DEC 2018 Pigeon WEB - Area 36District 8 3rd Wednesday 7:30 P.M. Fairview Community Center Roseville,...

www.area36.org Newsletter of the Southern Minnesota Area 36 Assembly March 2015

The Pigeon is a confi dential A.A. publication meant only for A.A. members. It contains members’ full names and addresses, just as A.A. directories do. This usage does not in any way violate our tradition of anonymity to the public communications media. Names, phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses may not be used for any solicitation purposes.

The Pigeonwww.area36.org Newsletter of the Southern Minnesota Area 36 Assembly December 2018

Delegate Report

Thank you to each of you who made yourself available for general service by standing for one of the six area offi cer positions that were elected at the October assembly. We had multiple candidates for each position, which gave us the opportunity to choose the best possible trusted servants to lead our area. I am a great fan of the essay on leadership this is buried in Bill W.’s writing on Concept Nine in the back of the A.A. Service Manual. We should always be looking for the most qualifi ed and most appropriately-skilled trusted servants for each service position throughout our general service structure. To make that possible, we need to encourage and guide our many talented members to consider standing for positions at the group, district, and area levels. This year’s elections were a great testament to leadership in our Fellowship. Service is not a chore or obligation to be thrust upon new people or the unsuspecting. It is the natural next step in our recovery. Service is an opportunity to put our best skills and experience to good use in keeping A.A. running smoothly. General service is just one more way to ensure A.A. is accessible to more alcoholics who need our program of recovery.

Early in my sobriety I was taught that gratitude is not a feeling, but an action. This was explained to me to help counter the mistaken idea that I must feel like doing something before I am able to do it. These days, I don’t worry so much about whether I feel grateful, but rather whether I act grateful. When I remember that the rela-tive calm and contentedness I experience in my life today is a direct result of the gift of A.A., it is easier to act like I’m grateful for it. Acting grateful usually shows up as being of service. Being of service can take many forms; setting up an A.A. meeting, stacking chairs afterwards, or putting away the literature can all be signs of my gratitude. My actions matter far more than my feelings.

When I consider all that recovery in A.A. has given me, I realize I may need to expand the ways I show my gratitude. I have come to see general service (serving in the structure of groups, districts, areas, and the General Service Conference that make up our Fellowship) as one more opportunity to act grateful. The services we provide to other A.A.’s through our general service structure range from pub-lishing literature to printing meeting guides to sharing information with professionals. But it takes our time and effort as A.A. members to get that work done and to make decisions about how to do it bet-ter. Acting grateful for A.A. means that I might need to take a turn as the GSR (General Service Representative) for my group and go to district meetings. Or maybe I stand for a position as the public infor-mation chair at my district and make sure that A.A. pamphlets and meeting directories are supplied to local hotels, hospitals, and clinics. Maybe I stay late at my home group on business meeting night and take part in decisions about how to make my home group the most attractive, supportive place for newcomers.

There are many ways to put gratitude into action. I am never disap-pointed in the good feelings and sense of purpose that I experience after taking the right actions to be of service to others in A.A. It turns out that acting grateful makes me feel grateful. And feeling grateful is a wonderfully freeing way to feel

This is my fi nal report as Delegate. My term ends December 31st.

Thank you for all your service in A.A. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have served with you. I hope I will see many of you showing your gratitude through service around the area. And please do your part to support the many dedicated A.A. members who have stepped up to be of service in the next rotation. We have another great group of trusted servants ready to take their turn expressing their gratitude through action.

Curt K

Area Chair Report

Hello everyone!

In only 20-something days, the days will start to get longer. Even though by the time you read this it may only be January, we’re on the home stretch to Spring! As with all things, it’s a matter of perspective!

Since my last report in August:

The 2019 Area 36 budget passed at the October Assembly. We began with a draft budget at the May Area Committee Meeting which allowed for more opportunities for the Assembly’s participation, dis-cussion and questions.

New Area 36 Officers were elected at the October Assembly. Congratulations to a fi ne group of trusted servants who I know will serve us well.

Area 35/36 Joint Workshop – I did not attend this as I had a family commitment out of town. Thanks to Jeanne H. as Alt. Chair for act-ing as Chair. Minutes will be forthcoming.

We canceled the December Area Committee Meeting due to a winter storm in Southern MN. It turned out to be a very good decision – freezing rain turned into more than 8 inches of snow in some places in Southern MN accompanied by high winds. I believe the last time this happened was in December 2010. We used our inclement weather guidelines, calling tree and Area website to get word out in plenty of time to let everyone know.

Our fi nal meeting of 2018 and the rotation will be the rotation meet-ing of outgoing and incoming Offi cers and Area Standing Committee Chairs on Sat, Dec 8th.

Here are a few accomplishments and changes from this rotation that happened as a result of hard work from our Area trusted servants – these are by no means a full list of the commitment of our area trusted servants:

The Area Assembly voted to move the Archives repository to West St. Paul, less than a mile away from free meeting space for large workshops at the West St. Paul library.

The Area Assembly voted to include ASL funding for the Area Assemblies, RUSC and Area Inventory in both the 2018 and 2019 budgets.

Implemented a new QuickBooks chart of accounts and class codes for our accounting system and a new budget format and process. These allowed for more transparency and time for discussion to help This is my fi nal report as Delegate. My term ends December 31st. These allowed for more transparency and time for discussion to help

Other Trusted Servants (non-voting)

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018

District Committee Members (DCMs)District 1Philip R

District 2Annie L

District 3Jan B

District 4Open

District 5Mort M

District 6Open

District 7Teresa K

District 8Jeff T

District 9Mark C

Districts 10 & 11Open

District 12Jerry S

District 13Stacy Mc

District 14Steve S

District 15Nancy T

District 16Tabitha W

District 17Dennis T

District 18Riki S

District 19Dan R

District 20Richard F

District 21Kelby S

District 22Roy E

District 23 Tom C

District 24Merv W

District 25Open

District 26Open

District 27Antonio G

Note: All districts have e-mail addresses on the Area 36 website. They are in the format of: dist#@area36.org, where “#” indicates a district number.Example [email protected]

Area Standing CommitteesAccessibilitiesKelli [email protected]

Archives William [email protected]

Cooperation with the Professional CommunityTony M [email protected]

CorrectionsLaura [email protected]

FinanceAlternate [email protected]

Grapevine La VinaPaul [email protected]

Group RecordsVal [email protected]

LiteratureSue [email protected]

NewsletterPeter [email protected]

Public InformationErica [email protected]

StructureAlternate [email protected]

TechnologyRodney [email protected]

Treatment FacilitiesJim [email protected]

To email all Area 36 chairs at once, you can [email protected]

ArchivistCJ [email protected]

Corrections Facilities Contact Program Coordinator

Pink Can CoordinatorSam St. [email protected]

Treatment Temporary Contact CoordinatorVince F [email protected]

Web MasterJay [email protected]

Area DelegateCurt [email protected]

Alternate DelegateMelissa [email protected]

Area ChairpersonMary [email protected]

Alternate ChairpersonJeanne [email protected]

Area SecretaryAnnette [email protected]

Area TreasurerGreg [email protected]

Area Officers Table of ContentsDelegate and Officer Reports ...............................Page 1Contact Information ...................................................... 2District Meeting Locations, Past Delegates Report ...... 3Officer Reports ...........................................................4-8From Archives............................................................... 9Area Committee Reports ....................................... 10-14From Our Community ................................................ 15DCM Reports ..........................................................16-17Minutes ................................................................. 18-23RUSC 2019 .............................................................24-26Area 36 Inventory ................................................. 27-28Area 36 Rotation ........................................................ 29Maps & 2018 Calendar ............................................... 302019 Calendar ..............................................................31

What is The Pigeon

The Pigeon is a General Service Newsletter published four times a year by the Southern Minnesota Area Assembly of Alcoholics Anonymous. There is no subscription fee; contributions from A.A. members, groups and districts are welcome. The Pigeon presents the experience and opinions of A.A. members and others interested in the A.A. program. Opinions expressed herein are not to be attributed to Alcoholics Anonymous as a whole, nor does publication of any article imply endorsement by either A.A. or the Southern Minnesota Area Assembly. Articles and letters are invited, although no payment can be made, nor can contributed material be returned.

All submissions should be sent to The Pigeon, in care of the Southern Minnesota Area Assembly address :Southern Minnesota Area AssemblyP.O. Box 2812 Minneapolis MN 55402O r y o u m a i l e m a i l t h e m t o t h e N e w s l e t t e r C h a i r a t [email protected]

District 13rd Wednesday, 6:30 P.M.Various locationsContact DCMDistrict 23rd Thursday, 7:00 P.M.First Lutheran ChurchRushford, MNDistrict 31st or 2nd Saturday, 6:30 P.M.Contact DCMWest Hills605 Florence Ave.Owatonna, MnDistrict 5Contact Area ChairDistrict 6Contact Area ChairDistrict 72nd Monday 6:30 P.M.St. Andrew Lutheran Church13600 Technology DriveEden Prairie, MN

District 83rd Wednesday 7:30 P.M.Fairview Community CenterRoseville, MNDistrict 92nd Tuesday 7:00 P.M.1430 5th AvenueMankato, MN 56001Districts 10Contact Area ChairDistricts 11Contact Area ChairDistrict 123rd Monday, 7:00 P.M.Senior Citizens Center Sherburn,MNDistrict 131st Tuesday 7:00 P.M.United Methodist Church10506 Hanson Blvd. NWCoon Rapids, MN

District 141st Monday 7:30 P.M.United Methodist Church609 8th Street NWBuffalo, MNDistrict 154th Monday 7:00 P.M.Christ Lutheran Church11194 36th StreetLake Elmo, MNDistrict 163rd Thursday 7:00 P.M.Faribault Alano217 Central AvenueFaribault, MNDistrict 172nd Tuesday 7:30 P.M.Lighthouse Assembly of GodHwy. 212 W.Plato, MNDistrict 182nd Thursday 6:30 P.M.Plymouth Congregational Church1900 Nicollet AvenueMinneapolis, MN

District 192nd Wednesday 7:00 P.M.Rosemount Community Center13885 Robert TrailRosemount, MNDistrict 204th Tuesday, 7:00 P.M.Twin Lakes Alano Society4938 Brooklyn BoulevardBrooklyn Center, MNDistrict 212nd Tuesday 7:30 P.M.Pilgrim Methodist Church4325 Zachary LanePlymouth, MNDistrict 222nd Wednesday 7:00 P.M.Mizpah United Church of Christ412 5th Ave North, Hopkins, MN

District 233rd Thursday, 7:00 P.M.River Valley Church100 N. WashingtonNew Ulm, MNDistrict 241st Monday 7:00 P.M.St. John’s Lutheran Church119 8th Avenue WestShakopee, MNDistrict 252nd Wednesday 7:30 P.M.Woodlake Lutheran Church7525 Oliver Avenue SouthRichfield, MN

District 262nd Friday 6:00 pmEastside Alano1099 Payne AvenueSt. Paul, MNDistrict 27Contact Area Chair

District Meeting Location Informationwww.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018

Submissions to The Pigeon

General submissions to The Pigeon are due the Saturday of Area Committee Meetings. Area Officers’ and Area Standing Committee Chairs’ submissions are due the Wednesday following Area Committee Meetings, to allow them to incorporate items of relevance into their reports from the Area Committee Meeting.

Submissions are preferred electronically using a Word document to the Area’s newsletter email address: [email protected]. Submissions should not be heavily formatted: indicating sentence and paragraph structure is all that is required. Please do not submit as a “read only” document it may need to be edited for space or content.

Letters to the Editor/Opinion should have a title and the city where the author is from included in the submission.

PC and Mac users can also type their submissions directly into an e-mail message. Mac users, please save your file as type “.doc” or “.txt” before sending as an attachment if you do not type your submission directly into an e-mail message.

If you have any questions regarding submitting an item for The Pigeon, from preparation, formatting, to deadlines, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you!

Peter - The Pigeon Editor and Area 36 Newsletter Chair

Past Delegates of the Southern MN Area 36 to the General Service Conference of A.A.Panel 1: 1950 – 1951Pat CdeceasedPanel 3: 1953 – 1954Robert TdeceasedPanel 5: 1955Ferris WdeceasedPanel 5: 1956Murray LdeceasedPanel 7: 1957 – 1958Alf SdeceasedPanel 9: 1959 – 1960Harold SdeceasedPanel 11: 1961 – 1962Vince SdeceasedPanel 13: 1963 – 1964G.J. (Joe) WdeceasedPanel 15: 1965 – 1966Robert DdeceasedPanel 17: 1967 – 1968Jim FdeceasedPanel 19: 1969Marvin Jdeceased

Panel 19: 1970George ZdeceasedPanel 21: 1971 – 1972Warren McdeceasedPanel 23: 1973 – 1974Earl LdeceasedPanel 25: 1975 – 1976Marvin SdeceasedPanel 27: 1977 – 1978Donald HdeceasedPanel 29: 1979 – 1980Bob [email protected] 31: 1981 – 1982Stan MdeceasedPanel 33: 1983 – 1984WCR Trustee: 1989 – 1992Don BdeceasedPanel 35: 1985 – 1986Richard KdeceasedPanel 37: 1987 – 1988Jack CdeceasedPanel 39: 1989 – 1990Chuck Rdeceased

Panel 41: 1991 – 1992Dennis [email protected] 43: 1993 – 1994Esther HdeceasedPanel 45: 1995 – 1996Doug [email protected] 47: 1997 – 1998Karin [email protected] 49: 1999 – 2000Bonnie [email protected] 51: 2001 – 2002Christine [email protected] 53: 2003 – 2004Brenda [email protected] 55: 2005 – 2006Mark [email protected] 57: 2007 – 8/2007Samira [email protected] 57-59: 8/2007 – 2010Scott [email protected] 61: 2011 – 2012Angie [email protected]

Panel 63: 2013 – 2014Terry [email protected] 65: 2015 – 2016Lisa Dawn [email protected]


our trusted servants make a more informed decision about our Area budget.

The Literature Committee brought forth a proposal to add to the anonymity wording of the 11th Tradition in the pamphlet Twelve Traditions Illustrated to address anonymity and social media. Our Area has submitted this proposal as a possible agenda item for the 2019 General Service Conference

Our Structure Commitment continued the work begun by last rota-tion’s committee in updating our Bylaws to refl ect current practices.

Our Area voted to fund a new database for our Corrections Contact Program and Treatment Temporary Contact Program.

As I refl ect on the past 2 years as Area Chair, one thing in particular comes to mind – How in the world did 2 years go by already and this is my fi nal report as Chairperson for Area 36?! Just kidding – that is certainly not the only thought that comes to mind but I do remember starting the rotation wondering how I was going to fi ll the shoes of those who had served before me. The answer: a God of my under-standing, an excellent group of trusted servants serving with me and helping me along the way, and many many questions.

I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve as your Area Chair and for everything I’ve learned:

Humility: Focusing on being an impartial facilitator instead of mak-ing sure everyone hears my oh-so-important opinions, frequently asking for help, often saying “I don’t know; being OK with screwing up big time - making frequent and obvious mistakes

What it means to be a leader: Concept VIII has given me a totally different perspective on being a leader – not in a bull-dozing, bossy, tell-everyone-how-awesome I am way. Being a leader in a more listen-ing, refl ective, patient, calm way; being willing to consistently show up and be a servant in whatever way is necessary to be as helpful as I can be - without needing to be the center of attention and/or point out all the amazing things I do.

Patience, tolerance, kindliness and love: Fundamental principles at the heart of how we sacrifi ce our egos. While (as often happens in Alcoholics Anonymous) we’ve had some defi nite differences of opinion during this rotation, practicing these principles helps me see we’re all passionate about our common goal – doing our best to help the still suffering alcoholic.

While I will not be formally participating in Area 36 general service in the next rotation, I’m happy to share my experience if needed. We are in very good hands with the incoming group of Area Offi cers and Committee Chairs.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve!

