Western Area of Missouri - Delegate Area 39

DELEGATE REPORT-Quinn G./alcoholic/Panel 59/Area 39/Western Missouri Delegate

Before I start my Delegate’s Report, I would like to thank some people: Area 39 for allowing me to serve; all the Past delegates of Area 39; my Alternate delegate, Steve P.; my Sponsor; and my wife Kathi. The 59th annual meeting of the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous was held at the Crown Plaza Hotel in New York City on April 26-May 2, 2009. The theme of the Conference was "Our Commitment to Carry A.A.’s Message-Enthusiasm and Gratitude in Action".

We (my wife Kathi was my guest) started our journey at 3 A.M., Thursday, April 23rd in Lee’s Summit and returned home at 630P.M., Saturday, May 2nd. We arrived in NY at 11AM and were checked in by noon. This was after a $35 nine mile yellow cab speed race from LaGuardia Airport. We had touched the luggage twice ($10) and were into our room (28th floor/46 floors). We did some pre-conference activities-museums, Broadway show, sight seeing, eating-until 1PM Saturday. New York City is big and busy but very friendly. Yes-those two hotel nights were paid for by me. The only time I saw Kathi after that was at the Sunday Opening Dinner/open A.A. speaker meeting; and briefly at the General Service office Tuesday afternoon about 330PM. The rest of the time was 4th floor (Fourth Dimension? ), 5th floor and 28th floor.

Saturday from 12-4PM there was a hospitality room get-together put together by the N.Y. Intergroup. I met my Agenda Conference Chairperson, Joan R. (H/M/B-Area 48-NY); my delegate buddy (Fred E.-Area 45-S.N.J.), and our new General Service Manager, Phyllis H.7-9PM was our Delegate’s only meeting. It was coat and tie time from now on except for Thursday and Friday evenings after dinner. This is a forum to help all the new Panel 59 Delegates get used to the Conference format, introduce themselves, and go to the mike to ask any questions. There was excitement and nervousness in the air! Joe B. (Area 09-Mid-Southern California) Delegate Chair and John T. (Area 63 S.D.) Alt Delegate Chair did a great job! I had a lump in my throat.

Sunday, I attended the Remote Communities Committee meeting from 9-11AM.Listening to people sharing about getting to meetings and A.A. events in Canada/Alaska/upper U.S.A. made me appreciate our state. I officially registered at 11AM .I received my conference notebook and committee workbook. I then attended a lunch and Delegate Orientation by region, chaired by our Regional trustee, Conley B. our Southwest region met in room 505 with eleven Delegates from Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. We all knew each other thanks to SWRDA in Oklahoma City and previous Regional Forums. I gave my two minute presentation for Shirley R.-our Area’s candidate for U.S. Trustee At Large.

Our opening session after lunch with the roll call by Phyllis H. was exciting to me. Wow, I am here! The mechanics of the Conference were explained along with a review of the week’s agenda, and a keynote address and Conference questions. I learned about terms like Substantial Unanimity, full discussion, Friendly Amendments, Recommendations, Reconsideration, Advisory Actions, Additional Considerations, Floor Actions, and Decline to Consider. At 245-545PM the various Joint Trustee/Conference Committee meetings (one hour-no voting) were held. I was on the Agenda Committee. I walked in there and one side of my head is saying what am I doing here" while the other side is saying there is no spot that God is not-we can do it! ". There are-8 to 9 Delegates(1/2 first year and 1/2 second year Delegates) on each Committee. I serve both years on the same committee. Our names were drawn out of a hat back in December. On Sunday night we had the Opening Dinner and A. A. Open Speaker Meeting for all Conference attendees and their guests. Kathi and I found the five speakers(two Delegates, Trustee, GSO Staff member, A. A. W. S. Director) stories of recovery and service to be very moving.

Some Delegate statistics: average age-53; age range-33 to 75; service year range-5 to 33; average service years-15; sobriety range-8 to 36 years. There are 131 voting members this year: 93 Delegates; 24 Trustee , A. A. W. S. & Grapevine Directors; and 14 General Service Office and Grapevine staff. There were also 25(nonvoting) GSO personnel assisting with the Conference.

