News and Notes From the General Service Office of A A.®

48,000 A.A.s

Meet in Seattle As people throughout America celebrated july 4th, U.S. Independence Day, and several hundred non-A.A. people gathered at the International Fountain, in the middle of Seattle Center, to be sworn in as American qtizens, 48,000 A.A.s and Al-Anons converged on Seattle, Washington, to celebrate 55 years of freedom from the bondage of alcoholism through Alcoholics Anonymous. A.A.’s Ninth International Convention-“Fifty-Five Years – One Day at a Time”-July 5-8, far exceeded expected attendance. At one point the fire marsha l considered closing the Exhibit Hall, where registration was being held. The hall was bursting a t the seams with not only the preregistered (there to pick up their Convention kits), but with an unprecedented 15,000 who registered on-site.

VOL. 36, NO. 4 I AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1990

Over 250 meetings and workshops, on a variety of topics, were held around the city-at hotels, in the various buildings at Seattle Center-and always to standing room only. But the most important sharing and fellowship may have been at the informal meetings that cropped up everywhere; under a tree on the lawn at Seattle Center (where a sign read “Meeting Tree”); in the back of a bus waiting to leave the Kingdome after the Friday evening meeting; in the many hospitality suites throughout the city. Even Seattle’s local A.A. meetings were packed to capacity. Not only was this A.A.’s largest Convention to date, it was also the largest convention ever hosted by Seattle. Stores sported signs “Welcome Friends of Bill W.” The monorail, between downtown Seattle and the Center, was constantly packed (one of the drivers was a “friend of Bill’s”). Hotels set up coffee bars and ice cream bars in lobbies and made sure the coffee supply kept up with our consumption. The driver of a coffee distributor truck stuck his head out the window and shouted to a group of passing A.A.s, “Thanks, people!” And every-

I~~ ~ I

Box 4·5·9 is published b imonthly by the General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous, 468 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y., © Alcoholics Anonymous World Setvices, Inc., 1990.

Mail addl·ess: P.O. Box 459, Grand Central Station New York, NY 10163 Subscriptions: Individual, $3.50 per year; group, $6.00 for each unit of 10 per year. Check made payable to A.A.W.S., Inc.- should accompany order.

where A.A.s went native Washingtonians and merchant~ commented on what a great and orderly bunch we were (and if that is self-serving, so be it). Everywhere you looked there were men and women In bright green vests, cowboy hats and different colored neckerchiefs. They were members of the Seattle A.A. Host Committee, ready to help Convention goers in any way imaginable. Three thousand or more strong, they trained and prepared for a year-and it was not possible to stump them with any question or request for directions. Human interest stories abound. joe C. arrived at the Convention by bicycle, having left his Bradford, New Hampshire group last September, stopping to winter in Florida and celebrate his 60th birthday in California. One A.A. celebrated his 20th anniversary by traveling from Maine to Seattle in a covered wagon. Ron A. of Tacoma, and Tim S., San Francisco, met face-to-face for the first lime at the Computer Workshop-yet they have been sharing via computer meetings for four years. The opening meeting was held Friday evening in the Kingdome stadium, where a banner, “Unity 1n Action,” had been hung over the Budlight sign on the m ezzanine behind what would be home plate. Many have seen the m em bership figures; we know there are approximately two rnillion A.A. members and close to 88,000 groups worldwide today; we know that A.A. activity exists in 134 countries. But these figures come alive when you witness the l’lag ceremony. Seventy-five countries were represented, a few from such seemingly unlikely p laces as Bulgaria, Cuba, and Romania. When the Soviet Union was announced the crowd came to its feet as one, with a deafening cheer. Each person, each flag, represented the awesome, binding trust of Alcoholics Anonymous. The opening meeting was moderated by Michael Alexander, chairman of the General Service Board. Also on the dias were the widows of past board chairmen Or. john Norris and Or. Milton Maxwell ; Sue Windows and BobS., children of A.A. co-founder Dr. Bob; and Nell Wmg, Bill’s long-time secretary and AA.’s first archivist. Nell was presented with the ten millionth copy ofthe Big Book. Speakers for the m eeting were Raymond M., Scotland; June G., California; and jack F., British Colum bia. 2

At midnight on Thursday a marathon candle- to light the way for the still-suffering alcoholic- had been lit by a mother and son; Sunday morning it was brought to the podium and extinguished by a father, sober 18 years, and his daughter, sober two years. G.S.O.’s general manager Wayne P. opened the Sunday m orning spiritual meeting a nd introduced Eric B., of the Seattle Host Comm ittee, who chaired the rest of the meeting. Speakers were; jaime H., Colombia; Eve M., Florida; and Oon P., Colorado. The meeting closed with an interpretation of “Amazing Grace” by a local singer, and, in the usual manner, with the Lord’s Prayer. II was a grea t party! “Bill W.’s and Or. Bob’s Family Reumon” is held every ftve years- but, until they meet again in San Diego in 1995, clusters of sober drunks will gather everywhere- in large groups, medium-sized gatherings, one-on-one. They will meet every hour of the day and night, around the globe- in chmch basements, on telephones and computers, by letters and tapes, in large regional assemblies and conferences- to celebrate the freedom of another day. And, of course, to carry A.A.’s m essa ge. For, as Don P. said Sunday morning, “As wonderful as this is, there are thousands out there we haven’t talked to yet.”

A Food Stamp Symbolizes What Money Alone Can’t Buy It was the Fellowship’s co-founder Bill W. who pointed out that there’s “a place in A.A. where spirituality and money can mix … in the hat.” The Seventh Tradition of self-support through our own contributions is the keystone to our spiritual survival, to our ability to carry the A.A. message to the alcoholic who still suffers. Knowing this, members worldwide contribute what they can- and ofien what they can not. From Lafayette, Colorado, comes the story of one member whose unique contribution symbolizes the spirit of the Seventh Tradition and its ripple effect on all A.A.s. Writes district treasurer Roy K.: “Our district recently hosted a Traditions workshop. Afterward, I was sitting there counting the money in the basket we’d passed and feeling sorry for myself because I had to stay alone and work. Suddenly, among the bills and change there appeared a stamp, a solitary $5.00 food stamp. “My eyes opened wide as I examined the small square, and then my tears began to flow. There was a time in my drmking years when a $5.00 food stamp meant the difference between starvation and survival. For a moment I just sat there, remembering.” What the food stamp gave, Roy, he says, “was a realization of the great personal sacrifices people have made for this Fellowship. It made me feel very proud to be able to serve in the company of those who love it so much.” After fmishing his treasurer’s work, Roy headed home and phoned his sponsor. “I thanked him for encouragmg me to serve the Fellowship in whatever ways I can, as it has so graciously served me. May we never forget those who have gone before us. They have made whatever sacrifices were necessary so that A.A. will remam unchanged and undiluted for generations to come.”

