459 News and Notes From the General Service Office of A.A. Ql

Anonymity-

about the formation of a special subcommittee of the trustees’ Public Information Committee. Its assigrunent, which had nothing to do with blammg the media and everytlung to do with the f ellowship’s inventorying 1tsclf, was twofold: to raise members’ consaousness “of what anonymity is about and why it is vital to our survival as a Fellowslup; and to appeal to AA.s everywhere for help in protecting this safeguard.” Some months ago, as the committee prepared to disband after seven years of intense effort, its members concluded that the more AA groups, districts and areas share their experience with the Anonymity Tradition, the healthier it-and we-will be. Toward this end, the committee has suggested a number of topics for discussion. Here are a few, along with some of the many responses available in A.A. literature:

HwniliW at Work In the 1990s, when Alcoholics Anonymous is seen as a

force for good, more and more well-meanmg membe!li, including a raft of high-proftle celebrities, seem to be naming A.A. names in the media and touting thetr sobriety in the Fellowship-all with the intent of helping the suffering alcoholic. Either they don’t know about the Anonymity Tradition, shrug it off as “outmoded,” or tlunk it’s more important to “get the message out there.” This is nothing new. As A.A. co-founder Bill W. wrote more than 40 years ago, in the january 1955 Grapevine: “The old flies at A.A. Headquarters reveal many scores of such expenences with broken anonymity. Most of them point up the same lessons. They tell us that we alcoholics are the biggest rationalizers in the world; that fortified with the excuse we are doing great things for A.A. we can, through broken anonymity, resume our! old and disastrous pursuit of personal power and prestige, public honors, and money-the same implacable urges that when frustrated once caused us to drink; the same forces that are today ripping the globe apart at its seams. Moreover, they make clear that enough spectacular anonymity breakers could someday carry our whole Society down into that ruinous dead end with them.” As the A.A. literature notes, A.A.’s Twelve Traditions repeatedly ask us to give up personal desires for the common good, bringing us to understand that the spirit of sacnfice sym_ bolized by anonymity is the foundation of all the Traditions. Well and good, but j ust how can we a s individuals and group members best practtce this principle? How do we judge w h en not to be anonymous, and what can we do to avoid an anonymity break? Back in 1988 a rash of anonymity breaks brought

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VOL. 4.2, No.4/ AUGUST · SEPTEMBER 1996

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Question: What is the relationship between anonymity and ”seljishne.s&-.self-centeredness . .. the root of our troubles,” as rlescribed in the “‘-.

Big Book. Answer: If we forget the principle

of anonymity, Bill W. often cautioned, the lid to Pandora’s box of self-interest will fly off, releasing the spir-

“Twelve Tlwlittons lllu.~trated”

Box 4-5-9 is published bimonthly by the General SeiVice Office of Alcoholics Anonymous, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115, © Alcoholics Anonymous World Se!VIces, Inc., 1996

Mall addre.~: 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.

its of worldly ambition so fatal to our survival. Thus, he explamed, “the spiritual substance of anonymity is the sacnfice of our personal desires for the common good.” Q. How do we handle anonymity within the group? A. Usually, we are not anonymous with each other in our groups and meetings. However, it is the right of each individual and group to use their own methods. Within the spilit of the n·aditlons, we need to Wlderstand that the principle of anonymity is good for all of us, and to remember that the future safety and effectiveness ofA.A. depends upon its preservation. At the same time, it should be the plivilege of all A.A.s to cloak themselves with as much personal anonymity as they desire. Q. What CilJout personal anonymity at the public level? A. At the personal level, anonymity insures that we will not be identified as A.A. members; at the public level, including press, radio, TV and film, it stresses the equality of all members by putting the brake on those who might otherwise exploit their A.A. afflliation to achieve recognition, power or personal gain. In the spirit of Tradition Eleven (long form), “Our relations with the general public should be characterized by personal anonymity. We thmk A.A. ought to avoid sensational advertising. Our names and pictures as A.A. members ought not be broadcast, filmed, or publicly printed. Our public relations should be guided by the principle of attraction rather than promotion. There is never need to praise ourselves. We feel it better to let our fiiends reconunend us.” Q. Do we put some A.A.s on a pedestal? A. Writmg in the October 1947 Grapevine, Bill W. tack-

led the pedestal syndrome: “Somehow,” he said, “the title ‘foWlder’ seems to have attached itself almost solely to Dr. Bob and me .. . . Thls sentunent is deeply touching to us both . .. but we are beginning to ask ourselves if this overemphasis will be good for A.A. in the long run.” That they thought not is evidenced by Bill’s clear declaration that, “as individual A.A.s, we should remain anonymous before the general public . .. . Dr. Bob and I 2

feel this soWld doctrine should apply to us as well. There seems no good reason to make an exception of ‘the fotmders.’ “The more we early members continuously occupy the center of the A.A. stage, the more we shall set risky precedents for a highly personalized and permanent leadership. To insure A.A.’s future, is this not the very thing we should carefully avoid? .. . Whlle we would like always to keep the wonderful satisfaction of having been among the originators, we hope you will begin to think of us as early AA.s only, not as ‘founders.’ So, can’t we JOin AA., too?” Dr. Bob died in November 1950; Bill, in January 1971-and his name, picture and story were caqied worldwide in the public media for the first time. That spring, the GenerrJ Service Conference determined that “it is Wlwise to break the anonymity of a member even after his death, but that in each situation the final decision must rest with the family.” The 1992 Conference reaffirmed this view, addmg that “the A.A. Archives shall continue to protect the anonymity of deceased A.A.s as well as other members.” Considering the size of today’s A.A. membershipapproximately two nullion worldwide- the number of public anonymity breaks overall, though most discomforting and sometimes potentially dangerous when they do occur, remain comparatively few and infrequent. According to a report on ” The Origins of Anonymity” presented at the 1989 General Service Conference by the trustees’ Archives Committee, “tlus may be because, as A.A. matures, its members more fully rmderstand the value to themselves of anonymity at the public level.”

Eleventh Annual Intergroup Seminar The 11th. Intergroup/Central Office Seminar will be held November 8-10, 1996, in Mmneapolis, Mmnesota. Cohosted by the Minneapolis and St. Paul central offices this weekend of sharing and fellowship will be held at the Radlsson Hotel South in Minneapoli~. Intergroup/central office managers and employees from across the U.S. and Canada will be joined by trustees of the General Service Board and A.A.W.S. and Grapevine chrectors and staff. Workshops and presentations will focus on situations unique to intergroups. The registration fee is $20. For further information or to register, please contact: 1996 Intergroup Seminar, 6300 Walker, Room 215, St. Louis Park, MN. Telephone (612) 922-0880; Fax: (612) 920-1061.

