara W
Unity Conference Co-Chair
East Central Regional Trustee’s Report – Bob M
Bob reported that he had recently been appointed as a Grapevine director and now will travel to New York two additional times. The Grapevine also has a new circulation manager and a new editor. Bob stated that the trustee’s role is to listen to the delegates and to implement items approved by the conference attendees. Bob discussed the differences between a group conscience and an informed group conscience. Bob reported that the fellowship is not self-supporting at this time and the difference is made up by increases in the literature. Only 47% of the registered groups contribute at this time, which has not changed significantly since 1958. The key to being self-supporting is to find out what’s going on with the other 53% of the groups who are not currently contributing. If we were to attain a self-supporting fellowship, the literature would not fluctuate as it does currently and could be sold at cost.
Delegate’s Report – Nancy H
DELEGATE’S REPORT
56th GENERAL SERVICE CONFERENCE
APRIL 23 – 29, 2006
Ken and I arrived in New York on Thursday, April 20. After an interesting ride from LaGuardia with a driver from Russia, a horse breeder from Reno, and two people from Australia, we checked in at the Crowne Plaza Times Square, the site of the conference. We slept late, relaxed, ate and toured around on Friday and Saturday. We revisited Ground Zero and the Museum of Natural History, and enjoyed an evening performance of “The Odd Couple” with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.
My work started with the Delegate’s Only Meeting on Saturday night. This provided the first opportunity to meet my conference buddy from Tennessee and the other Panel 56 delegates, and to renew acquaintances from last year. Opening remarks from the Delegate Chairperson, Michael Scott from North Florida, were followed by general sharing by two Panel 55 Delegates from each region. I remembered how I felt last year - not quite “a part of” and very anxious. This year was much different. Fear of the unknown was replaced by confidence in the process and a responsibility to help the Panel 56 delegates feel comfortable.
On Sunday morning, I registered for the conference, and then went directly to my first meeting of the Policy/Admissions Committee. We recommended admission to the conference of two observers; Noriaki Nozaki, General Manager of GSO-Japan and Valerie Martin, General Manager of GSO-Australia. Following lunch with our Regional Trustee and the other East Central Region delegates, the 56th Annual General Service Conference was opened by our General Service Board Chairperson, Leonard Blumenthal. Roll call of the 136 voting members was taken by Greg Muth, manager of our General Service Office. This proved to be the same emotional yet exhilarating experience as last year. It was great to be back, representing Area 75, keeping us connected to Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole.
After greetings from the Delegate Chair, the keynote address, which focused on the conference theme of Sponsorship, Service and Self-Support in a Changing World, was delivered by Robert Pelot, a Class B trustee from Canada. The mechanics of the conference and the agenda and manual were reviewed. Two new additions to the procedures were an agreement that all wireless broadcast capabilities would be disabled while in session and that participants who had English as a second language would be allowed three-minute microphone times rather than the usual two minutes.
On Sunday afternoon, the Policy/Admissions Committee met for the second time. Because this committee does not have a corresponding Trustees Committee, we were able to move right into work on our agenda items. That evening, Ken and I attended the Opening Dinner and AA meeting which featured five speakers, including two delegates, one director, one staff member and one trustee.
On Monday morning, committee meetings resumed. Monday afternoon brought Area highlights from the Panel 56 Delegates, followed by the General Service Board report from Chairman Leonard Blumenthal. Highlights for the year included the welcoming of 6 new trustees and a new GSO Archivist, completion of inventories of the General Service Board, AAWS, Inc. and the AA Grapevine, Inc., new translations of A.A. material (including the Big Book in Hebrew, the Arabic Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and the Daily Reflections in Simplified Chinese and Latvian), and hosting of an EAP and Human Resources Day of Sharing. Of particular interest to me was that “the U.S. Department of State contacted G.S.O. to arrange a visit to the office for eight professionals from Russia who are concerned about alcoholism in the country…” The Russian delegation visited in February and a sharing session took place. They also attended an open A.A. meeting. “Our Russian friends spoke of the immense challenges they face in dealing with alcoholism in the rural communities of Siberia.” Following Mongolia’s second A.A. convention, and with the full cooperation of the Russian General Service Board and G.S.O., Greg Muth and Doug Richardson will travel to Russia to visit with the Russian people and a federal health committee in Moscow.
