Delegate's Report Archive

My last report to the area was at the April Spring Pre-Conference Assembly. A lot has happened since then. I have been to the General Service Conference in New York, a Hispanic Forum in Sunnyside Washington, the Native American AA Gathering in Banning California, and the State Hispanic Convention in Kennewick Washington, the Pacific Regional Forum in Seattle, and the Pacific Northwest Forum in Hermiston Oregon. Add to that 9 Delegate's reports in three states and two countries and you can see I have been busy.

Each one of these events has been a special experience for me. The trip to New York and attending the 56th General Service Conference was the event of a lifetime that I will always remember. I loved New York City and the people there. It is the most exciting place I have ever been and I can't wait to get back next year. I am able to bring the message back to the area that AA is alive and well. AA is well and it is not perfect. We face some challenges. There is a perception around the United States and Canada that our growth has flattened; we are not selling as much literature as we once did. Group contributions are up however the percentage of groups contributing is down. I met with the DCMs of Area 92 last night at the DCM roundtable and we discussed some of these issues. We went over Vincent Keefe's financial report to the 6th General Service Conference. Vince is a class A trustee and treasure of the General Service Board. Vince has some conclusions on self-support and is asking if we agree with him and if we do what are some things that we can do to bring GSO closer to being self-supporting through group contributions. I have asked the DCMs to report back to me in the next few months so I can report back to Vince before the October Board meeting. Everyone is invited to weigh in on this issue and if you haven't seen Vince's report and would like a copy let me know and I will get one to you.

The weekend of May 20th and 21st I attended the Special Native American Forum in Banning California. The Forum was held at the Community Center of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, which is near Banning. I was deeply moved by the sharing at this forum. The participation by GSO staff and the Native Americans in attendance was inspiring. I have written a separate report for this forum, which I have given to all members of the Area Committee. If anyone would like a copy of the report let me know.

The Hispanic Forum in Sunnyside on May 6th was called a special Forum although it was put on at the local level and did not involve GSO Staff. Members of the Spanish speaking districts in Area 92 and 72 put the forum together. Our area corrections Chair Patsy M. and I were privileged to attended along with Phyllis H. who just the week before had rotated as Pacific Regional Trustee. So this was Phyllis's first participation as a past trustee. I have attended quite a few Hispanic events in our area over the years including State Conventions and the National Convention when it was held in Seattle. I felt the sharing and questions at this forum were at a depth I had not experienced before. I hope that there is another forum next year and I have the privilege of attending and sharing.

A week after the State Hispanic Convention I attended the Area Standing Committee Quarterly in Spokane and gave a report on the Native American Forum. The next week it was off to Seattle and the Pacific Regional Forum.

This was the second Pacific Regional Forum I have attended. The first was in 2004 in Portland Oregon. I had a whole new perspective at this forum because I had attended a General Service Conference and the Special Native American Forum I knew all of the Staff from GSO who were participating and it also gave me a better perspective of Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole and how it all works. The number of fine presentations by GSO staff members, Trustees, and delegates are far to many to go over them all. I have given all of the area committee a copy of the overnight report we got on Sunday morning. A complete report will be mailed to everyone that registered. That will come out in a few weeks and I will have it available at the Oct. Assembly.

A few things that I did learn are we have the Big Book translated into 51 languages and Literature in 70 languages. There are AA meetings in 190 of the 205 countries in the world. 57 of these countries have General Service Offices, each of them in varying degrees of development. The General Service Office of the US and Canada is the oldest and most experienced and although each GSO is autonomous they look to us for our leadership and experience. Every two years delegates from many of these countries meet for the World Service Meeting. The US and Canada are represented by our trustees at large. One from Canada and one from the US. The meeting rotates between the New York and another country. The 2006 World Service meeting will be held in Dublin Ireland Oct 15-19. I will talk more about World Service Meeting and AA around the world in my next report.

One quote that was used during the forum touched me. It was from page 280 of the book "AA Comes of Age". The quote is from a talk by Bernard B. Smith Class A Trustee and Chairmen of the Board 1951-56.

"But this Third Legacy of Service has a string to it. And the string is that was granted the use o this legacy for out lifetime upon the condition that we will not only look after it but increase its spiritual content for the generations that will follow us. Each succeeding generation, as it receives this legacy, must similarly protect it if they wish to employ it and gain life by it and pass it on to the next generation with an enriched spiritual content."

I am very excited that the next Pacific Regional Forum will be held in Spokane, Washington August 29-31 at the Double Tree City Center Hotel. This will be a great 12 Step call on our area with a chance for many AA members to attend a Pacific Regional Forum.

As far as delegate's reports go, I have traveled over 2000 miles and done 9 reports in three states plus Canada. I did reports in Coeur d' Alene ID., Lewiston ID, Yakima WA., Winthrop WA., Trail British Columbia Canada, Yaak River Campground Montana, Spokane WA. , and Dayton WA. The delegate's reports have been the highlight of my term as delegate so far. It was at these reports that I was able to share with AA members from our area. It was this sharing on a person level that connected the whole thing for me. Serving you as delegate this past six months has changed me and changed my life. I feel that I have been given an opportunity to see AA as whole in a way I have never seen it before. Putting that with the chance to share this message and my excitement and enthusiasm with the groups in Area 92 has brought this full circle and I am truly blessed to serve.

Yours in Service Dave