News and Notes from the General Service Office of A.A.® www.aa.org Vol. 49, No.4 August – September 2003

■ Sub-Saharan Africa Zonal Meeting Confronts Enormous Challenges To Emerging Service Structures A.A. members from emerging structures in Africa examined regional problems and shared ideas and solutions from June 6 to 8, 2003, during the first Sub-Saharan Africa Zonal Service Meeting at the Willow Park Conference Centre near Johannesburg, South Africa. For most of the 17 delegates from nine countries, nearly all with small and struggling A.A. communities, this was their first opportunity to talk and spend time with A.A.s from other countries. Over the course of the three days participants rediscovered the universal A.A. reality that two or more alcoholics can do what would be impossible for one. Each emerged from the meeting with renewed commitment and with a plan of action to carry the A.A. message to suffering alcoholics across Sub-Saharan Africa, despite formidable barriers of poverty, language, culture, and lack of public understanding. Willow Park Conference Zonal meetings are off- Center, South Johannesburg. shoots of the World Service Meeting (WSM), which has met every two years since 1969. The idea of countries sponsoring countries arose as member nations realized how much their participation in the WSM had done for the growth and health of A.A. in their homelands. The older countries wanted to pass it on by sponsoring other countries that could not attend the worldwide meeting, whether for financial or organizational reasons, and interim zonal meetings – for the Americas, both Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Oceania,, and now Sub-Saharan Africa – were born. The concept of an Africa service meeting originated in the mid-1980s, when the WSM delegate from South Africa, where A.A. was founded in 1946 and has developed a strong service structure, suggested that South Africa begin to establish links with countries in the surrounding areas. Early in the year 2000 Jean G., at that time South Africa’s national secretary for public information, was asked to begin the task of initiating an “into Africa” project. After several years of investigation and

discussion, the boards of U.S./Canada and Great Britain agreed to support the South African structure in organizing the meeting, and committed to funding the travel and lodging for all delegates who could attend. Those countries most accessible to South Africa were invited to send up to two delegates, and Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe were all represented. Jean G. coordinated the meeting, and Dave T., past chair of South Africa’s G.S.O., chaired the sessions. Participants from nonAfrican countries included Willem V.H., vice chair of G.S.O. in Great Britain, and Greg M., general manager, and Adrienne B., staff member, from the U.S./Canada General Service Office. Country Reports: Friday night, after the keynote address by Adrienne B., delegates’ reports on the state of A.A. in each country revealed numerous similarities and sparked lively discussion of mutual problems. Typically, groups are quite small – anywhere from 3 or 4 members to 15 or 20 – and The literature room at the General Service many newcomers Office, South Africa. Left: Bobbie Kinneao, do not stay long enough to get sober. (nonalcoholic) general manager, and In some of the vilHappy (also nonalcoholic), assistant at lages, home brewed the Literature Distribution Center. alcohol is free. The Inventory includes A.A. literature in influence of tradiEnglish, Afrikaans and Swahili. tional cultures and customs is strong and, for sometimes conflicting reasons, can make it difficult for alcoholics to recognize their disease or to seek help. In some places, drinking is not only acceptable but obligatory. There are tribal rituals in which alcohol plays a necessary part – at a wedding, for example, it would be an insult not to drink. Yet

Box 4-5-9 is published bimonthly by the General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115, © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 2003 Mail address: P.O. Box 459, Grand Central Station New York, NY 10163 G.S.O.’s A.A. Web Site: www.aa.org 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.

paradoxically, in other locales, the subject of alcohol is taboo, and drinking is considered criminal. As a result, not only are alcoholics reluctant to admit their problem, but sober members avoid doing service jobs, for fear of public rejection. Once formed, groups often have trouble surviving. In the majority of countries, A.A. was founded by sober members from outside of Africa, who brought the message when they were working or traveling there. These expatriates started groups, but many later had to move back home, leaving behind structures that were dependent on outside leadership, and not strong enough to survive on their own. The lack of longtime members results in weak or nonexistent sponsorship, which in turn means that newcomers do not make a solid connection with sober members and find little incentive to come back. English remains the dominant language of meetings, a fact that deters some Africans from joining. The first Swahili-speaking group was formed in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1975, but groups in African languages are still the exception rather than the rule. Almost all the delegates expressed frustration over the lack of support and recognition by their governments. As a general rule, governments consider alcoholism a moral failure rather than a disease, and the resulting stigma keeps many from seeking help. Government regulations often make it extraordinarily difficult to start groups or build an effective structure. In several countries, for example, it is necessary to be registered as a company in order to rent space or have a telephone. Because they often cannot publish information about meetings in newspapers, A.A.s have had to find other methods, such as nailing posters on telephone poles, to publicize meeting times and places. Even in small rural communities, it is necessary to seek permission from tribal chiefs to start a group. Literature: Wherever A.A. has grown and flourished around the world, the availability of literature has been crucial to the process. Across the board, delegates 2

reported a need for more literature, and in particular literature in languages other than English. The need is twofold: grinding poverty makes it difficult to impossible for groups to buy books and pamphlets, and because there is such a variety of languages in all the countries, more translations are badly needed. One of the delegates from Tanzania pointed up the financial problems: “Literature and books are given free, and it has been disappointing in the past to see valuable books given to newcomers who never came back. One particular case had a happy ending. A Big Book in Swahili was sold by a potential new member to a second-hand bookshop – and the person who bought it joined A.A. A central office in California has sent a donation to the group in Dar es Salaam of literature and books weighing about 10 kilograms, and we hope this will assist the group. The A.A. in Dar for the first time has a small credit balance, and this will be used to buy more literature.” It is important to note that support for individuals and particular groups does not hamper the development of a central office or general service structure. Where these exist, support should be direct to the national office to aid in their development. The literature donation from California is typical of the help groups receive from South Africa, the U.S. and Canada, Britain, and other A.A. structures. The challenge of filling the need for literature in various languages is complex. Most countries have one or perhaps two official languages, along with a large number of local dialects. While the Big Book, the Twelve and Twelve, and a few pamphlets are available in Swahili, the most widely spoken African language, only a handful of items have been translated into other African dialects. The Zulu Big Book is now in the process of being developed. To further complicate the situation, there is a high rate of illiteracy in some countries, and many languages are oral rather than written. As the country reports proceeded, it became clear that many delegates were not fully aware of what was available, either in English or in other languages, nor did they have accurate information on how to implement translations. Thus, on Saturday morning, Greg M. from G.S.O. answered questions about existing literature and explained the process of translation and publication of new material. In addition to facilitating translations, in all probability G.S.O. will be searching for innovative ways to supply books and pamphlets in audio formats sometime in the future. And after the zonal meeting, all delegates will receive a complimentary supply of literature for distribution in their countries. After the literature presentation and discussion, participants split into two working groups, each of which discussed several topics: cooperation with the professional community, self-support, and the development of local offices. C.P.C.: Cooperation with the professional communi-