A Spanish Grapevine? Yes, It’s Really Here! The Ju.Iy/August issue of La Vrfia de AA (the Spanishlanguage edition of the A.A. Grapevine)- a historical first-has been welcomed by thousands of Spanishspeaking members throughout North and South America and Spain. Says jaime M., the new editor on staff: “Wh en a pilot edition was distributed at the International Convention in San Diego last year, it met with great enthusiasm, so the reception does not come as a complete surprise. Still, it is heartwarming that so many readers have expressed their gratitude. Some have been submitting stories of therr personal experience in recovery, others have sent in thanks for specific articles, and almost all have expressed delight about having a calendar that reflects events happening in Spanishspeaking A.A.” Basically the new magazine, published bimonthly for now, resembles its 52-year-old Engllsh counterpart. The covers and general layout will be the same, but some modifications are necessary because the two languages occupy different space. The Spanish version will contain translations of material from the English Grapevine, as well as some original matetial in Spanish (which in turn

may be tmnsla ted for inclusion in an English edition). It is anticipated that the irutial run of 10,000 copies will climb rapidly as more and more people learn of the magazine’s availability. Jaime’s official title is editor, Spanish resources. Born and raised in Colombia, he emigrated to New York City in 1980. “Six years later I sobered up in A.A.,” he says, “and with the support of the people in the program, I hope to celebrate my 10th anmversary on October 4.” A writer-teacher,Jaimie has taught courses in Engbsh and Spanish at the New School for Social Research. In his ne.w position he will be involved in every phase of production, from the selection of articles to the translation of all matenal selected for inclusion in the long-awaited publication. For years in the talking stage, the proposal to publish the Grapevine in Spanish received a green light from the 1995 General Service Conference (Vlrith the understanding that the monthly Spanish articles be removed from the Engbsh-language Grapevine; and that if, after five years, the Spanish edition is detennined to be no longer feasible, publication will be discontinued). The new magazine will cost $7.50 for one year, $14 for two. Those who wish to can transfer their Engbsh-language subscriptions to the Sparush version simply by nowymg the Grapevine circulation department.

Ann W. :Retires as . Grapevine’s Executive Editor Ann W., executive editor of The A.A. Grapevine since October 1987, ret:Jred on Apnl 30. “I’ve been fortunate,” she says, “to gain knowledge about how the Traditions are lived out in everyday life simply by going through manuscripts from the A.A. metnbers who a ctually write the Grapevine, whose shared experience makes it ‘our meetmg in print.’ These past years, when problems in my own life seemed beyond thorny, I often found insight into them no farther away than my in-box. I’ll miss that.” Lookmg back over her 20-odd years at the Grapevine, Ann says, “When I frrst carne on staff, the magazine was narrower in focus. Many A.A.s would tell m e, ‘Oh, I don’t read the Grapevine, it’s all just sweetness and light.’ But I haven’t heard that in some tune, and there’s a reason: Today it’s hvelier and deals with real issues. For instance, we’ve had articles discussmg everytlung from the proliferation of drug addicts at m eetmg<; to the pros and cons ofspectahzed meetmg<; and the surface mantfestations of cultural changes as they irnpmge on the Fellowslup. “Additionally, and with thanks to Ames [Ames S., who has succeeded Ann as executive editor], we’ve

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recently included more articles spotlighting service and the work of intergroups, the General Service Office and the General Service Conference. We cany special features for young people, oldtimers, A.A.s online and much more. Our goal has been to make sure that the interests of as many AA. members as possible are represented regularly in the pages of the magazine.” Here Ann notes that the Grapevine, which was established in June 1944, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a triple whammy: a new design, a 96-page d ouble issue in June 1994, and the transition to desktop p ublishing. “Response to the new look has been overwhelmingly positive,” she r eports, “and single-copy sa les of the anniversary issue exceeded 20,000 copies. Throughout the anniversary year , a ll new subscribers received a bonus issue [Nov. 1993], which emphasized A.A. history.” Recently, she a dds, “we’ve all been excited about the Spanish-language edition of the Grapevine. After several years of discussion and planning, it became a bimonthly reality with thejuly/August issue.” Those who know Ann well respect not only her editorial skills and vision but her ability to get things done. “‘ thmk that’s because she’s always up front and cooperative,” observes old friend Don S., of Peekskill, N.Y., a fellow m ember of Ann’s original home group, Pa rk Madtson, in Manhattan, who worked alongside her in t,rroup service in the ’70s. “When I think of Ann,” he adds, ” I think first of her bright smile and sense of humor. Then I tlunk of how you could depend upon her to target all sides of a problem and tell it like it is, very clearly. She inspires confidence.” According to Ann herself, she hasn’t always. Born and raised in Ridgewood, NJ., she graduated from Mmmt Holyoke and deoded to live in New York City. «r was drinkmg,” she remembers, “and looking for an easier, softer lifes1yle. Needless to say, I didn’t even stumble upon it.” After holdmg a series ofjobs in publislung, she joined the Grapevine staff as an associate editor in 1981, then served as editor before asswning her latest post. What d evelopments at the Grapevine during her tenure does Ann fmd most gratifYing> “For one thing,” she says, “the Grapevine is more widely known throughout the membership, and it seems to be more integral to the A.A. setvice structure. This is evidenced in a number of ways, including the increasing numbers of group Grapevine representatives. «we’ve published a wide range of audiovisual materials and literature, includmg the popular Language ofthe Heart: Bill W. ‘s Grapevine W1itings-available in English and Spanish and, more recently, The Home Group: Heartbeat of A.A., a booklet that also bas met with a positive response from the Fellowship. I’m especially pleased with the success of our program of dlstribution of back issues of the Grapevme, which we finnish for the cost of postage only-not counting the thousands of 4

copies sent free for the use of service corrmlittees across the U.S. and Canada.” For her successor, Ames S., Ann has only admiration. “Ames has been with us since August 1985,” she says, ” fl.rst as associate editor, then as managing editor. He has a superb grasp of what the Grapevine is about and where it’s going. I expect the transition to be seamless.” Ames welcomes the challenge . “Basically,” he says thoughtfully, “we want to do an even-better job of reaching new members with information about the magazine and encouraging older ones to subscribe. On another front, we’re scrambling to keep up with new technology; we have an e-mail address for the editorial department and will be looking into putting the magazine on CD-ROM down the road.” Right now Ann is creating a new life aft er the Grapevine in Asheville, N.C., where, she says, “I have it all-the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky mountains, family and friends nearby, great A.A. and time for my hobby, creating ornamental eggs ala Faberge.” She has a computer and expects to do some freelance writmg and editing, but “in my own time.” Meanwhile, in the Grapevine ofllces and at G.S.O. she continues to be appreciated and missed.