New Tn.lstees There is rejoicing among A.A.s in Hawaii, as the new Pacific U.S. regional is the first trustee from the 50th state. New trustee Greg M., of Kaneohe, was a Panel37 delegate. Greg, who is an executive of a commercial construction company, says, of course, he is gratified and overwhelmed, but the real joy comes from seeing the reaction of the people of Hawaii, as this lets them know “the structure of the Fellowship is real, and they are a part of it.” Marc P., of Iberville, Quebec, is the first French

Canadian ln 12 years to represent the Eastern Canada region. An engineer and former Panel 36 delegate, Marc says it “came as a surprise. I just left my name and said, ‘God help me; let me know what l should be doing,’ and the answer came.” New general service trustee jean S., an executive of a New York publishing firm, has been a director on the A.A. World Services Board since 1987. Serving on the board and the various trustees’ committees has given jean the “opportunity to bring together all the parts of my sober life and becom e involved in things I care deeply about.” She looks forward to more of that as a trustee.

Are We Getting the

A.A. Message Across To the Newcomer? “Last night I confidently escorted a fhghtened newcomer to the meeting room where I had sobered up some years ago. T he speaker was a young woman who qualified for roughly 40 minutes about her childhood, her teens, her parents, and her experiences with cocaine, sex and more sex-and nearly every word was prefaced by a choice expletive. The only thing a newcomer could have taken away from that room was an expanded four-word vocabulary and the resolve to stay away from A.A. meetings.” Writing to both her local intergroup and the General Service Office, East Coast A.A. Peggy B. concluded, “I am very upset. Maybe there weren’t any candidates for a mental health award at that group when I got sober; but we shared the pain and agony of the disease of alcoholism and our joy in recovery. A.A. is not about parental failings or drugs or fornication- it’s about living sober mstead of dying from alcoholism. Help the newcomer, please, and tell me how I can help, too.” Responding to Peggy’s letter, a G.S.O. staff member shared her own experience in carrying the message as follows: “When I joined my present group some ten years ago, I encountered problems similar to yours. Wanting to help, I volunteered to act as program person for our closed Step meetings and, during the next year, brought in speakers with solid lengths of sobriety. We attracted newcomers and oldtimers alike, and attendance at our meetings tripled. “Another point you may find helpful: Our Step meetings are preceded by an announcement to the effect that, insofar as possible, comments should be confined to the Step under discussion. We also ask our speakers 3

!i

I to quality in relation to the Step rather than embark on a long drun.kalog. These measures have met with good response for some time now. “This doesn’t mean that we never hear a full drug qualification- we occasionally do. However, each time it happens, I register a complaint with a group officer, or at a group shartng session. If nothing else, the young people in our group have talked enough about this issue to have an elevated consciousness about it. “What I’ve described is not always easy or popular, Peggy, but it seems to work. And remember, if each of us carries the message of recovery to just one alcoholic, we can make a tremendous difference.” G.S.O. and Box 4-5-9 would like to hear of similar experiences and positive solutions.

Final Conference Report Covers Many Subjects The Fmal Report of the 40th A.A. General Sei’VIce Con_ ference contains a wealth of up-to-date information on many aspects of the Fellowship. Presentations cover topics such as the Home Group; Sponsorship; Finance; Self-support and the General Service Trustee. There is a last minute update on the International Convention; thumbnail sketches of trustees and names of delegates. for those with a bent toward figures there are 11 pages offinanctal information. Reports from trustees’ and staff members clanf)r the various assignments at G.S.O. and the committee work throughout the year, as well as similar reports from the Grapevtne. This is a Confidential Report-for A.A. Members only. Available now from G.S.O. the Fmal Conference Report (M-23) is. $2.00. Later in the year it will also be available in Spamsh and French.

The Group Conscience Emerges In Unanimity

I! ~

Examples of how an informed group conscience is reached abounded dur.ing the 1990 General Service Conference. Early in the week, the spotlight was on the Ad Hoc Committee’s report on group registration and the A.A. directories.. A 1989 Conference Floor Action established this committee in response to general di~satisfaction with the handling of group directory listings, which often included maccurate and outdated information. In giving the initial presentation, committee chairperson joyce Y., delegate from Nevada, reviewed the purpose of the domestic directories as an aid for Twelfth Step work and in contacting local central offices/intergroups and the general service committee. The Ad Hoc Committee members acknowledged that our directories represent a visible, tangible object, which reflects in a symbolic sense what and where we are. Last year, this committee had mailed questionnaires to all Conference members asking for input on the problems and solutions. Those responding indicated several concerns with the present A,A. directory information: non-A.A. groups listed as A.A. groups, some groups listed incorrectly, outdated information and misuse of dtrectories. To address the problems within the group registration process, the committee initially recommended that the group information forms con tain the “definition” of an A.A. group, including t·he six points, as reflected in “The A.A. Group” pamphlet. The recommendation also stated that G.S.O. delay processing new A.A. group information listings for 30 days to allow the local A.A. structure to participate in the process. As the Conference addressed fhet>e recommendations, it became clear that it was not possible for there to be unanimity on these recommendations. A major

I

I ! !

i

~

i

I

I i

I

I i

! ;

I

I

!

! I ;

0

~ 41 519 _ _ _ __

OrderFonn

I

Individual: Single one-year subscriptiOns ($3.50) ………….. Please send ___ individual subscr iptions $ – – – —

!!

Special Group Rates: Bulk subscriptions ($6.00 each unit of ten)

!

~

Please send ___ uni ts of ten

Na m e ________________ _ __ ________ _ _________ _

Address___ _ ________ _ __ _________ _ _ __ Apt# ____ Cio/___ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____

4

$ _ _ __ _

Amount enclosed $ – – – – –

Mail to:

Sta te (Prov.) _ __ _____ _ _ __ _

t

Zip (P. Code).________ __

Enclose check or money order and make payable to: A.A. World Services, Inc. P.0.~459

Grand Central Station New York, N.Y. 10163

I

!

!

!

!!