ty and good public information are crucial to A.A.’s future in Africa. Commenting on this reality shortly after the zonal meeting ended, Greg M. spoke of the huge debt of gratitude North American A.A.s owe to the many nonalcoholic professionals who went out of their way to support the Fellowship in its infancy and elevated the disease of alcoholism to a place where it is treatable. The Fellowship across Africa is not so fortunate. As a general rule, the medical community and other professionals know little or nothing about alcoholism, and many consider it a moral failing and are resistant to the idea of working with A.A. The problem is compounded by the fact that the majority of local A.A. members are not adequately informed to do effective P.I. or C.P.C. work. In both workshops, delegates agreed on the importance of reaching health professionals – inviting them to open meetings, visiting hospitals and clinics – as well as the need to carry the message to educators and into schools. The U.S./Canada G.S.O. will help out by sending packages of literature aimed at professionals, so that African A.A.s can approach the medical and educational communities with the printed word, rather than simply as individual alcoholics representing a tiny, unknown Fellowship. Self-Support: In a region beset by extreme poverty and widespread unemployment, it is extraordinarily difficult to practice the Tradition of self-support. One delegate told of standing in line at the bank to take money out, but having to wait until someone had made a deposit because the bank had no funds. Delegates felt that most A.A.s understand the principle of self-support, but have to work hard to make it a reality. The concept that self-support is not always about money – that it is just as important to give time and service – was brought up in the workshops and proved helpful. A group that cannot pay rent, for example, might offer to paint the meeting place or find another way to donate time or labor. Local Offices: Like the availability of literature, a sound structure is vital to A.A.’s growth. A local office is needed to sell literature, and to coordinate group information and efforts to contact professionals. The question is, with so few groups and so few members to support them, how can A.A. approach the daunting job of developing local offices? Some communities have found ways to make a beginning. A strong local group can function as an office until the groups as a whole can afford one. In other places, someone’s home serves as an office, supported by local groups. Action Plan: As the delegates brought their unique experiences and ideas to bear on the future, the principal challenges became clear and the meeting articulated an action plan for carrying the message: “Countries will form public information committees, drawn from all existing groups, to start a public information as well as a cooperation with the professional community drive (provide information about

A.A. to the general public and to professionals in their communities). “Each country will share the information about what they are doing with all other countries represented at the Sub-Saharan Africa Service Meeting. This will be done by means of reports in the proposed quarterly newsletter. “G.S.O. New York will send, together with literature packages, other information on how to start to take the responsibility for the finances of their country. “Each country will endeavor to form a service center with a telephone in order to distribute literature, provide information, and form a focal point for communication between groups and the public. “The meeting agreed that they should help groups to embrace the Traditions.” In addition to a plan of action for the individual countries, delegates recommended that further zonal meetings be held every two years. Each country in the region will be eligible to send two delegates, and each country will take financial responsibility for its own participation (sponsorship will be available if needed). South Africa will host the 2005 Sub-Saharan Africa Service Meeting (SSASM) once again. As delegates looked back at three eventful days together, it was clear that the unique power of A.A. – sharing experience, strength and hope with each other – is alive on the continent of Africa. Adrienne B. from G.S.O. described her impressions: “The body language changed – delegates stood straighter, feeling good about what they can do, rather than discouraged by what they had not yet accomplished.” Two years from now, as some of the same A.A.s return to meet with fellow members and look back at where they were in 2003, chances are they will be standing tall from the very first day.

■ G.S.O. Welcomes New Staff Member Mary Clare L. Because sponsorship has been a major lifeline in her own recovery, Mary Clare L., the newest staff member to join the General Service Office, tries to be there in the same way for others. She explains, “I tell those I sponsor, ‘The only thing that matters as much as my sobriety is yours.’ I also tell them, ‘No matter how hard the A.A. program may seem at first, it works. Indeed, I believe that everything happens for a purpose. If you let your heart fill with faith, fear diminishes, because fear and faith cannot coexist.’ ” Mary Clare came to G.S.O. on March 17th and officially assumed responsibility for her first assignment, the Correctional Facilities desk, in early July. She comes to her new post from The Glaucoma Foundation, New 3

York, where she was director of administration and office operations manager. Previously she was with the American National Standards Institute, also in New York, for nearly 11 years, serving as director, successively, of publishing, member services, education and training, and online information services. Born in Manhattan, the oldest of nine children “in a family where alcoholism went back for generations,” she says, Mary Clare spent her growing-up years in Brooklyn and South Salem, New York. “I started drinking in college when I was 18,” she recalls, “and experienced blackouts from the beginning. Although an honor student, I started missing classes and flunked out. It was embarrassing for my mother, who was a professor at a nearby college. It was embarrassing for me, too, but not enough to make me stop drinking.” After a short interval she went to another eastern college, where she majored in social sciences and secondary education; she completed her course of studies in three years, winding up with a B.A. degree, and went on to study for an M.S. in education. After college Mary Clare was a child-care worker in a home for delinquent teens run by the Peeskill Franciscans. In 1974 she joined the Order, where she stayed a decade. For several of these years she taught school, then relocated to California, where she worked for the Center for Communications Ministry, Los Angeles, developing resource and public relations material for Catholic religious orders. “During that time,” she says, “I was living in a large convent of the Sisters of Charity in Santa Monica. I was homesick, and I started drinking alone in my room. Like the big billboards one sees on the freeway, it’s amazing how the signs of alcoholism appear along the way. I drank Southern Comfort Manhattans, but my soul just couldn’t get enough comfort.” To all appearances, however, Mary Clare was still functioning well, and in 1983 she was recruited to work in a managerial capacity for the U.S. Catholic Conference Department of Communication in Manhattan. The following year, she says, “I left the Franciscan Sisters, but for two more years kept on working for the Catholic Conference. And I kept on drinking.” By 1990 Mary Clare’s life was in shreds. Desperate and sick, she sought help. Thanks to conversations with a priest friend, Fr. John Geaney, CSP, she realized she was an alcoholic. She contacted her best friend’s brother, Dan, who was 12 years sober. “When I went to see Dan,” she says, “he heard me out quietly. At one point I screamed, ‘You’re not listening! Can’t you see? My life is a mess and I can’t stop drinking!’ His response? ‘Fantastic! You just took the First Step.’ Dan told me his story, and I identified totally. He said, ‘You are the only one who can say you’re an alcoholic.’ Then he directed me to a meeting of The Mustard Seed Group in Manhattan, and I went.” The date was January 25, 1990, and Mary Clare has been sober in A.A. ever since. Her first home group was Grand Central, where she received 4

a firm foundation in A.A., still attends week-day meetings, and celebrates her anniversary. Her present home group is The Better Way, in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx. It was Linda S.—“one of the best sponsors in the world,” says Mary Clare—who heard about the opening for a staff member at G.S.O. last November and urged her to apply. “I am so grateful to Linda,” says Mary Clare, “and so glad to be here at G.S.O. Everyone is extraordinarily helpful and kind, and every day I am learning more about the myriad ways in which A.A. reaches out to alcoholics everywhere.” After hours Mary Clare is not content to rest on her laurels. Some seven years ago she became certified as a Second Degree advanced practitioner of Usui Reiki, which, she says, “is an ancient, gentle, hands-on, holistic form of energy work used in major medical centers here in New York and throughout the world to assist healing. Besides Reiki, Mary Clare adds, “part of my ‘off’ time is always devoted to my dear beagle, Guernsey.”