Conference Committee began Monday and Tuesday morning (9AM-noon, or longer). Eight of the thirteen Committees met for over six hours-Report/Charter-14+; Grapevine-91/2; Literature, Agenda-81/2. Extra time is squeezed in until the business of A. A. is finished-even if meals are shortened and GSO trips are missed. There are eleven standing committees and two secondary committees. There were 80 Agenda items to address. The Committees can make recommendations that are voted on after full floor discussion, beginning Wednesday evening. If 2/3 majority approves, the recommendation becomes a Conference Advisory action, which becomes binding when approved by the General Service Board. The Conference committee can also vote to take no action(decide no change is needed); defer action to the next Conference; or put Agenda items under an Additional Consideration heading-where only questions can be asked but no vote is taken. A Committee chair can be requested (friendly amendment) from the floor to talk to their committee about changing wording in a particular recommendation. Last resort is a floor action-more on that later.

Monday after lunch, we heard Panel 59 Delegate two minute Delegates Reports on Area Service Highlights from eastern Canada and The West Central Region. I read mine at our march 2009 Area Assembly. There were 49 first year Delegates who had highlights to read Monday and Tuesday. I was #39 at 125PM Tuesday. Only one delegate got the red light to stop for going over two minutes. In between all this, we had reports from the Chairs of The General Service Board; A. A. W. S. Board; Grapevine Board; and Finance/Budgetary Committees. Each followed with a question and answer period. Selected Delegates(a "loving invitation from GSO")gave presentations Monday night and Tuesday/Thursday afternoons on Humility/Sacrifice; Enthusiasm/Gratitude; and Spiritual Progress in Action. All nine Delegates gave heartfelt and moving talks! I have a copy of all the week’s reports, presentations, and discussions if anyone cares to see them or has questions.

Other highlights: Moving 2010 Conference to Rye, NY is supposed to save $200, 000. There were 1, 315 visitors to GSO in 2008. 1, 458 new A. A groups were listed at GSO in 2008. A net loss of $275, 300 was incurred at GSO last year. 2008 contributions down 1%. Area 39-2008-116 groups/49. 7% contributed to GSO. GSO cost per group=$157. 20. Area 39 fully self-supporting groups 29/233 in 2008. Trustees/staff members were invited to help carry the A. A message in Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Finland, Geneva, and India. GSO presently has 85 full-time employees and 5 part-time. All building projects have been stopped. All GSO salaries increases and hirings have been frozen. Box 459 will be published quarterly. Non A. A. purchases of all books in 2008-19%. Amazon-com is making Big Book/12X12 available for sale to their Kindle Reader customers. 2008 net loss-Grapevine-$138, 456; LaVina-$76, 264. Since 2000 Grapevine office staff reduced 27 to 12 and office space reduced 25%.

Tuesday afternoon we went on the subway(my first ride-90 degrees-no a/c) to GSO(11th floor)/Grapevine(10th floor) offices. It was great to meet the staff! I got goose bumps when I saw the little typewriter used to type the first Big Book manuscript; all the different Serenity Prayer languages on the hallway wall; old archives photos; and Bill’s couch. How much living history has been through these offices. A future issue of the Grapevine was taped on the walls-page-by-page in the Editorial Room. After the ride back(a/c this time), there was another Delegate’s dinner/Delegates Only meeting. The French-speaking Delegate from Quebec brought tears to my eyes as he talked about overcoming A. A. opposition in his Area to serve as Delegate due to his limited English. I only knew three French words-hello, goodbye, and love. I put the third one to use and hugged him after his talk.

Wednesday 9-11 AM was a "Language of the Heart" workshop. At our region’s luncheon we selected Clayton V. (from the hat) Area 38-Eastern Missouri-as our U. S. Trustee at Large candidate. There were six candidates. I got to vote in this election. There were three Third Legacy Trustee elections-two went to the hat. Selected were Eleanor N. -Area 62 S. Carolina(Southeast Regional Trustee); Pamela R. -Area 33-Southeastern Michigan(East Central Regional Trustee); and Don M. -Area 27-Louisiana(Trustee at Large/U. S.

After dinner we started the main business of the week-Committee Reports/discussions. Out of these Conference Committees came 45 Recommendations to consider by the voting members of the Conference. 41 were approved. There were 51 Additional Committee Considerations. Before the Conference, the Trustees Committees had tabled 7 proposed agenda items and took no action on another 30. There were 8 Floor Actions. There were 6 mikes with many questions, comments, and suggestions. Phyllis and Leonard were busy from the podium as they monitored the information exchange flow! I had to keep listening; keep writing; keep reading; and keep having an open mind. Committee Report order is drawn out of the hat. Agenda Committee, my committee, was first. Agenda Committee had 3 Recommendations and 1 Additional Consideration. Our job was to come up with the 2010 Conference Theme-"Practicing A.A`s Principles-the Pathway to Unity"; come up with 3 presentation/discussions topics and 9 subtopics; provide a workshop topic-"Discuss The General Service Conference Agenda Selection Process"; discuss the Trustees report; and review the Conference Evaluation Form. We had big work sheets pasted all over the walls of our committee room! Each Committee also elects a Chairperson and Alternate Chairperson for the 2010 Conference.