~

I

!

concern was with the six point definition of an A.A. group, the origin of which has never been established. Many felt that the six points are too rigid and stripped the spirituality out of the Traditions. The impasse resulted in the Ad Hoc Committee being asked to reconvene and continue considerations in light of the floor discussion. The committee returned to deliberations and achieved a consensus to recommend using the Long form of the Thtrd and fifth Traditions, along with a quote from Bill W.’s discussion of the Ninth Tradition, as a gauge in the group registration process. Recognizing that the Conference Committee on Literature was considering a major revision to “The A.A. Group” pamphlet, including the “definition” of an A.A. Group, the Ad Hoc Committee invited that committee to meet with them to hear their revised report before presentation to the full Conference. Subsequent to that meeting, the Literature Committee decided to not adjust the wording at this time. (A later Floor Action recom mended that the trustees’ and Conference Literature Committees address this subject and return to the 1991 Conference with a recommendation.) When the reVIsed Ad Hoc Committee report was presented to the Conference body, the recommendations were accepted with substantial unantmity. Those participating felt they had witnessed the spirit of our Tradltions in action. joyce Y. expressed it well when she said that thts “demonstrated once again our process of becomlUg fully informed through dtscussion and research of our history; heartng the minority voice and respond; ing to it is truly the spirit of Alcoholics Anonymous.”

Do We Have

Your CoiTect Address? If your mail box is empty when you are expecting Box 4-5-9 (or correspondence and other communications from this office), ·perhaps you need to let us have your cwTent address. Each week the G.S.O. mail averages 150 letters and mailings that are returned without forwarding information. In addition, there are about 100 pieces of”returns” that pass along new addresses for those who neglected to let us know of their relocation. In each case, there is a significant expense involved in receiving the returns, whether forn•ardable or not. All of us can be a part ofour continuing need to control the costs ofour services, ifeach member will remember to let this office know when you move. Please help us to serve you: ~ive us your foll name, new and former address (and zip code), and current service responsibility, if any.

1989 Membership Survey Reflects Trends Last summer, confidential questionnaires were distributed to U.S./Canada Conference delegates representing the 1989 total of 45,552 groups (the figure has since climbed to 47,973)-reflecting a total of nearly 5,000 more groups than were listed with the General Service Office in 1986. The 1989 survey respondents report an average sobriety length of 50 months, a figure slightly lower than the 52-month average noted in 1986, but greater than the 45-month mean of1983. Questions covered personal statistics (age, sex, nature ofjob, dates of first m eeting and last drink), A.A. activity (frequency of meeting attendance, group m embership, sponsorship), factors that attracted the person to A.A. in the first place (A.A. members, family, etc.), and “outside” considerations (experience with treatment facilities and the medical profession, drug addiction in addition to alcoholism). Of approximately 12,000 members reached by the questionnaires mailed to U.S./Canada groups, 9,394 were completed and returned . Some interesting findmgs: • The typtcal member in the 1989 survey attends approximately four m eetmgs a week, the sam e as reported in the 1986 survey. • How are newcomers coming in contact with A.A.? The survey shows that the one-to-one approach is still effective: 34% were attracted by an A.A. member. About 40% of all respondents cited guidance from counselors and rehabilitatiOn facilities (an increase of 4% over the 1986 figure). Others were influenced by a family member (19%); a doctor (7%); or were self-m otivated (27%). Preliminary results of the 1989 survey of A.A. members (from teenagers to octogenarians) mirror a number of trends evidenced in the 1986 survey. As anticipated, the percentage of members under 31 years ofage shows a minor change- up one percentage point over 1986 to 22% of the membershtp. This is in contrast to an increase of 15% to 20% found between 1980 and 1983. The percentage of those under age 21 in 1989 was 3%, the same as in 1986. Similarly, the percentage of women in A.A., which climbed steadily from 22% in 1968 to 34% in 1986, rose only one percentage point. This means that there is about one woman to every two men in A.A., and confirm s that the steep increase of the past has slowed during the 1980s. One continuing trend reflected by the survey is that, in addition to their alcoholism, 46% of the A.A.s responding indicated they had also been addtcted to drugs. This is an increase over the 38% noted in 1986, and the 5

continuation of a development which was first tracked in 1977, when the percentage was 18%. As before, about three-fourths of young people report such addiction, as do a greater percentage of women than men. Anonymous surveys of the Fellowship, which have been conducted every three years since 1968, com prise an expanding record of the composition of A.A. and the effectiveness of the program. They further provide a basis for inventory by A.A. m embers, and·a description of the Fellowship for the public and professional community. An encouraging note is the rise in the percentage of people with m ore than a year’s sobriety-a substantial increase over the experience of the past. As previous sur-veys have shown, the longer w e stay around A.A., the better are our chances of staying sober. Complete findings of the 1989 Membership Survey will be presented in an updated version of the illustrated leaflet’ “A.A. Mem bership Survey,” in a tabletop display of the same tit le, and in complete report form.

Betty L. Looks Back at 18 Years on G.S.O. Staff “So many changes have occurred in A.A. since I joined the General Service Office in 1972,” says retiring staff member Betty L., “although the powerful message we carry remains the same. The meetings are larger, the people are younger. Their enthusiasm is heartwarming, and what makes them special is that they are the future of A.A.” Betty reflects on another change: “Until the early 1980s, we maintained a mid-Victorian card-file system at G.S.O. By then, there were close to 20,000 groups in the U.S. and Canada alone, and keeping our records straight was virtually impossible. But now everything’s up-to-date. With our computerized system, we’re able to provide vital services for the nearly 48,000 A.A. groups in U.S./Canada, and track the 38,000 groups overseas for the International Directory as well.” (Overseas groups are primarily se1-ved by nearby general service offices or central offices.) All this, she notes, “with a staff that has increased by a handful.” Raised in Floral Park, New York, Betty says she ”ran away from home at age 27. My drinking brought me to my knees in 1963, and I became an active member of the Northport, I.ong Island A.A. group.” Nine years later , she joined the G.S.O. staff. Looking back on her assignments, she says, “I enjoyed all of them. That’s the great part ofrotatio11–you riever get bored. I was particularly fond of the Overseas assignment. In 1974, it took me to England for the World 6

Service Meeting, and I made a side trip to Ireland, that magical place I’d heard about as a child at my grandmother’s knee. After visiting the A.A. office in Dublin, I went on to her birthplace in Cork and got in touch •..vith my roots.” Other assignments Betty recalls with special pleasure include working on the 1980 International Convention in New Orleans and on the Public Information Workbook when it was first issued in 1979. “It has since been translated into several languages including Spanish, french and Finnish,” she reports. “Additionally, G.S.O. now has workbooks for other trustees’ committeesTreatment Facilities, Correctional Facilities, and Cooperation With the Professional Community.” With characteristic zest, Betty looks to retirement as a fresh beginning. She is presently movmg from her longtime home in Brooklyn Heights to Asheville, North Carolina, where she plans “to work, though not nearly as hard, and have fun- visiting nearby relatives, play1ng duplicate bridge, rooting for the Class-A Asheville Tourists (the farm team of the Houston Astros), and gazing at the sunset a peak up the Blue Ridge Mountains.” And G.S.O.? “I’ll miss the office and everybody there,” Betty muses. “But now it’s time to rotate out. for 18 years, I’ve been able to work professionally as well as personally for this wonderful fellowship that gave me my life back. I am very grateful.”