■ Incoming Class B Trustees Are High on Service in A.A. A.A. welcomes four new Class B (alcoholic) trustees, all experienced service hands—Michael P., Northeast regional trustee; Gary K., Southwest regional trustee; Murray M., trustee-at-large/ Canada; and Arnold R., general service trustee. In their new capacity, they share a common desire to help A.A. in any way they can. Michael P., of Fair Haven, Vermont, succeeds Tony T. as Northeast regional trustee. Mike, who sobered up in December 1985, says he tries “to keep it simple, as A.A. co-founder Dr. Bob used to urge. Like so many of us, and sometimes for apparently good reason, I tended to complicate my life, but sobriety has a wonderful way of bringing me back to earth.” Born and raised in Vermont, with a brief time-out in Maryland, Mike is a longtime member of the Fair Haven Group. In his second year of sobriety he was introduced to service by his first sponsor, John L., who at the time was a district committee member. Recalls Mike: “John told me, ‘I’m a D.C.M. You go be a G.S.R. [general service representative].’ So that’s what I did.” Since then he has served A.A. in numerous other capacities, including D.C.M., area chair, and Panel 50 (2000-01) delegate. A science teacher for 30 years, Mike, a man for all seasons, also is a Eucharistic minister and has been a high school football referee. He met his wife of 33 years, Jackie, in high school and, he reports with a smile, “we’ve been uphill and downhill ever since.” They have two grown children, Michele and Jamie, and twin grandchildren, age 6.

Gary K., of Parker, Colorado, follows Beth R. as Southwest regional trustee. A precocious drinker—“I was 12 years old, and my voice hadn’t even changed”— he was born in eastern Montana and grew up there and in Wyoming. In June 1983 in Worland, Wyoming, he hit bottom and called the sheriff’s office. As luck would have it, the deputy sheriff who answered had a card on his desk left by a member of the Committee on Cooperation With the Professional Community. The deputy phoned the A.A. contact, John, who in turn called Gary. “He told me to take honey and Gatorade,” Gary remembers, “and took me to a meeting of the South Big Horn Group in Basin, about 40 miles away, the next night.” It took, and when Gary was 37 days sober, he was introduced to service: “I still remember cutting the covers off scores of Big Books,” he recalls, “so they could be taken into jails and prisons.” A past delegate, Panel 43 (1993-94), Gary is a member of the Parker Group in Colorado, where he has lived for the past four years. He is president and chief executive officer of a firm that provides consulting and accounting services to oil and gas companies, and has been married to Michelle, a fellow A.A. member, for 16 years. The father of three children, Effie, Ole, and Danielle, and two little granddaughters, Gary is grateful for his sobriety. “I love A.A.,” he says. “When I was drinking, everything I loved I destroyed. But in A.A. the reverse is true. For me it’s payback time, and I see service as the way to go.” Murray M., of Thunder Bay, Ontario, takes the place of Alex P. as trustee-at-large/Canada. He learned firsthand that A.A. is a program of attraction: “My parents drank, I grew up with alcohol around the house, and was off to the races by age 14. A number of years later, when I was teaching at Confederation College, a colleague who was known for making a mess of himself suddenly looked terrific. Bill would smile at me in the hallways—I knew he’d quit drinking but not that he was in A.A. Often I’d think of Bill, and in December 1982 he helped me to get into a treatment facility. I sobered up but kept doing things my own way, and in ’85 I had a serious ‘dry drunk.’ That’s when I really joined the Fellowship—asked a member of my group, Harold L., to sponsor me, and got into service.” A member of the Current River Group, Murray also has been active at the area level. He has served on the Correctional Facilities and Remote Communities committees, to name some, and was a Panel 49 delegate (1999-2000). In 1998 he retired as Professor, Human Services/Developmental Services Worker Program, at Confederation College. He also has been on the board of a local halfway house and worked with organizations serving the multidisabled. In his spare time, what little he has, he enjoys reading, golf, swimming, woodcarving, and travel. “When I think of becoming a trustee,” he says, “my heart races. I had a very good life and thought it couldn’t get any better, but it did.” Of the opportunity

to extend his service work, he notes, “As members before me have observed, A.A. is not run by any group. It is run by the will of God. We just lend a helping hand.” Arnold R., of Baltimore, Maryland, who for three years has been a director of the A.A. Grapevine, succeeds Greg T. as a general service trustee. Sober since June 1982 he says he “was taken to A.A. by my parents on Father’s Day. My gift to my dad was his getting me out of jail.” Arnold was steered into service early: “At a meeting of my first home group, the Welcome Group—which met in the same church basement where I’d had my first drink at age 16—I went to the restroom and came out a G.S.R., thanks to my first sponsor, Wayne B., who died in 1997. Subsequently I found another wonderful sponsor, Harold G., a past trustee.” Today a member of the Mannasota Group, Arnold “grew up” in a string of service positions and was a Panel 46 delegate (1996-97). Professionally he has broad experience in finance and human resources administration. After earning a B.S. degree in business management, he started out in banking and today serves as the director of financial administration for a nonprofit substance-abuse agency. Besides his A.A. activities, he is on the boards of several nonprofit associations. In his off hours he enjoys travel, tennis, and historical literature. “I have such a full life,” he says, “but none of it could have happened without A.A. It is the cornerstone of my existence.”