Next came the Grapevine Board report by Chairperson, Mike Perry, and a presentation on La Vina by Editor Hernan Merea. La Vina will celebrate its tenth year with the May/June issue, so a birthday cake was brought into the room and ‘Happy Birthday’ was sung in Spanish and then English. As Chairman of A.A.W.S., Inc., Gary Kluksdahl delivered the Directors’ Report. This was an in-depth report on the 2005 corporation activities. This report is available upon request, as are other reports and presentations mentioned.
The next presentation by Ron Gauthier was on the G.S.O. Relocation Study. This was very interesting, with a history of office locations shown through a Power Point presentation. We currently have 43,000 square feet at 475 Riverside Drive in the Interchurch Center. This building is devoted to non-profit organizations and John D. Rockefeller provided the land and construction costs for the Center, so there is an historical connection for A.A. to this location. Our lease matures in December 2008. The 2005 relocation study compared our present office with 3 other locations; Los Angeles, Dallas and Indianapolis. The only one that showed any reduction in recurring costs was Indianapolis, and this move would still realize an estimated 44-year payback for projected costs. After a very thorough process, the study concluded that a move would not be financially justifiable. Among the reasons for this are the cost of office construction, new furnishings, relocation costs and severance costs. But more importantly, the projected loss of employees and staff due to a move from New York would have “a significant and lasting impact on the GSO’s ability to deliver its services to the fellowship”. And as Art Knight, a past Class A Trustee, pointed out in a 1996 relocation study, “The history of A.A. surrounding the New York area provides an anchor point for our Fellowship. The further we grow away from the days of members who knew our founders, the more we need roots”. So the Board will move forward with negotiation of a ten-year lease at the present location.
The Monday afternoon session ended with the Financial Report by Vincent Keefe, General Service Board Treasurer, and some of the Panel 56 Delegate two-minute Area highlights, including those from our East Central Region. After dinner, the Monday evening session included presentations on Sponsorship and a sharing session.
Following Tuesday morning committee meetings, the afternoon brought more Panel 56 highlights, presentations and discussion on Service, and our trip to the General Service Office. Our second Delegates’ only meeting was Tuesday evening. The meeting was to provide an opportunity for Panel 56 Delegates to practice spending time at the mike under the two minute limit, allow time for any questions from the delegates, and to elect the Delegate Chairperson and Alternate Chairperson for the 2007 conference. This two-hour meeting digressed into three+ hours in a classic example of an AA business meeting run riot. This was not a very good example of how it works for the new delegates!
Wednesday was filled with workshop sessions focused on the topic “Passing It On In A Changing World”, more Panel 56 highlights, a regional lunch, elections for trustees from the Eastern Canada and Pacific regions, and presentations on Self-Support. My secondary committee for which I was chairperson, International Conventions/Regional Forums, met Wednesday evening in a joint dinner meeting with the Trustees Committee. Because our agenda included a review of the report on the 2005 International Convention in Toronto, we were joined by Greg Talley of Talley Management, the outside consultant for the convention. Talley has also been selected as the management/consultant firm for the 2010 convention in San Antonio.
Conference committee reports started Wednesday evening, and were completed on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday afternoon, there were very interesting presentations on A.A. Around the World by Dorothy Wilson, our Trustee at Large, and Doug Richardson from the GSO staff International desk.