Next up was Report/Charter. They had 8 Recommendations and 7 Additional Considerations. The language for choosing non-trustee directors on S75 was changed. A review of the Charter be made a standing agenda item for the Conference Committee on Report and Charter recommendation failed twice-in report voting and in a floor action. The term of service of Appointed Committee members was revised . Language to clarify nominating a regional trustee candidate in the same year when nominating a trustee-at-large candidate was passed. All changes to The A. A. Service Manual Combined With Twelve Concepts for World Service be listed in each edition, organized by source of change, and noted by vertical margin change bars in the edition in which the change appears for the first time. Editorial responsibilities of the Publications Department to the A. A Service Manual were defined and limited. Appendix D will now have Area numbers next to Area names. Wednesday night at 11PM , our region rode the subway to Serendipity for ice cream. This is a tradition at Conference. One AM -to bed.

Thursday morning-the Corrections Conference Committee report continues from last night. They had 2 Recommendations: the Trustees Committee revise the pamphlet "It Sure Beats Sitting in A Cell"(passed); and replacing the photo on page 18 of the same pamphlet(in future reprints/revisions). Suggestions were submitted regarding the Corrections Kit and workbook. "Sponsorship agreements" and other legally binding documents to comply with the rules of the correctional facilities is requesting more fellowship sharing and being returned to the 2010 Corrections Conference Committee.

The Conference Committee on Literature had 8 Recommendations and 2 Additional Considerations. The hot topic here was the revised draft pamphlet "The A. A. Member-Medication and Other Drugs" It failed to get 2/3 majority vote. A Floor Action passed at 1229AM Saturday(113Y 9N)to return this to the Trustees Literature Committee for additional discussion and report back to the 2010 Conference Committee on Literature. There was heated and long discussion regarding the continuing need to develop Conference-approved literature that focuses on the topics of spirituality, agnostics, or atheists/non believers in A. A. Voting was 72Y and 51N. 2/3 needed-82. A Floor Action recommitted this to the2010 Conference Literature trustees Committee. Also passed was the revised pamphlet" A. A for the Native North American"; develop a new Special Needs pamphlet; adding a sentence ("A Newcomer Asks")to encourage newcomers to obtain and study the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous; change the title of the pamphlet"44 Questions" to "Frequently Asked Questions About A. A. ". No action was taken on publishing a book of remote community stories and developing a second volume of Daily Reflections. After Dinner there was a presentation on the 2010 International Convention by our Southwest Texas Delegate Steve Y. He had everybody ready to jump up, sign up, and head to San Antonio! Rick W. -2010 International Convention Coordinator also gave a great presentation. Then it was back the Committee business until 11PM.

There we were, after an early Friday morning presentation on the 20th A. A World Service Meeting; with 4 Committees done and 9 to go-what an order , how will we get through it all! Next we went to the 7 PI Recommendations and 12 Additional Considerations. Approved were: the wall poster for young people; A Message to Teenagers pamphlet update; developing a new P. S. A , and not showing full faces of actors portraying A. A members; 4 selected Videos for Young people(much positive comment); go ahead on the 2010 Membership survey Questionnaire; and discontinue the videos" A. A-Rap With Us" and "Young People and A. A". No action was taken on development of a generic AA poster for hospitals, doctors offices ect; . Text on importance of not breaking the anonymity of living A. A members in memorial announcements is being developed.

CPC had 1 Recommendation and 5 Additional Considerations. The video segment "Directed to Professionals in the Employment/Human Relations Field was viewed and approved. The CPC Kit and Workbook were reviewed and suggestions made.

Treatment Facilities had 2 Recommendations and 3 Additional Considerations. Passed were: revised video-"Hope-Alcoholic Anonymous"(everyone including me were in tears upon viewing this fantastic video! ); Treatment Committee scope include service/name change to Conference Committee on treatment Facilities/Special needs/Accessibilities. Discussion was held on ways to get A. A. message into out-patient treatment. Suggestions were made for the Treatment Kit/Workbook.

