Delegate’s Corner

Dear Area 45 Members,

I am writing to update you on the July General Service Board (GSB) weekend, where they discussed the Plain Language Big Book (PLBB): A Tool for Reading Alcoholics Anonymous.

The General Service Board reviewed a variety of correspondences received since the 74th General Service Conference (GSC) regarding the PLBB. This included letters of concern, appeals, process concerns, and letters of support. The GSB reported they would respond to each person who submitted the correspondence. Also, related floor actions proposed but then forwarded to the applicable board/committee by the group conscience of the GSC were also reviewed, and individual responses will be sent out.

The floor actions not heard at the conference regarding the PLBB were:

1. The explanations of the Steps, Traditions, and Concepts be removed from the Plain Language Big Book.

2. Retitle the Plain Language Big Book to: "The Plain Language Guided to AA's 12 Steps of Recovery.

3. The additional feedback from the Conference Committee on Literature identified in their memo to the Publishing Department on sticking points for the Plain Language draft manuscript be implemented in the draft before printing.

In a memo to the Delegates, the GSB affirmed its commitment to implementing the GSC's substantially unanimous advisory actions and expressed support for the work of the Trustees Literature Committee (TLC).

The Trustees Literature Committee reviewed the 2024 Conference Committee on Literature (CCL) memo to AAWS Publishing regarding ten additional "minor editorial changes." These changes were intended to be included as part of those given as examples in the Advisory Action.

In past Conferences, minor formatting, grammar, or style changes have been sent directly to Publishing without being included in Advisory Actions. The memo also included additional suggestions for which the Conference Committee had yet to form a group conscience and asked the Publishing Department to use discretion to determine whether and how to implement them. After careful consideration, the TLC agreed to proceed with the PLBB based on what was stated in the Advisory Action from the 74th GSC, plus the first 10 "minor editorial changes" from the Publishing memo.

The Advisory Action stated: The draft manuscript PLBB be approved with minor editorial changes to include:

Relocation of the "AA Steps Table" to constitute an Appendix (on the Twelve Steps) at the back of the new publication.

Replace the references to "addiction" and "addicted" with language related to alcoholism.

It was also reported that the AAWS Board has been discussing pricing, format, and print dates and has begun preparations pending the outcome of the discussions at the July General Service Board meeting. Once some formatting matters are finalized, an announcement from the AAWS Publishing Department will be widely distributed in the coming weeks. The PLBB is expected to be available in November 2024. The AAWS Board approved a list price of $11.00.

Thank you for your attention, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

--
In love and service,

Wendy M.
Area 45 Panel 74 Delegate
Treatment and Accessibilities

Hello, Area 45,

I hope this message finds you well!

I am sending my heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended the Delegate Report Back, whether you joined us online or in person. Your participation and engagement are deeply appreciated.

I've provided a link below for those who missed any part of the presentation or would like to revisit the information shared. You’ll find the delegate presentation, all advisory actions, all committee considerations, the GSO Financial Picnic Basket, and the Floor Actions by clicking on it. Please note that only the first five floor actions were heard at the conference, while the rest were returned to the corresponding Committee of Trustees.

Delegate Report Back Materials Link

Additionally, I'm excited to announce a fun challenge for our Districts! Over the next year, I encourage you to host Area workshops on the following themes, which are also different themes for the 2025 General Service Conference:

"Working Together, Building Trust"
"Delegating: It's Okay to Ask for Help"
"Closing the Gap: How Do We Make the Voice of Every Group Heard?"
"Our Financial Responsibility in Carrying the Message"
"How Do We Address the New Financial Responsibility Facing Our Spiritual Movement?"

You can collaborate with our Workshop Chair, Kelly, to set these up. I'm also happy to assist in arranging out-of-area speakers for these events or to speak on these topics personally. If you’d like me to share more about my report at your district meetings, I would be delighted to do so. Please email me back and let me know how I can support you.

Thank you again for your continued dedication and service.

Together, we are making a difference!

--
In love and service,

Wendy M.
Area 45 Panel 74 Delegate
Treatment and Accessibilities

I hope this message finds you all in great spirits and health. I am writing to express my deep gratitude for entrusting me with the significant responsibility of representing our area with the right of decision. Your confidence and collective voice have profoundly influenced my approach to this role, ensuring I carry out my duties with the highest regard for our unity.

Key Outcomes from the 74th GSO Conference will be posted in May.

Thank you once again for your support and trust. I am committed to representing our area with integrity and dedication, ensuring that our contributions to the conference reflect the collective voice and spirit of Area 45.