Grapevine Has New Controller First it was bad news, but now it’s good news at the Grapevine office. In November 1989, Don Meurer (nonalcoholic), GV controller/business administrator, moved to a different form of A.A. service when he accepted the position of A.A. World Services controller, which had been vacant for some time. Don, who was not only an integral part of the Grapevine staff for nine years but had been one of the corporation’s auditors before that, left a real “hole” in the Grapevine’s management structure. Happily, Don stayed on at the Grapevine part-time through the 1990 Conference, which left ample time to seek a well-qualified replacement. Seek the Grapevine did and-ironically-turned the tables on its sister corporation by findingjust the right person in Robert E. Scherer, an expertenced controller ofseveral corporations who was working on a temporary basis in the A.A.W.S. accounting department. Bob’s most recent position was controller of Eastern Steel Barrel Corporation, and his prior experience includes financial responsibilities for several large corporations

and two years as a public accountant. Bob joined the Grapevme on March 19, 1990, and only a month later had the oppportunity of being an observer at the 40th Conference-an experience that impressed and moved him deeply. He speaks of the dedication of all Conference members, demonstrated espee1ally by the fact that all had spent weeks preparing for the annual meeting. He enjoys the A.A. spirit of working together at the office also, and having seen among friends and relatives some of the results of the A.A. message, he has been touched by alcoholics and by the Fellowship. So much so, in fact, that already he is usmg the principles of the Twelve Steps in his own life, and looks forward to learmng m ore about A.A. and making his own contribution of service. Bob lives with his wife, Pat, in Ewing Township, New j ersey, where in his spare time he e’!joys Irish folk dancing and spendmg time with his family of four children and four grandchildren .

Register Now for Intergroup Seminar The Fifth A.A.W.S./Intergroup Seminar will be held September 7-9, 1990, at the Radisson Hotel, Newark, New jersey. Central office/intergroup managers, steering committee chairpersons a nd others will meet in a weekend designed to widen communication and share experience through workshops and presentation/discussion sessions. Space limitations dictate that the seminar be limited to one representative from each office. To register, please write: Central Office/Intergroup Seminar Coordinator, Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163. Closing date for hotel reservations is August 16.

A.A.s anfl Their Service Entities ‘Keep in Touch’ At Regional Fontms Regional Forums, those large and meaningful weekend sharing sessions of A.A. that have been held since 1975, are the brainchild of the late Dr. john (‘~ack”) Norris, trustee emeritus (Class A- nonalcoholic) of the General Service Board. Speaking at the Northeast Regional Forum in Maine, last year, Class A trustee Robert P. Morse said, “Dr. jack believed that the burgeoning growth of A.A.

could result in a loss of communication among our service entities-the General Service Office, its board, the Grapevine staff, and the Fellowship at iarge. Thus, Regional Forums were designed to keep us in touch. “Since those early Forums, we have made gigantic strides together, both in advancmg our shared experience and in fostering wider understanding about how each A.A. member has an opportunity to serve our beloved Fellowship in varied but equal ways.” A Regional Forum is not a decision-making body, so no form al actions result. Rather, the Forums provide a unique opportunity to share valuable A.A. experience, ask questions, and spark new ideas concerning ways to ca ny the message to alcoholics. They are especially helpful to A.A.s living in remote areas. Says Canadian Loner Phil B.: “The nearest m eetings are more than 125 m iles away, and I do ‘go to any lengths’ to get to them occasionally. But I really look forward to the regional conferences in this area- they help m e renew my commitment to my sobriety and make me feel a part of A.A. as a whole.” Representative trustees, along with G.S.O. and Grapevine staff members, district committee members, delegates and general service representatives are on hand for every Forum to share their A.A. service experience, discuss the functions ofG.S.O., and describe their areas of activity. At a dozen or m ore workshops, attending A.A.s share on subjects varying from group problems and solutions to self-support and sponsorship. Workshops a lso focus on the work of grqup, district and area service committees, and their relationship to their counterparts at G.S.O.: Archives, Cooperation with the Professional Community, Correctional Facilities, Public Information and Treatment Facilities, to name some. Four Reg10nal Forums are held each year. Since our U.S./Canada structure is comprised of eight r~::gions, a Forum is held every other year in a particular region, and on a rotating basis. In 1989, for example, the East Centra l Regional Forum convened tri Ann Arbor, Michigan; the Northeast, in Portland, Maine; the West Central, in Billings, Montana; and the Southwest, in Wichita, Kansas. The 1990 schedule lists the following Regional Forums: Pacific, in San Diego, California, August 17-19; Wel>tern canada,. in Winnipeg, Manitoba, September 28-30; Eastern canada, in Niaga ra Falls, Ontario, November 16-18; and Southeast, in Shreveport , Loutsiana, December 7-9. There was an “extra” Forum in the huge Western canada Region, which was held May 18-20, in Yellowknife (N.W.T.). There is no registration fee for a Regional Forum. Any A.A. member is welcome, whether they are directly involved in service work or not. The General Service Board covers the expenses of hotel meeting rooms as well as transporta tion and lodgings for its board and staff persannel. Many areas, districts and individual 7

groups fund the travellng and hotel room expenses of the servtce people repre:senting them at a particular Forum. The location and agenda for a Fmum are worked out JOintly by the regional trustee, area delegates and G.S.O. Responsibility for direct contact with the hotel, ahead of time, is assumed by a local A.A. host contact, who works closely with the Regional Forum coordmator and the regwnal trustee. The Regional Forum coordtnator at G.S.O., currently Pat R., coordinates and follows through on all the details.

T.F. ‘Hope: Alcoholics Anonymous’ Now Available

The project, resulting from an Advisory Action of the 1988 Conference Committee on Treatment Facilities, was conceived as a means of introducing the basic principles of the A.A. program to treatment facilities patients and personnel. It was written and produced by Karen and David Crommie, who have long experience with A.A. films, having previously produced three films and a number of television public servtce announcements for the General Service Office. Beginning with a disclaimer and observing our Traditions of Anonymity, no faces are shown and the characters represent a realistic racial and ethnic mix. The film depicts a man preparing for and drivtng to his first A.A. Anmversary. In flashback form, he reviews what “it used to be like” and the early days of sobriety and becoming rooted in the program and a home group. Through this process, what A.A. is, what it isn’t, our primary purpose, sponsorship, slips, the importance of a home group, the Steps and Traditions, and the basic recovery tools are all revealed. The film is available in both 16mm and vtdeo cassette, with closed captions for the hearmg impaired, at $15.00. It will later be available with a Spanish and a French soundtrack. What began as a project for use in treatment facilities has emerged as a wonderful basic film that will be useful in all areas: P.I., C.P.C. and correctional facilities work; at area conferences and assemblies; and in our home groups. At one point the main character says, “It’s [A.A.] something that you can feel, better than something I can articulate.” _ And so is the filrp!