Mary M

Alternate Chair Report

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!It is that time of the year and rotation, that makes this the last report from me in the Alternate Chairperson position for Area 36. I fi rst want to thank all the other Offi cers for their continuous support, experience and knowledge shared with me these past two years. Second, it has been a pleasure working with all the Area Standing Committee Chairs and I appreciate your willingness to have served this 2017-2018 rotation with me. Next and most important is all the Area 36 members for showing up and guiding me through your needs and expectations of me in this position. Being an effective Alternate Chairperson is not possible without all your communication and presence. Thank you all, Area 36!!Since we last met in August 2018, I have attended the Area Inventory in September, the October Area Assembly and the Area 35/36 Joint Workshop in November. As part of the Alternate Chairperson position I have also been chairing the 2019 Recovery, Unity and Service Conference (RUSC). The committee is in full swing and we are coming down to the fi nal stretch of getting the conference details taken care for the conference. Please plan to attend this wonderful event, January 25-27, 2019 at the Holiday Inn in Fairmont, MN. This will be your fi rst opportunity to meet the new Area 36

Offi cers and Standing Committee Chairs. It is a great way to complete my service to you as the 2019 RUSC Chair.Congratulations to Missy P., Stacy McV., Roy E., Nancy T., Kelli M., and Teresa K. for their willingness to stand for Area 36 as the 2019-2020 rotation as Offi cers. Please let me know if I can be of service to any of you. It’s a fun deal!!These past two years as your Alternate Chairperson have been very challenging and rewarding. One of the greatest challenges was the time involved for this position. In the past two year, I have been required to chair the Finance Committee and the Recovery, Unity and Service Conference. Both require multiple meetings, a good majority outside of the Area calendar schedule. So great organizational skills are needed and thankfully, God, blessed me with that. Time was a huge obstacle especially in this past year dealing with family health issues. I’m grateful for the support from the Area. I may have been the backup for our Area Chair person and I was available when needed, especially at budget time, but most of the duties fell under Finance and RUSC. My suggestions for the new Alternate Chairperson are to ask for help and not to take yourself too seriously. I have worked with a great Finance Committee, as well as, a fantastic RUSC committee. Thankfully, there has been plenty of previous members is the position to rely on for experience. Also, thank you to all the past Delegate’s who have supported me these past two years. Some of the rewards is the new knowledge I have gained in myself, the Traditions and being of service. I always remember I don’t know what I don’t know, and that is okay. That is where the growth gets to come in and to not be afraid of asking for help.I thought long and hard about the upcoming rotation, having spent the past eight years in Area service and four within my own District. I felt it was time to step away and allow all the wonderful people out there waiting for a chance to have some of my experiences and rotate out. I will be nearby, but am going to take some time for family, friends and my local community. Thank you for the opportunity and allowing me to serve.With love of service and affection for you all,Jeanne H.

Alternate Delegate Report

Greetings to all,Since the last edition of the Newsletter I have attended all of the Area Calendared events and Offi cers Meetings. We had a great sharing at the Joint Workshop regarding how we set our Area Calendars. We saw the differences in lengths of meetings but also saw that we meet about the same amount of time throughout the year as Areas. We also discussed how we fi ll our Committees at Area Committee Meetings. We did fi nd some interesting differences in regards to how we use our Alternate DCMs at those meetings. I think this will be a topic of conversation that is brought in this next rotation. It is always good to get another Area’s perspective on how and why they do what they do throughout the year. It may be something the next Structure Committee is asked to look at. At the October Assembly I was voted in as your Panel 69 Delegate. I look forward to serving you in that capacity. Thanks again for opportunity. As Alternate Delegate, it is also part of my service to chair the Structure Committee. So, I will have more to report in the Structure Report.Yours in Service, Missy P

Secretary Report

Happy Holidays and Welcome 2019!!In this PIGEON, you will fi nd the Unapproved October 13, 2018 Area Assembly minutes for review, comments and vote at the next Area Assembly. There are no minutes for the December 1, 2018 Area Committee meeting that was to be held in Mankato as it was canceled due to inclement weather.

Area Offi cer Reports


Area Officer Reports

Submit event information to The Pigeon editor for inclusion. Please check the Area website at: www.area36.org for a more complete, current list of workshops, roundups, anniversary events, etc., of interest to the A.A. Fellowship. To ensure opportunity for attendance and participation at your event, please consider avoiding schedule conflicts with already scheduled and posted events. We publish A.A. non service events in the spirit of cooperation with others.

Financial Report continues on page 6

Where does the time go? Two years ago, I started this rotation as your Area 36 Secretary and now the time has come to turn it over to another. Kelli M, who has been serving as your Area Accessibilities Chair for the past two years, has been chosen by the Assembly to be the Area Secretary for the 2019-2020 rotation. She will do a fabulous job!

In Love and Service,Annette W.

Treasurer Report

Hello Area 36 - I am full of gratitude for allowing me to serve during the last two years. You all have taught me so much about protecting and caring for our fellowship. As I rotate out of this position, I will always hold with love and appreciation the role you allowed me to serve. Our financial highlights and reports follow.In love and service,Greg J

BALANCE SHEET (White)

ASSETS:TCF Checking (our main checking account) up from same time last year: $23,770 compared to $20,734 on November 30, 2017. ($3,036)TCF Pink Can Checking up from same time last year: $19,847 compared to $9,815. ($10,032)

I NC OM E A N D E X PE NSE PR E V IOUS Y E A R COMPARISON (Blue)Group Contributions are up as of: November 30, 2018: $53,409 compared to November 30, 2017: $52,932. ($ 477)Total Income is flat as of: November 30, 2018: $64,436 compared to November 30, 2017: $69,793. (-5,357)Net Operating Income is $18,805 as of November 30, 2018 compared to $3,245 at November 30, 2017. ($ 15,560)

INCOME AND EXPENSE BUDGET VS. ACTUAL (Yellow)Group Contributions are up as of November 30, 2018: $53,409 compared to budgeted amount of $49,342. ($4,067 or 8.2%)Total Income is over budget as of November 30, 2018: $64,436 compared to budgeted amount of $60,918. ($3,518 or 5.8%)Total Expenses as of November 30, 2018: $54,984 compared to budgeted amount of $72,501. ($21,034)Pink Can Contributions as of November 30, 2018: $45,931 compared to budgeted amount of $40,491.Pink Can Expenses as of November 30, 2018: $36,578 compared to budgeted amount of $40,491.

As of Nov 30, 2018 As of Nov 30, 2017 (PY) ChangeASSETS

Current Assets

Bank Accounts

1000 TCF CHECKING 23,770 20,734 3,036

1020 TCF PINK CAN CHECKING 19,847 9,815 10,032

1050 TCF RESERVE FUND 13,100 11,748 1,352

1090 TCF DELEGATE'S FUND 2,602 2,601 1

Total Bank Accounts $ 59,319 $ 44,897 $ 14,422

Other Current Assets

12000 Undeposited Funds 0 -25 25

1300 Inventory - Literature 1,962 2,514 -552

1400 Inventory - Grapevine 340 340 0

Total Other Current Assets $ 2,302 $ 2,829 -$ 527

Total Current Assets $ 61,621 $ 47,726 $ 13,895

TOTAL ASSETS $ 61,621 $ 47,726 $ 13,895

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

Liabilities

Total Liabilities $ 0

Equity

3500 Net Assets 42,816 44,481 -1,666

Net Income 18,805 3,245 15,560

Total Equity $ 61,621 $ 47,726 $ 13,895

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY $ 61,621 $ 47,726 $ 13,895

Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 07:25:57 PM GMT-8 - Cash Basis

Southern Minnesota Area AssemblyBalance Sheet Prev Year Comparison

As of November 30, 2018

Jan - Nov, 2018Jan - Nov, 2017

(PY) Change % ChangeIncome

4000 GROUP CONTRIBUTIONS 53,409 52,932 477 0.90%

4100 SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS 4,451 5,059 -608 -12.02%

4200 EVENTS 5,688 10,499 -4,812 -45.83%

4500 LITERATURE & GRAPEVINE SALES 889 1,302 -414 -31.76%

Total Income $ 64,436 $ 69,793 -$ 5,357 -7.68%

Gross Profit $ 64,436 $ 69,793 -$ 5,357 -7.68%

Expenses

5000 FACILITIES & MEETINGS 23,031 23,281 -250 -1.08%

5100 TRAVEL 17,861 25,155 -7,294 -29.00%

5200 EQUIPMENT & IT 158 427 -269 -63.04%

5300 PROGRAM EXPENSES 6,227 10,529 -4,303 -40.86%

5400 OPERATING EXPENSES 6,758 7,694 -936 -12.17%

5900 OTHER EXPENSES 775 2,275 -1,500 -65.94%

9000 Unapplied Cash Bill Payment Expense 175 175

Total Expenses $ 54,984 $ 69,362 -$ 14,378 -20.73%

Net Operating Income $ 9,451 $ 431 $ 9,021 2095.05%

Other Income

4900 OTHER INCOME 1 1 0 -24.65%

6000 PINK CAN CONTRIBUTIONS 45,931 39,358 6,573 16.70%

Total Other Income $ 45,932 $ 39,359 $ 6,573 16.70%

Other Expenses

7000 PINK CAN EXPENSES 36,578 36,545 33 0.09%

Total Other Expenses $ 36,578 $ 36,545 $ 33 0.09%

Net Other Income $ 9,354 $ 2,814 $ 6,540 232.36%

Net Income $ 18,805 $ 3,245 $ 15,560 479.52%

Total

Thursday, Nov 29, 2018 07:24:07 PM GMT-8 - Cash Basis

Southern Minnesota Area AssemblyIncome & Expense Prev Year Comparison

January - November, 2018

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 Group Contribution 2018 01.01.18-11.30.18

Basic Text AA 162.21

Basic Twelve Group 155.29

100.00

Better Than Gold Group 100.00

Beyond Jitters 244.45

Big Book of Hope 75.00

Big Book Squad 33 200.00

75.00

25.00

Blue Earth A.A. 50.00

Boiler Room Squad 40.00

Break It Down Big Book Group 104.50

Bridges AA Group 38.91

Brooks Wednesday Night OK AA Group 35.00

Brothers of A.A. Group 100.00

Bryant Lake AA 315.85

138.42

Buffalo Saturday Morning 12 X 12 100.00

Buffalo Thursday Night Big Book 30.00

Buffalo Tuesday Morning AA 25.00

By The Book AA 231.66

50.00

55.00

Cavalier Club Thursday 8 PM 37.40

Cavalier Sat Open 20.00

Cavalier West Thursday Night Big Book 20.00

Cavalier West Thursday Night Men's Group 161.60

Cedar Lake Women's Step Squad 45.00

Center Group 30.00

Central Pacific Group 900.00

Charles S 100.00

Charmaine S 33.00

25.00

7.00

45.00

50.00

Children of Chaos 70.00

Chunks and Measures 8.79

Clay City AA 50.00

Club 84 AA Group 70.00

Colfax Group - Thursday 122.25

Common Solution 87.47

Como Park Big Book Study 250.47

Complete Defeat 75.00

Continuous Action 355.64

100.00

Coon Rapids Friday Night 50.00

Cornerstone AA - Buffalo 17.73

Belle Plaine AA Group

Blaine Alano, Squad 3

Bloomington Hyland Club

Bryn Mawr AA

Calshire AA Group

Carver MN Sunday AM Grp

Chaska Early Risers

Chaska River Valley AA

Chaska Tuesday Candlelight Group

Chatfield AA

Coon Rapids Alano, Squad 11* Serenity Sis

Group Contributions January through November 2018

Group Amount

11th Step Meditation Group 37.94

12 at 12 Group 25.00

12 Steppers Group of NE Minneapolis 125.00

4111 Thursday 20.00

258.94

7 Hi AA Group 116.82

8 to 80 Group 112.08

A Baffled Lot 189.00

A New Day 260.00

A New Freedom Group 35.00

A New Freedom Group - St. Michael 50.00

A New Freedom Plymouth 32.00

A New Freedom Sunday 8a 113.64

187.93

50.00

37.78

A Way out 39.70

A.A. Club 50.00

AA Bright Spot 200.00

150.00

AA Sisters in Sobriety 125.00

63.10

Amazing Grace A.A. 20.00

amigo group 89.70

Amigos III 50.00

40.00

100.50

85.00

100.00

40.00

25.00

30.00

Anonymous Groups 30.00

Artists & Musicians Tuesday AA 30.00

As Bill Sees It - Delano 213.65

As Bill Sees It Early Risers 20.00

As Bill Sees it Group 65.00

544.07

Back To Basics - Coon Rapids - Tuesday AM 136.00

53.20

270.00

281.00

Bar None Thursday 110.70

Bar None Tuesday Noon 341.75

Bart K 90.00

Basic Principles Group 83.53

4th Dimension - Stillwater

A Vision For You - Faribault

A Vision For You - Lakeville

A Vision for You - Owatonna

AA of Fairview River Side

Alano Society Squad 1

Andover Alano Society Squad 10

Andover Alano Society Squad 9*

Andover Alano Society, Squad 11

Andover Alano Squad 77

Andover Alano Squad 8

Annandale Lakers

Anoka Today Alano, Squad 26

Austin Alano Groups

Back To Basics - Womens AA

Backseaters A.A. Group

Baffled Lot Goup

Cottage Grove AA 400.00

CRC Friends of Bill W 30.00

Crushed Grapes 750.50

Daily Reflections 5.00

Daily Reprieve Group Hutchinson 200.00

41.75

25.00

73.25

10.00

33.00

Dawson AA 400.00

Day by Day 50.00

Day by Day Tuesday Night 25.00

75.00

229.84

80.08

162.00

Delano Saturday Morning AA 46.00

Design For Living (Big Book) 105.00

Desire Open Speaker Meeting 33.98

District 21 General Service 100.00

Dodge Center Big Book AA 150.00

Dunn Sober AA 352.69

Dynamic Women's Group 302.54

30.00

25.00

28.00

Element AA 30.00

180.00

Fevered Brains 50.00

30.00

Fireside Women's Big Book Meeting 98.34

Firing Line 216.00

First Class AA 61.00

Foreword XIX 266.41

Foundations Stone Group of AA 106.63

165.00

530.21

Fresh Air AA Group 110.00

63.00

Friday Night 12 x 12 By The Book 95.75

Friday Night Shift 53.15

180.99

25.00

105.00

90.00

20.00

150.00

Dakota Alano As Bill Sees It

Dakota Alano Monday Night 8 PM

Dakota Alano Saturday 11 AM AA

Dakota Alano Wednesday Night 8 PM

Dakota Alano, Thursday 1145 AM Group

Day by Day Womens Group

Day By Dei

Day By Dei Women's AA Group

Defogged Mens A.A. Group

Eagan Open Meeting

East Bloomington AA

Edina Thursday Men's Group #1

Fairmont Big Book Group

Fillin' Station Sat 11 am Group

Fourth Dimension Chanhassen

Foxhall Chapter 7

Friday Morning Candleight Faribault

Friday Nite 12 X 12 By the Book

Fridley Alano Squad 11

Fridley Alano Squad 3

Fridley Alano, Squad 19

Fridley Alano, Squad 3

Fridley Alano, Squad 33*

30.00

Gloria Del AA 89.20

60.00

Gopher AA Group 37.00

Gratitude in Action 165.00

Great Blessings 63.70

63.30

10.00

Halfway There 177.00

65.00

Hanover Monday Night AA 120.00

Happy Destiny 154.14

Happy Joyous and Free 12.85

174.77

258.00

Hastings A.A. 275.00

100.00

Hazelnuts 30.00

Hector AA Group 200.00

Henderson Area AA 20.00

Highland AA Group 220.00

150.00

50.00

50.00

Hole in the Doughnut Group 712.50

Holy Redeemer 25.00

50.00

Hopkins Monday Friends Group 22.00

HOW II 159.58

50.00

Hugo A.A. 95.00

Hutchinson Wednesday A.M. 11.00

I'll Quit Monday 135.00

Island Lake AA Group 15.00

It Might Have Been Worse 178.30

January 6th Club 77.00

Joy of Living 109.37

Jump Start Mixed 12 X 12 17.10

Just For Today Women's AA 31.36

100.00

Keep Coming Back AA 175.00

Keep It Simple Apple Valley 20.00

Keep It Simple Big Book - Rochester 20.00

90.00

Ladies' Night Happy Hour - Sahara Club 347.71

Lake City - Thursday PM & Saturday AM 200.00

Lake of the Isles AFG Thurs Noon 80.00

255.00

Fulda AA

Good Samaritan - Edina

Grovers Thursday Night AA

Grupo Una Luz en el Camino

Hampden Park AA

Happy Joyous and Free Group - Shakopee

Happy Joyous and Free Mahtomedi

Hayfield A.A.