With heartfelt thanks and best wishes,

Wendy M.
Area 45 Panel 74 Delegate
75th Conference Treatment and Accessibilities Chair

From Our Delegate

Estimados miembros del Área 45 y RSGs,

A medida que se acerca la 74ª Conferencia de Servicios Generales, ha sido emocionante y ocupado.

Ha llegado el momento de pedirles su ayuda para que me envíen a la Conferencia con el consenso del Área 45, hablando y respondiendo a esta encuesta sobre los temas de la miniconferencia.

Para asegurar que la voz de tu grupo sea escuchada, he esbozado algunos pasos esenciales que debes seguir:

Leer los resúmenes y los antecedentes completos de los temas de la miniconferencia: Por favor, tómate tu tiempo para leer los resúmenes sobre los cinco temas de la miniconferencia proporcionados por el delegado suplente, Joe, y por mí en la encuesta. También encontrarás los antecedentes completos de cada tema. Te animo a que leas ambos para mantener un debate de grupo informado.

Reserva una reunión de trabajo completa para debatir los temas: Por favor, vuelvan a sus grupos y faciliten el debate sobre la encuesta proporcionada a través del enlace. Si es posible, sus grupos pueden tener una reunión de trabajo adicional de una hora completa para discutir los temas. Si tienen alguna pregunta o necesitan aclaraciones sobre la encuesta o los temas, no duden en ponerse en contacto conmigo directamente o asistan a las sesiones de la Hora de Oficina del Delegado de los miércoles de 6:45 a 7:45. El ID de Zoom es 264 106 19. El ID de Zoom es 264 106 1938.

Marque su calendario para una o ambas miniconferencias: Hemos programado dos para su conveniencia. La primera se celebrará sólo virtualmente el 6 de abril de 10 a 12, y la segunda tendrá lugar en persona en el Club 25 de Maple Shade el 7 de abril de 9 a 12. Para conocer todos los detalles, visita nuestro sitio web del Área 45 en https://area45snjaa.org/. Por favor, envíeme un correo electrónico de vuelta aquí si va a necesitar traducción y qué día va a asistir, para que podamos garantizar la traducción está disponible para usted.

Información de fondo completa: Si desea acceder a los antecedentes completos de las 80 agendas finales, responda a este correo electrónico y le daré acceso.

Su participación activa y sus reflexivas contribuciones son esenciales para el éxito de nuestros esfuerzos de servicio. Unámonos con unidad y determinación en la preparación de la próxima conferencia.

Gracias por ser tan dedicados a los principios de Alcohólicos Anónimos y su compromiso de servir a los demás.

En amor y servicio,

Wendy M.
Delegada del Panel 74 del Área 45
Tratamiento y Accesibilidad

--
In love and service,

Wendy M.
Area 45 Panel 74 Delegate
Treatment and Accessibilities

Winter Assembly - Quick Links

Founder's Writing Survey
7 Question Survey regarding potential changes to our literature.
You can read the  Founder's Writing Amends Letter from the Trustee's Literature Committee in response to the feedback.

General Service Conference
View the final list of agenda items for the upcoming General Service Conference Final Agenda Items

Results of the recent Membership Survey
in 2022, more than 6,000 A.A. members from the U.S. and Canada participated in a random survey conducted periodically since 1968 by the General Service Office to keep members informed on current trends in membership characteristics. View the survey results: 2022 Membership Survey:

Grapevine/LaVina Working Group: attend the monthly meeting. Click to view the flyer

GSO Quarterly Report:

2022 Membership Survey Results

Since 1968, Alcoholics Anonymous has periodically sent out Membership Surveys.
The most recent survey was in 2022.

This survey results help answer some questions such as:

Who are our members today?
How did they find Alcoholics Anonymous?
Do members prefer online or in-person meetings? (This was the first survey conducted via pen and paper and online.)

It's important to note that this survey is not a consensus but a way to ensure we know what is working so we can continue to carry the message.

You can find the entire survey history and results here: https://www.aa.org/membership-survey-2022

Founder’s Writings

During the 73rd General Service Conference, the Finance Committee requested feedback on the fellowship's thoughts on our Founder’s Writings to be returned to the 74th Conference.

I will email a survey to all registered DCMs and GSRs to gather your feedback. Please discuss these questions with your groups and send your answers before April 14 so I can share your thoughts at a conference-sharing session.

If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected]. Please let me know if you would like me to speak to your district about the history of this agenda item or do a sharing session for your district before the Conference.