Correctional Facilities What Goes Around Comes Arctund

The long-awaited film, “Hope: Alcoholics Anonymous” was approved by the 40th A.A. General Service Conference and is now available for distribution. 8

“Tantrums are dangerous,” says Bern L. “I know because I recently had some whoppers. I skipped A.A. meetmgs, threw away all the books and pamphlets freely given to me by the General Servtce Office, and cursed our founders in their graves. r had all the gratitude of a snapping turtle.” Writing to G.S.O. from a correctlonal facility in Butner, North Carolina, Bern continues: “After a couple of months’ misery, I went back to my meetings and

I :

I ! found the courage to send you a letter (typed 30 times), telling what I’d done and asking for more literature. Well, a week or so later I was standing on the edge of the crowd a t mail call, just as sure as new paint that I wouldn’t get a letter. Then, like a bullet shot, the guard held a manila envelope htgh, as if to auction it off, and called my name. I shouted, ‘Here, Captain!,’ and he handed it over to me in what seemed like slow motion. The envelope contained a letter from G.S.O., welcoming me home. Complim entary literature was enclosed, with the promise of more to come.” Noting that he “used to be a popular fellow at our A.A. rneetmgs,” Bern explains: “It was because I fetched cake in huge pans for the guys to chow down as much as their hearts desired-but I lost that spot to another man the day I quit the program. When I came back, the meetmg topic was ‘dental.’ A few men spoke, then I threw up my hand and told my story, which was one of super-denial. At the end of the meeting, it seem ed tha t the new cake man had disappeared, so I hefted the pan in my arms and took the leftovers back to the kitchen. My old job came back and so did my sense of belonging.” Lookmg back on his “impulsive break with the program,” Bern marvels at the good things that have happened to him since his return: “Through participation and honest sharing, I have regamed a handle on my sobriety, on myself. And when I humbled myself enough to tell you people at G.S.O. about my destroying the litera ture you’d sent, you gave me replacements and A.A. love. What goes around has a way of comir}g around back home.”

P.I. Canadian District Takes A Wide-Angled View of P.I. Three years ago, the joint committee on Public Informa· lion/Cooperation With the Professional Community of District 42, British Columbia, Canada, set about the task of reorganization. Says chairman Tom M.: “We decided to pursue two main objectives: to attract as many A.A. members as possible to service work; and to make an all-out effort to carry the A.A. message to a greater number of alcoholics.” The P.l.!C.P.C. committee was not interested merely in ach1eving short-term goals. “We felt it essential,” Tom stresses, “to take a long view of our P.l. efforts and work toward slow but lasting p1·ogress.”

The committee began by changing the format of the district’s outreach program, which until then had been limited to A.A. presentations given before groups of about 50 assorted professional people at one or two luncheons a year. “Instead,” Tom explains, “we pinpointed specific groups of people to be reached on a separate basis. Out of this exercise emerged no fewer than 12 subcommittees: police; firemen; the clergy; doctors; youth groups; the press; Native North Ameri· cans; seniors; courts; employee assistance programs; schools; and hospital workers.” The new committee structure, Tom observes, “has encouraged an ever-increasing number of A.A.s to be· come involved in P.l. endeavors, many of them through their A.A. sponsors. It has proved to be more effective than we had imagined.” Giving an example of how the various committees function, he cites the activities of those working with semors in clubs and homes. The members first did their homework. Demographics reveal that the population is aging, and that a significant percentage of people-the large Baby Boom generatton-will be. over 55 by the year 2010, so the need for P.l. efforts with this age group will escalate in the future. The main thrust of the committees has been “to get older AA. members involved in P.I.,” Tom explains. “This calls for contact with all seniors’ clubs, usually Identified by a central agency that can furnish the names of key officers and personnel. Committee members then follow a prescribed step-by-step procedure: make the contact; leave pamphlets (‘Time to Start Living’ and ‘Is A.A. for You?’); arrange times for speakers; and take one or two other A.A.s along, either to share speakmg duties or to learn to speak at non-AA. meetings.” Within the semors’ clubs, Tom points out, “there tends to be a turnover of contact people. Therefore, this committee requires at least one member with organizational skills, plus the time and patience to be in frequent touch with the senior clubs in our district” The P.l.IC.P.C. committee working with seniors in homes is much smaller, he relates, but its work is equally important. Members find the locations of seniors’ homes, then mail key personnel a letter adapted from the app1 opriate Guide Letter included in the Public Information Workbook. It opens: “Tod<ty we hear a great deal about alcoholism among young people. Far less is said about the alarming increase in alcoholism among older persons-a fact that is causing concern to everyone involved with alcoholism, and with recovery from this serious illness.” The letter then mentions that A.A. speakers are avail· able upon request, as well as literature and further.infor· mation about A.A. The pamphlet “Time to Start Living” is enclosed. Mailings are followed up with phone callsand, invariably, the committee receives requests for Twelfth-Step calls in addition to speakers and literature. 9

I !

I !

Ii

! :

!

!’

I :

~ ! ~

I

i i

I ~

‘

I! ~

!

!

!

! i

!’

~ i !

‘ ~

l

I !

!

i

~

~

:

The seniors’ committees are notably active, Tom says. “Five of the members are in their 70s, and two are 80-odd years young. Last year, the various members spoke at 26 functions held in seniors’ clubs and homes.” All t he committees a re doing exciting work, he re. ports. “Our members number about 50 in all; and, from the 14-year-old A.A. on the youth committee to our octogenarians in the service of seniors, they transmit a wonderful energy and sense of excitement. Why not? They’re fulfilling A.A.’s prtmary purpose- to stay sober and carry the message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” Funding for the committees’ efforts is derived from three Service Days held annually. Each of these well-attended events features an A.A. service meeting, followed by a dance. According to Tom, the last one netted a total of$1,800.00. “Of course,” he observes, “the money seems to go out faster than it comes in. We purchase a lot of literature from G.S.O., type and duplicate thousands ofletters and notices, lick a lot of stampsbut somehow we manage to foot the bills.” The District 42 P.I./C.P .C. Committee, which encompasses the townships of Delta, Surrey and White Rock, has shared its experience with other districts in British Columbia, and they are now generating similar programs. “Once A.A.s become involved in this rewarding form of service work,” Tom says, “they feel like they’re in A.A., not just arow1d it.”

