BOX 4-5-9 NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE GENERAL SERVICE OFFICE OF A. A.

Vol. 15 No. 4

August-September 1970

11,000 at Miami Convention Pledge To Preserve A. A. Unity Scene: Convention Hall, Miami, Fla., decorated with flags and bunting. Time: 10 p.m., July 4, 1970. Characters: 11,000 joyous men, women and children from 28 countries. ALL (in unison): “This we owe to A.A.’s future. . If your voice joined in that mighty unity chorus, you’ll never forget that awesome Miami moment. Ever since the first International A.A. Convention in 1950, at Cleveland, such a gathering has been held every five years. Miami Beach saw the biggest assemblage of alcoholics the world has ever seen – all of them sober! But rarely solemn. A spiritual exhilaration seemed to keep the milling throngs joyous.

In four days of 75 sessions (8 a.m.-2 a.m.), including a Spanish-language Alkathon, seven strictly social gatherings, and uncountable informal coffee sessions in hospitality suites; the A.A., AlAnon Family Group and Alateen members – plus 29 distinguished guests (nonalcoholic) speakers and A.A. trustees – amazed onlookers in the famous resort city with sober high-jinks, roaring bursts of laughter, silent moments of prayer, and

Declaration of Unity This we owe to A.A.’s future: To place our common welfare first; To keep our fellowship united. For on A.A. unity depend our lives, And the lives of those to come. JULY 3-5,1970 MIAMI BEACH

mutual enjoyment of a loving unity rare among folks of differing nations, races and tongues. If you were there, the following highlights may arouse a few memories: streams of private cars, taxis, station wagons and airport limousines swept up the green cement ramps of the Fontainebleau, Eden Roc and other hotels to discharge mobs of excited conventioneers from every state and province, plus Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Puerto Rico, San Salvador, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and Uruguay. Turning left into the Grand Gallerie of the Fontainebleau, (Cont ’d. P. 2)

Tom B., Sask., former trustee of the General Service Board. ’Heartline of A.A.’

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Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach, Convention Headquarters

CONVENTION (from p. 1)

your eyes were dazzled by a noisy kaleidoscope of friends laughing and greeting each other. Everyone knew that a “spot of Orange” identified a local host member. Spots, indeed! Raincoats, jumpers, pants suits, slacks, shoes, caps, canes, leg casts, cowboy hats, blouses, ties, shirts, belts, shorts, and even hair yes, dyed orange for the weekend – fairly blazed all over the place on 1,300 Florida A.A.’s. Before you knew it, the first social event of the Convention two mammoth dances were in full swing. . .waltzes for the young at heart and frugs or whatever for the young of back! But by 8 a.m., Friday, excited crowds were thronging into seven giant A.A. workshop rooms at the Fontainebleau and five Al-Anon ones at the Eden Roc. Everybody seemed determined to get to at least three meetings simultaneously every hour, with perpetual queues outside coffee shop doors and the rooms where the new color film, “Bill Discusses the Twelve Traditions,” was being shown almost nonstop. Everybody piled good naturedly into chartered buses to go to the

gargantuan Convention Hall for two big evening meetings, and the Spiritual Meeting Sunday morning and Variety Show that night. A reception and a Sunday breakfast for Lois W., sponsored by AlAnon, drew thousands. Other scheduled social events arranged for fellowship and shared experience included an Alateen swim party and two luncheons. Delegates’ Reunion

General Service Conference delegates from every single Panel (from 1951 on) were presented at the delegates’ luncheon arranged by Jim. H., Huntsville, Ala. (new A.A. trustee-at-large) and m.c.’d by

CONVENTION TAPES

Forty Miami Convention tapes (or cassettes) – some recorded in G e r in a n are available from Southern Audio Visual Exhibition Service, 550 Meridian Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. 33 13 9. Alkathons, Panels, Big Meetings (Al-Anon, too), and the Spiritual Meeting were all recorded, but no Workshops. For order blank, price lists, etc., write to company and address given above.

