Delegate's Report Archive

June 2, 2006

Hello Area 92, I realize that a lot of AA members in Area 92 are not going to be able to attend one of our delegate's reports. With that in mind I would like to take this time to report back on my experiences at the conference and the results of the Agenda items we talked about at the pre-conference workshops and the Pre-Conference Assembly.

My two daughters Sarah and Emily were my quests at the conference. I will tell you right now they had a wonderful time and went like a couple of energizer bunnies the whole time we were there. They saw a lot of New York City and have informed me they want to go back next year to see more. They are the great source of joy in my life so I am glad they want to share my sobriety in this way

Nothing prepares you for being dropped into the middle of Manhattan on a Thursday afternoon with a NYC cab as the magic carpet. Having never been there we were amazed at the number of people and the beehive of activity. We found the Crown Plaza Hotel to be very nice and the staff was always friendly and helpful. Junior was the name of the doorman who helped us get our bags up the to room and was given a healthy tip for his trouble. That is one thing I learned about NYC, have a supply of ones and fives for tipping and the subway.

Friday morning the girls were off to see the city and I was off to GSO with a few other delegates and their guests and Pacific Region Trustee Phyllis H. I was told by past delegates not to miss the Friday 11 AM AA meeting at GSO. We road the subway to 116th street, walked across the Barnard College Campus and there was the Interfaith center where GSO rents the 11th floor and part of the tenth. We had a tour of the office and then went to the meeting. I met some old friends there and made a few new ones. I was soon to find out that I would be making new friends throughout the week.

I spent Friday evening riding the subways with my daughters. We managed to get lost in China Town but not to worry we wondered into Little Italy and had dinner and an adventure we will always remember. Saturday morning I joined around 40 delegates and guests on a tour bus for the Pacific Region AA history tour led by former GSO manger George D. and our brand new Archivist Amy F. The tour took us to many places in NYC that are practically shrines to AA. The Clinton Street residences of Bill and Lois, Calvary Chapel and Towns Hospital to name a few.

Saturday evening was an informal kick off of the conference with the Delegates only meeting. We had presentations on, Committee Process, Full Conference Process, and Delegates Reports these topics were all presented by Panel 55 Delegates which makes since because at this stage of the Conference the Panel 56 delegates only thought we knew what we were doing. I will always admire the decision the early planners of the conference made when the decided to have half of the delegates rotate at time. The experience strength and hope of the Panel 55 delegates was invaluable. I learned that the first night at that delegates only meeting. I was feeling lost in the crowd, lonely disconnected and pretty much wondering what I was doing there. Then we got into the Sharing on the 55th Conference by the Panel 55 Delegates. Several shared their feelings from the year before and they had felt much the same way I was feeling. Suddenly I was in an AA meeting where alcoholics were sharing from the heart. The loneliness and fear began to ebb, the knot in my gut began to untie and I knew I was right where I was supposed to be.

I attended the Remote Communities Workshop Sunday morning and learned a great deal. This workshop is not an official part of the conference. I will write a separate report for it and get it in the Newsletter, plus I will report more at the July Quarterly.

Sunday April 23rd at 11 AM registration began for the 56th General Service Conference. At 11:45 we had lunch with the other delegates from the Pacific Region that included an orientation by Phyllis H. At 1:15 PM we had the Opening Session. Chairmen of the Board of Trustees Leonard Blumenthal made some welcoming remarks. We had roll call led by Greg M.GSO Manager, Greetings from Delegate Chair Michael S., and the Keynote Address by Eastern Canada Regional Trustee Bob P.

At 2:45 some of the committees had their first meetings while the rest of us met up with our corresponding Trustees Committee. My Committee was the Conference Committee on Trustees so we met with members of Trustees Committee on Nominating to talk about our agenda and see if we had questions.

Sunday evening at 6:30 PM we had the Opening Dinner and AA Meeting followed by fellowship and off to bed to get some rest for the week of hard work that lay ahead.

