January 19, 2020

I am an alcoholic, member of the Live Laugh Love group, my sobriety date is July 13th, 2008 and my name is Leslie.  Thank you for letting me be of service.  Happy New Year to all and I hope everyone had a great holiday.  The first weekend of the month was our assembly at the Tampa Airport Marriott.  We had 22 votes on Sunday for our District which is a little low but I understand Tampa is not the easiest place to get to and some of us were still on vacation.  The Assembly went well.  There was lively discussion on the Area motions and the Area budget was passed.

We will have elections today for Room and Ride Coordinator which is a Service Activities position and for Gratitude Dinner Chair which is a Special Committee position.  We will follow our Third Legacy procedure from the AA Service Manual.  Our Service Activities Chairs serve for one year with the eligibility to stand for a second year.  Gratitude Dinner Chair serves for one year.  Each person standing will have the opportunity to state their qualifications.  Those voting today are GSRs, DCMs, ACMs, all current Committee Chairs and District Officers.  Alternate GSRs may vote if their GSR is not present.    If you do not understand something, please ask.  Welcome to Debbie C. who is our incoming chair for Carry the Message Day and to Heather M. who is going to complete her second year as Support Your Services Chair.  Also, congrats to Victor T. and Heather M. who both became ACM’s.

I have some notes on upcoming events and some calendar changes and confirmations.  In February, Conference Review Agenda items will be sent out from New York to the fellowship.  These are items that will be discussed at the Annual Conference in April in New York.  Just a side note for any new trusted servants, “the Conference considers matters of policy for A.A. as a whole” (from the Service Manual, page S57) Shirley P., our delegate will carry our voice to New York on these items.  When I get the agenda items, we will email blast them out to you.  Please take them back to your groups for input.  Shirley will be looking for our thoughts on these at the April Assembly which will be held the first weekend in April at the Boca Raton Marriott.  We will be going over the items as a District at our March District meeting.  That meeting is March 15th.  Shirley will be here in August at our meeting to let us know how it all went in New York.  She will give her Delegate report.  I have been in contact with the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church to secure a date for the 2020 Gratitude Dinner.  This year we will be having our Gratitude Dinner on October 30th.  This date is not ideal but because the church is celebrating 60 years and has many things planned in November, we were closed out of those dates.  My contact did assure me that next year we are back in early November.

To any new trusted servants here today, welcome and please take this opportunity to get involved in any of our committees.  If you missed anything or want more information for your groups, please visit our website, www.district9aa.org.  Flyers are there as well as all other sorts of info.  We will have some very exciting changes to the website.

I am very grateful to everyone at District 9 who go above and beyond when it comes to service.  I can’t do any of this on my own.  I need everyone here, a reliance on a Power greater than myself and the love in these rooms.  And remember that the sun always shines in District 9.  In love and service, Leslie B. District 9 Chair.

If there are any questions, comments or you just want to say hi, my email is chairperson@district9aa.org.