Policy/Admissions Conference Committee had 6 Recommendations and 1 Additional Consideration. Approved: The Alternate Delegate from Delaware was seated due to the Delegate passing away. Three observers from Brazil and Columbia General Service Board/office were seated. The 62nd General Service Conference Dates are April 22-28, 2012. The General service Board will develop a procedure for the submission of minority appeals to The General Service Conference. A General Service Conference inventory is to be developed and planned by the 2010 Conference Policy/Admissions Committee.

Archives had 3 Additional Considerations. : concern over staffing levels; develop a type of self-guiding tour of G. S. O. `s A. A. Archives; and possibly add a daily historical reference to the Web site.

Trustees Conference Committee had 5 Recommendations and 2 Additional Considerations. After much discussion regarding one of the Class A Trustees health and availability to serve, the slate of trustees and officers of the General Service Board was approved. The Board will also operate short 1 Class B Regional Trustee and 1 Class B Regional service trustee. Also approved were the slates of Directors of A. A. W. S. , Inc. and A. A. Grapevine, Inc. Trustee election resumes of all election candidates will be restricted to voting members and Trustees Committee on Nominating. The resumes of the elected trustees would be distributed to all Conference members immediately after the election. All the resumes for the 3 trustee elections were reviewed and approved as eligible for election.

The Conference Committee on Finance had 2 Recommendations-both passed: if we continue to use literature profits to fund services, should there be a limit? If so, how do we continue to pay for services if there is a shortfall in contributions? Find additional ways to communicate Self-Support of World Services to the Fellowship. The Committee took no action on producing a Seventh Tradition Poster.

Grapevine Conference Committee had 7 Additional Considerations. They took no action on removing the "Grey Pages" or on actively pursuing the placement of Grapevine materials for resale in commercial(non-A. A) outlets. They asked that the disclaimer in the A. A Grapevine(Alcoholism at Large) be more prominently and distinctively displayed. They discussed the Grapevine workbook/portable GvR Handbook. They asked that a report be forwarded to the 2010 Grapevine Conference Committee regarding the decision-making process relationship (A. A. Grapevine/A. A. Grapevine office/Conference Committee)of matters that affect the fellowship(prices, redesign, name change, promotional items).

International Convention/Regional Forum Conference Committee had 2 Recommendations and 3 Additional Considerations. An anonymity-protected photograph and Internet encrypted anonymity-protected broadcast of the 2010 International convention Opening flag Ceremony were approved. Ways to encourage interest in regional and Local Forums were suggested. A review and inventory of the site selection process for International Conventions was forwarded to the Trustees Committee for a report in 2010.

Now at 1223AM came the 8 Floor Actions. These are submitted in writing from the floor of the Conference. They are actions that have failed to receive a recommendation by a committee or were never submitted for committee consideration. They are usually not viewed favorably by the Conference. I will read my list and the results.

It was now about 230AM-we are the longest Conference ever! to bed at 3AM-UP AT 6AM. 8AM Saturday was the Closing Brunch and the closing talks by our Rotating/Outgoing Class A, B, Trustees(Paul C. , Herb Goodman, Howard L. , Ray M. , Bob M. , Dorothy W. )and our outgoing general Manager Leonard Blumenthal. It was an emotional two hours. Much love and appreciation for A. A was expressed along with pointed references to the concerns and issues that need to be dealt with by G. S. O. , the Trustees, and the Fellowship. Some of the speakers had family present. What a beautiful scene to see the people who allow A. A servants all that time away from home! We adjourned at 11AM. There were many tears, hugs, and promises to call and e-mail. We dashed in a cab to the airport, working around a NY runner road race that had just ended. I got to pay a $50 heavy luggage penalty. It felt strange not to have a tie around my neck. Did we trust the process? Time will tell. What a life changing experience this has been for me! So many people caring about A. A. ’s present and its future. The grateful efforts and sharing of visions by the participants was a joy to behold! It all starts with the responsiveness and responsibility expressed in action by the first sentence of Concept I.

What an honor and a privilege to stand before you and share this report. Wow, what a blessing you gave to me! I was running below empty when I returned home. Thank God I had prayer, quiet time, my Sponsor’s morning phone messages, A. A. encouragement, and the 730AM A. A. meetings to keep me in balance in N. Y. ! What a mixture of emotions at the Conference-, passion, anger, fear, love, tolerance, peace, serenity, kindness, compassion, and respect. The work of A. A. got done.

Thank you for this opportunity.

-your trusted servant-
Quinn G. /alcoholic/Panel 59/Area 39/Western Missouri Delegate

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