C.P.C. Committee Reaches Out To Native Alaskans at Substance Abuse Workshop A workshop- the first of its kind to address the widespread substance-abuse problems of Alaska’s native p opulation-was held in fairbanks last february. Sponsored by Doyon, Ltd., the Alaska Native Corporation, the workshop drew people from an area encompassing 20,000-30,000 miles or, explains Alaskan delegate Clark D. (Panel 40), “roughly the equivalent of all the states between Maine and Washington, D.C.” A.A., Al-Anon and similar organizations participated in the workshop, which was called DAAGA (meaning “get up”). It came about, relates Paul C., C.P.C. chairperson of Interdistricts 1 ap.d 2, “when the native communities, pressed by their concerns, asked Doyon to gather together the elders and those who understand

10

the depth of the subs tance-abuse problem – village health care people, teachers, public-health officers and other professionals from all over the North Slope and up and down the Yukon River, so they might get some ideas about what they could do to help. Doyon offered to fly these people from outlying areas to fairbanks for the workshop.” When asked to participate, Paul relates, “we C.P.C.s galvanized. Having had little personal experience or understanding about village life, but knowing that some Alaska na tives, especially those living in remote villages, have a deep distrust of ‘outsiders,’ we realized that natives who were members of A.A. would commW1icate ow· message best. “Our requests at meetings for help from such members met with a n incredible response. Everyone was excited about the opportunity to carry the message of A.A.’s Twelve Steps, and to explain how much better their lives were because of them.” Before the meeting, the C.P.C. com mittee met several times to orient the new volunteers. “I was surprised,” says Paul, “that many people w ho had been around the program awhile really didn’t understand the Traditions as they relate to public speaking. So we brushed up and talked about what we could do as outlined in the pamphlet ‘Speaking at Non-A.A. Meetings” a nd the Information Sheet on A.A. We also shared on a number of other questions, ranging from the problems of getting to outlying communities to the possibility of raising money through interdistrict to fund requests as they came to us. In the end, that was the suggestion we passed on a t the workshop.” The day of the workshop arrived. In turn, the six C.P.C. representa tives present distributed A.A literature, read the Preamble, discussed anonymity, and shared their personal experiences with the Twelve Steps. Says Paul: “One of our speakers, Maynard E., elicited especially strong response when he spoke of how the prinCiples of A.A. seem rooted in the depth of the human spirit and are not just the ‘white man’s way.’ ” Writing to G.S.O. after the workshop, Alaska Area C.P.C. chairperson jon R. enclosed the personal comments of many participating village elders and leaders, compiled by Doyon, Ltd . Said one: “I found the personal testimonies most influential in forming my ideas.” Observed another: “Now I understand more about alcoholism, spirituality and sharing. I just wish everybody else in the villages knew what I know now. “With this 1ype of effor t on the part of our C.P.C. committee’s ongoing area program, and of all our members,” says Jon, “ever-better methods of helping the still-suffering alcoholics in remote areas of our huge state can perhaps be found . These people are hungry for help in their own areas and in their own cultural setting.”

BOXe

4 15 19 BULLETIN BOARD

Items and Ideas on Area Gatherings for AA.s – Via G.S.O.

Calendar of Events

10-12 Princeton, British Columbia, Canada. Campout Roundup. Write: Ch.,

Events listed here are presented solely as a service to readers, not as an endorsement by the General Service Office. For any additional information, please

10-12 – Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada.

Box 1396, Princeton, BC VOX 1WO

use the addresses provided.

August 1-5 – Daytona, Florida. 34th Annual State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 4730, S. Daytona, FL 32121 3-5 –

Arcata/Willow Creek, Califomia.

Kampout. Write: Ch., Box 751, Eureka, CA 95501 3.5 _ Bronx, New York. New York State Informational Workshop. Write: Ch., 354 Remsen Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11212 3-5 – Toledo, Ohro. 34th State Conf. Write: Ch., Box 1334, Toledo, OH 43603-1334 3-5- Arlington, Virginia. 1990 Virginia Area Conv. Write: Ch., Box 6356, Alexandria, VA .2230b-0356 3-5 – GampbeU River, British Columbia, Canada. 16th Rally. Write: Ch., 105-377 Dogwood, Campbell River, BC V9W 2Y1 3-5 – Windsor, Orrtario, Can.ada. l5th Annual Conv. Write: Ch., 1608 Wyandotte St., W., Apt. 2, Windsor, ON N9B 1H7 3-5 – Casa Gmnde, Arizona. Sah uaro Agape Weekend . Write: Ch ., Box 42470, Tucson, AZ85733 3-5 – Elbow, Saskatchewan, Canada. 12th Campout. write: Ch., Box 173, Elbow, SK SOH 1.10 3-5 – Odessa, Te;z·as. 16th W. Texas Round. up. Write: Ch., Box 2346, Odessa, TX 79760 4-5 – La.ronge, Saskatchewan, Canada. 15th Rotmdup. Write: Ch., Box 1024, Laronge, SK SQJ 110 4-5- Fort Morgan, Colorado. Annual MiniWeekend. Write: Ch., Box 1063, Fort Mor. gan, CO 80701 6-10 – Crested Butte, Colorado. Mountain Conf. Write; Ch., Box 797186, Dallas, TX 75279 9-12 – Hot Sprmgs, Arkan.sas. Arkansas Conv. Write: Ch., Box 11001, Ft. Smith, AR 72917 10.12 – Sierra Vista, Arizona. Area Assembly. Write; Ch., Box 454, Bisbee, AZ 85603 10-12 — Chicago, Illinois. 17th Sta le Con{. Write : Ch., .205 W. Wacker Dr., Suite 422, Chicago, fL 60606 :10-12 _ Oklahoma Guy, Oklahoma. 10th Annual State Roundup of Young People. Write: Ch., Box 780053, Oklahoma City, OK 73178 10-12 – Lake Poinsett, South Dakota. Seren· ity Weekend. Write: Ch., RR4, Box 21, Yankton, South Dakota 57078 10.12 – Beaumont, Texas. District (‘.,onf. Wri te:Tr.,Box.2 243, Nederland, TX 77627