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Mary D., Miami Intergroup secretary, presided at the Central Office luncheon, with Marge (Toronto), Paul (San Francisco), and Doris (New York) giving probably the shortest talks of the weekend. A giant telephone-and-map display and miniature telephone favors carried out the “heartline of A.A.” theme – which really came to life in the person of Nicky, a Cuban who haunted N.Y. Intergroup four years, drunk, but who is now a sober, stalwart volunteer for Miami Intergroup. He says Intergroups are his sponsors. Bill is Well

Bill and Lois had been looking forward with great anticipation to their attendance at the Miami Convention. Unfortunately, Bill fell ill with virus pneumonia and was obliged to spend several days in a Miami hospital. He felt very pleased, however, because he was allowed to make a brief appearance in Convention Hall during the Spiritual meeting on Sunday. Bill says there is no need for concern, that he is now home and rapidly regaining his strength. Lois W., his wife and “First Lady of Al-Anon,” won thousands of hearts again by doing an amazing job of carrying Bill’s messages to sessions he was scheduled to attend, plus keeping her own crowded AlAnon calendar. Finally, Sunday morning, the strictly A.A. part of the Convention came – too soon – to a moving and inspired finish as the worldwide family of A.A.’s clasped hands and prayed in unison “Our Father, which art in Heaven. .

SPECIAL GIFTS TO G.S.O. GEORGIA State Assembly …………… $100.00 MICHIGAN S.F. Mich. Conf. Area ………. 100.00 MINNESOTA Northern Minn. Assembly ……. 150.00 MISSOURI St. Louis: 6th Annu. Woman’s Conf ………………… 327.67 NEW JERSEY G.S.A. So. New Jersey ……… 50.00 NEW YORK Elmira: Watson Homestead Fall Round-Up ……………. 500.00 NORTH CAROLINA Durham: Tar heel Mid-Winter Conf. ……………….. 300.00 OREGON Albany: Mid Willamette Valley Sun. Breakfast …………. 32.00 PENNSYLVANIA F. Penna. Conf., Area 11 …….. 50.00 TEXAS Amarillo: Ceta Glenn Conf …… 125.00 VIRGINIA Blackstone Retreat ………… 100.00 WASHINGTON Western Wash.: Districts 7,8,9, 10 18.00 WISCONSIN Eau Claire: 11th Annu. Banquet.. 50.00 CANADA Alberta: Calgary Oldtimers Banquet ……………… 141.50 Ontario: Hamilton Breakfast Group ………………. 40.00 Ontario: Hamilton District Gen. Service ………….. 30.00 Ontario: Sudbury Ceo. Comm.. 27.62 Ontario: 10th Annu. TemiskamingCockrane Dist. Conf …….. 190.00 Ontario: 1969 Western Ontario Conf ………………… 1,000.00 Quebec: Bilingual Conf. …….. 600.00

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A new (nonalcoholic) treasurer and the first A.A. general service trustee-at-large have nowjoinecl the G.S. Boardthe corporate body responsible for guardianship of the A.A. program for the future.

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GV Calendar: To order the 1970 calendar “One Day at a Time” before they are all gone, see enclosed leaflet.

At the rate of 260 A.A. beginners per year, one group alone may have saved Los Angeles taxpayers $374,400, according to Al M., one of the Arlington Group founders 24 years ago. Al believes the group had five new members per week, and the minimum cost to the city for one drunkenness arrest is $60. Any figures like that on your group?

Arthur Miles New treasurer is nonalcoholic Arthur J. Miles, senior vice president of the Dime Savings Bank of Brooklyn. He is on the Board of Trustees of the American Institute of Banking and the Cultural Institu-

IkI3l IiU1I[I]AUfl I 1N(I]NI1f

To: all Institutional Committees and A.A. groups in hospitals, rehab centers and correctional institutions. We at G.S.O. badly need your help at once. The only way youand wecan keep in touch with each other is through the Directory of A.A. Groups in Hospitals and Rehab Centers, and the Directory of A.A. Groups in Correctional Facilities. New ones are published every two years, and they are based on information you send in. Information cards (sent to you in June) should have been mailed to G.S.O. by Aug. 3, if your com3

