Good afternoon District 9, I am an alcoholic, I’m a member of the Lunch Bunch Group, my sobriety date is February 26th, 2009, and my name is Sherri.
Welcome to District 9’s monthly General Service Business Meeting. If you are new and not yet on our mailing list, please check the chat for a link to today’s agenda so you can follow along.
It’s that time of year again, when we start gearing up for your General Service Conference being held this year from April 24th – 30th. If you have no clue what this is, the short version is that it is a weeklong business meeting that our Delegate Tom attends and brings the voice of Area 15 to. What is the General Service Conference? What are Conference Agenda Items? Why Do We Need a Conference? If you’re new and asking these questions, you are not alone, we have all asked them.
Please check the chat for a document that will help answer these questions in more detail and also another that explains How the Conference Operates.
The final agenda items were emailed, and I reached out to committee chairs and other AA members and asked them to present certain sections. Most sections will be covered by its corresponding committee chairperson. Background material was sent out yesterday to all the trusted servants who will be presenting them to you next month at our March District Meeting. Presenter line up is: Agenda – Elias, CPC & PI – Colette & Sharon, Corrections – Tom, Finance – Milinda, Grapevine & La Vina – Dani & Karen, Literature – Robin, Policy/Admissions – Debbie, Report & Charter – Evonne, Treatment & Accessibilities- Aldo, Trustees – Victor and International Conventions / Regional Forums is up for grabs or I will go ahead and present, please contact me if you are interested.
We are asking the presenters to focus on the Discuss, the Consider and the Reconsider items, we will not be going over all the Review items, but will touch on ones that are not so self-explanatory if necessary. Of course, if there are any questions you or your group have about any of the Review topics, please don’t hesitate to contact any of the officers for clarification. The presenter’s role is to help bring some clarity and understanding to the items on the agenda so you can feel confident bringing this information back to your groups. To ensure we have plenty of time, there will be no GSR Workshop next month, and March’s Business Meeting will be abbreviated, meaning we will hear verbal reports from very few committees, the rest will appear in full in our minutes.
Why do we spend so much time on this? Simple answer, because we want to prepare you as best as we can to bring these issues and concerns to your groups, it’s so important to have an informed group conscious. Then you bring your group’s voice to the April Assembly and relay it to our Delegate, who will then take it onto the General Service Conference with him. It is sad that we have so many Groups in Broward County with no GSR, no representation at all and therefore essentially no voice, unless of course that they communicate with their ADCM or DCM.
April’s Assembly dates are the 8th – 10th at the Boca Town Center Marriott. The flyer was emailed out with this meeting reminder, and it’s also posted on the Area 15 website. I’m sure Debbie has also put it in the chat. Please go ahead and reserve your rooms, if by chance you should have to go on the waitlist, don’t worry, I have been on that list several times and always wind up getting a room. If you have a room and need to cancel or want to give it to someone else, this is VERY important, please use the email: hotelinfo@area15aa.org so we do not lose the room. If you are going and can financially support the banquet, please purchase your banquet tickets as soon as you can so the banquet Chair can begin sleeping, kidding of course but it is a stressful position to be in so they would really appreciate as many early purchases as possible. District 8 has made this very easy by accepting Venmo payments, all the information is on the flyer. It’s very important that you attend, and really easy as it’s right next door to us. April is where our Delegate is going to be asking for our group conscience on how he should represent us at the conference concerning the conference agenda items we will be going over.
Your General Service Office has changed their 7th Tradition contributions address. The new address is on the agenda under announcements. Please let your group treasurers know and help spread the word to all the groups you attend.
The district calendar is posted on our website. Please mark your calendars in advance for district meetings, assemblies, and for our Founder’s Day Picnic June 5th, Bobby has some exciting news and updates for us, I’m sure! All other events are marked as “to be determined” until we know more and locate facilities to be able to hold them at. Today under New Business we will launch a simple yes or no poll asking if you would attend in person monthly business meetings. Our main priority is making sure everyone who wishes to serve is able to.
We will also be conducting elections for General Service Representatives and Alternate District Committee Members if there are any, that have completed their two year term and are ready to rotate down the service triangle, as well as elections for: Literature Chair, Intergroup Liaison, Room & Ride Coordinator, and Carry the Message Day Chair. A summary of the process along with descriptions and requirements will be put in the chat. If you are willing, meet the requirements, and have the time to serve one of these committees, please think about standing.
The 65th Florida State Convention, at the Harbor Beach Marriott on Ft Lauderdale Beach will be from August 3rd – 7th 2022 and they need our support. If you haven’t registered, please do, you will not want to miss this event!!! There are also 32 committees that need both individual and group volunteers. To register and volunteer go to: 65.floridastateconvention.com.
Please don’t hesitate to send your Questions, comments, or concerns to me at: chairperson@district9aa.org. You can also call or text me at: (954) 681-2309, I am here to serve you.
Grateful to be serving District 9, where A.A. is so Divine. Thank you