■ Fellowship Salutes Class A Trustee From Texas The Fellowship welcomes Herbert I. Goodman of Houston, Texas, as its newest Class A (nonalcoholic) trustee, succeeding Linda L. Chezem, JD. He joins the ranks of the many Class A trustees who, as our co-founder Bill W. states in the Introduction to The A.A. Service Manual, “have given an incredible amount of time and effort; theirs has been a true labor of love.” Herb is chairman both of PEPEX.net, Herbert I. Goodman LLC, an Internet5

based program for buying and selling crude oil and petroleum products internationally, and of the petrochemical-products firm IQ Holdings, Inc. He also is president of Samar Corporation, an energy trading firm that acts as consultant to the international oil and gas industries. To his new assignments in A.A. he brings a wealth of financial and business expertise. But he sees his role as more than a relationship between an “expert” and a problem. He views service as “a way of life in which people bring the full resources of their combined experience to the tasks at hand and share them generously.” The new trustee first learned about A.A. when a close colleague, Boris M. of Miami, Florida, joined some years ago. “We traveled together frequently on business,” recalls Herb, “and no matter where we went in the world—Singapore, Delhi, Rome, Moscow, London—Boris would find an A.A. meeting. I came to marvel at the scope of the Fellowship and how the power of its message transcends barriers of race, religion and language. Bill W. often talked about A.A.’s ‘language of the heart,’ and I have seen that it truly does travel across the world.” Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “by the (formerly) three rivers’ smokey city,” Herb received a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh; M.B.A. and A.M. degrees from Harvard, where he spent a year as a university fellow in political economy and government; and a certificate d’études Françaises from the University of Besançon, France. He spent three years in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer and seven years in the U.S. Foreign Service, stationed in Washington, D.C., and at American embassies in such countries as Denmark, Cambodia, and Vietnam. He is “fairly fluent,” he says, in French and “somewhat rusty” in Danish, Japanese, and Russian. Besides his new responsibilities to A.A., Herb serves on the boards of numerous companies, including the American Petroleum Institute, American Chemical Society, and the Council of Foreign Relations. He also has been vice chairman of the Asia Society, Houston, and a member of the advisory boards of Harvard’s Center for Energy and Environmental Studies and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He and his wife, Mary, have five children, two still in college and the others living in California, Massachusetts, and Oregon. The seven Class A trustees on the General Service Board are a vital group with varying areas of expertise they share liberally for the good of A.A. Importantly, they can do certain things the 14 Class B (alcoholic) trustees can’t. For instance, experience has shown that for A.A.s, being in the public eye is hazardous to our sobriety—and to our collective survival if we break our anonymity at the public level, then get drunk. But Class A trustees can face the camera head on and use their last names without threat to themselves or the Fellowship. In the process they may reach a few alcoholics with the A.A. message. 6

■ Joanie M. Retires From G.S.O. Staff Joanie M., who has served on the staff of the General Service Office for nearly 14 years, retired at the end of June. Sober since October 1975, she was born and raised in South East Texas. Looking back on the assignments she has held at G.S.O., Joan says, “Each of them has taught me that A.A. is bigger than any one or two people—something that also is apparent at my home group in Manhattan, the Nu Garden Group, and at the General Service Conference that takes place every spring in New York. Just as the composition of my group keeps changing, so does that of the Conference. Each one is different, with trusted A.A. servants and others coming and going in the spirit of rotation.” But what can be counted on, she maintains, “is that no matter how diverse their views, the Conference members strive for consensus. When put together like the pieces of an enormous puzzle, the sharing forms a true group conscience—one that offers a big picture of where A.A. is now and we’re steering a sound, spiritual course into the future. It is fascinating to watch and a privilege to be a part of.” In retirement Joanie is uncertain where she will settle. “One thing for sure,” she affirms, “is that I’m not retiring from A.A.”

■ Opening for a Nontrustee Director of the A.A. Grapevine, Inc. The trustees’ Nominating Committee asks that trustees, delegates and directors submit any names they deem appropriate as candidates for a nontrustee director of the A.A. Grapevine, Inc. Some of the qualities most desirable in the individual who will fill the vacancy are: Sound business or professional background in such areas as finance, management or communications, relevant to the work of the A.A. Grapevine Board; leadership qualities and the ability to work with others in a group conscience setting; activity in A.A. service; a minimum of seven years sobriety in the A.A. program; availability to attend all regular meetings of the A.A. Grapevine Board (currently a total of up to eight per year), quarterly meetings of trustees’ committees to which corporate board directors are appointed, and the General Service Conference for one week each year. Additionally, directors may be called upon to attend interim subcommittee or other meetings; and, occasionally, to represent the A.A. Grapevine Board at Regional Forums or other A.A. functions. There will be an opening for a Grapevine director following the April 2004 General Service Conference.

Please submit your candidate’s resume to the Office Manager, A.A. Grapevine Inc., 475 Riverside Dr., New York, NY 10115, by August 31, 2003.

■ Trilingual Catalog Makes Its Debut To simplify the literature ordering process we have consolidated the English, French and Spanish catalogs into one easy-to-use trilingual volume. Every item that is available from G.S.O. is listed in this new 36-page catalog, which is organized into four product categories: English, French, Spanish and International. Cross references in the English section help customers know if there is a French or Spanish equivalent available. There is a separate Order Form in each language. The new catalog became available in late June 2003; if you have not received one yet, please call 212-870-3312 to order.

■ A.A. Is Us — Through Our Own Contributions “When I sobered up in A.A. back in 1978, my bellybutton was the hub of the universe,” reflects Babs G., of East Hampton, New York. “I was too mocus and self-involved to think about how come there was a place for me to go when I was ready to cork the bottle. Even after my first few meetings, I just took it for granted that they would be there.” With a grin Babs vividly recalls a “drunk dream” she had early in sobriety. “I dreamed my hair was wound in curlers that, seen up close, turned out to be miniature wine bottles,” she relates. “At that point my sponsor urged me to get more involved in group activities so I’d feel like I belonged to A.A. I made coffee, passed the basket, held several group offices. When I got to be treasurer and had to pay the rent and other expenses of running my home group, it hit me hard that every member needs to pitch in with whatever they can afford, both to help their own sobriety and to fulfill the Responsibility Declaration— ‘When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible.’ ” A wallet card printed by Canada’s B.C./Yukon Area and distributed at meetings first quotes Tradition Seven: “Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.” It then states that “all monies collected at this group are used to pay the rent of this meeting room, to purchase coffee, supplies and literature for this group and to support our district, our area and our General Service Office in New York who help