Hit Squad - Plymounth II

Hokah AA

Hokah Fellowship Group

Homeboyz Squad

Howard Lake - Waverly AA

Kasson Big Book Saturday Morning

La Nueva Esperanza

Laker's Thursday 630

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 Group Contribution 2018 01.01.18-11.30.18

264.00

122.12

30.00

35.00

277.00

100.00

Lester Prairie A.A. 50.00

25.00

Life is Good Group 29.57

100.00

Lions & Lambs AA 15.43

Live & Let Live 15.00

Live & Let Live AA St. Paul 91.95

Living Sober AA Group 26.10

Look to this Day Group 64.14

Lourdes AA Group 10.00

Lutes 9am Saturday 100.00

Mabel AA Group 50.00

20.00

25.00

Main Idea AA Groups 100.00

1,170.00

15.00

60.00

Marshall Street Group 20.00

20.00

Medina 'As Bill Sees It' 20.00

Medina A.A. Group 84.00

Meeting of the Waters AA Group 25.00

Men at Peace 100.00

60.00

40.00

Men's Happy Hour AA - St. Paul 27.00

Men's Problem - Solution Group 175.00

90.00

Michelle B 27.00

Midway Club 120.00

20.00

529.70

100.00

20.00

50.00

50.00

Monday Morning Big Book Study Group 40.00

Monday Morning Women's Group 70.00

30.00

Monday Night Apple Valley Big Book 5.00

Monday Night Temple Meeting 48.20

Lakers AA Friday 630

Lakers AA Grow Group

Lakers Saturday Morning AA

Lakeview AA AKA Hazelwood AA

Lakeville Saturday Big Book

Lanesboro Group

LeSueur AA

Lindstrom A.A. Group

Macalester AA Group

Madelia AA

Mainstreeters AA - Edina

Mano Amigo

Maplewood Group

McRae Group

Men At Work - Minnetonka

Men at Work - Plymouth Alano II

Mendota 1030 AA Group

Minnehaha AA Family Group

Minnetonka Big Book Study Group

Minnetonka Seniors AA Group

Minnetonka Serenes AFG

Monday - Wednesday AA - Bricelyn

Monday Meeting AA - Oakdale

Monday Night (Waseca)

25.00

Monday Non-Smoking AA Group 10.00

Montevideo Sunday Open AA 200.00

25.00

25.00

Monticello Squad 4 - 10am Wed 30.00

100.00

Morton A.A. Group 100.00

Mulligan Group 30.00

Mulligan's 17.70

50.00

15.00

New Brighton Sunday Morning Big Book 481.02

50.00

50.00

35.00

60.00

45.00

25.00

60.00

25.00

No Bull Big Book Squad 164 60.00

25.00

No Time Like the Present 43.94

150.00

183.00

NYA AA 160.00

Oasis Group 117.45

280.00

Open Door AA 25.00

Our Friends Place, Squad 44 25.00

Outright Mental Defectives 77.02

11.46

Pages of Wisdom Big Book Study 52.00

Pass It On Group 25.00

Peace Group 125.00

Pearls of Wisdom 72.55

Pine Island A.A. 105.00

Pioneer AA Group 653.53

Plymouth Big Book 110.00

35.00

279.00

Polaris AA 12.76

Practical Experience 82.25

42.00

Primary Purpose Group - Burnsville 200.00

Promises Group at Knox 264.34

Prospect Park AA Group 16.75

Monday Nite AA

Monticello Alano Sq 10

Monticello Alano, Squad 7

Morristown AA Big Book Study Group

New Brighton Alano

New Brighton Alano Society, AA Squad 14

New Hope Alano Sq 20

New Hope Alano Squad 10





New Hope Alano, Squad 5

Nicollet Chapter AA

No Hamline AA

Normandale Group

North Suburban Alano, Squad 7

old towners group

Owatonna Saturday Night Open Meeting

Plymouth II Alano, Squad 2

Pocket Our Pride - Mnpls

Primary Purpose AA - Woodbury

Queer Ideas of Fun 160.00

150.00

387.00

50.00

25.00

30.00

Ridge Runners II 75.00

Ridge Runners III 100.00

Ringmasters 90.00

100.00

200.00

32.62

15.00

449.50

110.00

36.00

Rule 62 Big Book Study Group 304.64

Rule 62 Cavalier 52.35

S W Women's AA 20.00

Safe Haven for Women AA 99.45

Sahara Thursday 7.30 PM Men's AA 109.50

77.00

Sat AM 3rd Tradition Group 25.00

Saturday Morning AA Fellowship 137.00

Saturday Morning Breakfast Club 186.28

Saturday Morning PS Meeting 108.39

Saturday Morning Serenity Group 505.73

Saturday Morning Women's Group 200.00

Saturday Night Live AA 116.00

Saturday Night Open Speaker Meeting 309.00

Saturday Sisters 98.15

Savage Unity AA Group 50.00

Seeing Is Believing 87.50

50.00

Serenity Seekers 20.00

75.00

Serenity Squad 20.00

Serenity Sunday 10.00

215.70

20.00

Ship of Fools-Thursday Night AA 27.00

Shivering Denizens 250.00

50.00

62.89

Shoulder to Shoulder Group 40.10

SIGMA AA Group 63.00

Silver Lake AA Group 65.00

Sisters of Serenity 155.00

ramsey aa

Redwood Falls Downtowners AA Group

Richfield Alano Squad 6g

Richfield-Bloomington Alano Squad 2D

Richfield-Bloomington Alano, Squad 4E*

Riverlyn Group

Rivertown Big Book

Rivertown Big Book Group-Stillwater

Rockford Riverview AA

Rojo Meeting Wed & Thurs 7am

Rosemount A.A. Group

Roseville Wednesday AA

Sahara Tues 8 PM Mens

Serenity Group of Faribault

Serenity Seekers - Chanhassen

Serenus Group

Sherburn AA Group

Shoreview 12x12

Shoreview Children of Chaos Plus.

194.92

Sober on Saturday 155.00

solid ground 25.75

Sonya J 23.00

SOS AA 135.51

25.00

Southwest Women's AA 15.00

Squad #11, Serenity Sisters 50.00

Squad 26 65.00

Squad 3 50.00

Squad 5 5.93

Squad 62-Bethany Lutheran Church 50.00

120.00

St Joe's Monday Night 150.00

St. Anthony Park AA Group 20.00

350.00

St. Louis Park Sunday Night AA Group 24.89

St. Luke's Saturday AA 136.12

St. Luke's Saturday Morning Men's Group 89.88

St. Patrick's Group 50.00

St. Paul Speakers Meeting 42.20

St. Peter's 9AM AA Group 42.00

St. Therese Thursday Night AA 8.00

St. Thomas Becket USR Tuesday Night AA 120.00

Step Sisters BB Study 14.40

Step Study 30.00

Steps to Freedom 15.00

Steps to Serenity Group 57.00

Stepsisters Monday 545 7.40

6.70

204.75

25.00

310.00

100.00

100.00

25.00

204.00

Summit Hill AA Group 513.07

Sunday Night AA Group 100.00

Sunday Night Grace 128.10

Sunday Night Step and Tradition Meeting 280.00

Sunday Serenity Group 343.22

Sunlight of the Spirit AA 14.50

Temple AA - Wednesday 615 PM 80.00

TGIF 6.20

TGIF Women's AA 25.00

The Hand of AA 107.00

The Promises Meeting 40.00

Slp Snaag

Southwest Alano Club

Squad 66 -Fridley Alano

St. Croix Alano

Stepsisters of Anoka

Stepsisters of Northfield AA

Stewartville AA

Stillwater Morning Group

Suburban North Alano Society Squad 13

Suburban North Alano Society, Squad 17

Suburban North Alano Society, Squad 86*

Suburban North Alano Squad 7


Saturday, February 9, 2019Dakota County Technical College

1300 145th Street E Rosemount, MN 55068

***All interested in General Service are encouraged to attend!!!

9:00 am - 4:30 pm Service Talks and General Service Training Sessions

for current & future: General Service Representatives (GSRs & Alt-GSRs),

District Officers, Committee Chairs, and all AAs willing to be Trusted Servants beyond the homegroup

What is the role of a Trusted Servant in General Service? What does Leadership in AA look like?

How does my group fit into District, Area 36, and AA as a whole?

Lunch and Fellowship: 11:30 am -1:00 pm on your own

Questions? Contact: Jeanette S. or [email protected]

Group Contribution 2018 01.01.18-11.30.18 The Way Out 15.40

There's a Better Way 75.80

Third Edition AA Group 100.00

Third Tradition Group 130.91

Three Legacies Meeting 202.36

Three Legacies New Beginnings for Women 100.00

Thursday Night Big Book 50.00

Thursday Night Bloom Ave 19.00

Thursday Night Grace Group 10.70

Thursday Night Happy Hour 28.00

Thursday Night Orientation at Fellowship Hall 50.70

Thursday Night Women's Group 86.00

Thursday Women's Big Book Study 75.00

Thursday Women's Serenity Group 20.00

60.00

Tradition Five Group 318.67

Tradition One A.A. 94.54

Tradition Three - Plymouth 200.00

Tradition Three - Rochester 450.53

Truman AA Group 50.00

Tuesday Morning Step Group 25.00

Tuesday Open AA Group 300.00

Turning Point 238.97

Twelve West AA Group 100.00

Twin Lake Sq. M 40.00

30.00

Up the Creek Big Book 228.79

Uptown Group 1,028.28

Valley Creek Group - Monday AA 70.00

Valley Creek Thursday Night 160.00

Valley Step AA 67.66

Valley West AA 34.00

Valley West Thursday AM Group 38.00

350.00

75.00

30.00

80.00

232.00

We Think Not 410.42

Wednesday Knight Avenue AA Group 180.00

50.00

Welcome Home 50.00

West Moore Lake AA 30.00

West Side Group 100.00

36.24

20.00

White Bear Lake Redeemer AA 85.00

White Bear Lake Wednesday Morning Group 70.00

Tradition 3 Group of Edina

Una Luz en el Camino

Waconia A.A. Group

Waseca Monday Night Group

Waterville AA

Wayzata Step Sisters

Wayzata Women's Group

Wednesday Night Big Book of Mpls.

West Suburban Alano - Life is Good

West Suburban Alano Main Streeters

5.00

150.00

25.00

Women of wisdom 70.00

Women's 12 & 12 Study Group 57.70

10.00

Women's Back to Basics AA 17.31

Women's Big Book Study 8.20

Women's Daily Reflections - Apple Valley 38.00

Women's Third Tradition 25.00

70.00

800.00

40.00

17.28

Worthy Women Big Book Study Group 48.30

TOTAL 52,970.92

Winona Big Book

Winona Wed. Nite Step

Winsted AA Group

Women's AA at Elim

Woodbury "I Am Responsible" AA

Woodbury Serenity Sisters

Woodbury Wednesday Noon AA Group

Wooddale Ave AA

Actual Budget over Budget % of BudgetIncome

4000 GROUP CONTRIBUTIONS

4010 Group Contribution 52,971 48,345 4,626 109.57%

4020 Group Contribution - Individual 204 (204) 0.00%

4030 Group Contribution - Birthday 438 793 (355) 55.19%

Total 4000 GROUP CONTRIBUTIONS 53,409 49,342 4,067 108.24%

4100 SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

4120 Individual 580 580

4130 Birthday Plan 767 46 721 1667.61%

4180 In-Kind Contributions 244 244

4190 Other Contributions 2,860 2,705 155 105.73%

Total 4100 SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS 4,451 2,751 1,700 161.80%

4200 EVENTS

4210 Registration 2,704 4,775 (2,071) 56.63%

4220 Coffee/Food 2,984 1,925 1,059 154.99%

4230 7th Tradition 250 (250) 0.00%

4240 Event In-Kind 300 (300) 0.00%

Total 4200 EVENTS 5,688 7,250 (1,562) 78.45%

4500 LITERATURE & GRAPEVINE SALES

4510 Literature Sales 542 900 (358) 60.17%

4520 Grapevine Sales 347 675 (328) 51.43%

4590 Other Sales 0 0

Total 4500 LITERATURE & GRAPEVINE SALES 889 1,575 (686) 56.43%

Total Income 64,436 60,918 3,518 105.77%

Gross Profit 64,436 60,918 3,518 105.77%

Expenses

5000 FACILITIES & MEETINGS

5010 Rent 15,559 14,640 919 106.28%

5020 Coffee & Food 3,054 2,425 629 125.95%

5030 Event Recording 75 370 (295) 20.19%

5040 Speaker Expense 50 160 (110) 31.28%

5050 Exhibitor Fees 1,020 2,065 (1,045) 49.38%

5070 ASL Interpreter 3,254 3,141 113 103.60%

5090 Misc Meeting Expense 19 75 (56) 25.33%

Total 5000 FACILITIES & MEETINGS 23,031 22,876 155 100.68%

5100 TRAVEL

5110 Mileage 8,661 19,896 (11,235) 43.53%

5120 Lodging 6,428 9,900 (3,472) 64.93%

5140 Planning Committee Expense 218 2,225 (2,007) 9.82%

5150 General Service Conf Contrib 1,800 1,800 - 100.00%

Total

Southern Minnesota Area AssemblyBudget vs. Actuals: 2018 Budget by Class - FY18 P&L Classes

January - November, 2018

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 From Area 36 Archives

Digitizing Pigeon – An AA Area 36 Archives Project

This article summarizes our experience scanning the AA Area 36 Pigeon newsletter. These are generally published 4 times each year following Area committee meetings. This article also provides specific details and lessons learned as an aid to others who wish to convert and archive material into digital form. For those inter-ested in accessing the digitized Pigeon, please contact the archives chairperson at [email protected] who will give you the necessary access information. The digitized Pigeon collection is held on the Area 36 Archives Google Drive and default access is (will be) limited to Area36.org accounts only.

First to describe our motivations

In Archives we tend to collect everything we’re given, as well as pro-actively capturing copies of everything the Area publishes. Pigeon is our best record historically of the activities and decisions of area committees. Pigeon was started in late 1979 and after a number of years moved from a printed letter format to the tabloid newspaper format that we have today. Originally a few pages, quickly occu-pying typically 20 to 32 pages in size, and can be as large as 44 pages. Pigeon has served wider purposes than “merely” reporting on Area committees’ interests and related, to include at times extensive reprints from other AA publications, for example publications related to AA history, as well as write-ups of visits by, or interviews with delegates, trustees and GSO staff. At times, the Newsletter was in the business of publishing District and other Area event fliers.

Thus, over time we have collected a sizable amount of paper prop-erty which contains important Area history. Such information needs preservation, cataloging and physical organization. The underlying fragile nature of newsprint material presents a typical Archives chal-lenge. We are probably all familiar with how quickly our copies fade and deteriorate.

As the collection grows it becomes increasingly difficult to know what information is available and/or how to find information concerning specific topics of interest. Our spiritual principles include the notion of being informed. So, one motivation is that of “use”. How can we make the information more easily available to “customers”?

Another significant question, not so much for the Newsletter records only (which take up a relatively small amount of physical Archives space compared to other of the Area’s “paper” collections), is whether the original physical document is important to keep per se, or only the information within the document. Digitizing Pigeon, a relatively small task overall, is prototyping, or pioneering a practice that we may want to extend ultimately the whole Area archives paper collec-tion. (Newsletters, fliers, district and group meeting minutes etc.). A spiritual principle touches on the question of owning property (and implied responsibilities).

To summarize. Our motivation includes making information more accessible and usable by leveraging digital tools reducing or eliminat-ing the dependence on maintaining history on medium for which we need to provide resources to preserve, maintain, catalog and manu-ally, expertly researchan opportunity for reducing the amount of “property” that the Area is responsible for

Process, Lessons

The first step was to determine whether a digitizing mechanism would be viable without incurring otherwise unnecessary expense. This step was actually in response to a recommendation by the 2017/2018 ad-hoc archive committee to purchase a scanner, printer and PC to assist with document request fulfillment. Noting that technology is changing rapidly and that the ubiquitous personal smart phone has become the de facto first “go to” for many tools, we looked at what we might be able to do. We learned that available scanning apps are inexpensive and have great functionality. We cre-ated a small team with CJ, Brian and Malcolm, and held a workshop together one Saturday morning to begin the process. Subsequently we finished the process at home.

