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DELEGATE'S REPORT ON THE 55th GENERAL SERVICE CONFERENCE APRIL 17-23, 2005 The first General Service Conference, Panel #1 was held in 1951 as Bill and Dr. Bob's proposed solution to long term control of Alcoholics Anonymous. Through the conference the founders delivered the legacy of service to the entire membership. It was evolved not to govern but as the vehicle through which the AA groups would be the governing influence on all of AA's affairs. The conference now consists of the twenty-one members of The General Service Board, (seven class A, non-alcoholic trustees and fourteen class B, alcoholic trustees), three non trustee AA World Service directors, three non trustee Grapevine directors, sixteen members of the General Service Office staff and ninety three delegates from the United States and Canada. A total of one hundred and thirty six voting members for this years fifty-fifth General Service Conference. There are now eight regions and ninety-three delegate areas in the combined United States and Canada. Our region, the Northeast Region, is the largest with eighteen delegate areas. Each delegate is assigned to a conference committee. There are thirteen conference committees each of which consists of either eight or nine delegates and is assisted by one member of the General Service Office staff and a secretary. The assignments are drawn from the hat late in December prior to the conference. I was assigned to the Finance Committee at the 54th General Service Conference and served as Alternate Chairperson on that committee for the 55th conference. Nearly all matters before the conference are handled through the committee system to insure that the greatest number of matters can be dealt with in the six day conference schedule. After each committee considers the items before it, it's recommendations are presented to the conference as a whole for acceptance or rejection. The final order of business for the conference is the consideration of floor actions which have been submitted in writing during the conference. Conference business is conducted under a modified system of Robert's Rules of Order. The major difference being the use of two' thirds majority and the consideration of minority opinions. The delegate from Eastern Massachusetts and I drove to New York on Friday April 15 to get settled in and meet with a few others from our region prior to the step up in conference related activities which begins on Saturday. I attended a Broadway play on Saturday evening with the delegates from southern New Jersey, Eastern Massachusetts and Maryland. On Saturday we got reacquainted with the panel fifty four delegates and greeted many of the new panel fifty-five delegates. Each second year delegate is assigned a Buddy from the first year delegate panel. My buddy, Keith H., from Hawaii arrived and we had an opportunity to get acquainted at dinner with the members of his conference committee. On Sunday morning activities began with a three hour meeting of the Remote Communities Committee. Although this meeting was not directly associated with the conference, it was of great interest to consider the unique problems of communities outside the normal limits of easy travel and communication. General Service Conference registration was completed between 11:00 am and 11:45am. The opening session of the Conference convened at 1:15pm. Elaine M., Chair of the General Service Board welcomed the conference members; after which the role was called and greetings were delivered by Jimmy Jack B., the delegate chairperson, and John K., Trustee, delivered the keynote address. The session ended with a review of the mechanics of the conference, the conference agenda and manual and questions from the membership. Joint meetings of the Conference Committees with their respective members of the board of trustees convened between 2:45pm and 5:45pm. At 6:30 the Opening Dinner and AA Meeting began. The dinner is attended by all conference members and each members invited guest. Jorge F., our Alternate Delegate attended as my guest. After dinner the AA meeting, chaired by the delegate from Southern New Jersey, we heard AA talks from two delegates, a Grapevine director, a trustee and a member of the G.S.O. staff. Business concluded for the day and most of us did a little shopping or sightseeing before turning in for the night. Each weekday begins at 7:30 am with an optional meeting of the Serenity AA Group (meets five days each year at the conference only). A great way to get spiritually prepared for the day ahead. The first meetings of the conference committees began at 9:00am on Monday and ran to Noon. After lunch the conference met to hear reports from Elaine M.-General Service Board Report, Ron G., - A.A.W.S. Board Report, and David E. - Grapevine Report. Finance and Budgetary Committee Chair, Vincent K., reviewed finances, followed by questions and sharing from the conference members. Beginning at 3:30pm we heard Area Highlights from the seven panel 55 delegates from the Southeast Region and the seven panel 55 delegates from the Southwest Region followed by presentations by delegates on Recovery, "How It Works" in our home group and Carrying the Message Through the Principles in our Daily Lives. A general sharing session ended the afternoon business. After Dinner a presentation/discussion session on the A.A. Grapevine: "A Vision for the Future", chaired by John S. Grapevine director with two presentations followed by questions and sharing. The day's work ended with a What's On Your Mind sharing session. Tuesday's conference schedule began with the second meeting of the conference committees in separate session from 9:00am to noon. After lunch we heard three