Mary Li,, in Napa, Laiifornia, writes of the Hospitality Group’s pleasure in their adopted lone member in Italy: “It would be quite impossible to describe the pleasure and genuine inspiration we have received from our adopted Loner, Elisabeth, in Turin, Italy. A few of us wrote notes introducing ourselves after receiving her name from G.S.O. We included ci membership card to the Alano Club here, marked ’Honorary,’ Back came individual replies from Elisabeth, so warm, so moving, so delightful that the thousands of miles faded away and she seemed to be right here with us,

YOUNG PEOPLE IN A.A.

“Today we have mailed several more notes from members and eight photographs of our Clubhouse, showing the meeting room side and the social club side of the building, the kitchen, our piano, etc., so she can better imagine herself here with

Last June over 800 A.A. members, their families and friends, from all parts of the United States and Canada attended the Fifth International Conference of Young People in A.A. at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Dennis A,, the Fifth Conference Chairman, wrote us:

us. We were surprised and happy to learn that she has had 15 months of sobriety in A.A. and it occurred to us that she could not have had a birth. day cake with one candle on it as our custom is

“This Conference proved, beyond doubt, that the young people of A.A. today are not trying to segre.

out here. So we are planning a surprise for her and tomorrow night we shall have a birthday cake at our Wednesday night Hospitality Group meeting, inscribed to ’Elisabeth, Turin, Italy,’ One candle will be burning on it,

gate themselves or break away from A.A., as once was feared, but they are utilizing their energy to further the cause of A.A. in general and to carry a message of hope to young alcoholics who may be wondering if they are too young – or if there is a place for them in A.A. “

(continued on page 2)

Next year the Sixth Conference will be held in Columbia, South Carolina, May 31 June 2, 1963, The theme will be “The Young and the Young -in”Heart.” For

REVISED P.I. PAMPHLET NOW AVAILABLE

details write to: Sixth International Conference of Young B,, People, Drawer X, Tryon, North Carolina, “Red”

“Cooperation but Not Affiliation” is the title of the new, enlarged edition of “Cooperation-Yes: Affiliation No,” This edition includes the report of the 1960-1961

Chairman of next year’s conference, extends an early and warm welcome to all.

General Service Conference Study Committee on A,A,’s Relations with Outside Agencies. It is priced at 250 a COPY.

I I

NEW YORK ANNUAL DINNER

I

The Annual New York Intergroup Dinner, to celebrate Bill W,’s 28th A.A. Birthday, will be held on Satur-

I I i

day, October 6th, at the Hotel Commodore, New York City. For details write: N.Y., Intergroup, 733 East 39th Street, New York 76, N.Y.

The new pamphlet explains how individual A,A.’s, groups and service committees can cooperate with the various agencies that are also trying to help alcoholics and their families. You can give it to the professional people who ask A.A. for help or you can use the question and answer section in group discussions. An order blank for the new pamphlet is enclosed with this Bulletin, §

§

§

CALIFORNIA GROUP ADOPTS LONER IN ITALY (continued from page 7)

“We’ll take a few snapshots of this, eat up her cake, saving one thin slice which we shall wrap and freeze until the photos are ready and then send it all off to her with the candle and candle holder. One of the notes sent today made mention of the custom of birthday cakes so she will understand what it is for, but we didn’t mention our plans for her in this regard. “Elisabeth’s impact on our members here has been electric! Suddenly everyone seems to be aware, in a new way, of how fortunate we are to have each other nearby, to be able to drop in at the club for coffee and arm’s-length A.A. Suddenly we see with new eyes A,A.on a world-wide scale and, quite importantly, the service that you at G.S.O. give so abundantly. And Elisabeth herself is certainly a warm, 3-dimensional person, hungry for more of this life-giving program, cer-

LOS ANGELES INSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEE Lost April, Jules P,, Delegate from the California Los Angeles area reported at the General Service Conference these figures which convey an idea of the lob being done by the Institutional Committee in his area: “The present Institutional Committee was formed late in the summer of 1946. At that time it served only 8 institutions, Today the facilities served have increased to 61 – 55 of them have weekly meetings. “This activity requires the monthly participation of 676 A.A. members who have a year or more of uninterrupted sobriety. Both men and women are active as panel members and speakers. “The area stretches over 200 miles in each direction so approximately 40,000 square miles are covered each week in doing this lob,”

tainly a very real and special member of our Club and Group,”

GRAPEVINE “CALENDAR” DEADLINE Is an A.A. conference or convention coming up in your area? Then send your “Calendar” notice to

CORRESPONDENCE REQUESTED!