Dorothy reported on her first zonal meeting in the Dominican Republic where the language of the heart was deeply felt. She noted that shouts of joy followed the announcement that the delegate from Cuba had been granted a VISA to attend for the first time. She said, “Evidently, there were other complications, so they again were unable to attend”. We later heard that the Cuban delegate had not attended simply because he had missed the airplane! Dorothy and Doug both discussed the idea of country-to-country sponsorship; one country assists another “where A.A. is emerging by providing literature and sharing experience about our Three Legacies”. Mexico sponsors Cuba, Japan sponsors Mongolia, Switzerland assists Croatia, we sponsor the Dominican Republic, and New Zealand helps Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam. Dorothy also touched on our conference theme saying “if I am grateful, I will want to share what has been given to me…no matter where or when…Service is gratitude made visible (action).”
On Friday morning, Amy Filiatreau, the new GSO Archivist, gave a stirring presentation. Although she is not alcoholic, she shared that she has been deeply affected by A.A. Her father and other family members are in recovery and she has been exposed to our fellowship for many years. Amy noted that few organizations value their past as AA does; we constantly look to our principles, co-founders and past actions for future guidance. Accompanying her presentation was a slideshow and an excerpt from a recording of a 1954 talk by Bill Wilson on our Third Legacy. As the saying goes, from where I sat, there was not a dry eye in the place.
After voting on committee reports and floor actions was completed on Friday, each Panel 55 delegate had the opportunity to go to the mike and give a brief farewell talk. I was an emotional mess and truly felt I would not be able to do it. But thanks to the example of another East Central Regional Delegate, who feels as I do about going to the mike, I did get up and say something; I have no idea what I said, but I did do it. The Conference adjourned with the Serenity Prayer in three languages, many tears and many hugs.
Conference members met again on Saturday morning for a closing breakfast and farewell talks by three rotating Trustees. Saturday afternoon we traveled by bus to Stepping Stones, the historic home of Bill and Lois Wilson in Bedford Hills, New York. This was the second visit there for Ken and me, but proved again to be a very moving experience. On Saturday night, Ken and I visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral, shopped, ate and packed. Aside from getting caught in a downpour in Milwaukee while changing planes, our trip home was uneventful.
Once again I want to sincerely thank everyone in Area 75 for allowing me this unique opportunity to serve as your Delegate. I was told that it would be a life-changing experience. Although my life is pretty much the same, my attitude and outlook have changed significantly as the result of participating in the Conference process at this level. As with all service work in Alcoholics Anonymous, the more I give, the more I receive. The more I receive, the more I owe. The more I owe, the more I feel obligated to give. You all understand how this works. This is our service legacy. A.A. cannot survive without our help. There is always more for us to do in order to fulfill our spiritual responsibility. In Bill’s words, “To you we hand the last torch. Carry on. Face your destiny with surety and courage, and God love you”.
NOTE: These are Advisory Actions only. Details are contained in full Conference committee reports.
CONFERENCE ADVISORY ACTIONS OF THE
56TH GENERAL SERVICE CONFERENCE
The following recommendations were approved by the 56th General Service Conference and the General Service Board.
1. To amend the Cooperation With the Professional Community Advisory Action:
The committee recommended that three short video segments be produced that can be accessed on G.S.O.’s A.A. Web site and directed to professionals in the employment/human relations, legal/criminal justice, and medical fields [with a total cost not to exceed $60,000].
By inserting the following language into the Advisory Action after medical fields:
“and brought back to the 2007 Conference Committee on Cooperation With the Professional Community”
So that it would read:
The committee recommended that three short video segments be produced that can be accessed on G.S.O.’s A.A. Web site and directed to professionals in the employment/human relations, legal/criminal justice and medical fields, and brought back to the 2007 Conference Committee on Cooperation With the Professional Community with a total cost not to exceed $60,000.
It was recommended that:
2. The theme for the 2007 General Service Conference be: “Our 12th Step Responsibility – Are We Going to Any Length?”
3. The following be presentation/discussion topics for the 2007 General Service Conference:
Inclusiveness in A.A.:
Our 3rd Tradition
Growth of the Fellowship
Reaching Out to All Who Want It
b) Our Primary Purpose:
Attraction Rather Than Promotion
Working with Wet Drunks
Practicing These Principles in All Our Affairs
c) Humility and Responsibility:
1) Expressed by Anonymity
2) Are We Resting on Our Laurels?