New Trustees ith Gl’atitlI(Ie to Retiring Ones Two nonalcoholic faces we shall miss are those of Archibald Roosevelt and Robert W.P. Morse, trustees recently resigned. “Arcine” often spiced with Latin his treasurer’s report, peering over his glasses at Conference delegates in the hotel named for his famous father. His successor as treasurer in 1965, Bob Morse, also earned our longterm gratitude and affection.

tions Retirement System, a member of the N.Y. Society of Security Analysts and the National Association of Business Economists. James (Jim) H., elected trusteeat-large (U.S.) in April, had his last drink in 1951, was a Panel 7 Conference delegate. He works for NASA in Huntsville, Alabama, where he lives with his wife and three daughters.

mittee or group is to be listed correctly in the new Directory. If it was not, send it anyway to update our mailing list. ’70 WORLD DIRECTORY:

All A.A. groups in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Central America, Europe, and South America are listed in the 1970 World Directory, Part II, ready Aug. 1. Each group in it gets a free copy from G.S.O., of course. Members may get a copy (50) through the group secretary or G.S.R. It lists groups, meeting days, and contacts. Part I, covering U.S.A. and Canadian groups, is already out.

A. A. Calendar of Events AUGUST 6- 9 7- 9 –

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LIVELY TOPICS FROM THE 1970 FINAL CONFERENCE REPORT Groups, assemblies and sharing sessions can find good A.A. discussion topics in the 1970 Final Conference Report. Copies are available from your local G.S. Committee (or G.S.O.) at $1.75 each. Almost any A.A. member will find his interest piqued by the extensive sections on: (1) Pill Problems. Statements by three distinguished physicians (nonalcoholics) on your own G.S. Board are given. John L. (“Dr. Jack”) Norris reviews A.A.’s early experience with narcotics addicts. Travis Dancey, Canadian psychiatrist, looks at today’s young multipledrug abusers. Vincent Dole, Rockefeller University, tells us that A.A.’s primary purpose tradition answers the question for him. (2) So-called “A.A. Counselors.” Why the Conference voted to discourage use of that title by nonA.A. agencies. (3) The Heart of A.A. A cup of coffee, or a trustees’ meeting. . .taking committee meeting minutes or feeding a hospitalized alcoholic. many such services are thoughtfully discussed in the Final Report. Don’t miss it!

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Durham, North Carolina: 23rd N.C. State Cony. Write: Cony. Chni., Box 22711, Durham. Iowa City, Ia., International Doctors in A.A. Write: Information Sec., IDDA, 1950 Volney Rd., Youngstown, Ohio. Denver, Co., State Cony, Write: Chin., 3268 Tuscon St., Aurora, Co. Fort Worth, Tx., 13th International Cony, of Young People in A.A. Write: ICYP, Box 11140, Berry St. Station, Fort Worth. Kitchener, Ont., Can., Central West Conf. Write: Sec., Box 392, Kitchener, Ont. Toledo, Ohio, Ohio Conf, Write: Ohio Gen. Scry. Conf., Box 3555, Station D., Toledo. Chautauqua, N. Y. 17th Id-State Assembly. Write: Tri-State Assembly, Box 96, Meadville, Pa.

SEPTEMBER Baker, Or., Oregon State Gen. Serv. Conf. Write: Conf. Chin., Box 167, Baker. 4- 6 – Richmond, Va., Virginia St. Assembly. Write: State Assembly, Box 566, Portsmouth, Va. 11-13 Moodus, Conn., 11th A.A. Get-together. Write: Chm., Banner Lodge, Moodus. 11-13 – Hodges Gardens, La., (nr. Many, La.), 3rd Annu. Western Louisiana Conf. Write: Chm. Box 988, Natchitoches, La. 11-13 – Lake Brownwood, Tx., 10th Lakeside Conf. Write: Lakeside Conf., 1428 Sweetbriek Circle, Odessa, Ix. 13 – Denver, Co., Annu. Oldtimers Banquet. Write: Denver Area Central Office, O’Reilly Bldg., 2801 E. Colfax Ave., Suite 202, Denver. 14-20 , Ocean City, Md. 13 Annu. ’Sessions-By-Ihe-Sea.” Write: Chm., Box 327, Centreville, Md. 18-20 – Dunnville, Ont., Can., 4th Annu. “Go Forth” Cony. Write: Cony. Chni., Box 163, Dunnville. 19 Atlantic City, N.J. So. Jersey Conf. Write: So. Jersey Conf. Chin., 761 Cass St., Trenton, N.J. 19-20 – Hamilton, Ont., Can. Hamilton Dist. Autumn Leaf Round-up. Write: 4- 6 –