The Grapevine Editorial Office, 305 East 45th Street,

New York 17, N. Y,,TWO

MONTHS EARLY. For

November the deadline is September 1st, The Poulseur Group is a relatively new group in a suburb near Liege, Belgium, Arthur, the secretary,would

INSIDE GROUPS NEED LITERATURE

like to correspond with A,A.’s in North America who are also in groups in small communities.

Many A.A. groups in hospitals and correctional inAn exchange of ideas about meetings and sponsor-

stitutions throughout the world are in need of A.A. pam-

ship might, he feels, help his group grow. Arthur under-

phlets. “Outside” groups and institutional committees

stands English and can translate letters to share with

can perform a valuable service by furnishing A.A. litera-

his group, but he would like French correspondence too.

ture to these inmate and patient groups on a continuing

Address your letter to Arthur care of G,5,O, and Eve will

basis.

send it on to him in Poulseur, Now available at G.S.O. are packages of literature that have been specially prepared for groups in hospitals “A.A. LONERS MEETING”

and correctional institutions. Each package contains a liberal sampling of ten different Conference-approved

“A.A. Loners Meeting” is the monthly bulletin sent

pamphlets. The discount price for the package is $3.00.

from G.S.O. to more than 500 Loners throughout the world.

This is a saving of $1.50 over the cost of separate

Edited by a Staff member, the bulletin’s purpose is “to

pamphlets.

share A.A. love and gratitude, strength and faith with one another,”

Here are two letters pointing up the needs of “inside” groups:

Here’s what one Loner said about it: “About a year and a half ago I signed up with the Loners because the

From THE FUTURE OUTLOOK & FELLOWSHIP

nearest A.A. group was 30 miles away and I was not get-

GROUP, in Indiana – .. “We received your letter

ting to meetings too frequently. The letters that appear

and two copies of ’Partners in A.A.’ It’s plain to

in the ’A.A. Loners Meeting’ show an intent of purpose

see that this pamphlet has many points which can

and determination beyond what one would ever believe

be applied to our group. Your package containing

possible. It surely shows in every case the presence of

literature for us will be eagerly awaited as we

the Higher Power, T0 have this contact is wonderful,”

are always in need of good A.A. literature,”

From the STATE HOSPITAL GROUP, in St. Joseph, Missouri,. .”lf I outline our needs, maybe you will have some suggestions to offer in setting up our program. “Our group at the State Hospital averages about 30 patient members and about 8 members from the three different town groups. Approximately every 6 weeks there is almost a complete turnover in patientmembers andour desire is to get appropriate literature to each of the 30 during the 6 weeks they are at the hospital. One item that is always appreciated is the wallet card. Can it be ordered in lots of less than one hundred? Our finances are limited,”

A, A, GROUP FOR DEAF MUTES A group for alcoholic deaf mutes has been formed in Los Angeles, Sybil, Secretary of the Los Angeles Central Office writes: “As a result of your letter regarding Mrs. W.M,, a deaf mute, a group has been formed which fits her special needs and is doing fine, “A dedicated member here has been working with others in thatcategory, and at long lost enough people are interested to start meeting in homes, “If you know of anyone else who might be interested, please refer them to us as we need lip readers as well as those who use sign language. Our good A.A. friend, Herman R,, is performing a most important task in getting this group started.”

§ § §

“There are no hopeless situations; only people who have grown hopeless about them”,,

from a Loner’s letter.

Doug G., Secretary of the TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA Hobart Intergroup in Kingston Beach, Tasmania, writes: “It was suggested at a recent meeting of the group representatives of A.A. in the Hobart area that I write and ask if you would put a notice in the ’A.A. Exchange Bulletin’ that we would welcome visits from A,A,’s on business trips or-cruises if they can fit Tasmania into their itineraries and also give us due notice of their proposed dates of arrival and departure. Just write: Secretary, Hobart Intergroup, 106 RoslynAvenue, Kingston Beach, Tasmania, Australia,”

A.A. AT WORK Adrian F., a Director of A.A. World Services, does several other volunteer jobs around G.S.O. He is one of our translators as well as the official Corresponding Member of the General Service Conference for A.A.in Holland. Recently he translated for us an Afrikaans newspaper clipping from Witbonk, Transvaal, South Africa, The story reported in detail an A.A. public meeting in Witbank where A.A. speakers from Springs, Pretoria. and Rustonburg “brought a message of Hope, Help and Light,” An English poem was quoted by one of the speakers and printed in the newspaper story, We liked it and reproduce it here in the hope that some reader may be able to tell us who wrote it,

How it Works. In each of you, I see a friend One whose friendship knows no end, And so, just for today, I’ll try to be To otherswhat you are to me. You stopped, and turned, and took me by the hand, And steadied me’til I could stand. And then, until I walked alone Let go my fingers, one by one. You did not say to me, “Do this,” “be thus,”