presentations on ''Unity'' from delegates with questions and sharing followed by Area highlights from the six Eastern Canada panel 55 delegates and the four West Central panel 55 delegates. Many conference members then traveled up town to the General Service Office for a tour of the offices, Archives and Grapevine. The delegate from Western Mass and I took a boat ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to fill the time before dinner. The delegates met for dinner and general sharing session from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Some of us then convened at The Stardust Lounge for Ice Cream, entertainment and fellowship before retiring. Wednesday morning, from 9:00am to 11:00am the membership was divided into separate workshop sessions on the topic "Do I Carry the A.A. Message or My Own?" after which we heard Area Highlights from the eight panel 55 delegates from our Northeast Region and the single panel 55 delegate from Western Canada. We then met by region for Delegates Luncheons followed by voting for our candidate to replace Charles B. as Trustee at Large U.S., Cookie S., past delegate from South East New York was chosen as the candidate from the Northeast Region and her name was forwarded for consideration by all the U.S. delegates. Then the conference convened in general session to elect regional trustees for the Southeast and East Central regions as well as the new Trustee at large, U.S., Howard L. of Columbia Mississippi became the Southeast Regional Trustee, Bob M. of Ontonagon, Michigan became the East Central Regional Trustee and Dorothy W. of Indianapolis was elected Trustee at Large, U.S.. Area highlights were presented by the seven panel 55 delegates from the Pacific region and the eight panel 55 delegates from the East Central Region. After dinner a Presentation/Discussion session included presentations on "Final Responsibility and Ultimate Authority", "Minority Opinion, Are We Listening?", and "Leadership - Responsibility For A.A.' s Future" with questions and sharing following. A "What's on Your Mind" sharing session brought us to the first session of Committee Reports and Discussion, the beginning of full conference consideration of the individual conference committee recommendations. Committee reports and discussion continued throughout Thursday morning. After lunch Charles Bartel, rotating Trustee at Large, U.S., moderated a panel featuring presentations on the "18th World Service Meeting" by Murray M., Trustee, and "A. A. Around the World" by Adrienne B., G. S. O. Staff, International desk. Committee reports and discussion continued to dinner time and dinner after to closing just before 11 pm. I was privileged to open the final session of the 55th General Service Conference on Friday with an excerpt from the 1958 General Service Conference Report containing quotes of Bill W's on the importance of the General Service Conference both historically and into the future. A Presentation/Discussion on The 2005 International Convention theme "I am Responsible" with presentations by Doug R., G.S.O. Staff and Barb K., delegate Eastern Ontario followed and ended with a sharing session. Committee reports and discussion brought us to lunch after which they continued until they were completed. Consideration of floor actions completed the conference business and were followed by a sharing session at which each of the outgoing panel 54 delegates made brief remarks regarding their conference experiences and said goodbye. The conference was closed with remarks by Elaine M., outgoing Chair of the General Service Board followed by the Serenity Prayer in Spanish, French and English. On Saturday morning in a meeting chaired by Leonard Blumenthal, LL.D. farewell talks were heard from rotating trustees, Charles B., Trustee at Large, U.S., David E., Trustee, Richard G., Southeast Regional Trustee, John K., trustee, Dorothy M., East Central Regional Trustee, and Elaine M., Ph. D., Chair of the General Service Board. While the preceding is a brief and certainly not all inclusive chronological history of the fifty-fifth general service conference the following is meant to be a summary of the actions taken at the conference alphabetically by committee and is not meant to be complete or all-inclusive.
AGENDA COMMITTEE ARCHIVES COMMITTEE COOPERATION WITH THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS A progress report on the development of an informational media presentation introducing AA to training academies and in service training for corrections personnel be brought back to the 2006 conference. The name of the Conference Committee on Corrections be changed to the Conference Corrections Committee.
FINANCE
GRAPEVINE
LITERATURE The pamphlet "Young People and AA" be revised to include eleven current, and eight new stories. Revisions to be reviewed by the 2006 conference. The Spanish-language Third Edition Big Book, Alcoholicos Anonimos continue to be developed and that a progress report or draft be brought to the 2006 conference. The addition of four paragraphs to the pamphlet "Questions and Answers on Sponsorship" under the section titled "Service Sponsorship". The manuscript of the revised pamphlet "The AA Group" that includes revisions suggested by the committee be approved. The text under the heading "The AA Grapevine" in the pamphlet" Your A.A General Service Office be replaced with updated copy. The term "sexual preference" be replace with "sexual orientation" on page l0 in the pamphlet "AA. and the Gay/Lesbian Alcoholic".
POLICY/ADMISSIONS The 58th General Service Conference be held April 27 to May 3, 2008. The timetable for election of new delegates from Western Canada be revised to allow for an even distribution of new delegates on each panel.