3) Raising Literature Prices or Footing the Bill?
Archives1
No recommendations.
It was recommended that:
5. Three short video segments be produced that can be accessed on G.S.O.’s A.A. Web site and directed to professionals in the employment/human relations, legal/criminal justice, and medical fields and brought back to the 2007 Conference Committee on Cooperation With the Professional Community with a total cost not to exceed $60,000. [See Floor Action]
It was recommended that:
6. An informational media presentation be developed featuring someone highly credible in the corrections field introducing A.A. to training academies and in-service training programs for corrections personnel and be brought back to the 2007 Conference Committee on Corrections. [The estimated cost of production and distribution is $50,000]
The following should be reflected in the presentation:
What A.A. is and is not.
How to contact A.A
An inmate’s chances of maintaining sobriety on the outside are improved by participation in the A.A. program of recovery.
Correctional facilities usually regard A.A. as contributing to the objectives of their institution.
7. The draft manuscript of A.A. in Prison: Inmate to Inmate be approved and that the Publications Department maintain standard editorial responsibilities.
1Members of this committee serve on this as a secondary committee assignment.
It was recommended that:
8. The word “donation” be replaced with the word “contribution” in A.A.W.S. literature as it comes up for reprint.
9. The following be added to the end of the Q & A section of the pamphlet “Self-Support: Where Money and Spirituality Mix”:
Q Does A.A. have any specific information for our group or group treasurer about how to handle our group’s finances?
A Yes. There are two excellent publications available from G.S.O., A.A. Guidelines on Finance and the pamphlet “The A.A. Group Treasurer,” that provide specific information to groups regarding practical matters related to their group finances, such as setting up bank accounts, obtaining tax ID numbers, and outlining the responsibilities of a group treasurer.
No recommendations.
International Conventions/Regional Forums1
No recommendations.
It was recommended that:
10. The revised draft pamphlet “Too Young?” be approved.
11. The revised draft pamphlet “It Happened To Alice!” be approved.
12. The pamphlet “A.A. for the Native North American” be revised.
13. The word “largely” be added to the second sentence in the second paragraph of the preface to the Fourth Edition on page xi, as it originally appeared in the preface of the Second Edition, so that the sentence reads:
“Therefore, the first portion of this volume, describing the A.A. recovery program, has been left largely untouched in the course of revisions made for the second, third, and fourth editions.”
Note: Keeping in mind the note that was included with the 1955 General Service Conference Advisory Actions, “In presenting the updating of the first edition of the Big Book, Bill described the background of his long-range writing project and made the following point(s): 1. ‘Not an iota’ of the first part of the text dealing with recovery principles had been changed,” the committee agreed that the addition of the word “largely” accurately reflects revisions made to the first 164 pages of the Big Book and is consistent with the original language in the preface to the Second Edition.
14. The word “largely” be added to the second sentence in the first paragraph in the Introduction to the book, Experience, Strength, and Hope on page ix, so that the sentence reads:
“In all four editions, the first 164 pages have remained largely unchanged, preserving A.A.’s message just as it was originally recorded by the founding members.”
15. The draft manuscript of the pamphlet “Young People and A.A.” be approved.
16. The Spanish-language Third Edition Big Book, Alcohólicos Anónimos, continue to be developed and that a report be brought back to the 2007 Conference Literature Committee, in keeping with a 2004 Conference Advisory Action on contents, story solicitation, and process, as follows:
The Third Edition Spanish-language Big Book to be similar in page count to the English Fourth Edition Big Book.
The first 164 pages of the Big Book, Alcohólicos Anónimos, the Preface, the Forewords, “The Doctor’s Opinion,” “Dr. Bob’s Nightmare,” and the Appendices will undergo a complete review to assure accuracy of translation and consistency of style and tone throughout the text. As in translations of all languages, the Publications Department strives to reflect the best possible translation of Bill W.’s writings and does not require Conference-approval.