AUGUST I SEPTEMBER 1990

Closed Meeting Topics From the Grapevine

Annual Cam poul. Write: Ch., 581 John St., Sault Ste Marie, ON PGL 3K6 10-12 – Tiel, Holland. fourth Annual Round up. Write: Ch., Box 2279, 2301 CG Leiden, The Netherlands 10-12 &{uamish, British Columbia, Canada. Qlmpout. Write: Ch., Box 5520, squamish, BC VON 3GO 10-12 – Mankato, Minnesota. Roundup. Write: Ch., Box3172, Mankato, MN 56001 10-12 – Hull, Quebec, Canada. 17th Roundup. Write:Ch .,Box24,Huli,PQJ8Y6M7 10-12 – Guelph, Ontario, Canada. 21st CW Conv. Write: Ch., Box 1118, Cambridge, ON M1R5Y2 11-12 – Grenfell, Sa..~katclzewan, Canada. Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 5, Grenfell, SK SOG 2BO 1.1-12 – Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada. 26th Mini Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 2083, Windsor, NS BON 2TO 15·18 – Charleston, South Carolina. 46th Reg. Conf./43rd Sta te Conv. Write: Ch., Box 31105, Charleston, SC 29407 16·19 – Omaha, Nebraska, Cornhusker Roundup XIII. Write: Ch., Box 425, Bellevue, NE 68005 16·19_ Lexington; Kentucky. Big Book Seminar. Write: Ch., Box 24471, Lexington , KY 40524 16-19 ·- Washmgton, D.C. Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 767861, Washington, DC 20013

For more detailed suggestions, see the pages noted. August (page 29): Amateurs Anonymous; A.A. in prison; character defects? September (page 23): Old-timers; “Great suffering and great love”; getting started

17-19 – Port Hardy, Brit~sh Columbia, Canada. 14th N. Island Rally. Write: Ch.,

Second Atlantic Conf. Write: Ch. , 9Tiffany Court, Moncton, NB E1G 1M3 24-26 – San Luis Obispo, Califomia. 23rd Annual 22nd District Conv. Write: Ch., Box 13308, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 24-26 Sarasota, Florida. Sponsorship Weekend. Write: Ch., 3951 Sawver Rd., Box 112, Sarasota, F1.. 34233 •

Box 789, Port Hardy, BC VON 2PO

17·19- Lake Isabella, Cal!fornia. Campout. Write: Ch., Box 1225, Weldon, CA 93283 17-19- San Diego, California. Pacific Regional Forum. Write: Sec., Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163

17-19 –

Meeker, Colorado. White River Roundup. Wr1tc: Ch., Box 1036, Meeker, co 81641 11-19 – Havre, Montana. Mini-Conf. Write: Ch., Box 2442, Havre, MT 59501 17-i9 –

HaUfa:r, l’fova Scotia, Canada.

Eighth MCYPAA. Write: Ch., Box 291, OMPS, Dartmout h, NS B2Y 3Y3 17-19 – Columbia, Missouri. 1990 State Conv. Write: Ch., 1721 Ellison Way, Independence, MO 64050 17-19- Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. Red Deer Round-up. Write: Ch., 14 McBiane Close, Red Deer, AB T4R 1WG

17.19 – Cowley-Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada. Campout. Write : Ch., Box 861, Blairmore, AB TOK OEO 17-19- Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Planning a Future Event? Please send your information on October, November or December events, two davs or more, in time to reach G.S.O. by August 10, the calendar deadline for the October/November IsSue of.Ba.r4-5·9. For your convenience and ours – please type or print the information to be listed on the Bulletin Board page, and mail to us:

Date ofevent: fi-om _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , 19·- – – – – Nameofevent: _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ___ Place (city, state or prov.): – – – – – – – – – – – —

—————

For i.riformatiol!, write: (exact matlirtg address) – – – – — — – – – – – – – – — — – – – –

Contact phone # (for office use only); – – – – — – – – – – – – – – – — –

Flip up this end of pq<.je – more events listed on reverse side

August (cont .)

31-September 3 –

San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio-Austin Roundup. Write: Ch., 2 16 West Cypress, San Antonio, TX 78.212

U-26-joplin, Missouri. Third Annual Sum·

31-September 3 -San Francisco, Callfomra.

m er Hummer. Write: Ch., Box 2075,Joplin, MO 64803

15th Annual Conf. (hosted by gay &> les· b ian memben.) Write: Ch., Box 974, San Francisco, CA S.101 31-September 3 – Tampa, Plonda. Fourth Annual Ta mpa Bay Fall Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 360185, Tampa , FL 33673

U -26

Farmington,

New

Mexico.

NMCYPAA 1990. Write: Ch., Box 922, Farmington, NM 87401 2.4.26 – Clu:!ttanooga, Ten11essee. Third An· nual Roundup. Write: Ch., Box2554,Chattanooga, TN 37409 2A·26- Oakhurst, Callfomia. Fifth Annual Oakhurst Fellowship. Write: Ch. , Box 23, Oakhurst, CA 93644

24·26 –

31-September 3 – Powell River, Bntish Col· umbra, Canada. 43rd Rally, Write: Ch ., C38 RR#3 Donkerslcy Rd., Poweii,BCV8A

5C1

Bryan/College Statron, Tuas.

Seventh Annual Conv. Write: Ch., Box 5232, Bryan, TX 77805

September

24·26- Mission, British Columbia, Canada. Third Annual M1ssion Rally. Write: Ch., 32966ArbutusAve., Mission, DCV2V 2R8 24-26- Lwonia, Michigan. Big Book Study. Write: Ch., Box 184, Warren , Ml 48090 U -26 -jackson, Missi-ssippi. Fourth Old· Timer’s Roundup. Write: Ch., Dox .20664, j ackson, MS 39289 · U-26- Clu:!utauqua La~, New York. 37th Tri-Srate Assembly. Write; Ch., .2188 Woodward Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107 2A·26 – Craftsbury, Vetmom. Third Green Mountain Young People’s Conf. Write: Ch., Box 248, Randolph, VT 05060 24-26- Kettle Falls, Washinston. Campout. Write: Ch., 890 N. Lincoln, Colville, WA 99114 24·26- Green Lake, Wiuv nsin. 10th Round· up. Write: Ch., N.108 W. 1814.7 Lilac La., Germantown, WI 530.2.2 25-26 -Milk River, Alberta, CmuuiLl. Corn Roast. Write: Ch., Box 565, Milk River, AD TOK 1MO

29-September 1 – Stettler, Alberta, C:anada, 11th Roundup. Write: Ch., 6115-51 Ave., Stettler, AD TOC 2L2 31-September 2 – Por-U1ge, Indiana. JN. CYPAA. Write: Ch., Box 5883, Portage, IN

46368 3 1-September 2 – Houma, Lows1ana. Bayou· land jamboree. Write: Ch., Box .2251, Houma, LA 70361

31-September 2 –

KansaJ City, Mt.~.w111i.

10th Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 32401, Kansas City, MO 64111 31-Septcmber 2 – Abilene, 1uas. Big Coun· try Conf. Write: Ch., 2850 Southwest Drive, Abilene, TX 76095

31-September 2 – Worcester, Mas.<;achw;etts. Sixth Annual State Conf. ofYoung People. Write: Ch., 40 Evergreen Street, # 16, Framingham, MA 01701 31-September 2 – Reno. Neva.dil. Sierra Nevada Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 5874, Sparks, NV 89432

31 -Septernber .2 –

Norman, Oklahoma.