PUBLIC INFORMATION Sober more than 10 years Sober between 5-10 years Sober between 1-5 years Sober less than 1 year The television public service announcement (P.S.A) "Living in Chaos" developed by the Public Information Committee be approved and that it be translated into French and Spanish, distributed and tracked at a cost not to exceed $40,00.00. The phrase "and taking pills" be removed from the P.S.A. "Teenager" spot #6 on the radio P.S.A. CD item #R-10. The Trustees Committee take steps to determine the feasibility of replacing the videos "AA - Rap With Us" and "Young People and AA" with initial project costs not to exceed $20,000.00. Discontinue distribution of the video "Alcoholics Anonymous - An Inside View" as it is outdated.
REPORT AND CHARTER Text be added to The A.A. Service Manual describing the new Grapevine digital archive. The AA Grapevine reprint policy be added to The A.A. Service Manual. Online meetings in languages in addition to English, French and Spanish be listed in A.A directories under "ONLINE MEETINGS' with the meeting language indicated and that they be listed with an email contact address only.
TREATMENT FACILITIES
TRUSTEES The slate of Directors recommended by the trustees committee and approved by the conference be elected at the annual meeting of the members of the AA World Services Board in April 2005. The recommended slate of directors be elected at the annual meeting of the members of the Grapevine Board in Apri1 2005. New language be added to existing language of the Bylaws of the General Service Board regarding successor terms of Class B trustees in the event of resignation or death of an incumbent.
FLOOR ACTIONS
The following floor actions did not result in Conference advisory actions: Alcoholism is a disease that ignores sexual preference" be changed to "Alcoholism is a disease that ignores sexual preference (orientation) on page 10 in the pamphlet "A. A and the Gay/Lesbian Alcoholic". (not approved) That any further "editorial changes" to The A.A. Service Manual be included as background material sent to all delegates. (not approved)
The updated "Alcoholics Anonymous 2004 Membership Survey" pamphlet be approved with the addition of the following new question/category: Sexual Orientation: Homosexual Heterosexual (conference voted not to consider) The title of A.A. in Prison: Inmate to Inmate be changed to "AA Member to AA Member" and the stories be focused on AA members who found sobriety inside the walls and continued sobriety on the outside. (conference voted not to consider) That the title of the pamphlet "Questions and Answers on Sponsorship" be changed to "Questions and Answers on Recovery and Service Sponsorship" (conference voted not to consider) That the AA. directories include the listing of a central office serving Native North American people. (conference voted not to consider) In addition to the preceding agenda items the conference committees considered other items on their agendas. A list of those items which resulted in suggestions follows.
AGENDA
ARCHIVES
COOPERATION WITH THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY Suggested that the trustees committee consider a request to create short video segments which could be streamed on G. S. O's web site for professionals in employment / human relations, legal / criminal justice, and medical fields. That the C.P.C. desk at G. S. O. gather examples of Power Point presentations to be combined in a service piece to be used to provide information to professionals. Suggested several other informational changes to the C.P.C. workbook.
CORRECTIONS Suggested work on the draft service piece "Guidelines for the Development of Workshops Introducing A.A. in Programs for Correctional Personnel" continue with a wider scope of use than originally intended.
FINANCE
GRAPEVINE Forwarded a suggestion that an audio CD of La Vina stories on steps Seven through Twelve be produced in 2006 or later. Suggested some editorial changes to the Grapevine Workbook.
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS/REGIONAL FORUMS Discussed ways to encourage interest in Forums and suggested the following: That groups, districts and areas develop flyers using information from the Regional/Special Forums website That members consider bus/van trips to Forums. That members, particularly sponsors and trusted servants in each region encourage/invite new members to attend Forums with them.
LITERATURE Reviewed the draft pamphlet "It Happened To Alice" and requested that it be rewritten and presented to the 2006 Conference.
POLICY AND ADMISSIONS
PUBLIC INFORMATION
REPORT AND CHARTER Suggested possible format changes to the Final Conference Report as possible cost reduction methods. Took no action on the suggested placement of a central office serving Native North American People in the AA directories.
TREATMENT Requested that the 2006 Conference Committee on Treatment Facilities reconsider both the name and the scope of the committee in light of recent experience and changes in the treatment field.
TRUSTEES While the foregoing is meant to be a synopsis of the events of the 55th General Service Conference it can in no way impart the spirit of gratitude for the gift of service that each of the delegates exhibited in all the affairs of the Conference. While we did not always agree on the solutions to A. A's questions everyone had only the best interest of A. A., now and for the future, in their hearts. Debate centered around concern for AA's primary purpose "To help the Alcoholic who still suffers". I thank you all for the honor and privilege you have given me by allowing me to serve as your Delegate. It has been the most rewarding experience of my A.A, lifetime.
With Gratitude in Love and Service,
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