Personal Stories:
Retain selected stories from current Spanish-language Second Edition.
Select stories from A.A.’s La Viña magazine.
Select new stories from Spanish-speaking membership.
Stories to be designated to three main sections similar to the English Fourth Edition Big Book.
A. Within the United States and Canada and internationally to Spanish-speaking countries.
A. To be under the direction of the trustees’ Literature subcommittee on the Third Edition Spanish-language Big Book.
Story selection subcommittee:
All bilingual – Spanish and English.
Spanish editors.
Spanish-speaking staff members.
Chair to appoint some subcommittee members from the Fellowship.
C. Basic Selection Criteria:
To use the same criteria as the English Fourth Edition Big Book based on Bill W.’s recommendations.
Each story must, as Bill W. recommended, reach out to the newcomer who is still looking for the A.A. solution.
Each story must be a standard A.A. story that tells what it was like, what happened, and what it is like today.
17. The pamphlet “Letter to A Woman Alcoholic” be discontinued.
It was recommended that:
18. Valerie Martin, general manager of the G.S.O. for Australia, and Noriaki Nozaki, general manager of the G.S.O. for Japan, be admitted to the 56th General Service Conference as observers.
19. Current General Service Board members and G.S.O. staff members from other countries be granted admission as observers upon their request to the annual General Service Conference of the U.S. and Canada; that admission is not to exceed two countries and two representatives per country, one being a board member and/or one G.S.O. staff member at each General Service Conference; that the request for admission be made through the General Service Office in New York; and that decisions regarding responsibility for guest observer expenses be at the discretion of the General Service Board.
20. The 59th General Service Conference be held April 26 - May 2, 2009, since these dates do not conflict with any significant holidays, hotel availability and Bylaws’ deadlines of the General Service Board, Inc.
It was recommended that:
21. The television public service announcement (P.S.A.) “Testimonials,” developed by the trustees’ Public Information Committee, be approved completing a four year replacement schedule initiated by the 2002 General Service Conference.
22. The 2002 Advisory Action that states, “After the initial four years, this cycle would continue with the oldest P.S.A. being replaced each year” be reaffirmed and that a new P.S.A. be developed for review by the 2007 Conference Committee on Public Information at a cost not to exceed $40,000 and the oldest P.S.A. in the four year plan be replaced.
The television public service announcement (P.S.A.) “Testimonials” be centrally distributed, tracked and evaluated at a cost not to exceed $31,000, in addition to the work of local Public Information committees.
The section on “Marital Status” in the “A.A. Membership Survey Questionnaire” be revised and retitled as “Domestic Status” with the following four options:
25. The option “Internet” be added to the “2007 A.A. Membership Survey Questionnaire” under Question 11: “Please indicate no more than two of the following entities that you feel were most influential in your decision to come to your first A.A. meeting.”
26. The “2007 A.A. Membership Survey Questionnaire” be approved.
27. The videos “Young People and A.A.” and “A.A.: Rap with Us” be replaced and that the trustees’ Committee on Public Information develop an idea for a film, video tape or some other such instrument targeting young people, including storyboards and estimated costs, taking in consideration the findings in the January 2006 trustees’ report on Videos for Young People with the widest possible diversity range, and that a report be forwarded to the 2007 Conference Committee on Public Information for consideration.
It was recommended that:
28. The graphic, “Service Structure Inside the A.A. Group,” as it appeared in the 1998-1999 edition, be restored in Chapter 2 of The A.A. Service Manual.
29. The following descriptive sentence be added to the second paragraph on page S63 of The A.A. Service Manual in the section “Trustees-at-large”:
“In the year between the World Service Meetings, the trustees-at-large may attend a Western Hemisphere zonal meeting, the Meeting of the Americas, as delegates representing the U.S. and Canada.”