GSR D1 Mtg Minutes - 2013-06-30

District 1, Area 82 General Service Meeting, June 30, 2013

DCM Tom R. opened the meeting with a welcome, and a few seconds of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer.

12 Tradition read by Samaira.

12 Concepts read by Jennifer.

Tradition 5 interpretation by Earlene. Tradition 6 interpretation by Gary.

Samaira volunteered to share her interpretation of Tradition 7.

7th Tradition observed.

Previous meeting’s minutes were reviewed. Alex accepted the minutes, all voted in favor.

Items for New Business ● Group insurance

Roll Call

John Mac Highland Park GSR Wade H Back to Basics D1 Treasurer Joseph S Atlantic GSR Alex L - Treatment Facilities Chair Dave F Fresh Start GSR Joe Mac 4 Seasons GSR Gary K Living in the Solution GSR Earlene R CPC Chair David C West End Step GSR Steve R Acceptance GSR Samaira 2nd Chance GSR Jodi R Lost & Found GSR Bill P Sunday Night Serenity GSR Mary W Back to Basics Alt. GSR Elaine B Mutual GSR, PI Chair Jennifer B Halifax Sunday Morning GSR Maria R Corrections Chair Ken C St.Margret's Bay Alt. GSR Bob R D2 Alt DCM David N GSR

of 9 Treasurer - Wade reported that the 2013 budget has been increase to reflect the upcoming 2013 Area 82 Assembly. Opening balance: 867.56; closing balance: 2790.56; working balance: 2990.56; prudent reserve: 1852.19. David recommended to accept the report, all voted in favor.

Secretary - N/A

Corrections - Maria R gave her report (see attached). Alex accepted the report, all voted in favor.

CPC - Earlene reported that she spoke with other CPC chairs regarding the professional community not responding when she has reached out. All is well. Maria accepted the report, all voted in favor.

PI - Elaine gave her report (see attached). Gary accepted the report, all voted in favor.

Treatment Facilities - Alex reported that Pat is looking after the forensic hospital. Only two groups are currently volunteering once per month, five groups would be nice. The online schedule is working well. Met with Capital Health regarding the detox schedule changes (five days to three weeks now) and to consider ways to have members meet individually with clients for 12 step work. Samaira accepted the report, all voted in favor.

Workshop - Bob reported that he is looking for volunteer(s) to put on the July workshop. Things are going great. Remember that groups can host workshops at their home group meeting spot or Club 24 on Sunday. Elaine accepted the report, all voted in favor.

DCM - Tom R gave his report (see attached). Mary accepted the report, all voted in favor.

District 2 - Bob reported that the last meeting went well. Group insurance information has been passed on to the groups. Summer hours in effect for the General Service meeting - 4pm start time. The 4th step workshop was great with 30 members attending. His first service weekend was a great experience. Alex accepted the report, all voted in favor.

Central Service - George gave his report (see attached). Samaira accepted the report, all voted in favor.

Old Business: ● Samaira is looking to create generic e-mails for the various service positions (e.g. [email protected], [email protected]). She will work with the secretary to get these setup. ● Tom R will be meeting with other DCMs and positions. This will happen soon.

New Business: ● John M let his name stand for secretary. All voted in favor to accept his nomination. ● Foster explained the group insurance issue and how signing authorities for a group who currently does not have insurance coverage could be held liable in the case of damage or injury in their meeting area.

Jody read a spiritual quote. Steve volunteered for next month.

The next meeting will be held July 28th, 1:00pm at the George Dixon Center.

of 9 Public Information Committee Report for June 30th, 2013 GSR Mtg District 1

Good day

My name is Elaine Benson and I am an alcoholic, and pleased to serve you as you Public Information Committee Chair for District 1 and District 2.

1/ I have made several last minute attempts to offer PI speakers for this year’s High School Grad committees. The Administrative Director for HRM School Board assured me she sent my email request to all the HRM high school principals. This was done the last week of May, and you never know, there might be a principal out there who could still give me a phone call.

2/ If there is time today, at your meeting, I would like to request that Barry ask the members present, to take one minute of silence to say a prayer for the teenagers going out this year to celebrate their High School Graduation and that they enjoy themselves and have a safe return home. Thank you! And God Bless the Graduating Class of 2013!