Labor of Love Conf. Write: Ch ., Box 5716, Norrnan, OK 73070 31 -September 2 – Nashville, Tennessee. Ninth Annual Music City Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 17312, Nashville, TN 37217

31-September 2 – Penticton, British Colum· bia, Canada. Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 524, Penttcton, BC V2A 6K9

31-September 2 – C<>mer Brook, Ne»foundland, Canada. Nova Scotia-Newfound· land-Labrador Assembly. Write: Ch .• 24 Johnsons Ave.,CornerBrook, Nf A.2H 1V8

6-9 – Ardmore, Oklahoma. Seventh Singles in Sobriety Con( Write: Ch., Box 835788, Richardson, TX 75803 7-9 – Angels Camp, Califi>mia. Fourth Gold Country Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 355, Angels Camp, CA 95.22.2 7-9 – Hamilton, Ontario, Canada . .22nd Autwnn Leaf Roundup. Write: Ch ., 17 Highridge Ave., Hamilton, ON L8E 2R9 7-9 – Kenova, Ontario, Canada. 19th Sunset Country Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 547, Kenova, ON P9N 1W5 7-9 – St. Thomas, U.S. Vitgin Islands. Carib· bean Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 112.2, St. T hom as USVl 00804 7-9 ·- Colorado Springs, Colorado. State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 10114, Colorado Springs, CO 80932 7·9 – Hodges Gardens, Louisiana. 23rd Annual Western Louisiana Cont: Write: Ch., Route 3, Box 799, Many, LA 71449 7-9 – Boston, Massachusetts. International Lawyers 16th Annual Conf. Write: Ch., 427 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02154 7-9 – Milwa~. WiscollSin. Commitment ’90. (sponsored by gays&> lesbi3n members.) Write: Ch., Box 92794, Milwaukee, WI 53202

7-9 –

Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Roundup. Write: Ch ., Box 165, Medicin~ Hat, AD T1A 7E8 7-9 – Dunnville, Orr tal’io, Canada. 24th An· n ual Conv. Write: Ch., Box 163, Dunville, ON NtA 2X5 13·16 – Pen.’!CU:ola, Flonda. 35th Alabama/ NW Florida Area Conv Write: Ch., Box · 701, Pensacola, FL 32593 14-16- Bull Shoals, Arlwnsas. Aulllmn in the OL.ark.s. Write: Ch., Box 238, Vellville, AR72687 14-16 – Jamestown, North Dakota. 1990 State Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 1030, jamestown, NO 58402 14-16 -BmmptOit, Otttario, Canada. Eighth Annual Brampton-Bramalea Conv. Write: Ch., Box 401, Bra mpton, ON LGV 2L3

14. 16 Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Roundup. Write: Ch., 5400 River Rd. , Richmond, BC V7C 1A4 14-16 – Hobb.s, New Mexico. 10 th ‘fumbleweed Conf. Write: Ch., Box 961, Hobbs, NM 88240 20·23 – West Sacramento, Califomta. Big Book SerlJinar . Write: Ch., Box 22.3, Fair Oaks, CA 95628 21-23 – Columbus, Ohio. fourth Area 53 Conv. Write: Ch., Box 2131, Columbus, OH 43216

21·23 – Ogden, Utah. Fall Assembly. Write: Ch., 4746 S. 100 E., Ogden, UT 84405

Port Aibenti, British Columbia, Canada. Sobriety: The Shared Gift. Write:

.2L.23 –

Ch., 4949 Maitland Street, Port Albemi, BCV9Y 3W2

21·23 – Schreiber, Ontario, Canada. Ten-ace Bay/Sch rciber Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 613, Terrace Bay, ON POT 2WO 21·23 Swift Current, Sa.skntcfU’Ivtm, Canada. Round-up. Write: Ch., Box 127, To mpkins, SK SON 2SO 21·23 – Grand junction C<>lorado. Color. Daze 90. Write: Ch., 5231h Main St. , Grand junction, CO 81501 21-2.3- Taas, New Mexico. Seventh Moun· tain Fiesta. Write : Ch., Box 253, El Prado, NM 87529 21·23 – Ottalllll, OnJario, Canada. 39th Fall Conf. Write : Ch., Box 4342, Oltawa, ON K1S 2LO 21·23 – Arlington, Te:ras. Fall Conv. Write; Ch., Box 12174.2, Arlington, TX 7601~ 28·30 – F.dmontotl,Alberta, Canada Second Roundup (hosted by gay&> lesbia;1 mern· bers). Write: Ch. , Box 8614, Sta tion “L,” Edmonton, AD T6C ~4 28-30 – Eatonton, Georgia. Third Biannual Women’s Workshop. Write: Ch., 30’72 Poplar Springs Dr., Gainesville, GA 30501

28-30 –

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Western Canada Regional Forum. Write: Sec., Dox 459, Grand Central Station, New Yorl<, NY 10163. 28-30 – Reno, Nevada. Biggest Little Conf. (hosted by gay&> lesbian members) Write: Ch., Box 5266, Reno, NV 89513 28·.30 – Wine/teste,., Virginia. 36th Four State/DC Filii Get-together. Write: Ch., Box 593, Winchester, VA .22601 28-30 – Wichita, Kansas. State Conf. Write: Ch., Box 1773, Salina, KS 67402-1773. 28-30 – Roc/tester, New York. 10th Annual Conv. Write: Ch., 10 Manhattan Square Dr., Rochester, NY 10467

October 5-7 – Austin, Teras. Area Coni: Write : Ch., Box 180639, Austin, TX 78718

5-7 – l;la,·ksburg, West Vir;stnia. jackson’s Mill Roundup. Write:Ch.,Box825,Ciarks· burg, WV 26302-08.25

5·7 –

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. 35th Northeasteren Area Conf. Write: Ch., Box 605, Sudbury, ON P3E 4P8 12-14 – Lafayette, Louisiana. Seventh An· nual Cajun Couutry Conf. Write: Ch., Box 3160, I.afayette, LA 70502 12-14 – Clareslwlm, Alberta, Canada. An· nual Roundup. Write: Ch., Box -t5, Clarcsholm, AD TOL OTO 1.9-.21 – Sa/mas, Callfomia. Eighth Annual Coasta l Rally. Write: Ch., Box 6418, Salinas, CA 9391.2 19·21 – Novi, Mich(l(an. Third Annual Tri County Conf. Write: Ch., Box 595, Urtion Lake, Ml 48085 19·.21 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 31st Bilingual Conv. Write: Ch., 5789 d’Iberville Street, Montreal, PQ H.2G 2B8 26-28 – London, Ontario, Canada. 37th Annual Conv. Write: Ch., Box 725, Lon· d on , ON N6A 4YB