carry the message locally, provincially and worldwide. Personal contributions are just one form of carrying the message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” And Rick W. a member of the G.S.O. staff remembers that “when I was new to A.A. in 1980, I was told I ought to give something at each meeting, even if it was pocket change. The point was never how much each of us gave but that we participated in supporting the group. As our co-founder Bill W. said, ‘There is a place where spirituality and money can mix . . . in the hat.’ My sponsor used to say that if I could afford a pack of cigarettes, I could afford something for the Seventh Tradition. Only, in my first home group, we didn’t use a hat or a basket—we put our contributions in a Seagrams bag.” Many newcomers are intrigued to learn that the Fellowship was not always self-supporting. In the early days, “do good” dreams of field workers, detox centers and halfway houses sent our founders, who were long on zeal but short of pocket, scrambling for funds. Then in 1938, when A.A. was not yet three, came John D. Rockefeller’s sage remark that changed A.A. forever. He said that money from outside sources, followed inevitably by disputes over power, property and prestige, “would spoil this thing.” And so, as co-founder Bill W. later reported, in order to survive, “we realized we must, for the first time, ask the A.A. groups for assistance.” (The Language of the Heart, p. 64) Today not only is each group self-supporting, in the spirit of Tradition Seven, but collectively the groups support the services of their local intergroups/central offices, districts and areas. They make possible the work of A.A. in 150 countries through contributions to G.S.O., which strives to maintain a “prudent reserve”—enough money to equal but not exceed the preceding year’s operating expenses. It is generally agreed that while too large a reserve would bruise A.A.’s self-support Tradition, putting aside enough for a rainy day does not. A popular way in which newcomers and oldtimers alike make themselves one with the Fellowship is by helping themselves to the Birthday Plan. This was started in 1954 by the late Ab A., of Oklahoma City, who in turn was “inspired,” he later said, by his fellow A.A. Ted R.’s “great idea”: that members celebrate their sobriety by “giving it away” to G.S.O. on each anniversary—a dollar to G.S.O. for each year of sobriety, or as much as you wish to give up to $2,000 in a given year. Were Ab alive today, he doubtless would be pleased to know that the Birthday Plan is flourishing and has grown to include giving to other A.A. entities as well—among them one’s intergroup/central office and area committee. But he also might urge more A.A.s to participate, saying as he did in 1956 at the state meeting in Great Bend, Kansas, “I want you to remember how this inspiration came to me . . . by talking to older members, and to new ones too. They want to do something. They want to be a part of this Fellowship. They feel when they make a little investment that they are a part of it. And they are!” 7

C.P.C. ■ Taking A.A. to Professionals Is A Labor of Love

“More than 100 professionals viewed the C.P.C. display provided by the General Service Office, and 70 individuals walked away with literature in their hands.” Following is a sampling of reports from other local C.P.C. committees that appear in the April and June issues of the News Exchange. They show how these committees have stepped up efforts to carry the A.A. message to professionals wherever they are: Washington, D.C., and Maryland suburbs—“We carried the A.A. message to two conventions in January,” says Phil C. “My favorite example of why we need C.P.C. came during a social workers’ convention. One attendee responded [to an explanation of what A.A. is]: ‘Oh, I don’t work with any alcoholics—my field is child welfare.’ For the first time while doing C.P.C. service work, I was too flabbergasted to respond unemotionally. However, we did use the comment as an effective teaching tool for the remainder of the convention. Then, at a convention of Drug Court professionals, a judge in recovery shared that her favorite excuse from a client was, ‘Over the weekend I talked with the president of A.A., and he says I

Carrying the A.A. message to professionals where they congregate—at their meetings and conventions—requires organization, patience, money, and a lot of time and energy. But from Alabama to Alaska, from New York to Hawaii, committees on Cooperation With the Professional Community are finding their labors of love amply rewarded, as can be gleaned from a reading of the CPC News Exchange, published sporadically by area C.P.C. committee volunteers who take on the task of gathering, editing and distributing the newsletter. Commented editor Judy R., of the Alaska Area C.P.C. Committee, in the June issue, “We don’t do deadlines here. We publish when we have six pages of articles.” In its June 2003 edition, the News Exchange reprinted a talk given on “Ways of Reaching a Wider Variety of Professionals” by Keith M., chair of the Utah Area C.P.C. Committee, at the Pacific Regional A.A. Service Assembly in Reno, Nevada, on March 7. “There are two primary avenues we need to explore,” he said: “first, more ways of reaching professionals; and, second, reaching more professionals. My principal sources of information are the C.P.C. Workbook, The A.A. Service Manual, and the Big Book. The mission of the C.P.C. Committee is to inform professionals about A.A. We attempt to establish better communication between the Fellowship and professionals and to find simple, effective ways of cooperating without affiliating.” One avenue the Utah C.P.C. Committee is using to reach a wider variety of professionals, Keith noted, “is staffing exhibits at national meetings of professionals. Currently A.A. attends about 40 to 50 a year.” Recently, he added, “it was my privilege to attend the Winter Training Convention of the C.P.C.’s new tabletop display is around 6’ wide; the table drape is included. These units are American Probation and Parole lightweight, easy to assemble and come in a wheeled carrier approximately the size of a golf Association. bag. The design communicates a positive image of the Fellowship to professionals. 8

don’t have to go to meetings anymore.’ ” Mid-Southern California—Writes Linda H., area chair: “Volunteers just finished staffing the A.A. booth for the 50th annual American Counseling Association. . . . Four people volunteered all three days, which was great. Many attendees were treating young people, and others were very interested in the Spanish-language pamphlets we had. I just have to remember that any time we interface with professionals, we are one step closer to educating each other.” Hawaii—“On Oahu we recently had the privilege of setting up an exhibit at the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry,” says area chair Francesca P. “We were met with attitudes ranging from thanks and deep appreciation to skepticism and the look of, ‘Who, me? An alcoholic?’ Although the response was not overwhelming, being in service was its own reward, and we did make several contacts, including those with professionals seeking alternate ways of dealing with the older community.” Francesca notes that “one doctor who visited the booth decided she might be asking her patients the wrong questions, since the idea that alcohol might be a factor in their troubles had never crossed her mind.” Louisiana—In March, relates area chair Angel K., “we had a booth at the National Student Assistance Conference. This is for counselors and others who work with children, some in recovery-related areas and others in prevention. The attendees were most receptive to us and asked good questions. If anyone has the chance to put an A.A. booth up at this conference as it travels, please do so. It was very informative.” Eastern Missouri—“We recently participated in the 100th anniversary convention of the National Catholic Educators’ Association in St. Louis,” says area chair David B., “and were presented with a beautiful plaque by the association for our 25 years’ participation in this event. The [trustees’] C.P.C. Committee at G.S.O. gave us the use of the C.P.C. traveling display, and we are pleased to announce that well over a case of pamphlets was placed, as were several hardcover books.” David then tells of “a young Bostonian who approached the booth and struck up a conversation. He said he had been having a ‘drinking problem’ and was anxiously looking for help. The ‘helping hand of A.A.’ reached out, took him to several local meetings, placed a Big Book and other literature in his hands, gave him the Boston Central Office phone number, and found, via the Internet, several meetings in his neighborhood as well as a contact phone number. We wish him a loving recovery and a new way of life.” Nebraska—Writes area chair Mike P.: “We are again having problems getting people to do C.P.C. work, and we’ve found that most members in this state have a fear of speaking to professionals. Thus, we came up with the idea of hosting four statewide C.P.C. informational workshops. At the first one, hosted by

District 29, we discussed the importance of making friends with professionals so they may feel confident in sending their clients to A.A. Four professionals were invited to tell us what they considered the best ways to approach them.” More than 30 people attended, Mike says, “and the most amazing thing took place: One participant from a district without a C.P.C. committee attended, and as a direct result of this informational series, that district’s C.P.C. is now up and running. It amazes me how, when armed with the right facts, so much really can be done. My hat is off to District 29. They did an outstanding job.”