On Monday from 9AM to 12 PM we had our first Committee meetings. Through the week we were being reminded to trust the committee system and I can see why now. Without the committee system we would never get anything done. Each committee goes through their agenda and disposes of each item in one of three ways. They either make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees in which case the item will go on the conference floor for debate and a vote. Just as at our Area Assemblies it takes a 2/3 vote to have a recommendation sent on to the Board. Another avenue available to the committee is an additional consideration. In this case the item would be handed back to the Trustees for more information, more clarity or any other number of reasons the committee felt it wasn't ready to go to the conference. The other option open to a committee is take no action on an agenda item.

On Monday afternoon the Pacific Region Panel 56 Delegates presented our area highlights. It was nice to go first and get that out of the way. You will be able to read them all in the full Conference Report which will be coming out in August sometime. The rest of the day Monday was West Central Region Highlights and various reports from the Chairmen of the Board, AAWS and La Vina. They will all be available in the Conference Report or I have them if you would like to read them before August. We had dinner that night and I will just say one thing about the food. We ate well throughout the week, which must account for the five pounds I gained while in NYC.

On Tuesday we had our final Committee meetings followed by more Area Highlights a presentation on service by Bill Clark Class A Trustee and a trip GSO.

My daughters accompanied me on the trip to GSO. We were warmly welcomed by all of the GSO staff. I was able to introduce Sarah and Emily to quit a few people. The tour gave them a greater understanding of the GSO and the people who work there. By seeing it first hand they got a much better understanding of what AA is and how it works. The were surprised we could accomplish all we do and have such a great office on the donations from groups and the sale of our literature as our sole support. I explained the 7th tradition to them and how important it is in helping alcoholics around the world.

Wednesday morning we found our way to the workshops we had been assigned to. My workshop was "Passing It On In a Changing World". The workshop lasted two hours and was chaired by Paul Cleary General Service Trustee. The highlight of this workshop was listening to Noriaki Nozaki the General manger for GSO from Japan. Doug R. translated for Noriaki. Doug is a past delegate from Area 06 California Northern Coastal.

On Wednesday afternoon we held the election for two new Regional Trustees. Eastern Canada to replace rotating trustee Bob P. and Pacific to replace rotating Trustee Phyllis H. The Eastern Canada Trustee will be Denis V. Panel 52 Delegate from Area 87 Southwest Quebec. The Pacific Region Trustee is Madeleine P. Panel 52 Delegate from Area 18 Idaho. Congratulations Denis and Madeleine.

Wednesday evening at 7:15 we started Committee Reports. In these sessions the Chairs of the various Delegates Committee come before the conference and give a report about the work their committee has done and the conclusions they have come to. This is where we get to debate the various issues and go to the mic and express our views. It was an amazing experience to see this particular group conscience in action. Some of the committees had to cacaus or have meetings over dinner or later into the night to work on their agenda items or amendments to the items that were coming from the conference floor. In the end it all worked with the help and skill of Greg M. GSO manager and Leonard Blumenthal who chaired the meetings and helped us get where we wanted to go. The following is the outcome of the agenda items we discussed at the pre-conference workshops and the Spring Pre-Conference Assembly.

I. Cooperation Professional Community

Discuss the need for three short video segments that could be streamed 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.

It was 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. [See Floor Action]

Floor Action

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.

II. Corrections

1. Review the trustees' Committee on Corrections Progress Report on the Development of an Informational Media Presentation Introducing A.A. to Training Academies and In-service Training Programs for Corrections Personnel.

   It was recommended that:

   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:

   1. What A.A. is and is not.
   2. How to contact A.A
   3. An inmate's chances of maintaining sobriety on the outside are improved by participation in the A.A. program of recovery.
   4. Correctional facilities usually regard A.A. as contributing to the objectives of their institution.

   Finance

   Discuss a request to remove the pie charts from the pamphlet. "Self-Support: Where Money and Spirituality Mix" and took no action.

   The committee discussed a request from an area regarding removing pie charts and a request from another area regarding adding additional pie charts to the pamphlet "Self-Support: Where Money and Spirituality Mix" and took no action.

2. Discuss requests to eliminate the discounts on volume purchases of A.A.W.S. literature.

   The committee discussed requests to eliminate the discounts on volume purchases of A.A.W.S. literature and took no action.