NEW FILM: “BILL DISCUSSES THE TWELVE TRADITIONS” When you see this absorbing film, you will feel as if you had dropped in at a meetingthere is Bill, giving the opening talk! Bill explores the meaning of our Traditions so deeply and brings up so many important ideas that he truly could be providing groups with a starting point for a whole series of valuable discussion meetings.

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Round-up Chin., Box 385, Hamilton. Lenox, Ma., 8th Amin. Massachusetts Cony. Write: Cony. Chin., Box 444, Kenmore Station, Boston. Grand Rapids, Mich., 18th State Conf. Write: Chin., Box 2454, Grand Rapids.

OCTOBER Buffalo, N. Y., 7th Annu. St. Cony. & 28th Buffalo Fall Cony. Write: Cony. Chrn., Room 721, West Genessee St., Buffalo. 2- 4 – Tucson, Az., 20th Annu. State Conf. Write: Conf. Comm., Box 12954, Tucson. 2- 4 – Wichita Falls, Tx., N.E. Texas Area Conf. Write: Conf. Chin., Box 4017, Wichita Falls. 3- 5 – Dumfries, Scotland, 17th Blue Bonnets Gathering. Write: Secretary, King’s Arms Hotel, Dumfries, Scotland. 9-11 – Dartmouth, /VS., Can., 6th Annu. Nova Scotia/Nfld./Labr. Assembly Conf. Write: Chin., Box 3, Dartmouth. 9-11 – Spokane, Wash., Wash. Area Assembly. Ridpath Hotel, Spokane. 9-11 – Decatur, Ill., Fall State Cent. Write: Conf. Chin. 1608 Whittier, Springfield. 9-11 – Kansas City, Mo., V. Missouri Fall Assembly. Write: Assembly Chm., 2928 Mason, Independence, Mo. 9-11 – Wheeling, W.V., 18th W.V. Conf. Write: 18th Conf., Box 46, Wheeling. 9-11 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 12th Quebec, Provincial Bilinqual Conf. Write: Conf. Chin., Box 1777, Station B., Montreal. 10 – New York, N. Y., Bill’s Dinner 36th Anniversary Dinner & Dance. Write: Dinner Comm., Intergroup Assn., 24 E. 22nd St., 5th fl., New York. 10-11 – Bismarck, N.D., State Round-up. Write: Chin., Box 1522, Bismarck. 16-18 – Augusta, Ga., 17th Georgia State Cony, of A.A. Write: Georgia State Cony., Box 2732, Augusta. 15-18 – Amarillo, Tx., 23rd Annu. Roundup. Write: Roundup Comm., Box 1963, Amarillo. 16-18 – Lake Placid, N. Y. 20th Amin. Fall Cont., Hudson, Mohawk, Berkshire Area. Write: Conf. Chin., Box 646, Lake Placid. 2- 4 –

Prints are rented. The cost is $35.00 for a Monday-through-Sunday week or fraction thereof. In requesting film, indicate first, second and third choice of dates. Box 4-5-9 is published 6 times a year by the General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous, 468 Park Ave., South, N. Y. C., N. Y. 10016. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Individual, $1.00 per yr.; Group, $2.50 for each unit of 10 per yr. (Check should accompany order.) Checks payable to A.A. World Services, Inc., Box 459, Grand Central Post Office, N. Y. C., N. Y. 10017.