G.S.O. Welcomes Delegates to the World Service Meeting New York is the host city for the Fourteenth World Servtce Meettng a t the Crowne Plaza Manhattan Hotel, October 27-31. The theme, “Love and Gratitude in Action,” will be explored in n umerous workshops and sharing sessions as delegates from near and fa•· explore related subthemes: How Do Our Nonalcoho.lic Friends Help Us to Carry the Message? Are We Attracting Newcomers into Service Thr ough Our Personal Example? How Do We Continue to Carry Our Message in a Changing World?, and more. At tl1e General Service Office, John Krrwm, G.S.O.’s nonalcoholic assistant controller/business adrrurustrator, is lending a hand with advance preparations and on-site schedules for everythmg from delegates’ travel plans and hotel accommodations to meetings, meals and special requests. He and other G.S.O. personnel are dusting off the welcome rna t for the delegates’ visit to the office on Fri., Nov. 1, followed by a bus trip to Stepping Stones, the borne of late co-founder Bill W. and his wife, Lois, Following the W.S.M., delegates will be guests of the General Service Board during their quarterly meeting, Nov.2-4.

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Held biennially, the World Service Meeting seeks ways to carry t he message to alcoholics anywhere in the world. Countries with a general service board and/or literature d iStribution centers are invited to send two delegates whc , ideally, have at least fwe years of continuous sobriety in A.A.

Esthnates of Overseas Groups and Members In theJunei.July 1996 Bax 4-5-9, we noted that, although there was every indication that A.A. overseas was growing rapidly, ou r data was too incomp lete to be published. Since then, h owever, we have had virtually 100% response from the overseas offices contacted. The total number of groups rep orted from overseas is now 37,082, as comp ared with 32,578 for 1995, with a total m embership of 614,466, as compared to the 516,015 reported in 1995.

Truck Stop Meeting Offers Support for The Long Haul

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“My lone trucker was deligh ted to find som eone to talk to because he had a heavy load to cany-not in his truck but on his mmd. He usually was unable to make m eetmgs due to the demands and uncertainties of his j ob; he told me he hadn’t been to a meeting, not through his fault, for several weeks. Just tl1e two of us had an extra-long one, and then we had dmner and more talkone drunk to another sharing our experience, strength and hope. I understood his dilemma since I too had been a trucker from 1952–68, so Mmgo, as I’ll call him, and I had a Jot to share.” Many other mends of Bill have followed Mingo, who now relies on Peter as his “northern sponsor.” Now, more than two years later, Peter reports, “we have a full house oflocals and truckers at every meeting. The truckers ha ve hailed from Flor ida, Wisconsin, Nebraska, California, Virginia, the Carolinas, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Maryland and a few more that escape m e right now. Both men and women truckers have said that our meetmg is an oasis for true~ who tlurst for a meetmg, They can also rest, refuel, eat a good meal and, most of all, get the fellowship they need. “So, if you see a need for truck stop meetings in your area, know that you can make them happen. Please keep in mind, though, that it takes time for the word to get around. Don’t give up too soon, just hang in th ere and chances are, your experience will be like mine, which has been one of the most rewarding and enjoyable of my entire AA life.”

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Truck stops are famous for their good food and camaraderie . And s o , reasoned a couple of A.A.s in Maryland, why not provide some h earty recovery fare as well? Writes Peter B. in the Feb. 1996 n ewsletter of the Northern Delaware Intergroup: “When app roached in spring ’94 with the tdea of holding two meetin@> a week on the premises, the management of the 76 Liberty Bell Truck Stop in Elkton, just off I 95, thought it was a great idea. A comfortable board room with a 12-chair capacity was assigned for the meetmgs, and a sign was posted on the doors of the truck stop’s two entrances tha t read, “Friends of Bill W., second floor, Tues. a nd Thurs., 5:30p.m.” There was jt!St one problem, as Peter learned when a founder of the new group asked him to chair some meetings. “I showed up, but nobody else did,” he relates. “The truck stop manager stopped by, saw me sittmg all alone and felt sony for me, but he needn’t have. I used the tune to re-read my Big Book, Twelve and Twelve and some pamphlets, which did wonders for my sobriety. This scenario continued for a number of weeks, and then one day a trucker from Texas sh owed up. Small miracles never cease to happen in A.A.

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1996A.A.

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Membership Survey

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Once again it is tune for a stuvey of A.A. membership, which will be conducted in certam groups throughout the United States and Canada. The information gathered by this survey will be used as the basis for the Public Information pamp hlet “Alcoholics Anonymous 1996 Membership Survey.” This informational pamphlet has been very successful in introducing and explaining A.A. to nonalcoholic professionals. If you ar e a sked to fill out a Survey Questionna ire b etween August 1st-14th this summer, you will be helping to provide information about our membership to our fellow A.A.s and anyone who would like to know more about us. If you have any questions about the Membership Survey, call the Public Information desk a t G.S.O. Should you have questions regarding outside surveys, usually conducted by friends in the professional community, please ask for the C.P.C. desk.

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Three New Trustees Have a Wealth of Service in A.A. Three new Class B (alcoholic) trustees have joined the General Service Board: two regional trustees, Carl B., West Central U.S., and Garry McC., Western Canada; and Chuck C., a general service trustee. All three share a common bond in their commitment to sobriety and the wide world of A.A. Without exception they speal-. of having benefited from hands on sponsors and mentors who introduced them to service when they were barely dry behind the ears. Carl B., of Rock Springs, Wyoming, says that he is “excited about the opportunity to serve as West Central regional trustee, the first ever from the state of Wyoming.” When notified that he had been elected to succeed Les L., of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Carl says, “I was grateful for the opportunity to cany the message in yet another area of service. But the title is not what matters. I’ve always been committed to one drunk talking to another. I am active in my Rock Springs Group, and mal\.ing Twelfth Step calls is still important to me.” Carl sobered up in A.A. in January 1968, and “had good mentors who raised my service conscience within the first months of my sobriety. When I was barely two years sober, then delegate Hank E. collared me and saw to it that I went to the state assembly. In ’70, when Hank attended the International Convention in Miami, he somehow found the time to share his enthusiasm with me in an inspiring three-page letter. Thanks to him, I was hooked on service-not a bad ending for a fellow who ran away from home at age three.” Over the years, Carl has served variously as a general service representative, district committee member, area chairman and a Panel 30 delegate from 1980-81. Personally, Carl notes, “I’ve had many fringe benefits in recovery. It meant a lot to me that my father followed me into A.A. three years after I sobered up, and I sponsored him. In 1991 he died close to his 90th birthday after 20 years of sobriety.” Carl’s wife, Audrey, “is a past trustee of Al-Anon and understands what the job entails,” he says. “We are very supportive of each other. When I retired last year [from his position with the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management], we planned to build a summer home, travel some and get away from it all. Looks as though that scenario will have to wait.” Western Canada regional trustee Garry McC., of Stettler, Alberta, steps into shoes worn these past four years by Gerry F., Humboldt, Saskatchewan. Lil-.e Carl, Gany was introduced to service early. “When I was dry about six months, in June 1975,” he remembers, “I 6