Scanner app - different platforms have various app alternatives. My choice on iPhone was the Re-addle “ScanPro” (fact, not endorsement). Features that turned out to be useful included automatic document sizing (“tabloid” in this case), automatic page edge detection - you literally hold the phone above the page and the app figures out where the page starts and stops (within reason), automatic distortion

correction, automatically takes the next page once it is suitably framed and stabilized - like capturing a check “get closer” automati-cally collates all the shots/pages into a single PDF file editing tools to fix problems with edge detection, page orientation, and even exposure although that was not generally an issue. The app also uploads the resulting file directly to our Area Archives Google Drive.

Challenges, in the order encountered:

The newspaper original may be folded in half, so important to reduce the impact by holding the paper fold outwards away from the body and running fingers along the fold crease a few times to reverse the fold and flatten as much as possiblereview the integrity of the docu-ment. Are all pages present and in the correct order? Remove and separately scan any inserts (occasionally encountered a flier) lay newspaper down on a flat, preferably non-reflective matt black sur-facein order to improve page edge detection and to hold down pages flatter we used a couple heavy steel strips spray-painted matt black (steel bars and paint from the local hardware store)hold phone over each page and wait for app to take the shot (only press the “take” button once for the first page, after that is automatic) - and in doing so, check for good image framing, the page is flat, and that the phone is still in the correct orientation good illumination makes a big dif-ference to the quality of the captured image. Best is either strong, but indirect, daylight (sunlight preferably), or else a bright workshop lamp. However, newer LED lamps have a flicker that may interfere with the way scanners work (edge detection specifically). At home, we used an incandescent halogen light. Review the scanned docu-ment: retake any unacceptable page; look for missing pages, duplicate pages; and as mentioned, correct orientation (common), correct edges (less common) and correct exposure (rare), before then uploading to the site.

Roughly it takes an hour to do a complete year of Pigeons - say 100 pages altogether per year. Each page of a PDF occupies roughly 1 MB of space, and the complete archives collection of Pigeons roughly 2 GB according to Google Drive. The Archives account includes 30 free GB, so at this point, space for digitization is not at issue. More space can be purchased as necessary for roughly $100 per year per TB. (1 TB = 1000 GB, 1 GB = 1000 MB).

Very rarely (IE a couple of times only) it was not possible to get a completely good image of a particular page, but on inspection one can ask whether any information degradation is really significant. A lot of content is repetitive, such as maps, lists of names and addresses, calendars, etc.

Questions

These questions could be asked of any and all other types of docu-ments we might want to digitize.

(i) Can we now let the originals go? Why would we need or want to keep them? Why would we want to let them go?

(ii) Is the Archives Google Drive the “right” place for the scanned Pigeons? Is there a better place within the Area web site? How do Area 36 users navigate to the resource?

(iii) Who has access? Who controls access? How long is access permit-ted? Is it necessary and how is access documented so we know who’s been there?

(iv) Pigeons contain last names, so we would classify as “Members Only” versus “Public” (Another direction from the ad-hoc committee’s recommendations). From an electronic access control perspective, how do we determine who is a “member”.

(v) How to prevent documents being copied and published outside control of the area (PDF’s can be so protected to an extent)

(vi) What apps and tools might help researchers’ productivity - “PDF to text” tools are available, Note however that newspaper layouts can be challenging to the tools (columns, articles broken over various columns and pages).

(vii) How to search across collections of documents?

Contact and Discussion

Please contact [email protected] for more information or to dis-cuss the content of this document.

William W


Accessibilities

Greetings Area 36-

Its hard to believe that this will be my last report. These last 2 years have been such a wonderful experience and seem to have flown by. At the beginning of this service commitment I remember thinking to myself, there are so many different Accessibility issues- how and when can I find the time to carry the AA message to them all? Then I was reminded that it was just my turn and just my job to be support-ive and helpful to the District Chair. An elder statesman suggested I concentrate on one or two specific Accessibility issues. I was not reinventing the wheel and there were many people I could reach out to for help.

Most all the service work I participated in these last 2 years had to do with the inclusion of Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Deaf/Blind members at AA meetings, Districts and our Area level. My hope is that this inclusion continues along with continued work with seniors, mental health, different languages and elderly.

Since my last report, I was able to attend The Area Assembly in October. I was so pleased that the Area passed the budget with funds for ASL at all 2019 Assemblies and at RUSC.

I was also able to attend Area 35/36 joint workshop in November. It was my first time attending the workshop and there were quite a few people in attendance at the Treatment/Accessibilities table. Because Area 35 has the opposite rotation, we were able to share a lot of expe-riences and contacts. Most or our discussion was around Treatment and Bridging the Gap but I was able to share a lot of information regarding the work Area 36 has done to make ASL accessible and the inclusion of Deaf/Hard of Hearing a priority.

Unfortunately, due to weather, we were not able to get together in December as planned for our last Area Committee meeting, so I don’t have updates to report from the District Chairs. Throughout the past 2 years, there was consistent attendance from Districts 1, 7 and 16 at all Area Committee Meetings and I want to thank them for all their support.

I want to thank Mary for the opportunity to serve at this level and to thank all of you for your continued support in Area 36 to reach the still suffering alcoholic in all ways possible

Sincerely- Kelli M

Archives

Since the last ACM, I attended the Archives’ Pigeon digitization workshop, the area inventory meeting, the ACM/election and the joint Area35/36 workshop. Will be attending the rotation meeting this weekend. The archives workshop took place at the central St. Paul public library on Saturday September 22, and other participants were Archivist CJ, Malcolm F of District 17 and Bryan D. of District 20. Thanks to many people’s contribution, the project is now complete and Area36 members will have received an email with information and a link to view the digital Pigeon collection. Please contact the Archives chair. I’ve also written a separate article for Pigeon that describes the experience in more detail with lessons learned and questions look-ing forwards about the impact of having a digital archives collection. At the ACM, I proposed along with other committees the Archives proposal regarding the budget change to include travel expenses for the Archivist to attend next year’s national archives workshop. A single vote for all four committees combined was ultimately made and it was agreed that the budget request go forward to next year. The joint workshop was attended by Ken and Cindy W from Area 36. Topics discussed included (i) the use of technology, the issue of public vs. private (in the context of tradition 11), and both areas interested in technology for creating an inventory or catalog of our respective archives repositories (ii) archives policy in respect to what we as orga-nizations collect or don’t collect, why we have archives and how we serve the still suffering alcoholic and support the area. (iii) We also discussed that there’s a need to distinguish the Archives Committee role and the Archivist - no specific conclusion, just that it is a topic of common interest between the areas. (iv) We discussed the benefit of a strong participation between outgoing and incoming chair in hand-ing off between the rotations, and related, the concept of a definite Alt-chair role. (v) Finally we discussed the benefit of joint meetings and tentatively slated to have a joint meeting at the Western Region

conference in March. As a final and personal comment, I would like to thank the Area for giving me a unique opportunity to serve, albeit for a partial rotation only, and for the guidance I’ve received from many including CJ (special thanks) in doing this job.

William W

Cooperation with the Professional Community

Hello to my fellow Pigeon readers,

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your Interim Area 36 Cooperating with the Professional Community (CPC) Chair and hum-bled by the experiences I’ve had so far with this position. With that, I am happy to be reporting back to all of you with news and updates.

Since the last Pigeon in September, we’ve had some exciting activity within the CPC world!

August 28th - Attended District 20 monthly meeting to discuss and help with their plans to reach out to schools. This district impressed me with their teamwork and group effort in spreading the message to the still suffering alcoholic. Thanks for the invite, Ben, who is serving as the District 20 CPC Chair.

October 10th-12th – Partnered with General Service Office (GSO) to host a table at the international Employee Assistance Professional Association (EAPA). Thank you to all of those who were available to help staff the table – Larry F from District 7, Mike C, David Z and Jim B from District 18, Val L and Vicki from District 17.

This was a great event for Alcoholics Anonymous to have a infor-mation table. The conference was full of Employee Assistance Professionals, treatment professionals and HR professionals looking for employee assistance resources. We passed out a good amount of literature that GSO provided and talked to many people about AA. I even talked to an Employee Assistance Professional who traveled from Korea for the conference and wasn’t familiar with AA – she left with plenty of literature!

One of the more memorable experiences of the convention happened on the first full day. As one can imagine, there is a good amount of people in this industry who are either in the fellowship or know somebody close to them who is. Many of them came up to introduce themselves and/or share a little of their stories. But about halfway through the day on Thursday, we had a couple people ask us about AA meetings at the event and told us there are usually options avail-able. We discovered that there weren’t any scheduled or planned for this year’s conference. So we chose a time, found a dedicated confer-ence room and made a sign to display the details for later that day. Since many of our neighbors had introduced themselves as alcoholics we passed the word along to them as well. We held a much appre-ciated impromptu meeting, which was pretty well attended – and were ecstatic to have the opportunity to be of service for our fellow alcoholics!

October 22nd – Breakfast for Professionals in Buffalo – District 14. I was not able to attend this breakfast but I heard reports that it turned out to be a great experience. It was planned and executed exactly as suggested from the CPC workbook! This included sending out letters to invite local Clergy, Healthcare, Treatment Professionals and Educators. The scheduled program featured AA topics includ-ing a presentation of “What AA Is and Is Not”, 2 personal stories, AA Resources and Question/Answer. Thank you to Alan S, who is serving as the CPC Chair of District 14, for the invite and sending details.

November 3rd – Joint workshop put together by District 8 and District 18 on the topic: ‘Conversations with Others: The Role of Cooperating with the Professional Community and Public Information in our 12th Step Outreach’. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to present about CPC, along with the CPC/PI Chair of District 18, Kristen. We covered the role of CPC within general service and discussed a variety of ways that everybody in the fel-lowship can do CPC work. Then we performed a few skits showing how conversations with professionals may look and allowed time for the attendees to role-play with one another at their tables. There was a presentation by Erica who is serving as the Area 36 PI Chair about the closely related PI topic. Thank you for the invite, as well as

Area Committee Reports


Area Committee Reportsplanning and execution of this workshop, to Carla N, who is serving as the Alt-DCM of District 18, and Kalene M, who is serving as the Alt-DCM of District 8.

I look forward to seeing all of you at RUSC, the Trusted Leadership Training, and other upcoming Area events.

I’m available to visit your group or district to either present or discuss CPC. Please continue to reach out if you are planning or thinking about organizing CPC related activities, I’m happy to help however I can. Pooling resources or at least working together with other Districts is a great example of our unity at work.

Respectfully in service, Tony M..

Corrections

Greetings to all,

In this, my last report as your Corrections Chair, I’d like to thank our dedicated District Corrections Chairs: Richard J., D3; Craig H., D7; Emily M., D8; Brian E., D12; Joseph S., D15; Gale C., D16; Matt K., D17; James N., D22; and Wade M., D24. I have also had the privilege of serving with Cyndi S., CFCP Coordinator, Kurt N. and Sam S., Pink Can Coordinators, and Craig H., Statewide Committee Chair. Our Area and Inside AAs benefits from the hard working mem-bers who coordinate rosters, including Ayla B., FCI-Waseca; Dan U., ADC-Hennepin; Skip L., ACF-Hennepin; Annette W., Wade M. and Fran O., Scott County Jail; Martha A., MCF-Shakopee; Joseph S., Washington County Jail, MCF-Stillwater Minimum, MCF-Lino Lakes and MCF-Oak Park Heights; Mary M. and James N., MCF-Lino Lakes; Richard J., Freeborn, Mower and Waseca County Jails, and Dodge and Steele County Detention Centers; Gale C, Rice County Jail; Doug M, MCF-Faribault; Matt K., who serves at the McLeod County Jail; and Emily M., who serves at ADC-Ramsey.

Since our last Area Committee Meeting, August 4, I attended the Area Calendar events, including the Assembly on October 13, the Inventory on September 15, and the Joint Area 35/36 Workshop on November 17. I will attend the Rotation Meeting on December 8.

I visited the MCF-Lino Lakes SOTP class in September and will visit the class one more time this year in December. One thing I do during the class is talk to Inside AAs about our bridging the gap program. Joseph S., D15 Corrections Chair, Kurt N., a past Area 36 corrections trusted servant, now living and serving in Area 35, and I participated in the transition fair at MCF-Moose Lake in October. This year, a series of lock downs and bans on visitors, combined with staff shortages and DOC days of mourning, limited the number of transition fairs we participated in and limited the number of meet-ings AAs brought into facilities.

The Statewide Corrections Committee met in October. We recently had a conference call to discuss the possibility of once again bring-ing meetings in the facility in Sherburne County, a major 756 bed regional facility, with a population of inmates under the con-trol of Sherburne County and Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Marshals, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and other federal agencies. The facility houses more than 500 federal detainees on average per day. In 2012, Area 35 came to the Statewide Corrections Committee, asking that Area 36 help bring awareness to the need for volunteers to serve on the meeting roster. In the end, enough AA members did not step forward and/or pass background checks. As a result, the facility suspended meetings. In November of this year, two organizations based in Minneapolis whose interest is serving federal detainees, contacted Greater Minneapolis Intergroup requesting meetings at the facility. Although we understand we can-not affiliate with these agencies and that we only serve Inside AAs, our areas decided to pursue the possibility of meetings as had been done in the past. Skip D., an Area 35 corrections trusted servant who was involved in the attempt to form a roster in 2012, contacted the facility to assess their interest. If we can meet their needs, they will discuss meetings. Here is what you need to know if you would like to serve on a roster: We need a enough volunteers to cover five men’s and one’s women’s meeting every first and third Thursday evening of the month. The facility will not consider fewer meetings. Volunteers must undergo an extensive federal (as well as a county) background check. Volunteers cannot have a history of serving sentences or of being detained at the facility for the past ten years. For more information,

contact Skip D. at _______________.

I presented on the topic of corrections bridging the gap at the Area 35 District 7 Corrections Workshop on October 5. They made it possible for me to attend the Area 35 Assembly that same weekend where I sat in on the Corrections Committee Meeting. I am grateful for the opportunity to observe the way their area conducts business and to have been able to connect with their trusted servants, especially with my counterpart, Paul M., Area 35 Corrections Chair.

I attended the Bridging the Gap Workshop Weekend in Denver in September, a workshop focused on connecting Inside AA’s to Outside Alcoholics Anonymous through temporary contacts. Today, correc-tions, treatment and bridging the gap committees are interested in ways they can utilize technology to maintain data and make bridges. Each year we receive hundreds of requests from prisons and long-term county facilities (adult corrections facilities), requiring that we maintain detailed information on requests, contacts, and bridges. (Note: We received fewer requests than we are used to this year as a result of situations, some tragic, that DOC faced). We are concerned with compliance with facility regulations, full addresses (street, city, county, state, zip codes), phone numbers, emails, dates last served and how, birth dates, sobriety dates and contact and request prefer-ences. There are new features available that streamline the process, including user interfaces and geo-location. Some areas that bridge the gap when Inside AAs are released from short-term corrections facili-ties and treatment centers have begun to use fill-able forms on their websites and voice mail or answering services, like Google voicemail. New options allow several users to enter information, while main-taining security and data integrity. Out of concern for security, some areas have already moved their data to host sites that are separate from their area websites and others are hosting their data on the back end of their area websites. Jim V., Treatment Chair, and I are implementing a Cold Fusion database that will be shared by both committees. It is to be hosted on a site other than our website (at least at this time) and we, like many areas, will obtain an “unsearch-able” domain name unique to our site. It will be password protected and have one administrator (or two; one for corrections and one for treatment).

We discussed the topic of communication between temporary contacts and Inside AAs. Most county facilities favor video visitation (either onsite or remote) and many Inside AAs have access to tablets they can use for email. In our state, offenders have tablets for email and video visitation that they sync to kiosks, and the number of coun-ties that require video visitation is rapidly growing, in large part as a result of staff shortages and security concerns. These advances allow for the use of technology as an alternative to mail. We looked at other developing trends, for example, there are areas, like Colorado (Area 10) where their state facilities do not have a way for Alcoholics Anonymous to bridge the gap or take in meetings. They favor, instead, what they call “mentorship” where a volunteer (mentor) works one-on-one with an offender. To qualify as a mentor, a volunteer must possess broad transition skills and knowledge (jobs, housing, medical, educa-tion, etc.). Some areas are also looking to organizations that offer a range of chemical dependency recovery services, from treatment, to counseling, to post-treatment housing and support. Some of these organizations are faith-based and others are not. In the absence of bridging the gap in General Service, central offices/intergroups are beginning to offer bridging the gap programs.