■ Grapevine Prints Thread-Bound Edition for Prisons Along with its usual line-up of powerful stories, the July issue of the Grapevine features nine articles by inmates describing how they were released from alcoholism — and in some cases, prison — with the help of the A.A. program. Sharing experience, strength and hope, these stories get right down to basics, telling how the writers work the Steps; get sponsors; connect with A.A. contacts before their release; go to meetings the first day out; learn to ask for help; and carry the message to others. Since many prisons do not allow inmates to have material with metal staples, the Grapevine is also publishing a special thread-bound edition of these nine stories that can be given to people in any facility. Both the magazine and this special edition also offer information about A.A. literature, the Corrections correspondence Service, and prerelease A.A. contact for inmates. Like the magazine, the special threadbound edition will have a glossy, fourcolor cover and contain the Steps, the Traditions, and the Serenity Prayer. The cost is $1.00 per copy (including postage) for orders of 10 or more. To contact the Grapevine: Phone (212) 870-3404; fax: (212) 870-3301. 9

Correctional Facilities ■ Voices from Inside (and Outside) Prison Walls At present a total of 2,566 A.A. groups, with a membership of about 67,000, hold meetings in jails, prisons, juvenile detention homes, and other correctional facilities. Some are quietly carrying the message one-to-one; others, often with the help of prison officials and A.A.s on the outside, are writing, printing, and distributing their own newsletters. Through the efforts of local Correctional Facilities committees across the U.S. and Canada, more and more prisoners are participating in prerelease contact sponsorship programs that effectively smooth their transition from A.A. inside to regular meetings outside. That’s not all. Numerous inmates are getting a new lease on life by participating in the Corrections Correspondence Service (C.C.S.) of the General Service Office, one of the most positive ways for outside members to carry the message to inmates on a personal basis (with the understanding that each will honor the other’s anonymity). At G.S.O. the C.F. desk receives several hundred letters a month from insiders asking to correspond with A.A.s outside. They in turn are quick to say how much participating in the C.C.S. has helped their own recovery—especially those who identify more intensely with inmates because they have walked in their shoes. Statistics show that as many as 80 percent of our prisoners can be classified as either problem drinkers or alcoholics. But thanks to the efforts of a lot of A.A.s, the huge gap that once existed between A.A.s inside and out is slowly closing. As the trustees’ C.F. Committee noted back in 1990, “there is ‘a cool and healing sympathy’ through one A.A. reaching out for another . . . there is no substitute.” And the committee’s continuing mission—to find and use more effective methods to carry the A.A. message into our correctional facilities—is happening. Many alcoholic inmates are responding wholeheartedly to the A.A. message. Instead of remaining a problem, they are becoming part of the solution. In the spring issue of the quarterly newsletter Insiders’ New Hope Group, put together by A.A. members in an Ohio prison, Carl H. writes: “The majority of our Fellowship will attend meetings regularly, and that’s a good start. What most don’t realize is, meetings are but a cornerstone in our recovery. The A.A. program is based on the Twelve Steps of recovery. . . . You can’t honestly talk about the humility of a Fourth Step until you have experienced it for yourself. You can’t talk about the benefits of surrender or acceptance if you have never done Steps One through Three.” Continuing, Carl urges, “Let’s not let another year pass by without giving A.A. an honest shot. It takes a real man to approach someone in our 10

Fellowship and ask for help.” Carl notes that “our biggest drawback is our environment. We’re afraid to do the Fourth and Fifth Steps and have someone go tell it on the yard. That’s your addiction telling you, ‘Don’t trust anyone. Keep this stuff to yourself.’ Or, ‘I’ll do it when I get out.’ We’ve told ourselves that lie too long! We need to turn the worst experience of our lives into our greatest asset.” In the same issue Rick S. observes that “incarceration has provided a tremendous amount of thinking time. At points this can become paralyzing from the boredom and monotony of each day’s repetitive routine. Yielding to drudgery and depression while waiting upon freedom’s new choices of chance, it is easy to sink into a general disinterest in everything. This includes getting out of ourselves and working the Twelve Steps. Attending meetings, volunteering service and staying active with a sponsor can help offset the paralyzing effect that prison can sometimes hold. It takes a conscious choice to be positive and active in recovery in A.A.” There is also an encouraging message from former insider Bobby C.: “After years of incarceration and fellowship in A.A., I have one thought to share. It is that once you have come to believe in a power greater than yourself, you can begin to believe in yourself. . . . As we continue on our pathway of recovery, remember that life will offer disappointments. But it’s through those situations that we become stronger in our faith, more stable in our actions. Do not overlook obstacles, trials, or mistakes, but work through them. Remember, each road we choose will offer some difficulty, but if life was meant to be easy, there would be no challenges to help us grow, no rainbows to replace the storms. A.A. is my rainbow after decades of stormy weather. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Then life can begin.” Many A.A. members, both inside and out, participate in a meeting in print—Sharing from Behind the Walls, a quarterly newsletter published by G.S.O. Writes Marcell V., Southeast region, in a recent issue: “This is my third trip to this same prison. I am nearly 40, and I’m tired. My first attempt at sobriety lasted 8 months, then I lapsed. But there is a little girl inside me who wants to live more than she wants to die. I want and need to turn my relapse into an asset and thus strengthen my recovery.” And former inmate Dennis L., Pacific region, says, “If it wasn’t for the Big Book that was waiting for me in prison, I don’t believe I would have made it out of there the last time. The seed was planted. Today I get to go back into prison and carry A.A.’s message of hope to another still-suffering alcoholic.” Outside member Ron T., East Central region, reports, “I have been writing to Michael P. since 2000. While I have never met Mike, I think of him as a close friend. Writing to him has been a great experience. I am only one voice, but I talk about the Corrections Correspondence Service whenever I can. My involvement with corrections work has given my life a whole new meaning.”

Cut along dotted line, and post this page on your group’s bulletin board

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BULLETIN BOARD Items and Ideas on Area Gatherings for A.A.s — Via G.S.O.