found myself at my first area assembly. I looked around at all the clear-eyed, concerned and smiling faces and shook my head: I could never drink with those people! So, I stayed sober.” He is big on sponsorship-“proper sponsorship. Good sponsors, to my way of thinking, involve newcomers not just in the Steps but in all three Legacies of Recovery, Unity and Service. Gany has served in a roster of service capacities, from G.S.R. to D.C.M. He helped to introduce a Bridge the Gap temporary contact program in his area and served as a Panel40 delegate from 1990-91. He is especially interested in the work of Public Information and C.P.C. committees because, he says, “the more people we can reach with the AA. message, inside the Fellowship and out, the greater are our chances of connecting with the alcoholics who need our help. I am very aware of the importance of getting information out about what A.A. can and can’t do because here in the Northwest Territories, reaching out can be hard. We’re tall\.ing about an area half the size of the U.S. that spreads over four time zones, yet is sparsely populated by 50-odd-thousand people, not a few of them with a serious drinking problem. Many areas are downright impassable in winter, and even in summer you can get to some of them only with difficulty by air or water. As it is, I often drive 8 hours or longer round-trip just to participate in a meeting.” For Garry, retirement was on the horizon until the call to service as a trustee came. “I guess God had other plans,” he says with a smile. Again l&e Carl, Garry is blessed with a wife, Wendy, “who has been active for years in Al-Anon. Like me, she is committed to maximum service for success in life and sobriety. That means throwing the lifelines we once were given back out to those who desperately need them now.” On the General Service Board there are 21 trusteesseven who are Class A (nonalcoholic ) and 14 Class B (alcoholic). Included in the latter category are eight regional trustees, four general service trustees and two trustees-at-large. As The A.A. Service Manual explains: “While no trustee can be said to ‘represent’ a geographical section of the country-since all trustees represent only the Fellowship as a whole-it is true that regional trustees bring to the board’s discussions a regional point of view which is invaluable. General service trustees, on the other hand, are chosen for their special experience, talents or background.” Unlil-.e regional trustees, prospective general service trustees are already serving (or have served) on one of AA.’s corporate boards, so their qualifications are well known to the members of the respective boards. Such is the case with Chuck C., of Chandler, Arizona, who was in his third year as non trustee director of the A.A. Grapevine Corporate Board when he was tapped to succeed Fran P., of Spokane, Washington. For the past 26 years he has worked in the computer field and is gener-

ous in sharing his expertise at a time when both the Grapevine and G.S.O. are rapidly undergoing a series of technological transformations. An active member of the Ahwatukee Group in Phoenix, Chuck was in the Fellowshtp barely six months when he was introduced to service by “some dedicated guys. I started by canying the message into correctionaJ facilities in Georgia years ago and haven’t stopped; I still take a meeting into a locaJ prison every other Monday evening I’m in town. I’ve been a G.S.R., an Intergroup rep and board member, an area Grapevine chairman, and a Panel 40 delegate, 1990-91. Garry and I served together, and it’s great to Jog alongside him again as a fellow trustee.” He notes that the first year ofhis delegate term overlapped that of his brother Roger, a Panel 39 delegate from Central Michigan who served in 1989-90. “I believe that on the delegate front, our ‘sibling revelry’ was a first,” Chuck says. “It was a lot of fun.” He also feels fortunate in havmg a wife, Michele, who “strongly encourages my A.A. service. Even though it’s time consuming, I still mow the lawn, though not on schedule, and Michele and I see to it that we do somcthtng for ourselves at least one weekend a month.” Chuck says that “good friends taught me to always say yes to service. It’s the most effective way I know of to stay sober ourselves and make sure that A.A. as we know it today will still be here for the alcoholics to come.”

Going the Distance on A Dream and a Prayer “A journey of some 43,000 steps (the distance of a 26..2 mile marathon) begins with the first step,” says Canadian Eugene S. of Downsview, Ontario, with a certainty born of his own recent experience. “Last June I attended the Founders Day Conference in Akron, Ohio, which was especi.ally uplifting for me,” he recalls. “During the conference I would run a few laps around the track, very slowly, because I had a pamful stress fracture in my left leg, which normally is my stronger one!” As he loped gingerly, Eugene worried about whether he would be able to make his goal: to qualifY for the 100th Boston Marathon the following Apnl. In mid-October, he reports, “I missed qualifYing for Boston by 10 minutes, 4 seconds. That same night I scanned the list of remaining qualifYing marathons for the year and chose one to be held in Vendalia, a suburb ofDayton, Ohio, in early December. “The rught before the race saw me with new fiiends at an A.A. discussion meeting in Dayton. During marathon runs, I always say over and over again to

myself the Serenity Prayer, the Steps and the prayers that go ~ong with Steps Three, Seven and Eleven. Thanks to the endurance given to me by my Higher Power, I ran the Vendaba race in 3 hours, 37 minutes, 47 seconds. Since my necessary time to quaW)r for the Boston Marathon is 3 hours, 40 minutes, I just squeaked in. Surely the grace of God through A.A. allows us to pursue many dreams, and sometimes to achieve them!”