I attended the Second Annual National Corrections Conference in Maine the first weekend of November, where I had the opportu-nity to reconnect with corrections trusted servants from the US and Canada. Spending the weekend with nearly 400 others, some of whom I know from BTGWW, who share a profound passion for serving Inside alcoholics is a moving experience. We heard stories of recovery from alcoholism on the Inside, presentations by staff in jails and prisons who spoke about what they need and want from us, and discussions on meeting formats and the difference between service in jails/detention centers and prisons. Diana L, the outgo-ing Corrections Assignment Representative at GSO, whom I have had many opportunities to work with in the past years, discussed the Corrections Correspondence Service and steps the fellowship has taken to make the program available in Canadian facilities, where inmates face obstacles to sending and receiving mail. We also heard from the Grapevine Editor who talked about the volume of mail he


Area Committee Reportsreceives from Inside alcoholics—in fact, the single largest source of mail he receives. They arrive in the form of handwritten letters writ-ten in desperation and in celebration and gratitude. Some of these letters are included in the annual prison edition, and this year, in the added bridging the gap edition.

Perhaps, the presentations that most captured my interest was one given by the warden of the Maine State Prison and the other by the sheriff of a large county jail. The warden explained what running a prison is like from his perspective. Facilities have one priority and that is safety and security; we are not their primary concern. Programming always comes second. He advised that we understand the facility we are entering and that we realize staff want to talk with us, but only briefly and on their schedule, which may mean 15 minutes in the lobby. He said something else that I would like everyone to hear: It has to do with the manner in which we perceive inconvenience when we show up to serve in a facility. I bring this up because I often hear volunteers voice dissatisfaction over showing up for a meeting only to find they are not cleared that day, or in my case, I am often leaving a fair along with 80 other people and we get caught in a shift change. With eight folks passing through the sally port at a time, staff having preference, it could take an hour or more to get out of a facility (and by that time it’s rush hour into the city!). Sometimes, you show up and they can’t find your photo on file, so you need another one. The thing for us to understand is we are not the priority. We don’t know if a lockdown is called and officers have to lockdown their section and then rush to back-up another officer. We don’t know if the facility is short staffed. We don’t know if there is a headcount underway. Anyone of us who serves in facilities has experienced these situations. Staff changes take priority over our con-venience. We don’t get to forgo entrance and exit protocols. Sometimes a volunteer shows up and they are not allowed to enter, for any num-ber of reasons. Facilities don’t have to explain why that is; our only course is to leave, graciously, and try again next time. We need to follow the rules—don’t bring in anything but your ID and keys, and wear clothing that makes for easy security scanning. It’s really just a matter of respect and an expression of gratitude for the opportunity to serve. Don’t make their job harder. Don’t be high maintenance. We often say, “it’s their house, so we play by their rules.” Remember, they are in stressful jobs, often doing their job and that of someone else, they are in potential danger, and they may not be compensated to the degree one would expect. As this warden said, be patient with them.

A sheriff gave a great illustration of the difference between short-term and long-term facilities. A jail/detention center is like an emergency room: they know when someone is coming, but they don’t know what shape they’ll be in on arrival. Jails receive folks coming off coffee, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs, people who may be hungry, folks who have been living on the street or may be mentally and/or physically ill, those who exist on the margins. They may not be able to raise funds to post bail and their sentencing date may be in the distant future. Contrast that to prisons that offer a comparatively stable environment. I have great admiration for AAs who serve in jails/detention centers. They often do not have the experience of meet-ing with an alcoholic over time, where they have the same folks in their meetings week after week, and where they often don’t get to see a newcomer’s eyes light up as they take their first steps toward recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Many participants shared a common concern: As facilities change and meeting their needs feels too restrictive to our members (per-haps because of the demands members experience on their time and energies outside AA), the number of AAs willing to serve in facilities appears to be on the decline. Throughout the US and Canada, we are noticing that the amount of fear around serving in facilities and serving as temporary contacts appears to be on the rise. We wonder what we can do to address our concerns. I can only speak to my per-sonal experience by saying I have never been afraid or felt unsafe in a facility. Inside AAs and staff want us there; they work to promote an attitude of respect toward us and have an interest in our safety.

The event closed with a phone call (transmitted throughout the room) from an offender who told us of his journey in Alcoholics Anonymous on the Inside. It was a perfect ending to a rich and meaningful weekend.

In closing, there are many ways to serve alcoholics on the Inside. Join meetings that a group is taking in or sign up to be on a roster,

serve as a temporary contact, correspond with alcoholics serving long-term or life sentences in facilities at least two states from our borders through GSO’s Corrections Correspondence Service, bring your ideas and experiences to your district’s, the area or the Statewide corrections committee meetings, purchase a gift subscription to the Grapevine magazine for an Inside AA (for more information, contact the Area Grapevine Chair or www.aagrapevine.org) and pass on your read Grapevine magazines to the Area Corrections Committee so we can distribute them at fairs—a love for AA literature is common among Inside AAs.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Corrections Chair. It has been an experience of pure joy!

Laura S

Corrections Facilities Contact Coordinator

Finance

Finance Committee Report

Due to inclement weather the Finance Committee did not meet for the last Area Committee Meeting of 2018 and this rotation. In October a finance sub-committee met where the Area 36 Finance Policy was thoroughly looked at. Moving forward with the new rotation we will be passing on our suggestions/recommendation on areas for correc-tions grammatically and, where a more thorough review should be done, and possible changes be made. What the sub-committee found, was some clean up issues such as correcting places where it states the “January Service Conference and changing it to read the “Recovery, Unity & Service Conference”, to properly reflect current titles and wording. All other recommendation will be forward to the new rota-tion to determine the merit of possible motions for Area consideration. A red-lined version of some of the suggestions will be forward to the new Finance Committee Chair.

I will be passing on other suggestions and recommendation onto the new Chair at the upcoming rotation meeting.

The December 2018 finance letter is process and having reviewed the current Treasurer’s report the Area is doing well financially, thanks to all your support throughout the year. More will be revealed in the finance letter.

As the outgoing Finance Committee Chair, a special thanks to all the district treasurers and district finance chairs for the commitment to this committee during the past two years. You made it easy to do the job. Best wishes as you move onto other commitments.

In love and service,

Jeanne H

Grapevine/La Vina

The December 1, 2018 Area 36 committee meetings were canceled due to an impending snow storm.

In the last Grapevine Committee report I mentioned that our request had been presented to AA Grapevine Board to reprint The Best of the Grapevine, Volumes I, II & III. The Board made no decision to reprint the books. It was suggested that used copies were available thru Amazon.com. Using a Google search I was able to find several books listed for sale, both thru Amazon and also thru eBay. I was able to buy a hard copy set of The Best of the Grapevine, Volumes I, II & III. I got each book for less than $7.00 each with free shipping on eBay. If anyone would like to discuss the benefits of circumventing the AAGV Board please contact me.

I accepted the invitation from the incoming Area Chair to continue as the Area 36 Grapevine Chair thru the next rotation. There are several projects that I look forward to pursuing to promote the Grapevine and LaViña in our Area.

The recent events the Grapevine Chair attended include the following.

On September 15 I was at the Area Inventory at the Lakeville Heritage Center.

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 Area Committee Reports

The Southern Minnesota Roundup was held October 13-15 in Mankato. I was unable to attend since I planned to be in Hutchinson at the Area Assembly. The Area Literature chair was able to attend and offered to take the Area 36 GV Display and GV Book shop. We divided the GV materials and were able to cover both events. She had some success selling the Books we offer as part of the display.

I took the Grapevine Display and the Area 36 Grapevine Book shop to the Area Assembly Hutchinson at the Hutchinson Event Center on October 13th, where I sold my fi rst copy of the new Grapevine book One Big Tent. We elected Area 36 offi cers for the next two-year rotation.

I participated in the Area 35/36 Workshop on November 17th at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud.

I attended Founders Day at the Double Tree Hotel in Bloomington on November 23rd & 24th with the Grapevine display.

The next event is the Transition Meeting on December 8th at the Shakopee Public Library. Although I will continue as GV Chair, I look forward to meeting the new rotation as they learn of their new opportunities.

The Area 36 Grapevine committee has a store of Grapevine books and materials that are available for purchase. The following items are brought to all Area 36 events and to each event without an Intergroup presence.

The Best of Bill - soft cover

Daily Quotes

A Rabbit Walks into a Bar

I am Responsible

No Matter What

Step by Step

Emotional Sobriety

Emotional Sobriety II

Into Action

One on One

AA in the Military

One Big Tent

Language of the Heart - hard cover

Language of the Heart -soft cover

Spiritual Awakenings

Spiritual Awakenings II

Young & Sober

Sober & Out

Beginners Book

Happy, Joyous & Free

Voices of Women in A.A.

Making Amends

The GV Committee attends events to educate the attendees about the Grapevine and La Viña, encourage them to read, subscribe to and utilize the Grapevine and LaViña produced materials.

Old Grapevines are needed for use at Grapevine promotions. Please bring them to me at Area events or take to your District meeting. If you do not have a Grapevine District Committee Chair, please give them to the DCM to pass on to me. Thanks again. The age of the Grapevines or La Viña can be as recent as this year or any year from the past 70+.

Thank you for the opportunity to be of service.

In gratitude, Paul L.

Group Records

Hi Group Records Chair, Val P. Firstly, I want to thank all the AA

members, groups, Districts and Area 36 for the opportunity to serve the last two years. It has been an honor and privilege to be of service and an opportunity to grow.

Since the last Pigeon, I have attended all Area Events except the Joint Workshop.

There are two major changes coming up for Group Records:

1- The Fellowship New Vision Database will be transitioned to a new system sometime in February 2019.

2- GSO offi ce will be taking over the Meeting Guide App.

Here is the status of information in the GSO Database Fellowship New Vision (FNV). This information is as of November 25, 2018.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve. It is a privilege and honor. In Your Service,

Valerie P

Literature

Greetings All!

Since my last report I have had the opportunity to attend the Southern Minnesota Roundup in Mankato and the Joint Workshop in St. Cloud. Because the October Assembly was on the same weekend as the Roundup, my Alternate Chair willingly stepped up to attend the Assembly with our literature. The Joint Workshop was informa-tive. The Literature Chair in Area 35 has a different focus. Because they don’t have as many Intergroups he orders books and pamphlets for the districts.

Because our December Committee Meeting was canceled due to bad weather, I have no updates on what is happening in the Districts.

My time as Literature Chair is almost at an end and as I look back at the last two years, I see how much I have learned about this posi-tion and about myself. I have learned that when I needed help there was always someone available to help. Another thing I learned is that mistakes are part of the learning process and there always seems to be a fi x for them. What surprised me was how much physical work was involved. I stored the literature in my basement so every time I needed to bring it upstairs, load the car and go to the event. And repeat the process when I came home.

I have enjoyed serving in this position, especially going to the Roundups and talking to people about our rich supply of literature and their stories in turn. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your Area Literature Chair and especially thank all of you for your help and support.

Yours in love and service, Sue M

Newsletter

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Newsletter dude

Peter


Public Information

Hello Area 36.

It has been a busy quarter since the last Committee meeting. I was invited to visit District 13 in August. The State Fair was our main event of the fall as usual. The State Fair Coordinator has a report following my report. I attended the Area Inventory in September and the Area Assembly in October. The elections are always a fun Assembly for me. Seeing the next rotation voted in gives me hope for another two years of Area service.

I attended the Second Annual Spanish AA Conference. It is amazing how much you can understand even if you don’t speak the language. I presented with CPC Chair at the Joint District 8 and 18 Workshop. I was asked to speak at the District 2 Annual event with the Treatment Chair. And I attended the Joint Area 35/36 Workshop.

It has been a wonderful two years as your Public Information Chair. I am grateful for the honor of serving.

Erica J

Area 36 State Fair Booth Coordinator 2018 Report

Many thanks to the members of Area 36 for entrusting me with this vital responsibility the past 2 years. This has been an interesting, wonderful and miraculous experience for me and I would think for all of us who participated.

This year I began to see how the principles of the program; the steps, traditions and concepts, applied in my actions as coordinator. One of the biggest was the concept of faith.

Letting go and letting God, on many occasions, allowed me to stay sane through what might have been very stressful situations. Finding Captains, Captains canceling, lack of volunteers and the opinions of others were best handled in this manner.

Responsibility/Authority/Delegation: Being able to recognize what my responsibilities were and how to assign authority and delegate to others was extremely helpful in a variety of situations including last minute cancellations, the need for additional literature and finding last minute volunteers to name a few. This report is also part of the responsibility that has been given to me. Also taking inventory, filling out spreadsheets, emailing and phoning participants on an on-going basis before during and after the event.

Anonymity; Kudos to all of the participants at the booth this year for maintaining this important principle as well as the principle of Integrity-Thanks for doing the right thing!

Participation: It’s the key to harmony. Thank you everyone for your participation and making this years booth a success!

By the numbers: Literature handed out- Over 1100 pieces- approx. 150 of which were foreign language.

The booth was open for 144 hours with over 100 volunteers logging over 240 hours of service.

In conclusion: This ends my 2 year commitment as State Fair booth coordinator. I remain responsible, when anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, my hand will be there, including for the next coordinator.

In grateful fulfillment of service, Rob Y

Structure

Hello Area 36! - As we wind down the rotation, I can tell you that the Structure Committee did a phenomenal job this rotation. They rep-resented your Districts well! We have updated the Area 36 By-Laws and the Area 36 Actions within this rotation. Brian M. and Will K. co-chaired the sub- committee for updating the Area 36 By-Laws. They read through those and gave us suggestions for changes and what those changes might be. We did have one meeting where other Alternate DCMs drove to a central location in the Metro and took on a part of those By Law changes together. Thank you to Dennis B. for giving us the format for the Area 36 Actions. Carla N. and I met several times in Burnsville to clean those up and update those Area 36 Actions. We will have those Area 36 Actions posted to the Area 36 Website by the end of December. We will not be posting the Area 36 By-Laws to the Website until we are given permission by

the Area Committee in February. The By-Laws are the Incorporated By-Laws for the Area Committee and therefore the Area Committee “owns” them. They are the only body that can make changes to those by law. If you have any questions in regards to that, please feel free to contact me through email at [email protected]. This has been my first experience in chairing a committee and it has been an awesome learning experience. I think it is beneficial for me to have chaired this committee before representing you at the 2019 General Service Conference in New York next May. Once again thank you for allowing me to be of service to you in Area 36!!

Yours in Service Missy P

Technology

Treatment Facilities

Greetings Area 36!

As we enter the final few weeks of this rotation, I am thankful for being given the opportunity to serve as the Area 36 Treatment Chair for the past 2 years. I have been able to travel to a number of out-state districts to attend their monthly District Meeting to provide a presentation of the Temporary Contract Program. The districts are doing a lot of great work and that came out in their reports during the meetings. Everyone was warm and inviting.

We have focused efforts at ensuring Treatment Facilities clients are informed about the Temporary Contact program. However, I have learned that we need to do a better job within our fellowship to inform individual AA members about the program. I have been surprised by the number of AA members who do not know about the program.

The number of requests for a Temporary Contact are up in the last 2 years which is good. My biggest disappointment over the past 2 years has been the large number of requests we received and were unable to make contact with the person in Treatment. I have been reviewing closeouts and have a log of what Treatment Facility the request came from and reason we were not able to make contact. Before the end of this rotation I will send this information to the Treatment facilities and ask them how we might improve our suc-cess rate.