EUREKA, CALIFORNIA .. The Secretary of the HUM.. BOLDT-DEL NORTE CENTRAL COMMITTEE writes: “Members planning a trip to Century 21 World’s Fair in Seattle, Washington, this summer, might like to know that on the Redwood Highway (US 101) north of San Francisco to Portland (750 miles) there are only two areas where there is A.A. The first – 300 miles north of San Francisco is the Eureka (Humboldt County) area where there is at least one meeting every day. Then 85 miles further north there is the Crescent City (Del Norte County) area, We hope many A,A,’s motoring to the World’s Fair will take the Valley of the Giants route and visit A.A. in both these areas. For further information write: Humboldt-Del Norte Central Committee, P.O. Box 751, Eureka, California,”

You said, quite simply, “walk with us.” I triedand when I lifted up my eyes, could see The same vision which had made you free. We walk together nowa pleasant band Which waits for me, if I should. fill my hand With the trembling fingers of one, whose spirit must also breakor bend And teach him softly, what it means to have – and be — a a friend. Just for today I will let others see What each of you has done for me.

A.A.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO G.S.O.

BOOKS IN BRAILLE

from

“Alcoholics Anonymous” and “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” in Braille are available from G.S.O. The Big Book consists of three volumes and is priced at

A.A. MEETINGS & A.A. COMMITTEES

$7.50, while “Twelve & Twelve” is in two volumes, at

June 11 through July 13, 1962

$5.00.

DELAWARE

G.S.O. is in touch with several blind members who like to correspond in Braille with other A.A,’s. If you know of a blind member who wants to share this activity just send his, or her, name and address to us,

Delaware 1st Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . .$

We also ask you to pass the word along that literature in Braille is available for blind members. We hope that

Nebraska State Committee, , , , , , . , , , . , , ,$

every blind A.A. will now know about these books and also that G.S.O. will put him in touch with other blind members with whom he can correspond in Braille or ex-

81.00

NEBRASKA 50.00

NEW MEXICO New Mexico Conference Assembly. . , , . , . , ,$ 37.87

change tape recordings. NEW YORK

“Most people are like money -if they aren’t kept busy, they

lose interest”,, from the Cleveland “Central Bulletin.”

Garden City Group…… . . . . . . . . . . . 4 100.00 Southeastern New York Area . . . . ,..,… ,$1,000.00 Western New York Conference , , , , . , , . . . .$ 132.31 NORTH CAROLINA

BANTU GROUPS GROW

State Convention

In Memory of Ken B.. . . , ,$ 65.00

Last December Cliff B., of the Rye-Harrison Group in New York, traveled over 10,000 miles to South Africa to be the guest speaker at the Bantu Group’s first anniversary meeting. “It was a most unique experience,” he wrote, “I spoke through two interpreters into both dialects. The sincerity of these people and their faith in us ’over here’ is overwhelming, all because of our interest in them, financially and otherwise. I treasure the memory of how beautiful man’s love for, and faith in, his fellow man can be.” Cliff has asked that we explain that members of the Mamaroneck and Portchester Groups, as well as his own group, were among the more than 60 A.A.’s who chipped in to make up the donation that started the Bantu Group’s printing fund. The story of how A,A,’s in America and South Africa cooperated with G.S.O. to get pamphlets printed in two Bantu dialects was reported in the May “Exchange Bulletin,” In South Africa, A,A,’s in the Bantu Group continue to carry the A.A. message to others. Last month, Dirk of Westonaria Group, in the Transvaal, wrote us: “I attended a meeting of the Cliff B. Bantu Group. What a wonder-

TENNESSEE Tennessee State Convention in Nashville, . . .$ 152.80

Roundup Rosetown Hughton Grove . . . , . .$ 20.00 GERMANY Kaisers lantern Group . . . .,….. . . . . . . .$

22,00

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL MONUMENT, COLORADO Ross H,, new Loner at Alamosa, Colorado, writes: “I would like at this time to register myself as a ’Loner,’ The closest group is 55 miles away and I can get in about once a month, but thotmight be too long sometimes. So rather than chance it,,. please put me on the Loners mailing list,

ful surprise and what open minds. I certainly learned a lot. I hope soon to start a group for our Bantu people here at the Lebanon Gold Mine,” And as the Bulletin

“We have over 70,000 visitors here every year and some of them are probably A,A,’s, maybe needing a meeting too. My office is in the Visitors Center (all employ-

goes to press, Eve, on the overseas desk, has heard that this second Bantu Group is now going strong.

ees know I’m on A.A.). My home is on the Monument and always open to A,A,’s,”