A.A. Support Is Pure Gold to an A.A. in Cuba In Old Havana, Cuba, lives an A.A. member named Antonio, who proudly wears a medallion around his neck with the Roman numeral IV. In this poor country where “demon nun runs riot,” accordmg to one physician, and A.A. has a tentative foothold at best, Antonio goes to any lengths to stay sober and carry the message to other alcoholics. Tirelessly he travels from town to toWn, visiting strugglmg groups with words of encouragement and distributing what literature he has, including a directory of the 38 AA. meetings available in all of Cuba that he has laboriously wntten by hand. Why? The reason echoes the O’Heruy tale of the poor young woman who chopped off her luxuriant locks and sold them to buy her husband a fob for his watch-which he meanwhile had sold for a comb for her long halr. Sinularly, Antonio, faced with a scarcity of A.A. literature, sold his beloved typewriter for money to buy the necessary paper and printing ink-and had to let his fingers do the typesetting. Antonio reports that not only is it difficult to find paper and ink, but once you do, it’s hard to pay for them. The first AA. group in Cuba was formed in 1992. Fow· years later the Fellowship operates largely through the aegis of government agencies. While the acceptance of the program by an increasing number of medical professionals has contributed to its growth in Cuba, the groups have a hard tune holdmg on to their meetmg place, owing largely to tlun purses made even thmner by up and down attendance at meetmgs. Members rarely have more than a few cents, if that, to contribute to group expenses, and just gettmg literature into the country can be difficult too, especially if the package is large and bulky. Meetings are often conducted without basic tools such as the A.A. Preamble and Twelve Steps and Twelve Tradttions. Not long ago, Antonio received an offer from a cable news network in the U.S. to purchase rights to his AA. experience in Cuba; he declined because “it would have violated AA. Tradition,” but couldn’t help thmking how much

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help the money would have been in providing group support and literature. Recently an AA visitor from the States gave Antonio copies of the A.A. Directory and the Grapevine in Spanish. “His eyes lighted up,” she said later, “as if they wet e treasw-es of gold. For a recovering alcoholic with few ‘tools,’ I suppose they w ere. May I remember this and soive not to take all we have available to us at home for granted.”

Vrewpoint Availing Ourselves of All A.A. Has to Offer “Ifyou’djust won $3 million in the lottery, would you go to the money folks and say, ‘I think I’ll just take one-third of my winnings and let the rest go’? Of course not; yet isn’t that what so many of us are doing with our sobriety-we dry up, use the Big Book and the Twelve Steps, and forego the rest of the collected wisdom of the Fellowship.” Adds Canadian Jacques F., of Pointe Claire, Quebec, who in May retlred from his office as a nontrustee A.A. World Services ctirector: “‘sn’t it time that w e live in 1996 instead of 1939? That we avail oW’Selves of the experiential interest accumulated over the years and communicate it to the next generation? I personally could not have surviVed ill service without the Twelve Traditions, the Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity and Servic.-e, and the Twelve Concepts for World Service. I always wanted to be boss, and without the spilitual principles embodied time and agam in our literature, I know I would have been the dlrector of my group. We all know how long that, and my sobriety, would have lasted.” Full utilization of the rich storehouse of A.A. literature s timulates conununication, Jacques notes, “bu t before we write another pamphlet or crank out another video, let’s rely on the wealth of matenal we already have. As an example, for the past fwe years our area has conducted a monthly weekend service seminar in which parttcipants are intr oduced to the richness of our A.A. literature from the historical A.A. Comes ofAge to As Bill Sees It, to Daily Rtiflect.wns, and much mo~. ‘We share our experience, strength and hope through verbalization of the information in the literature; at the same time we share our ignorance, weaknesses and fear. As CeGi! C., a past trustee out of Western Canada once said, ‘The only thmg that can destroy A.A. is ignorance and apathy.’ ~il was speaking the language of A.A., which is commurucation. He invited us to fight ignorance

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by ceaselessly working to educate and inform. Once we members understand the spiritual principles that are the heartbeat of A.A. the w orld over, we fmd it hard to be tndtfferent. In the same way that knowledge of A.A.’s existence ‘spoils’ an alcoholic’s drinking. so does awareness of the importan ce of each and every one of us to the continuation of the Fellowship spoil individual apathy. We have ::.een this happen over and over again in our service seminars.” Interestlngly. Jacques report!., uanonymous, postseminar forms filled out by attendees show that a majonty of them initially were far m ore mterested in discussions concernmg their immediate A.A. group than in those about the distnct, area or A.A. World Services. What we try to make them understand is that one sturdy tree does not make an AA. forest, that it takes an enormous number of them to assure that A.A. will always be there for the alcoholic who reaches out for help. It’s called consdousness raising, and our books and pamphlets d o much ofit for us, if we give them a chance.” As Jacques is quick to point out, “hundreds of thousands of A.A.s never get a ch ance to attend a service seminar. Many, however, do hear about what’s going on in AA. from their general service representatives, or from their delegates.” Therefore, he emphasizes, “it is important to strengthen the channels of communication linking these trusted servants to every entity in the A.A. structure, from the group on through to the General Service Conference. “I’m rerrunded of something Bill W. wrote in a letter to a fiiend, the substance of which ran in the January 1958 Grapevine. (The Language of the Heart, p. 236): ‘I thmk that many oldsters who have pu t our AA ”booze cure” to severe but succe!lsful tests still fmd they often lack emotional sobriety. Perhaps they will be the sp earhead for the next major development in A.A.- the development of much more real matwity and balance (which is to say, hunulity) in our r elations with ourselves, with om· fellows, and with God.'” A seasoned servrce veteran, Jacques b eheves tha t we can meet future challenges by making use of the communialtions platfonns we have. “For instance, we hear that ‘A.A. is free,’ which is pretty silly,” h e says. “Surely the message is free, but not the meeting room, not the literature, not our service committees nor the help that G.S.O. gives to struggling Loners around the globe and indeed in our own hospitals and correctional facilities. We have a live-saving, life-gJving message to carry; at the same time we must pay our own way in the spilit of the Seventh Tradition. By absorbing our literature and transmitting its messages verbally, from one A.A. to another, w e become aware of h ow spirituality and money make for an essential mix. Keeping A.A. alive and w ell for the alcoholic to come requires a cOmmitment from all members to pass on spilitually and in the bas-

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ket all that we’ve been given. The commitment doesn’t come from experiencing A.A. cafeteria 1.tyle. It comes from availing ourselves of all that AA. offers. Our vival depends upon our common effort, and corrunurucation is the key. We are still learning how to use it to unlock our future.”

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Self-Support: Are We Totally Committed? “In 1979,” says Oklahoma delegate Phyllis McC., “our

area was proud to be among the top three contributors to the General Service Office and proud of the responsibility for self-support that we took. This has changed, and I keep wondering what we’ve been doing differently to drop in our percentages of contributions at all levels of service.” Believing fumly that “communication is the beginning of all understanding,” Phyllis speaks her mind because, she says, “it is my experience that when we alcoholics are educated to the need, we rise to the responsibility.” Item: “With the ever-changing face of AA., new challenges have developed. Many groups now meet in homes and so are much smaller. Smaller groups have less money, afler expenses, to contribute to any service level. Many of the groups meet in clubhouses. Confusion and lack ofwtdet)tanding arise as to where contributions go, to tl1e clubhouse or to A.A. ?” Item: “Are petty group splits creating weaker, less effective group:,? We are cautioned in Tradition One that ‘ .. . no personal sacrifice is too great for preservation of the Fellowship … tha t the clamor of desires and ambitions … must be silenced whenever these could da;nage the group. It becomes plain that tl1e group must survive or the indtvidual wtll not.’ Are members leaving their groups because their ‘fi·iends’ weren’t elected to service positions? Ar e they takmg negative inventories of the group? Are they not accepting ilie ultimate authority as expressed in ilic group conscience?” Item: “Do groups and districts have a unified allocation of funds to all levels of service? Or are we remaining selfish and self-seeking by ‘earmarkmg’ funds to serve a special pet project, thereby tying the hands of our trusted servants? Have we allowed one service committee to become more important than another? And, on a personal level, have I told the people I sponsor ilie importance of giving back to A.A., both of ourselves and our money?” Lookmg back at her own journey in sobriety, Phyllis conttnues, “I saw that in the beginning my vision was limited-appropriately so-to my own recovery, my