III.Literature

1. Consider suggestion to revise the pamphlet "A.A. for the Native North American."
   
   Recommendation: The pamphlet "A.A. for the Native North American" be revised.
2. Discuss request for a review of language in A.A. literature that refers to the first 164 pages of the Big Book. 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.

   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."

   Consider proposal that the pamphlet "Letter to a Woman Alcoholic" be discontinued Recommendation: The pamphlet "Letter to A Woman Alcoholic" be discontinued

   Consider developing a pamphlet concerning Alcoholics Anonymous, religion and spirituality. The committee considered developing a pamphlet concerning Alcoholics Anonymous, religion and spirituality. After a thorough discussion, the committee felt that there are already numerous references on this subject in the existing A.A. Conference-approved literature, and took no action.

IV. Public Information

1. Consider request to add "Domestic Partner" to the "Marital Status of Members" section of the 2007 A.A. Membership Survey Questionnaire.
2. Consider request to add a "Sexual Orientation" category to the 2007 A.A. Membership Survey Questionnaire. The committee considered the request to add a "Sexual Orientation" category to the 2007 A.A. Membership Survey Questionnaire and took no action.

   The section on "Marital Status" in the "A.A. Membership Survey Questionnaire" be revised and retitled as "Domestic Status" with the following four options:

   Married
   Single
   Divorced
   Other (please specify) _______.
   

V.Trustees

1. Review background material and experience pertaining to request that the selection process for Chairperson of the General Service Board be expanded to include past Class B trustees as candidates.

   The committee discussed the option of having a Class B trustee serve as chairperson of the General Service Board, and requested that additional relevant background be gathered and reported to the 2007 Conference Committee on Trustees, to include specific questions raised by the 2006 Conference Committee on Trustees.

   The committee also suggests that all delegates consider discussing this topic in their areas and forward any responses to the trustees' Committee on Nominating by October 2006.

If anyone wants additional information please email me a delegate@area92aa.org and identity yourself as an AA member and I will answer your questions as best I can.

The rest of the week consisted of Committee Reports and presentations. Two presentations I found inspiring were the presentation on AA Around the World by Staff member Doug R. and Trustee at large Dorothy W. Both of these reports will be in the Final Conference Report. If you want a copy sooner than August let me know and I will get one to you.

I also have a copy of Class A Trustee Treasure to the General Service board Vincent Keefe's Financial Report. This report centers on the importance of Self Support in a changing world. It asks the question can we continue to adjust our working reserve by raising literature prices? Vincent's report challenges us to be self-supporting at GSO so we can sell literature at cost. This report will also be in the final conference report and I will be glad to send it also to anyone who requests it.

On Saturday April 29 we piled into buses and headed up state to Westchester County to visit Stepping Stones, the historic home of Lois and Bill Wilson. When we arrived at Stepping Stone we were served a box lunch, which we ate while listening to a talk about the Wilson house and the efforts that are being made to preserve it for future generations. Guests are asked not to take pictures inside the house or in the cinder block building called "Wits End". Wits end is where Bill W. did a lot of his writing. We were allowed pictures in the kitchen sitting at the famous table where Ebby first talked to Bill. Also we could get a picture sitting at Bill's desk at Wits End. It was an honor to tour the house and get a feel for the Wilson's life in those years while AA was developing. To learn more about Stepping Stones visit. www.steppingstones.org This web site really is worth a look.

I am glad to have experienced my first General Service Conference. The experience is still sinking in. I am on the road a great deal in the next few months giving Delegates Reports and attending AA events. As your delegate to the general service conference I am happy to be serving Area 92 and AA as a whole. Please feel free to contact me at anytime with questions and comments. We are all in this together. My personal recovery depends on AA unity. That means my sobriety depends on us keeping this thing working. Not just my sobriety but the sobriety of all of us who have found the grace to stay sober one day at a time through the12 Steps, the 12 Traditions, the 12 Concepts and the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. The message I got from the conference was unity. That the conference is the guardian of our Traditions. Not just those of us who have found sobriety but for all of those yet to come. Yours in Service Dave