3/ In early June, I attended the NS Service weekend, as a GSR and I purposefully listened to whatever I could learn from other districts regarding how they carry the message through their respective PI committees. For instance, from the DCM reports I learned that District 8 serves a very large area and their PI committee meets every 2 months, one hour prior to their district meeting. I learned that our Alternate General Service Delegate, Boyd Bragg for Area 82 is the Chair for his local District 15 PI committee. Also, Boyd reported on PI news from GSO. This is what he wrote: “There was a sharing session at the General Service Board meeting back in February and one of the points brought out was and I quote:

“According to the 2011 Membership Survey, almost three-quarters of those surveyed credited outside assistance in the form of medical, psychological, spiritual and other counselling as playing an important part in directing them to AA.”

Boyd continues in his report: “What this finding implies is that three-quarters of our members are alive and sober in AA today because of AA cooperation with others in the field of alcoholism. Good reason to continue our efforts in “Cooperating with the Professional Community” and Public Information.”

This encourages me, because I have focussed most of the PI work in the North End of Halifax (two schools, a community centre, the library, community police station, doctor’s offices, many social service and spiritual agencies on Gottingen St.) and left pamphlets, an AA card with our phone number and website information, with the hope that just a brief personal visit with the staff member at the counter may make a difference is someone’s life who might be suffering with alcoholic obsession or know of a person going through alcoholic defeat. Every time we pick up the phone, a little bit of the AA message is carried to the personnel whom we contact. A spiritual connection is made, even if the target audience has not been reached. Having said that, I am still determined to get the message to our school children. 4/ I have been asked to pursue the Private schools of HRM and I will make every effort to do this. However, the school year is rapidly coming to an end, and I’ve heard that teachers are swamped with grading. Although, I have put out another email to Oxford School’s health teacher, as suggested by their guidance counsellor.

5/ The executive of Central Service and District 1 & 2 have asked that the 4 District committees Chairs, and Co Chairs meet to discuss how things are going etc. I have volunteered to schedule this meeting, and I we met one hour before the District 1 meeting today. We shared our difficulties and accomplishments, and personally I gained more knowledge and support from the gathering. We will collectively decide when to meet again.

6/ Also, I need to contact Burnside Correctional Facility to make sure they have AA big books in their library. Maria R. , Corrections Chair has stated her committee has supplied them with AA big books, however, Tom C. District 1 DCM wanted me to look into it as a PI task.

7/ I went to the North Memorial Library to look into the process of borrowing the “Talking” AA Big book on tape, and this is what I learned. In order to borrow a talking book, a person fills out a form to qualify as having a “perceptual disability” which includes print disabilities due to impaired sight or hearing or focus or move one’s eyes, the inability to hold a book or to turn the pages, or as having a dyslexia disability. There also is home delivery, voice access computers, books by mail, and of course, the AA Big book on cassette. Please feel free to contact me, Elaine Benson, 406 - 6235 for more information regarding this.

8/ I have been in contact with Northwood, regarding a room to have an afternoon meeting with seniors. I would like to invite the AA seniors who have volunteered their names over the past few months to share at these meetings. As of this date, I have not rec’d a response back from the contact at Northwood for a meeting space. Earlene (CPC) Chair has offered to follow up on this, and I have emailed her the contact information.

9/ Now on a completely different note, I have happily started a list of young people’s names who have a variety of sobriety dates, and who are very well versed in AA recovery. We hope to draw upon these young people to speak to school students about their problems with alcohol. Again, PI would respect the policies of the HRM School Board’s rules to not discuss religious views including the topic of God or a Higher Power. We use the AA principles of cooperation, attraction and not promotion when working with the public.

10/ There is a new booklet out called “50 Years of Alcoholics Anonymous in Nova Scotia” 1946 -1996. The Forward of the booklet states, “It’s content in not intended to be a detailed or documented history. Much of the material comes from the Nova Scotia A.A. Archives. All proceeds from this booklet are for the support of the Nova Scotia A.A. Archives.” The booklet was originally compiled by Robie C. Past Archivist. First printing – April 1996. These booklets sell for $10 from the Archivist.

Thank you for my sobriety.

of 9 Yours in Love of Service

Elaine Benson

Public Information Committee Chair

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