.10 .25 AA 9ASI<ET C-()NTRUHJTION

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own home group, my own central service otlice. When sober three years, I met then Oklahoma delegate Elizabeth E., who became my sponsor. Through her example and shanng, I became involved in ~ce at the district level a11d started to Jearn the deeper meaning of A.A.’s responsibility statement, ‘I am responsible .. . When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that I am responsible.’ That deeper meaning is gratitude in action. As Tradition Nine clearly states, ‘Just as the ain1 of each A.A. member is personal sobriety, the ain1 of our services is to bring sobriety withm the reach of all who want it.’ As the years went by, I began to fully comprehend how large A.A. is, and to understand G.S.O.’s role in carrying ilie message worldwide. They can’t do it without the support of the membership because they are ilic m embership.” By example and communication, Phyllis stresses, “the importance of self-support becomes clear. When I go to a restaurant, I leave a tip- ‘a gratuity’-a monetary expression of my appreciation for good service. In the Fellowship, I’ve been given sobriety cUld a way of life that 9

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is indescribably wonderful. How much do I owe God and AA. for that? My gratitude is shown by passing on the

and have no one; just me and God- and although God is great, he never writes back!”

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recovery message to another alcoholic, one-on-one, and by making the message available through my contributions a t all levels of service. I have fonnd that the key to a happy and u seful life is to be involved in som eth ing greater than I am-Alcoholics Anonymous. The A.A. p rogram can be summed up in six words: Trust God, clean house, help others.”

If your group has a post office box number, the men volunteering might prefer to use the group post office box as their address. We match correspondents from different states or provinces. Those interested should write to: Corrections Correspondence Service, P .O. Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163. We will send some helpful guidelines for this service along with the name ofa n inmate who is waiting to hear :ti’orn you. A copy of the CCS service folder, which includes Guidelines and a request form, is enclosed with this issue. If you would like more copies of this folder for your group’s literature rack, please let us know; you are also free to reproduce copies.

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Correctional Facllities Ce>ITections CoiTeSJ>?ndencea speCial kind of A.A. service One of the most important Twelfth Step tools w e offer to our members in correctional facilities is our Corrections Correspondence Service (CCS) . Unfortunately, because of the volume of requests w e receive from irunates, these pleas go unanswered or are delayed – at times up to three m onths. We need your h elp! Ninety-seven p ercent of our requests are from men. Are there men in your group who would be willing to share th eir A.A. experience, strength and hope with someone on the “inside”? H ere is a sampling of some p assages from letters we have received about our CCS:

• Andrew C. , Southeast region: “I w ould like to a ttain some information pertaining to a sponsor. I am currently working on the first three Steps. I need some help. I have been in and out ofjails and institutions m ost of my life. I’ve now reached a point where I would like to change and realize that I need the program and the Steps. Tell me ifyou can help me with a correspondence sponsor. I will app reciate any help that you can provide.” • Ricky C. from the Northeast region shares: “Thank you for writing back. It really means a Jot to me when I get a letter from you . When I wrote last time I told you a little about myself and asked for information about AA. sponsorship behind the w alls… somebody being my sponsor and writing to me while I’m incarcerated; you know, helping me out with my Steps. Right now I’m having a really hard time on Step Four. I read the Big Book and I read a pamphlet on Step Four, but I’m having a hard time doing it. And that’s what I need a sponsor for.” • From the Southwest, Dallas L. 1:eports: “I got your address ou t of the Grapevine and I really need som e sp onsors! I have left or sacrificed all of my old frien ds

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P.L Annual Anonymity Letter

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As with so much in life (and A.A.), the more things change the more they stay the same. For instance, in 1949 the first recorded “anonymity letter” went out from the General Service Office to the media, thanking them for their “friendly support and cooperation” and askmg, in several hundred words or m ore, that they preserve the anonymity of in dividual members in stories concerning the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Eve~y year since, a sinular letter has been sent to an ever expanding media list that today mcludes nearly 6,000 daily and weekly newspapers and radlo and ‘IV stations in the u.s. and canada. Over tune the letter has been cosmetically enhanced with a strearnImmg tuck here, a lift there, but long or short its message basically stays the same. that, as the ’96 version simply states, “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of our Fellowship and assures our members that their recovery will be private …. [Therefore] we seek your continued support by presentmg A.A. members only by first name; and by using no recognizable pictures.” The letter also explains that A.A. “is not affiliated with any other organization, although many have adapted our Twelve Steps for their own use. AA. is self-supporting, declirung any outside contributJons; and we are nonprofessional, offering only the voluntruy support of one alcoholic helping another.” A concluding paragraph notes t.lwt “throughout the world, fiworable media coverage has been a pnnci’pal means of bringing alcoholics into our Fellowship. You have helped make this possible, and for that we fhankyou.”

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15 19

BULLETIN BOARD

Items and Ideas on Area Gatherings for A.A.- Via G.S.O.

Calendar of Events Events Jic;ted here are presented solely a s a service to readers, not a s an endorsement by the General Service Office. For any additional infonnation, please use the addresses provided.