Once again, thanks for the opportunity to serve

Jim V

Treatment Temporary Contact Coordinator

Hello Area 36 -Where has the time gone. I am rotating out as Treatment Temporary Contact Chair. We are in need of Phone volun-teers to help match up contact volunteers with those requesting help. If anyone has a Saturday morning free the first or fourth Saturdayof the month please help us carry the message. We have been working closely with our twin program in corrections and the Bridging the Gap group on changes in the database. Another need of our pro-gram is volunteers in rural areas, along the Iowa border and west of Wilmer area. If DCMs can encourage participation in groups in your respective districts. We are also seeing an increase in younger people (late teens/ early twenties) requesting contacts returning to these areas. Thank you for this opportunity to serve and learn in Area 36

Yours in Service Vince F

Pink Can Plan

Area Committee Reports


Minneapolis Intergroup

Hello from Minneapolis Intergroup. Our annual outreach over the summer brought in updates from forty-nine groups. Five of those groups were deleted after dis-covering they no longer existed. We have a new part-time staff member LeeAnn G. who we appreciate very much. She started in July. I attended the 31st annual Intergroup/Central Office/AAWS/Grapevine Seminar in Montreal, Canada. It is a meaningful experience for me to connect with people doing the same work I am doing and be able to exchange ideas and experiences about office operations issues. Board elections took place in September. Four members rotated off after serving for three years. We cannot thank Jamie M., Sooze H., Mike M., and Jennifer M. enough for they dedica-tion to Minneapolis Intergroup. We welcome Patti P., Deb W., Jessica B., and Brad R. who began their rotation on October 1st. It has been exciting to work with three different high schools the last three months and schedule AA Information talks for 14 classes. Eight young AA members have enthusiatically signed up to speak with these young students. The responses from the teachers and AA speakers has been rewarding and powerful. Questions ranged from, “Did you have the support from your mother and father?” to “Do you have a job?”In October we completed an orientation for the AA Information Committee. We currently have thirty non-AA facilities requesting an AA member share information about Alcoholics Anonymous. A total of forty-six commitments are scheduled each month by our three great coordinators, Don S., Janice K., and John P. Volunteers are scheduled one time a month to share what AA is and what AA isn’t. Terry L. presented an AAI talk and current members shared their experiences with all the different types of facilities.Founder’s Day Weekend was a great event after Thanksgiving. We are so grateful for all the groups that hosted the Minneapolis Intergroup Hospitality Suite, #115. We could not do it without their support. De LaSalle High School, in downtown Minneapolis will be a great place to be on New Year’s Eve! Pass It On Marathon is a safe, sober event on Monday, December 31st. Doors open at 7:00 pm for food, games, dancing, meetings and fellowship. We are honored to have Christina G., from Minneapolis be our main speaker at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door.In Love and Service Gail S

St. Paul Intergroup

SAt St. Paul Intergroup things continue to be an adventure. The last few months of summer were fairly quiet as AA’s spent time at the lake or North Shore. Our volunteer corp. has grown, and we are enjoying their efforts in answering the calls that come to the office.Our Ice Cream Social event went very well, with some great long timers sharing their experience, strength and hope with us. We are very fortunate to have these dedicated AA’s to draw on in getting a sense of the history of Alcoholics Anonymous in St. Paul.Also very well attended, was our recent Gratitude Night. Terry C was the main speaker and did his usual excellent job of shar-ing experience, strength and hope. Everyone enjoyed cake and coffee afterward just to roundup a fine evening!This past month we held our Board elections. By God’s grace we had someone to fill each open spot. Rob C. will be our new Chairperson, with Lindsey D. as the new Alternate. Justin D. will rotate into the Treasurer position, with Mark J. becoming the Alternate Treasurer. Rachel P. will be our new Secretary. Jimmy D. and Mike C. will be the new At-Large members, with CJ M. filing out the final year of Brian L’s term – as he has medical problems that keep him from completing his term. We

are looking forward to our new Board members joining us!As some may have heard, our facility is up for sale. At this writing we do not have any definite information regarding the status of that. It is part of a sale of 4 properties – so can be an extended exercise. We have formed a Building Committee of 3 Board members who are examining our options and potential locations should we need to move. We think it better to be pre-pared with options in the event we need to utilize them.We are currently planning for our New Year’s event. It’s really nice since we have located all our events at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, just off Dale & I94 in St. Paul. It makes the planning much easier and folks always know where the events will be. The church has been wonderful to work with and we very much appreciate their graciousness. .Dennis B. Office Manager

From our Community

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District 1

District 2

Greetings from District 2

At our October meeting, elections were held for DCM, Alternate DCM and Secretary. Annie L. from Mabel was elected as the new DCM, replacing Bill H., Brian G. from Winona was voted in as Alternate DCM and Jake D. from Winona as Secretary. Bill H. expressed his gratitude for letting him serve the past 3 years and the group thanked him for his commitment.

Our third annual Whitewater Chili Event was held on Sunday, November 4 at Whitewater State Park. A roaring fire and hot chili warmed those that attended. The food was amazing and so were the speakers. Thank you to Jim V., Area 36 Treatment Facilities Chair and Erica J., Area 36 Public Information Chair, for sharing their experience, strength and hope with us. The 2019 event will be held on Sunday, October 27.

As DCM, I am excited to begin work with our GSRs and committee chairs to launch a joint effort between Public Information and Cooperation with the Professional Community on an educational campaign to health professionals and treatment facilities. Michelle R., the new GSR from the Preston Tuesday Lunch Group, agreed to help with the outreach effort.

We encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about service to attend our District meeting on the 3rd Thursday of the month in Rushford at 7pm. We are not a glum lot and the coffee and brownies are free!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Annie L.

District 3 - 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

Greetings from District 7,

District 7 is roughly southwestern Hennepin County: Chanhassen, Edina, Eden Prairie, Excelsior, a sliver of Minnetonka, and Shorewood. Right now, we are 50 groups, and we average 8 GSRs at our monthly district meet-ing. ...........................................

Here are a few highlights from our district, since the August edition of the Pigeon:

We covered the State Fair Public Information booth for a day. Thanks to Brian M. (our Alt. DCM) for serving as our Day Captain, and also to the volunteers who took a shift in the booth on, what turned out to be, the hottest day of the fair. Phew!

In October, District 7 took our inventory (as we do every 2 years). Thanks to Mary M., who facilitated the meeting for us. While our turnout was low, we had good discussion that resulted in suggestions for future service opportunities.

At our November meeting, we held elections for the new slate of officers for the 2019-2020 rotation. Our new DCM will be Karin S-A (currently the GSR for Mainstreeters); our new Alt. DCM will be Charmaine S. (GSR for Minnetonka Big Book). Our current Secretary and Treasurer came into the job mid-rotation, and both were elected to a serve full term in their respective position: Jane A-W as Secretary and DeEtte L. as Treasurer.

Way back in August we issued our draft district budget for 2019, in order to give our groups ample time to review the budget for the coming year. We’ll continue discussion of the draft budget, and then vote whether to accept it, at our December meeting.

It’s hard to believe we’re closing in on the end of another rotation. As it has been for me in every other service position, this one began with some fear and insecurity, but also a willingness to learn. Then, one action at a time (like everything else around here), we do our imperfect best: we show up for the next event, keep the next commitment, ask for help, and accept the humility

that inevitably (!) makes itself known. And…next thing we know, our turn is over and we’re on to our next opportunity to learn and grow in service. We know some good work has been done, and we know there’s still far more to do.

I’m grateful to the people I’ve had the opportunity to serve with during this rotation, especially my fellow district officers, our standing committee chairs, and our GSRs, who have given of their time and talent to participate in district meetings, Area Committee Meetings, Area Assemblies, and Regional service events. Many thanks, as well, to the groups of District 7, for their financial contributions that help maintain our district’s connection to AA’s general ser-vice structure and AA’s collective group conscience.

And also my fellow DCMs! As I watch today’s weather radar for south-ern Minnesota, I’m relieved that the area officers canceled today’s Area Committee Meeting. Still, I’m sorry to miss out on that last DCM sharing session—they have been a consistent highlight for me.

On behalf of District 7 (I can say, because it came up during our inventory), I want to thank all of the Area officers and standing committee chairs who have attended District 7’s meetings at various times during the past two years. Your help with explaining General Service Conference agenda items, the area’s budget process, and questions of AA’s intellectual property rights was invalu-able to our GSRs. There’s so much fascinating, complicated “stuff” in general service—and so much that feels like it’s over my head (and probably always will be) (which isn’t true!). It’s always a thrill when any of us leaves a service meeting feeling like we truly understand, so thank you for showing up pre-pared, and for your patience with our questions!

With respect to ongoing service opportunities in District 7, I know our new DCM will need help in the upcoming rotation. If you’re curious to know more about that, please use our DCM email address to contact Karin, [email protected]. She’ll take over the email account toward the end of December. If you happen to reach out before it changes hands, I’ll take care to forward your emails on to her, right away.

And so…onward! I wish you all the best in your next service position. I look forward to meeting you, or getting to know you better, as we carry on in support AA’s collective group conscience, and our world services, locally and beyond. Cheers to you and your loved ones for the holiday season, with gratitude for the recovery that we’ve found here in AA.

Sincerely, Teresa Kl

Districts 8- 12

District 13

District 14

Greetings from District 14

District 14 consists of all of Wright County and has approximately 60 groups. We meet on the 1st Monday of every month at United Methodist Church – 609 8th Street NW, Buffalo, MN 55313. We have an average of 15-20 GSR’s are representing their groups monthly. All are encouraged and welcome to attend.

My report will consist of the following from our CPC chair Alan S..

Greetings from the CPC committee of District 14! We just concluded a very busy month in October for the CPC Committee in our district. We held a CPC Information Breakfast on Thursday, October 25th in Buffalo, MN that focused on Clergy, Educator, Healthcare and Treatment professionals that work in our district (Wright county). We prepared by forming a district CPC committee back in August and reaching out to nearby District 13 and asking Pat M from their district about their best practices and for their suggestions on how to plan and execute our CPC Information Breakfast. We then reached out to over 150 Clergy, Educator, Healthcare and Treatment professionals in our district. We had 19 professionals in attendance at our CPC Information Breakfast and 16 professionals who could not attend have engaged our district for help and information about how AA can help their members, patients and students. We had 11 AA members serve at our CPC breakfast as greeters, presenters, speakers and most importantly who sat side by side with our professionals

DCM Reports


DCM Reports

during the breakfast. We have supplied the professionals in our district who engaged with us with AA Literature (we purchased AA Literature packages for professionals from Minneapolis Intergroup), Grapevines, lists of the meet-ings in our district and information about the Meeting Guide app for fi nding meetings statewide and nationally. Looking ahead to 2019, District 14 plans on engaging Corrections, HR, Law Enforcement and Legal Professionals in our district by reaching out to them and inviting them to attend a CPC Information Breakfast. Our CPC Chair will be sharing more information about what is happening in District 14 at the next Area 36 committee meet-ing in Mankato on February 23rd.

In service- Steve S.

District 15

District 16

District 17

Warm Greetings from District 17!

We meet at Lighthouse Assembly of God Church on Highway 212 in Plato, MN. There are about 30 AA groups in District 17 which is McLeod, Sibley and western Carver Counties. All groups are encouraged to attend and par-ticipate at the monthly District Meeting.

Since the last report, the CPC Committee led the eff ort to put on a program for doctors and other medical staff at Hutchinson Area Health Care to educate and inform about alcoholism, recovery and AA as a community resource. Additional programs are in the works for Glencoe and Waconia medical facil-ities. The District sponsored and put on Santa’s Sober Workshop in Gaylord with emphasis on working with others, service opportunities over the holidays and enjoying a sober and sane holiday season.

District 17 has identifi ed and is taking action to address a gap in available AA literature. We are seeking to have publication of the Best of the Grapevine Volumes reinstated from their discontinued status. These contain critically important writings of Bill W. and many early contributors to the early devel-opment and formation of AA.

We have been pleased with the increase in participation at District by several Groups. We are always looking for more people to get involved. We have recently fi lled vacant chair positions and interest continues to grow. There are committee and other positions and numerous service opportunities to match almost anyone’s interest. It is a great service opportunity. It is also just a lot of fun.

Yours in service,- Dennis T

District 18

Hello everybody!

Another rotation speedily coming to an end, and I’m pleased to report that we have a strong incoming team of new offi cers.

DCM: Eric M.

Alt DCM: Marvin J.

Secretary: Emily E.

Treasurer: Kristin H.

I am also very happy to report that we have done the necessary legal work to open up a new bank account for the district. Our current bank account is under a defunct SSN, and we had never registered with the MN Secretary of State. We are now legally incorporated with the state of MN as District 18 Minneapolis. We have our own EIN from the IRS, and have fi led Form 8976: Intent to Operate as a 501(c)(4). It is unclear, as of yet, if the district needs/wants to do the more extensive fi ling with the IRS, but there is no deadline on that and so research remains to be done by future trusted servants.

We had a fall workshop, in cooperation with District 8, titled: Conversations with Others, The Role of Public Information (PI) and Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) in our Twelfth Step Outreach.

Work is currently proceeding on our annual fi nance letter, and our list of “unknown” groups (groups fi led with GSO but with no personal contact infor-mation) has been greatly reduced. Our attendance continues at 35-40 people

per month, with about 28 voting members. Our operating fund has been under its maximum cap all year, and our contributions have been signifi cantly up. We are buying a new computer for the Secretary, and discussing contributing Big Books to a local treatment center.

District 18 keeps rolling along! It has been both a challenge and a pleasure to serve as DCM. I look forward to new adventures for all of us.

Peace.- Riki S

District 19-21

District 22

Hi from District 22,

As we near the end of this rotation, I look back at all the eff orts the group of trusted servants have put forward during the last two years. District 22 has a wonderful history of people and groups that take great pride in working to achieve the goal of reaching out to the still suff ering alcoholic.

The groups represented by District 22 can be proud of the work carried forward by the group of GSRs, Alt GSRs, Committee Chairs, committee members and offi cers during the last rotation. From group outreach to dis-tribution of literature - from workshops to CPC outreach - from getting Big Books into all the Hennepin County libraries to being

involved in committees at the area level.

District 22 encompasses Golden Valley, Hopkins, St. Louis Park and parts of Minnetonka, but everyone is welcome. As the new rotation begins there will be many opportunities for you to get involved in general service. Join us at 7:00pm on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, Mizpah United Church of Christ, 412 5th Avenue N., Hopkins, MN 55343. Learn more at www.district22mn.com.

Finally, thank you for the opportunity and privilege of serving as your District Committee Member for the past two years. This group of people embody the AA principle of carrying the AA message. I wish you all the best as you travel this road and hope that you will

fi nd that general service completes your AA triangle of Recovery, Unity and Service.

In love and service - Roy E

District 23

District 24

District 25

District 26

District 27


Southern Minnesota Alcoholics Anonymous

Area Assembly

Saturday October 13, 2018

Hutchinson Event Center, Hutchinson, MN

Note: ASL Interpreters are present so the deaf and hard of hearing folk can participate. Mary M requested that those using the microphone to speak slower for the interpreters.

Thank you and Gratitude to District 17 for showing up so early, setting up and hosting this Area Assembly.

9:00 am Opening / Serenity Prayer / Welcome / Announcements / Introductions

Approval of June 16, 2018 Assembly Minutes: Riki S

Riki S, DCM, District 18 advised of corrections needed in her District 18 DCM Report, “Quarterly reports and carrying financial status …” should read “Quarterly reports and com-paring financial status … .” Also, “Inventory determined.....primary purpose that we service structure …” should read, “Inventory determined.....primary purpose that we service and maintain structure … .”

Roy E motioned to approve June 16, 2018 Area Assembly Minutes; Flow K seconded. June 17, 2017 Assembly Minutes approved.

AREA 36 OFFICERS’ REPORTS:

Delegate Panel 67– Curt K:

Attended the 67th General Service Conference Panel 67. Have visited 21 Districts and provides the Delegate’s Reports. The General Service Conference Final Reports are on the table and the web version has been posted to our Area website, www.area36.org. A full report was given at GSC on intel-lectual property discussion. Today are elections for Area 36. Take Leadership seriously – Concept 9.

Alternate Delegate - Missy P:

Missed one Off icers’ meeting and August 2018 Area Committee Meeting. I will attend the Areas 35 and 36 Joint Workshop in November. Will provide more information as to what I do as Alternate Delegate.

Chairperson - Mary M:

Helped District 07 facilitate their District Inventory. Visited a District 06 active Group in Marshall (hometown) that wants to be involved in general service. District 06 will be talking with District 05 and attend their District events. The Joint Areas 35 and 36 Workshop is scheduled for November 17 in St. Cloud. Have asked the Area Committee Chairs and Area Officers for their top ten items to share with incoming.