Calendar of Events 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 use the addresses provided.

August 1-3—Scottsdale, Arizona. 14 th Annual Salt River Intergroup Roundup. Write: Ch., c/o Central Office, 4602 N. 7 th St., Phoenix, AZ 85014; www.aaphoenix.org 1-3—Mountain View, Arkansas. 63 rd “Old Grandad” State Conv. Write: Ch., 714 O’Dell Rd., Bismarck, AR 71929 1-3—Palm Desert, California. 29th Annual “Maad Dog Daze” Conv. Write: Ch., Box 4383, Palm Desert, CA 92261; www.aainthedesert.org 1-3—Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. 24 th East Central Regional and 30 th Annual State Conf. Write: Ch. Box 596, Tolono, IL 61880 1-3—DuBois, Pennsylvania. Tenth Annual State Conv. Write: Ch., 6377 Alderson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15217-2501 1-3—Parkersburg, West Virginia. 51st State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 4471, Parkersburg, WV 26104 1-3—Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada. 29th Annual Dist. 3 Rally. Write: Ch., Box 652, Campbell River, BC V9W 2C3 1-4—Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Darwin Roundup. Write: Ch., c/o Roundup 2003, Box 1901, Humpty Doo, NT 0836, Australia 8-10—Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. Red Deer Roundup. Write: Ch., #21, 6300 Orr Dr., Red Deer, AB T4P 3T6 8-10—Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Canada. Fourth Annual Dist. 8 Campout. Write: Ch., 1198 Rolmar Cres., RR#2, Cobble Hill, BC V0R 1L0 8-10—Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia. Katherine Roundup. Write: Ch., c/o Roundup 2003, Box 1901, Humpty Doo, NT 0836, Australia 15-17—Joplin, Missouri. Summer Hummer XVI. Write: Ch., 1800 E. 30th St., Joplin, MO 64804 15-17—Calcutta-East Liverpool, Ohio. 13th Annual Beaver Creek Get Away Weekend. Write: Ch. Box 5174, East Liverpool, Ohio 43920 15-17—Astoria, Oregon. Youngs River Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 12, Astoria, OR 97103; youngsriverroundup@yahoo.com 15-17—York, Pennsylvania. Sixth Annual Sunlight of the Spirit Conf. Write: Ch., Box 3538, York, PA 17402 15-17—Beaumont, TX. 22 nd Annual 9 th District Conf. Write: Ch., Box 1446, Buna, TX 77612 15-17—Clair, New Brunswick, Canada. CongrèsDist. 88-16. Write: Ch., 1578 Vieux Chemin, Dégelis, QC G5T 1V7 15-17—Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. 31 st Annual Lakeshore Districts Conf. Write: Ch. 217 McNaughton Ave., Oshawa, ON L1H 3B7 15-17—St. Jerome, Quebec, Canada. Lueur D’Espoir. Write: Ch. CP 25 St. Jerome, St. Jerome, QC J7Z 5T7 15-17—Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. 34th Central West Ontario Conv. Write: Ch., Box 31053, Guelph, ON N1H 8K1 15-17—Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. Centralian Roundup. Write: Ch., c/o Roundup 2003, Box 1901, Humpty Doo, NT 0836, Australia 16-17—Three Mile Plains, Nova Scotia, Canada. 39th Windsor & Area Mini Round-Up. Write: Ch., Box 533, Hansport, NS B0P 1P0. 21-24—Omaha, Nebraska. Cornhusker Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 425, Bellevue, NE 68005

22-24—Payson, Arizona. Serenity Under the Rim Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 2575, Payson, AZ 85547 22-24—Melbourne, Florida. FCYPAA Age of Miracles. Write: Ch., Box 650713, Vero Beach, FL 32965 22-24—Driggs, Idaho. Rainbow of Emotions Campout. Write: Ch., Box 153, Driggs, ID 83422 22-24—Grand Rapids, Michigan. State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 141331, Grand Rapids, MI 49514-1331 22-24—Jackson, Mississippi. 17 th Annual Old Timers Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 20664, Jackson, MS 39289 22-24—Chautauqua, New York. Tri-State Conf. Write: Ch., 1515 E. 106th St., Cleveland, OH 44106 22-24—Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania. PENNSCYPAA XV. Write: Ch. Box 474, Mt. Pocono, PA 18344 22-24—Writing on Stone Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. Corn Roast. Write: Ch., 719 Birch Ave., Shelby, MT 59474 29-31—Colorado Springs, Colorado. State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 38732, Colorado Springs, CO 80937; www.coloradospringsworldarena.doubletree.com 29-31—Maui, Hawaii. HICYPAA. Write: Ch., Box 11085, Lahaina, HI 96761-6085 29-31—Sparks, Nevada. 26th Annual Sierra Nevada Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 5874, Sparks, NV 89432 29-31—Seatac, Washington. 11 th Annual Sponsorship Conf. Write: Ch., Box 27545, Seattle, WA 98125-2545; www.sponsorshipconference.org 29-31—Saguenay, Québec, Canada. Congrès Saguenay. Write: Ch. 1080, boul. Talbot, Saguenay, PQ G7H 4B6

September 5-7—Cromwell, Connecticut. 45th Annual Area 11 Conv. Write: Ch., 25 Usher Ave., Plainville, CT 06062; www.ct-aa.org 5-7—Park Rapids, Minnesota. 13 th Annual Heartland Roundup. Write: Ch., 22623 Bass Lake Rd., Osage, MN 56570 5-7—Minot, North Dakota. West Central Regional Forum. Write: Forum Coordinator, Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163 5-7—Morgantown, West Virginia. Area 73 Fall Assembly. Write: Ch., Box 186, Granville, WV 26534 11-14—Panama City Beach, Florida. Area 1 48th Annual Conv. Write: Ch., Box 18165, Panama City Beach, FL 32417 12-14—Rosemont, Illinois. 13th Annual Bridging the Gap. Write: Ch. 2618 Patee St., St. Joseph, MO 64507 12-14—Houston, TX. Southeast Texas Area 67 Bi-Lingual Correctional Service Conf. Write: Ch., Box 925241 Houston, TX 77292-5241