August 2-4-1’iel, Holland. lOth Annual Round-Up. Write: Ch ., Box 87959, 2508 DJ The Ha~e, The Netherlands

2-4-Campbell River, Briti.sh Columbia, Canaticl. 23rd Annual Rally. Write: Ch., Box 652, Gampbell River, BC V9W &13 2-4-Elbow, Saskatchewan, Canada. Family Campout. Write: Ch., Box 173, Elbow, SK SOH ‘lJO 2-4-Hayti, Missouri. Second Annual Boothcel Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 365, R#1, Caruthersville, MO 63830 2-4–Rlcltmond, Vi~nia. 47th State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 1291, Midlothian, VA 23113

2-5-Darwin, Northern Territory, Au.str·alia. 1996 “Top End” Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 40760, Casuarina, NT 0801, Australia 8-11-Harri.son, Arkansas. “Old Grandad” Arkansa s Conv. Writ e: Ch., Box 506, Harriaon, AR 72601

9-1 1-Katherlnc, Northern Territory, Australia. 1996 “Top End~ Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 40760, Darwin NT 0801, Australia

9-11-Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. 23rd Roundup. Write: Ch., 656 W.J<eith Rd., N. Vancouver, BC V7M 1M6 9-11-Tulamccn, British Columbia, Canada, 15th Annual camp-out. Write: Ch., Box 3C, C-3, 1\Jlamcen, BC VOX 2LO

9-11- Uc/uclct, Briti3h Columbia, Canada. 12th Annual West Coast Rally. Write: Ch., Box 854, Ucluelet, BC VOR JAO

9-11-Sau/t Ste. Mal’ie, Ontar·io, Canada. Algora District Campout. WJite: Ch., 4 East St., #602, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 6W9 9-11-0akhurst, California. Mini Conf. Write: Ch., Box2.3, Oakhurst, CA 93644 9-11- l{oscmont, Illinois. 23rd State Conf. Write: Ch., nox 8 1388, Chicago, IL 606810388 9- 11- Moorhead, Minnesota, Red River Valley Round-Up, Write: Ch., Box 558, Moorhe.1d, MN 56560 9-11- Reading, Pennsylvania. 11th Annual Reading Area Conv. Write: Ch., RAAAC, Box 12821, Reading, PA 19612-2821 9-11-Wentachee, Washington. Third Annual Aqua Fun Tlung. Write: Ch., Box 365, Monitor, WA 98836

10-11-Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Canada. 32nd Mini Round-up. Write: Ch., Box 533, H:mtsport, NS BOP lPO 14-18-Bilo.rt, Mi.sSISSippi. 50th State Conv./52 Southeastern Conf. Write: Ch., Box 684, Col~ia, MS 39429 15-18–0maha, Nebraska. Cornhusker Roundup XIX. Write: Ch., Box 425, Bellevue, NE 68005

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16-18-0shawa, Ontario, Canada. 24th Annual Lake Shore Conf. Write: Ch., C/O Alano, 200 Thornton Rd. N., Oshawa,

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 1996

Closed Meeting Topics From the Grapevine

ONLlJ6T7

16-18-Pa.so Robles, California. 28th Annual Conv. Write: Ch., Box 13308, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 16-18-Corning, New York. Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 861, CominS> NY 148300861 16-18–Beaumont, Teras. District Annual Conf. Write: Ch., Box 222, Port Neches, TX77651 16-18–Clarington, Pennsylvania. Eighth Campathon. Write: Ch., Box 1567, Waslungton, PA 15301 :1.7-:1.9-Cartersville, Georgia. Allatoona Roundup, Write: Ch., Box 200856, cartersville, GA 30120-9009 23-25-0r/ando, Florida. 16th FCYPAA. Write: Ch., Box 5’47414, Orlando, FL 32854-7414 23-25- Joplin, Missouri. “Summer Hummer.” Write: Ch., Box 2075, Joplin, M064803 23-25- Chautauqua, New York. 43rd Annual Tri-State and Canada Assembly. Wnte: Ch., 21 First Ave., Franklinville, NY 14737-1318 23-25-Scranton, Pennsylvania. Third Scranton Roundup, Write: Ch ., Box 8, Nicholson, PA 18446-0008 29-Sept 1_Na.shville, Tenne.ssee. 15th Annual Music City Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 17373, Nashville, TN 37217 29-Sept. 2-Beaver, Utah. Beaver Campvention. Write: Ch., 29070 Landau BlVd. #1, cathedral City, CA 92234

30-Sept. 1- Chaplea.u, Ontario, Canada. 29th Anniv. Roundup. Write: Secy., Box 634, Chapleau, ON POM 1KO 30-Sept 1-]ackson, Mi.ssissippi. 10th Aru1ual Old Timers Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 68662,jackson, MS 39286-8662 30-Sept. 1-St. Louis, Missouri. 13th Annual Fall Classic. Write: Ch., Box 190026, St. Louis, MO 63119 30-Scpt. 1–Spa.rks, Nevada. 19th Annual Sierra Nevada Roundup. Write: Ch., 700 E. Peckham Lane #272, Reno, NV 89502 30-Sept. i-Abilene, Texas. Big Country Conf. Wt·ite: Ch., 2850 Southwest Dr., Abilene, TX 79605

For more detailed suggestions, see the pages noted. August (page 37): An Old-timer’s view.

September (page 31): Tradition 9 .

30-Sept. 1-Seattle, Washington. Sponsorship Conf. Writ e: Ch., Box 99945, Tacoma, WA 98499-0945 30-Sept. 2-Map/e Hill, Kamas. 11th Anniv. Crunpout. Write: Ch., Box 8, Olsburg, KS 66520 30-Sept. 2-San Antonio, 7’exas. Bndging the Gap Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 15993, San Antonio, TX 782’12

September 5-8–Anaheim, California. 39th Annual ICYPAA. Write: Ch., Box 775, Placentia, CA92670 6–8–Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. 37th Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 165, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 7E8 5-8-Dunnville, Ontario, Canada. 30th Conv. Write: 01., Box 163, Dunnville, ON N1A 2 X5 6-8–Sherbrooke, QuelJ«, Canada. Eastern Canada Regional Forum. Write: Forum Coordinator, Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163 6-8-Westlake Village, California 18th Annual Conv. Write: Ch., VCAAC, Box 3858, Simi Valley, CA 93063 6-8–Snowma.ss Village, Colorado. State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 1234, Garbondale, C081623 6–8–Cromwell, Connecticut. 38th Annual Area Conv. Write: Ch., c/o Advest, Box 2800, New Britain, CT 06050 6-8-Park Rapids, Minnerota. Sixth Annual Heartland Roundup . Write: Ch., Rt. 1, Box 18, Park Rapids, MN 56470

Planning a Future Event? Please send your lnfonnation on October, November or December events, two days or more, in time to reach GS.O. by A~ 10, the calendar deadllne for the October-November issue ofBar 4-5-9. For your convenience and ours – please type or print the infonnalion to be listed on the Bulletin Board page, and mall to us: Datecfevent:.from – — — – – – – – – t o _ _ _ _ __ _ _ ___, 19 _ __

Nameojevent: _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _..– – — — — — – – – – – Place (cily, state

orprov~—————————For informalion, write: (exact mailing addrt.ss)

———————————-

Contact phone# (for office use only): _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _

Flip up this end ofpage -for events on reverse side

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6-8–Taos, New Merica. 13th Annual Taos