Chairperson – JEANNE H:

Attended August Area Committee Meeting, Area Inventory and the Officers’ meetings, as well as multiple RUSC Committee meetings. The Recovery, Unity & Service Conference (RUSC) flier is complete and there are many ways to register. I am writing an article for the Pigeon news-letter detailing what the Alternate Chairperson position entails. The Finance Committee will be meeting regarding our Finance Policy. I plan on attending the Joint Areas 35 and 36 Workshop in St. Cloud, the December Area Committee meeting and the December Area 36 Rotation meeting.

SECRETARY – ANNETTE W:

Attended all Area Events and Officers’ Monthly meetings that were conducted. Asking the Fellowship to be mindful when speaking in the microphone and stating clearly full name and home group for the corporate record and it is memorialized on the digital and make it easier to clean up the Minutes.

TREASURER – GREG J:

Attended all Area events as well as Districts 08 and 13 to share information on the proposed 2019 Area Budget. Reimbursements are current. Contributions are all entered.

Thanks to Groups for Support.

SMAA Financial Performance as of September 30, 2018:

Assets:

TCF checking (our main checking account) is up from same time last year: $16,040 to $22,067; TCF Pink Can Plan check-ing is up from same time last year: $5,732 to $13,154;

Income and Expense Previous Year Comparison as of September 30, 2018:

Group Contributions are up from same time last year: $41,998 to $45,091

Total Income is flat from same time last year: $55,994 to $55,696

Net Operating Income is up from same time last year: $(4,263) to $7,718

Income and Expense Budget v Actual as of September 30, 2018:

Group Contributions are up: $45,091 compared to budgeted amount of $39,515

Total Income is over budget: $55,696 compared to budgeted amount of 50,433

Total Expenses: $47,977 compared to budgeted amount of $56,401

Pink Can Contributions: $33,334 compared to budgeted amount of $33,129

Pink Can Expenses: $31,152 compared to budgeted amount of $33,129

Questions from Body:

Kelli M, Accessibilities Chair asked if we were over what was budgeted for ASL Exhibitor Fees and to confirm if these expenses were approved. Greg responded that Area approved them at the beginning of the year additional ASL and will look into this question further.

Roy E, District 21 DCM asked how the Pink Can Plan is show-ing in the negative and Greg responded that we do carry a cash balance averaging $8,000 or above. Roy also asked what was the Area’s prudent reserve and Greg responded that the prudent balance is currently $11,751 and the prudent reserve is expected to increase $1,000 in accordance with the pro-posed 2019 budget as it is a certain percentage of the Budget.

Mike H, GSR, Happy Destiny, inquired if our prudent reserve was in a savings account or just mixed in and Greg responded that the prudent reserve is held in a separate interest bearing account.

Committee Chair Reports

Accessibilities, Kelli M

Since our last report, I attended June Area Assembly, August Area Committee Meeting (ACM), but was not able to attend the Area Inventory. Four District Accessibilities Chairs attended the last ACM and two District Chairs have joined since from Districts 20 and 22. District 01 is working on outreach and organizing a Green Can Plan for funds for ASL Interpreters. Our participating deaf members will be speaking at workshops next year. District 07 is connecting with a blind person with literature and braille information. Fifteen members are interested in a Study Action Group. The Continuous Action Group in District 18 is working on pro-viding Interpreter at their meeting. District 13 working on getting AA information to Sr. facilities. District 16 attended a County-wide meeting of medical health advocates, Health Finders where 115 people in attendance, provide Spanish and ASL literature. St. Paul Academy for Deaf. District 07 will have their 2nd annual Service Conference at enVision Hotel, 701 Concord Street So. So. St. Paul, on Oct 26, 27 and 28 and fliers are available. Info 651-442-2183. Been personally com-municating with different AA Areas regarding ASL.

UNAPPROVED MINUTES OF THE AREA ASSEMBLY MEETING OCTOBER 13 2018


Archives, William W:

Currently working hard on the digitizing process; cabinets of paper; converting Pigeons into .PDF format; You can email me for a link to view the Pigeon. Fascinating because the same discussions coming up today happened as well years and years ago. The cost of housing materials is a relative part of our budget. Archives Workshop is back on for Nov 4 at 2pm Speaker on the AA Historical Perspective; Learn how to collect Group Histories at West St. Paul Library … check Flier ON WEBSITE.

Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC), Tony M:

Attended Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) Conference on Oct 10-12.

Corrections, Laura S:

Felt so blessed to serve as Corrections Chair this rotation coming in from the last rotation as the Alternate Corrections Chair and working with AA members bringing AA into the facilities, the Roster keepers, and those that have come out of the facilities. Districts 03, 07, 08, 12, 17, 22 and 24 attended the last ACM along with Sam St. P., Pink Can Plan Coordinator. Kurt N, past Pink Can Plan coordinator, who moved up north, will be doing a Transition Fair with me. Bridging the Gap. There are now AA meetings being held at Dakota County Jail. There are 53 Grapevine and 20 LaVinas subscriptions going into our correctional facilities. We have facilities that run their own meetings and have GSRs. It has been a hard year for Correctional Facilities in the U.S. Safety concerns.

Finance Chair, Jeanne H:

First portion of the year was helping the Area Chair and Treasurer get the proposed 2019 Budget through. We will have a meeting on Sat., Oct 27 from 2-4 to go over the Finance Policy which needs technical updates; i.e., “Annual Service Conference” should be called RUSC”

Grapevine: Paul L:

Grapevine books are available for purchase; including recent collection of ESH stories from the Atheist and Agnostic AA members in “One Big Tent.” Southern MN Roundup in Mankato is happening today and current Literature Chair, Sue Moore, has some of the available inventory there.

GROUP RECORDS, VAL P:

District 18 did a clean up on the Groups with Unknown sta-tus; GSO is going to a new system; will go live in February 2019. Integrated with shipping, receiving software package that was implemented. Area 35 is responsible for the monthly updates to www.aaminnesota.org – the Meeting Guide App. By the 6th of the month, changes will show up on the Meeting Guide.

Public Information, Erica J: District 13 invited; Districts 25 and 12 events; District 18 Nov 3 Workshop; Nov 4 Wwater State Park Event; funding didn’t go through for the Metro Rail and Bus ads – District 08 voted to get metro rail and bus ads for the holidays.

Structure, Missy P:

Structure Committee Chair is also a duty of the Alternate Delegate. Working on Area By-Laws and the Area Actions and learned lessons from previous rotation’s experience. Area Actions were updated last rotation and we (Carla and Missy) tidied them up and are available for review by the Area body today. Attended Area Inventory. Structure Committee can look thru those comments and forW on to the Area Committee Chair that the comments belong to so they can be sent to next rotation for any action or proposals that may come out of those comments.

Technology, Rodney R:

Working with William W, Archives, to figure out storage for

digitized Archives. Figuring out online payment contribu-tions option. Several changes with Pink Can Plan online contributions; recently got RUSC website registration up and going; met with Jim V and Laura S with their database con-cerns and options for what may work best.

Treatment Facilities, Jim V:

Attended all Area events. Working on the new Temporary Contact database with Laura and Rodney in converting and combining both Treatment and Corrections databases. There are currently over 2,400 temporary contact names in the Treatment database. Need to map zip codes and organize by District. We are contacting DCMs to validate that data in the upcoming week. Will provide a script to help with the updating and validating of volunteer information. Attended Unity Open H in September with Vince P with a Treatment Facility table and signed some members up to be temporary contacts. AAI on Oct 27 at InterGroup and will provide a review of TTC. Helped Laura with the BTG Conference last year and working on database change.

GSR SHARING:

Karin F, GSR Cavalier Club Mainstreeters: Open Mixed.

Lori N, GSR Woodbury Serenity Sisters: Mon 7:15. Group Conscience and discussed Area and District budgets. Washington County Jail, Haven Center Treatment.

Charmaine S, GSR Minnetonka Big Book Study: Sun 9am. Quite a few service commitments.

Linda Mc, GSR Fox Hall Chapter 7: Meeting Thurs 7:30 Wooddale Church Eden Prairie. 2 Speakers male female. 1800 Chicago, Fairview Riverside, many service commitments. Can now contribute electronically to the Group. Officer elec-tions next month for Secretary and Treasurer.

Vince P, GSR Basic Twelve Group Elections coming up. We have 10 or so service commitments. Anniversary this month. Step/Tradition. Last meeting is Speaker. Lots of food.

Cindy W, GSR Lakeville meetings: Sat 9am Big Book, Tues, Thurs and Sun evenings. We now will have an Alternate GSR. The last Saturday of the month is a Speaker meeting and we now have a Speaker coordinator service opportunity open. Hastings Detox, 3rd Friday of the month.

Megan K, Alt GSR, Bridge to Shore, Mon 2218. Closed Big Book. Quite a few long-timers. Service District and Area sponsoring.

Jeannette S, GSR Continuous Action Wed 6:30 Bethel Lutheran, Mpls. Tradition and 12 Steps paragraph by para-graph with discussion behind each paragraph. 2nd ASL interpreted meeting. 3 people attended for ASL.

Cori S, GSR Hour of Power District 08, Fri 6:30am. Principles meeting. Speaker 10-15 minutes on Principle w discussion after. Service Commitment to Ramsey County Detox. Start contributing to St. .Paul InterGroup.

Annie L, GSR Mabel (Iowa border): Thurs 7:30 closed mixed meeting. First Thurs month Food and Speakers. Caledonia Jail Women’s AA meeting in Houston County. Part of District 02. Chili event Nov 4 at Wwater Park w Speakers.

Marvin J, GSR Chunks and Measures, Mon 6pm, 2218. Big Book Study with discussion following. Last Monday is Speaker meeting. 1st Monday is a business meeting. Service District 18 participation in Treatment and Group Records, Lino Lakes prison, Wayzata Retreat, SE Treatment Center (Somali Men); Detox at 1800 Chicago.

Wade M, Alt GSR, Lakers Thurs 6:30. Step. Bring meeting into Hastings Detox and literature available for newcomers.

Rob Y, GSR Thunderbird Groups, Bloomington: Mon and Fri noon at St. Bonaventures Church. Step Tradition meeting, Closed. Meet at Hazelwood Restaurant on Sat 9 Big Book, 10 Step/Tradition. Men’s Hennepin County Jail, LifeStyles Treatment, 1800 Chicago, State Fair Booth day, This is our

UNAPPROVED MINUTES OF THE AREA ASSEMBLY MEETING OCTOBER 13 2018

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 UNAPPROVED MINUTES OF THE AREA ASSEMBLY MEETING OCTOBER 13 20187th location that this Group has met. Saturday group meets at a different location and decided to become an autonomous group. Information is posted on the InterGroup and Area 36 website. Discussing contributions to the AA entities.

Peter R, GSR, Complete Defeat Group, No. Mpls, D15. Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, Fairview Riverside Detox, Anoka County Jail, InterGroup and District. Beginners meeting every Monday. Women’s break-out meeting. Potluck 2nd Fri every month. Discussing Group Inventory.

Michelle G, GSR Sun AA St. Louis Park (SLPSNAAG): Sun 7:30 Closed Mixed. 1st Sunday is Birthday night and is Open and have an AA Speaker. Rest of the Sundays are call-up meet-ings – speak for 5 minutes. Commitments: Mission Detox, Aragonie House Men, 112 meeting, InterGroup phones. New commitment: House of Charities Treatment Program down-town. Also ASL is provided.

Jaimee M, GSR, Common Solution, Womens’ Big Book Study. Provide Child Care and ASL interpreters, rides for women from treatment facilities, attended by women in halfway Hs. Having Group Inventory soon; take online contributions thru app. Provide reimbursement mileage for GSR to attend Area events.

Marnie T, GSR, Worthwhile Women’s Meeting, Wed 6pm, Eagan. Seeing a lot of new sobriety and encouraging everyone to get involved in Service. Alt GSR, meetings at Hastings Detox, opportunities for members to present top-ics. Sponsorship, more involvement in structure of AA, Joint Workshop, Founders, Day.

Kelsie H, GSR New Freedom, Minnetonka, Sun Open Discussion Topic meeting. New GSR last month.

Amy O’B, GSR Eagan Open Speaker Wed Nite. 7pm. New location settling in Eagan Artworks Bldg. Call-up Speaker meeting for 5 minutes each. 3rd Wed have an outside Speaker. Cochraine Treatment Center, 3rd Thurs/month.

Nick B, GSR Sun Glencoe: 8pm Christ Lutheran Church, Big Book topic every week, Final Sunday of month is Speaker. McLeod County Jail 1st Thurs, planning 30th Annual picnic July

Daisy G, GSR Gaylord Tues Group: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, individual members at treatment centers, Hispanic membership. Host Sober Santa Workshop in District 17.

Eric S, GSR Up the Creek, Thurs night near Lake Nokomis. Big Book,

Flow K, GSR, Central Pacific, Recycles cans to fund the Green Can Plan, huge 250 members Speaker meeting at Hennepin Ave Methodist 511 Groveland 7:30 Thurs nights.

Amanda H, Happy Joyous Free Mahtomedi Sun Mixed, Group Inventory in next couple months. Large meeting, large young men come from treatment facility,

Dave, GSR River Rats Group, Afton. New GSR. Encouraging to see how many people are active in general service here today.

Ed M, GSR Nicollet Group, Stools and Bottles presentation at St. Paul InterGroup Anniversary party in November. Friday is Big Book Step Study, men from Progress Valley, Fairview Riverside 3rd Saturday.

Savannah H, Alt GSR, It’s Noon Somewhere. Noon every day 365 days/year. Need more service commitments in our AA community.

Mike H, Happy Destiny, Richfield. Tues 7:30, recently moved. Many service commitments.

DISTRICT REPORTS

District 3 - Jan B DCM: Meet in Owatonna at West Hills; pro-vided a booth at the County Fair; new District 3 Directory published and out.

District 7 - Teresa K DCM: 51 groups in Southwestern

Hennepin County; recently registered 10 additional groups with GSO AA Group Records; Mary M provided Budget pre-sentation; Brian M, Alt DCM, served as Group Captain State Fair; Mary M facilitated Group Inventory; elections for next slate of District 07 Officers is in November for 2019-2020 rota-tion; four of Standing Committees: Craig H, Corrections; Ashley R, Accessibilities; Steph M, Literature; CPC Workshop. Five vacant Committee Chairs.

District 12, Jerry S DCM: near Iowa border; meet 3rd Monday in Sherburne; heard Delegate’s report; Mary M explained the Budget; Oct 19 CPC luncheon for Professionals 60 invited Holiday Inn Fairmont. Elections are this coming Monday. Excited to help host the 2019 RUSC in Fairmont.

District 13 Stacy Mc DCM: Anoka County and part of NE Mpls. 175 Groups w 6 Alano Clubs. 1st Tues month. Pot Luck/Elections are in November. Erica, PI, visited and pre-sented PI; Greg J, September to discuss Budget in detail; manned State Fair booth one day; provided Fair Booth in our County; Gratitude Night in June.

District 14, Steve S DCM CPC Oct 25 breakfast

District 15, Nancy T, DCM: Our District consists of all of Washington County but does not include Center City or anything to do with Hazelden. AA 51 Groups total of 112 meetings a week 3 Alano Clubs. Law Enforcement stopped by to discuss taking AA meetings into Jail; Spring Workshop and Fall Workshop. Chili Feed Living 12 Traditions in Daily Life, Lake Elmo, Oct 27, w lunch 11:30 Speakers at noon. Voting on Budget in Oct District meeting; elections at November District meeting.

District 17, Dennis T DCM, Western Carver, McLeod and Sibley Counties. Organizing Santa’s Sober Workshop in Gaylord.

District 18, Riki S DCM – Workshop Conversations with Others Sat. Nov 3 10-1pm ASL provided; manned Memorial Day at State Fair; working on 2019 Budget; have legal issues – never registered with Secretary of State; put ad hoc com-mittee together; District approved Articles of Incorporation to file with IRS.

District 19, Dan R DCM: All of Dakota County. Hospital out-reach is successful, medical offices; District election will be Nov 15.

District 22, Roy E DCM: We had a huge windfall from MNYPAA; we are currently now trying to find a prudent way to spend this money down in this calendar year; we are try-ing to make sure we have things in place. Elections are in November.