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2003 12-14—Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 35th Annual Autumn Leaf Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 91021, Corktown Postal Outlet, First Place Variety, 350 King St. East, Hamilton, ON L8N 1C0 19-21—Bull Shoals, Arkansas. 23rd Autumn-in-theOzarks. Write: Ch., 1040 Harding Blvd., Cotter, AR 72626 19-21—Muscatine, Iowa. Melon City Roundup 12. Write: Ch., Box 1244, Muscatine, IA 52761 19-21—Lawrence, Kansas. State Conf. Write: Ch., 713 Prescott, Ct., Lawrence, KS 66049 19-21—Somerset, New Jersey. NJGS Area 44 Conv. Write: Ch., Box 1642, Paramus, NJ 07653-1642 19-21—Richmond, Virginia. 11th Annual Southeast Regional Woman to Woman Seminar. Write: Ch., 12707 Cove Dr., Chester, VA 23836 19-21—Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. Recovery Rocks Rally. Write: Ch. 2314 Anderson Ave., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 2W6 19-21—Laurier, Quebec, Canada. Congress 13e District 90-20. Write: Ch., 2390 Ch. Eglise des Roisseaux, PQ J9L 3G6 25-28—Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Eighth Annual National Archives Workshop. Write: Ch. 12571 NW 10 St., Sunrise, FL 33313 26-28—Plymouth, California. Gold Country Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 195, Pine Grove, CA 95665-0195; www.goldcountryroundup.org 26-28—Duluth, Minnesota. 58th Annual Roundup. Write: Ch. Box 16771, Duluth, MN 55816 26-28—Butte, Montana. Fall Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 143, Butte, MT 59703 26-28—Moab, Utah. Fall Assembly. Write: Ch., Box 362, Kaysville, UT 84037-0362 26-29—Mesquite, Nevada. 2nd Round-Up. Write: Ch. Box 3413, Mesquite, NV. 89024

October 2-4—Aspen, Colorado. Joy of Living Roundup. Write: Ch. 618 Independence Pl., Aspen, CO 81611 3-4—San Pedro Sula, Honduras. XXVIII Convencion Nacional. Write: Ch. Col. Altamira 23, Calle “B” #19D, San Pedro Sula, Honduras. 3-5—Troy, Michigan. 16th Annual Tri-County Conf. Write: Ch. 380 Hilton Rd., Ferndale, MI 48220-2590 3-5—Kansas City, Missouri. Southwest Regional Forum. Write: Forum Coordinator, Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163 3-5—Mandan, North Dakota. State Round-up. Write: Ch. Box 211, Mandan, ND 58554. 3-5—Columbus, Ohio. Sixth Annual Conf. of Keys to Freedom. Write: Ch., Box 1201, Columbus, OH 43126 10-12—Amarillo, Texas. 57th Annual Top of Texas Roundup. Write: Ch. 4864-B Dumas Dr., Amarillo, TX 79108

Planning a Future Event? To be included in the Box 4-5-9 Calendar, information must be received at G.S.O. three months prior to the event. We list events of two or more days. For your convenience and ours — please type or print the information to be listed on the Bulletin Board page, and mail to us: Date of event: from ___________________________ to ________________________, 20 _________ Name of event: _______________________________________________________________________ Place (city, state or prov.): __________________________________________________________________________ For information, write: (exact mailing address) ______________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Contact phone # (for office use only): _______________________________________________________

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10-11—Montréal, Quebec, Canada. 42e CongrèsRégion 87. Write: Ch., 1480 Belanger St., Suite 101, Montréal, QC H2G 1A7 10-12— Montgomery, Alabama. Alabama/NW Florida Area 1 Assembly. Write: Ch., 8121 Lillian Hwy., # 45, Pensacola, FL 32506-3771 10-12—San Francisco, California. The Spirit of San Francisco Conv. Write: Ch. Box 423832, San Francisco, CA 94142 10-12—Pueblo, Colorado. Ocsoberfest. Write: Ch. Box 8394, Pueblo, CO 81001 10-12—Spencer, Iowa. Fall Conf. Write: Ch. Box 312,Spencer, IA 51301 10-12—Lafayette, Louisiana. Cajun Country Conf. Write: Ch. Box 3160, Lafayette, LA 70502 10-12—Dayton, Ohio. State Conv. Write: Ch., Box 1736, Dayton, OH 45401-0684 16-19—Burbank, California. NAI Conv. Write: Ch. Box 19321, Reno, NV 89511 17-19—Raton, Florida. Fellowship in Action Weekend. Write: Ch. 1429 Bronco Dr., Melbourne, FL 32940 17-19—Mackinac Island, Michigan. A Design for Living That Really Works. Write: Ch. 1500 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48912 17-19—Austin, Minnesota. Holding Fast to Our Primary Purpose. Write: Ch. Box 5792 Rochester, MN 55903 17-19—Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. Northeast Regional Conv. Write: Ch. Box 31, Audubon, NJ 08106 17-19—Buffalo, New York. Fall Conv. Write: Ch., 845 Ellicott Square Building, 295 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14203 17-19—Greensburg, Pennsylvania. 60 th Laurel Highlands Conf. Write: Ch., 1470 Blossom Hill Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15234 17-19—Cedar Creek, Texas. 19th Annual Fellowship In The Pines. Write: Ch. 282 Old 71, Cedar Creek, TX 78612 17-19—Latham Springs, Texas. 26 th Brazos Riverside Conf. Write: Ch., Box 5624, Laguna Park, TX 76644; www.brazosconf.org 17-19—Angeles City, Balibago, Philippines. Eighth Fall International Roundup. Write: Ch., Box 308, Manila, 1099 Philippines 23-26—Hagerstown, Maryland. Area 29 Fall Conf. Write: Ch., 211 Westowne Rd., Baltimore, MD 21229 23-26—Tiossa de Mar, Catalunya, Spain. 2003 Costa Brava Conv. Write: Ch., 5 Abeuradors 1-B, Girona, Spain; jaywalker@adios.net 24-26—St. Cloud, Minnesota. Keys to the Kingdom Roundup. Write: Ch. Box 125, St. Cloud, MN 56302 24-26—Madison, Wisconsin. 52nd Annual Fall Conf. Write: Ch. Box 6464, Monona, WI 53716-0464 24-26—Gillette, Wyoming. Area 76 Fall Conv. Write: Ch. Box 3343, Gillette, WY 82717 31-Nov. 2—Farmington, Connecticut. 15th Annual Northeast Regional Woman to Woman Conf. Box 380396, East Hartford, CT 06138-0396

November 7-8—Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada. 30e Congres de Trois-Rivieres. Write: Ch. 3-120, rue Sirois, TroisRivieres-Ouest, QC, G9A 2X7 7-9—Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 59 th Annual Keystone Conf. Write: Ch., 208-323 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3C 2C1 14-16—Ocean Shores, WA. Happy Joyous and Free19th Annual Jamboree. Write: Ch. Box 995, Ocean Shores, WA 98569 21-23—Yosemite National Park, California. Yosemite Summit Conf. Write: Ch., Box 675, Mariposa, CA 95338 27-30—Las Vegas, Nevada. 37th Annual Round-up. Write: Ch. Box 43177, Las Vegas, NV 89116

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