27-~C/eanvater, Florida. Four th Annual

18-20-Geneva, Switzerland. Big Book

Mountain Fiesta. Write: Ch., Box 253, El Prado, NM 8752!::1 13-15-Angels Camp, California. 10th Annual Roundup . Wri te: Ch ., Box 865, Angels Camp, CA 95222 13-t~Man)’, Louisiana. 29th Wes tern LA Conf. Write: Ch., 440 Byles St., Many, LA 71449 13-15-Lenox, Massachu setts. Duck to Basics Weekend. Write: Ch., 368 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210 13-15-Natchez., Mississippr. So u thern Mississippi Hoopla. Write: Ch., Box 18242, Natchez, MS 39122 13-15-Beat;hwood, Ohia. 59th I’und erson Par•k Conf Conf. Wnte: Secy., Box 22440, Beachwood, OH 441.22 13-tS-Columbrl-5., Oltio. 10th AnnuaJ Area Conv. Write: Ch., Box 2131, Columbus, OH 43216

Southeastern Woman · to Woman Seminar. Write: Ch., Dox 6374, Cleruwater, FI, 34618-6374 27-29-Naples, Florida. West Coast 12 Step Weekend . Write. Ch., 345 Colonial Ave., Marco lsland, FL 33937 27-29-Page-Lake Powell, Alizona. Serenity on the Lake Roundup. Write, Ch. Box 3682, Page, AZ 66040

October

Study Seminar. Write: Ch., Mont lllanc llndge Gr oup, rue du Vicux Billard 2 1, CH 1205 Geneva, Swttzerland 18.20-Puerto Penasco, Mex ico. Rocky Point Roundup. Write: Ch., RPR, Box 5242, Scollsdale, AZ 65261 18-20–Buffalo, New York. 55th Fall Conv. Write: Ch., Dox 127, Niagara square Sta ., Buffalo, NY 14202 24-27-Memphis, Tennessee. 2.2nd Annual Memphis Bluff City Fellowship. Write: Ch., Box 240831, Memphis, TN 381.24

3-6-Amarillo, Te.ms. 50th Annual Top of

25-27-Duncan , British Columbia, Canada. Dlst. 8 Rally. Wr ite: Ch., Box

13-tS-Ncw Westmintser, British Colombia, Canada. 50th Anniversary. Write :

Roundup. Write: Ch., RR #1, Si te 4, Comp. 7, Sorrento, BC VOI: 2WO

Ch ., 4 07 -8 55 McBride Bl vd., New Westminster, llC V3L 2C4 19-22–Sacramento, California. 11 th Annual Big Book Seminar. Write: Ch., Box 661522, sacramento, CA 95866

4-6-Arrgeles City, Balibago, Philippines.

20-22-Revelstoke, British Columb ia, Canada. Annua l Round-Up. Write: Ch., Box 1177, Revels toke, BC VOE 250 20-22–Lake Tahoe, California. 2 1st Fall Festival. Write: Ch., Box 168856 So. Lake Tahoe, CA 96151

20-22-Topeka, Kansas. 39th Annual Area Conf. Writ e: Ch., 2000 SW Seabr ook, Topeka, KS 66604 20-22–St. Loui.s, Mi.s.souri. Bridging the Gap Workshop. Write: Ch., 3841lerview Lane #D, St. Louis, MO 63125 20-22-Fargo, North Dakota. DISt. 5 Sta te Roundup. Write: Ch ., Box 1824, Fargo, ND 58107 20-22-Fort Wor·th, Texas. NETA Fall Assembly/Conv. Write: NETA Chair., 14.10 East Mitchell St., Arlington, TX 76010 20-22–Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Ninth Ann ual Roundup. Write: Ch. Dox 1692, L!lke Havasu Cll).’, AZ 86405

Texas Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 412, Amanllo, TX 79105

4-5- Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada. Roundup. Write: Ch., 656 w. Xeith Rd., N. Vancouver, BC V7M 1MG 4-6-Chase, British Columbia, Canada.

First Fall Roundup. Write: Ch., 9-29 Marcelius St., Diamond Subdiv., Balibago, Angeles City, 2009, Pluhppines 4-6-Criscent City, California. 10th Annual “Sobriety by the Sea” Rally. Write: Ch., Box 871, Crescent City, CA 95531 4. 6- Pocatel/o, Idaho. Area18 fall Assembly. Write: Ch., Box 393, Pocatello,

ID83.W4 4-6-Bel/aire, Michigan. Eighth Annual Fall Conf. Write: Ch., 302 So. Waverly, l.ansmg, Ml 48917 4-6-Troy, Michigan. Ninth Annual TriCounty Conf. Write: Ch., Box 7107, Sterli.ag Heights, Ml48311-7107 4-6-Rochester, New Yol’k. 16th Conv. Write: Ch., 10 Manhattan Square Dr., Ste. D, Rochester, NY 1•1607-3997 4:-6-Spearfr.slt, South Dakota. Area 63 Fall Conv. Write: Ch., Box 19.2, Spcart;sh, SD 57783 4-G- Fife, Washington. Area Assembly. Write: Ch., Box 1105, Puyallup, WA 98371

11-13- Sudbur)’,

Ontario,

Canada.

20-22 East Hamilton, Ontarro, Canada.

Northeastern Area Conf. Write: Ch., Box 311, Station B, Sudbury, ON PJE 4P2

28th Autumn Leaf Roundup. Write: Ch.,

18-20-Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

Box 91021 Effort Square Postal Outlet,

Second Annual Halloween Conv. Write: Ch., Apdo. #58ll. Alajuela, Costa Rica

Hamilton, ON L8N 4G3

955, Duncan, BC V9I, 2M2

25..27- Bellingl!am, Washington. Mt. Baker Roundu p. Write: Ch., Box 28231, Bellingham, WA 98228 25-27-St. Thoma$, U.S. Virgin Islands. lOth Caribbean Conv. Write: Ch., Box 3435, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00603

November 1-3-Winnrpcg, Manitoba, Canada. !)2nd

Annual Conf. Write: Ch., central omce, 505-365 Har1;’fave St., “Vmnipeg, MB R3B 21<3 8-10-.Leomrnstel’, Massachusetts 33rd Annual State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 344, Westminster, MA 01473-0344 9-10-R!-,?a, Latvia. Conf: «No One is Too Young Conf. Write: Ch., Box 459, Riga, LV 1050 I.atvia 15-1.7-St.Petersvurg, F1oricla. The Big Book Comes Alive. Write: Ch., Box 86703, St. Petersburg, fL 33738 29-December· 1-Clearwnter Beach, florida. Suncoast Conv. Write: Ch., Box 86703, St. Petersburg, FL 33738

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