District 24, Merv W DCM, completed; elections in November;

District 25, Richfield and Bloomington. Heard Curt’s report in August. Health Fair Oct 23, publishing District Where & When; Assisted with funding the Superbowl ads

District 27, Miriam M., Alt DCM: Been working hard on our 2nd Hispanic AA Convention having Speakers from other states and even Mexico on October 26, 27 and 28. Public Information Committee is carrying the message frequently to the Mexican Consulate, Health Fairs and other places in the Latino Community. In August, a new Spanish meeting started in Anoka and another one in Rochester got re-acti-vated. During September, District 27 had elections where new chair members were elected. DCM is Cesar N.

NEW BUSINESS:

Curt K: Additional feedback for General Service Board: When may legal action be warranted in intellectual property issues?

Chaired Conference Committee on Trustees and debated GSC to the Board, manuscript up for auction and we inter-vened. Failed. Discussion about when our Fellowship should engage in legal action at all. Prepared and presented another issue at the General Service Conference in April where we again needed to consider legal action. Website: www.

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 UNAPPROVED MINUTES OF THE AREA ASSEMBLY MEETING OCTOBER 13 2018

alcoholicsanonymous.com. AA does not own the domain name. There is content in this site that draws people to treat-ment centers and recovery that has nothing to do with AA. Purports that you can find AA meetings, but not exactly cor-rect. Trustees ask – group has been invited to cease and desist using this name. Board wants to know if we are taking appropriate action risk. Can we go forW with legal action? We want the Fellowship to be part of this discussion. Our next Delegate will be taking this to the next GSC in April 2019. This information is located on pages 19-24 in the GSC Report.

Discussion and Comments:

Daisy, GSR, Gaylord Thurs night. www.aa.org contains a complete list of trademarks and service marks for Alcoholics Anonymous.

Stacy Mc, Member: We need to proceed cautiously and am assured that our Trustees do that now. Glad we are talk-ing about the Principles of our Program and apply them. Tradition 6 speaks louder. Tradition 10 this is definitely an inside issue.

Lisa G, Past Delegate Panel 65: Trademark litigation is very expensive. We are paying renewal fees for our trademarks. Believes resources should be used to serve the alcoholic that still suffers.

Angie E, Past Delegate Panel 61: We used to use phone books to find AA. Our Trustees have the fiduciary responsibility to us. We have the responsibility to carry the message of AA to the Newcomer. If AA was ever going to be destroyed, it won’t be from the outside, it will be from within. It will be done via apathy. It would be good to look at how other intellectual property lawsuits have come out.

Val P, Day by Day Group, Anoka, Member: conversation in my group about his. Tradition 10 that AA has no opinion on outside issues. One of our members felt very strongly that taking litigation is bringing us into public controversy. We dug into history and AA has operated on spiritual principles

Cindy W, GSR, Lakeville meetings: Group didn’t feel strongly one way or the other, anchored to Tradition 10.

Savanah, Alt GSR Its Noon Somewhere. Feels dangerous to suffering alcoholics. Website does say not affiliated with AA World Services, but that they believe they are in line with our AA Traditions. We thought dangerous because they can do whatever they want with their website. They are affiliating with AA by using the name. People that do not know think we are AA.

Rob Y, GSR, Thunderbird Groups: Maybe this website could be the gateway to get into AA, may be helpful. How is this issue affecting Tradition 5, Carrying the Message into the Groups? Taking legal action benefit – not suing for profit, we are here to protect our integrity and our brand. We elected the Trustees with our trust to do what they do. Megan, Alt GSR, Bridge to Shore, reviewed pages 19-24 Report on alco-holicsanonymous.com discussion. Outside issue. Focus on AA.

PROPOSED

Archives Committee proposal to add $700 to the 2019 Area 36 Budget to attend the National AA Archives Workshop.

Corrections Committee proposal to add $655 to the 2019 Area 36 Budget to attend the Bridging the Gap event Sept 6-9, 2019 in Sacramento, CA.

Corrections Committee proposal to add $570 to the 2019 Area 36 Budget to attend the National Corrections Conference in Houston, TX.

Treatment Committee proposal to add $655 to the 2019 Area 36 Budget to attend the Bridging the Gap Workshop event Sept 6-9, 2019 in Sacramento, CA.

Motion: Karin F motioned to table the four Committee pro-posals to add funds to the budget; Dan R seconded

Mary M advised that the conferences are at end of next year and can talk about them at April Assembly.

Discussion

Missy P commented the additional proposed funds to the budget are minimalist

Teresa K stated that each of the Committee Chairs have pre-sented good information for us to make an informed decision to vote.

Vince F commented that we should vote on all four.

Kelli M advised that ASL interpreters need to leave at 5pm.

Vote: Majority against tabling the four Committee proposals. Motion did not pass.

Motion: Mike H motioned to vote on all four Committee pro-posals together at one time; Jim V seconded.

Jeannette S spoke to the minority opinion: My Group would like me to vote on these separately.

Motion passes to with a 2/3 majority vote on all four Committee proposals together in one vote passes.

Motion: Total of passed proposals = $2,625 which increases 7,439 new deficit budget.

Vote: Majority against tabling the four Committee proposals. Motion did not pass.

Motion passes to with a 2/3 majority vote 57/7.

Minority opinion:

Jeannette S: I think voting on all four proposals puts the bud-get at a 10% deficit.

Motion stands. All four Committee Proposals pass.

Nick B, GSR, Sun By the Book Glenco gave a GSR Report. 27 GSRs shared. Important to the Groups is to have outside ser-vice commitments. A lot of Groups are active in their District and in the Area.

Area elections – Michael J (Jake), Area 35, Past Delegate Panel 64, officiating and reads Third legacy procedure for area elections – 2/3 majority to move forW – Service Manual S23 voting procedure.

Each Officer provided a short summary description of their job for the Fellowship.

Motion: Dan R made motion to take nominations from the floor and Terry L seconded.

Discussion:

Dan R, District 19 DCM is supportive because we want the best candidate possible to give maximum service to our Fellowship.

Val P, Area 36 Group Records Chair is against opening up nominations, because when we nominate from the floor, the Fellowship isn’t able to see the leadership skills if they were not demonstrated in the past rotation.

Vote: For - 56 and Opposed 08. Minority Opinion: None.

2/3 Majority Vote: Motion passed to take Nominations from the floor.

Willing to serve as Delegate:

Nominations from Floor: None

1ST ballot

Melissa (Missy) P (38)

Vince F (2)

Teresa K (10)

Stacy Mc (13)

Nancy T (5)


Roy E (4)

2nd ballot

Melissa (Missy) P (48)

Teresa K (14)

Stacy Mc (10)

Missy P, New Delegate, Panel 69

Willing to serve as Alternate Delegate:

Nominations from Floor: Patrick O’N nominated himself and Ed M seconded

1ST ballot

Vince F (0)

Teresa K (22)

Stacy Mc (25)

Nancy T (6)

Roy E (14)

Patrick O’N (5)

2nd ballot

Teresa K (22)

Stacy Mc (35)

Nancy T (1)

Roy E (13)

Patrick O’N (1)

3rd Ballot

Teresa K (20)

Stacy Mc (51)

Stacy Mc, New Alternate Delegate

Willing to serve as Area Chair:


1ST ballot

Vince F (6)

Nancy T (18)

Riki S (17)

Roy E (29)

2nd ballot

Vince F ()

Nancy T (15)

Riki S ()

Roy E (43)

3rd ballot

Nancy T (17)

Roy E (52)

Roy E, New Area Chair

Willing to serve as Alternate Area Chair:


1ST ballot

Vince F (9)

Nancy T (40)

Riki S (20)

2nd ballot

Vince F (4)

Nancy T (51)

Riki S (11)

Nancy T, New Alternate Area Chair

Willing to serve as Secretary:

Nominations from Floor:

Nancy T nominated Lori N; Paul L seconded

Terry L nominated Kelli M; Stacy Mc seconded

1ST ballot

Riki S (28)

Lori N (17)

Kelli M (22)

2nd ballot

Riki S (29)

Lori N (13)

Kelli M (25)

3rd balllot

Riki S (30)

Lori N (6)

Kelli M (31)

4th ballot

Riki S (29)

Kelli M (38)

5th ballot

Riki S (24)

Kelli M (43)

Motion: Lisa G made a motion for a 5th ballot and Karin F seconded. Motion passed for 5th ballot. 5th ballot needs 44 to win.

HAT: Kelli M, new Area Secretary


Willing to serve as Treasurer:

Nominations from the Floor: None

1ST ballot

Laura S (21)

Erica J (15)

Vince F (2)

Teresa K (28)

2nd ballot

Laura S (22)

Erica J (9)

Vince F (1)

Teresa K (32)

3rd ballot

Laura S (28)

Teresa K (36)

4th ballot

Laura S (26)

Teresa K (38)

5th ballot

Laura S (22)

Teresa K (41)

Motion: Lisa G made a motion for a 5th ballot and Jim V sec-onded. Motion passed for 5th ballot. 5th ballot needs 42 to win.

HAT: Teresa K, new Area 36 Treasurer

OLD BUSINESS:

Proposed 2019 Area 36 Budget:

The Proposed 2019 Area 36 Budget, Detail of Proposed 2018 Area 36 Budget, and all Budget Worksheets for Area Officers, Area Standing Committees, and Area Events will be available on the Area 36 website at www.area36.org.

Bell Ringer, Natalie, Tues Night Grace

Questions from Body:

Cindy W, GSR Lakeville meetings: The variance of -$4,000 is not significant. Our Group felt the team did a wonderful job of listening to our needs and bringing us this information.

Jeannette S, GSR, Continuous Action My Group was comfort-able with the proposed Committee proposals to the budget, but did not support an almost 10% deficit as a result of all Proposals passing.

Mike H, GSR Happy Destiny: My Group is a no on any budget containing a deficit.

Roy E, District 22 DCM: There is money in our checking account and over and above our prudent reserve that we need to spend.

2/3 Majority Vote: Proposed 2018 Budget now including a defi-cit of $4,814.00.

For 58 and opposed 07.

Minority Opinion: None.

Motion passes.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Carla N.: District 8 and 18 Workshop “Conversation with Others”; public information; protecting anonymity respon-sibly; CPC role play on how to talk to doctors, 10am to 1pm. Flier is on Area website soon.

Natalie, Chair MNYPAA : no age requirement; Halloween Bash Oct 27; speaker/dance f lier on www.mnypaa.org January Masquerade ball. March 29-31st. Infinite Love and Power theme. Meet every other Wed 8pm auditorium 2218 need participants.

Jim V: Founders Day Weekend, Nov 23-25, at Doubletree on 394/100; register online

Jeanne H: Recovery, Unity & Service Conference (RUSC) is January 25-27 at the Fairmont Holiday Inn, Fairmont MN. Fliers are available. Register online.

Ed M – Little Red Book started out as a lesson plan/ step study guide for alcoholics when AA started in MN; started using it at 1800 Chicago which later moved to 2218. That book is not a Hazelden book.

Southern Minnesota Area Assembly

Of Alcoholics Anonymous

Area 36 Committee Meeting Minutes

December 01, 2018

CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER PER SMAA TRAVEL POLICY

AREA COMMITTEE MEETING December 1, 2018


Southern Minnesota Area Assembly38th Annual

Recovery, Unity and Service ConferenceJanuary 25, 26, and 27 2019

Holiday Inn Fairmont1201 Torgerson DriveFairmont, MN 56031

Schedule of Events:Friday – January 25, 2019

5:00 p.m. – Registration opens

7:30-7:45 p.m. - Welcome

Friday - 7:45 pm - 8:45 pm – Session 1

Yesterday’s World – Our Legacies Begin Topic 1: The Book is Born – Eric J – Basic Twelve, Golden ValleyBig Book, Page xiii – 1st paragraph

“We, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary. We think this account of our experiences will help everyone to better understand the alcoholic. Many do not comprehend that the alcoholic is a very sick person. And besides, we are sure that our way of living has it advantages for all.”

Synopsis:The Book was born in my opinion for two purposes. First and most importantly it was to reach and offer our way out to those who desperately needed it. Secondly, and nearly as important it was to financially support our AA 12 Step Services. I'd like to look at the impact of both Then and Now.

Questions:

1. Are we relying too much on Our Book to carry the AA message vs Us members?2. How do we get more AA's & Groups to financially support our services to avoid

using sales of Our Book to meet expenses?3. Do we spend too much time interpreting Our Book?

Topic 2: Unsuspected Strength – Gail S – Lake Bryant Step & Tradition Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age – Page 79, 2nd paragraph

“Ours is not the usual success story; rather it is the story of how, under God’s grace, an unsuspected strength has arisen out of great weakness; of how, under threats of disunity and collapse, world-wide unity and brotherhood have been forged. In the course of this experience we have evolved a set of traditional principles by which we live and work together and relate ourselves as a fellowship to the world around us. These principles area called the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. They represent the distilled experience of our past, and we rely on them to carry us in unity through the challenges and dangers which the future may bring.”

Synopsis:The unsuspected strength of the AA program began and continues to be acts of Providence. The Traditions resulted from the experiences of our founders and the protection of God. Today the strength of AA lies with us using the Traditions as our guide to keep us unified.

Questions:1. How do you describe the importance of the Traditions?2. What do you think about the future of AA?3. What part can you play in the AA future?

8:45 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Break______________________________________________________________________

Friday - 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm – Session 2Southern Minnesota Come of Age

Topic 1: Southern Minnesota First 12th Step Call – Missy P – Third Tradition Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age – Page 42, last full paragraph

“On Friday night I heard how A.A. started – how many people, nonalcoholic friends as well as ourselves, had been required to do the job - at how many points we could have run off the road for a complete smashup, yet how we never yet overskidded a curve or failed to take the right turn. The hand of a higher Power had been on the wheel all the time.”

Synopsis:The first book of Alcoholics Anonymous in Minnesota was found by Pat C. in the Minneapolis Library. He then borrowed his sister’s library card and asked her for enough money to rent it for a week (10 cents at that time). After reading the book, he was impressed by the idea that you could stop drinking one day at a time. When he wrote to the office in New York, they encouraged him to make every effort to follow along the lines set out in the book, because IT WORKS!!

Questions:1. Have you taken the time to learn about the history of AlcoholicsAnonymous?2. Are you personally seeking out meetings that read the Book AlcoholicsAnonymous?3. Are you following along the lines set out in the Book AlcoholicsAnonymous personally? Are you working with others to do the same?

Topic 2: The Turning Point – Ryan V – Sunday Glencoe By the Book GroupA.A. Service Manual – Page S20 – “Why Do We Need a Conference?”

“The late Bernard B. Smith, nonalcoholic, then chairperson of the board of trustees, and one of the architects of the Conference structure, answered that question superbly in his opening talk at the 1954 meeting: We may not need a General Service Conference to ensure our own recovery. We do need it to ensure the recovery of the alcoholic who still stumbles in the darkness one short block from this room. We need it to ensure the recovery of a child being born tonight, destined for alcoholism. We need it to provide, in keeping with our Twelfth Step,

a permanent haven for all alcoholics who, in the ages ahead, can find in A.A. that rebirth that brought us back to life.We need it because we, more than all others, are conscious of the devastating effect of the human urge for power and prestige which we must ensure can never invade A.A. We need it to ensure A.A. against government, while insulating it against anarchy; we need it to protect A.A. against disintegration while prevent overintegration. We need it so that Alcoholics Anonymous, and Alcoholics Anonymous alone, is the ultimate repository of its Twelve Steps, its Twelve Traditions, and all its services.We need it to ensure that changes within A.A. come only as a response to the needs and wants of all A.A., and not of any few. We need it to ensure that the doors of the halls of A.A. never have locks on them, so that all people for all time who have an alcoholic problem may enter these halls unasked and feel welcome. We need it to ensure that Alcoholics Anonymous never asks of anyone who needs us what his or her race is, what his or her creed is, what his or her social position is.”

Synopsis:I will attempt to share how our Area got started, and the evolution of how we got to our current structure. I will share my experience in General Service in Area 36, and in Area 35. In sharing the past, I hope to open discussion about our future.

Questions:1. Do we as an area, hold onto "old ideas" that limit our ability to carry AA's message?2. Has my participation in General Service been a turning point in my recovery?3. Has our Area really Come of Age?

10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. - Ice Cream Social

Saturday Morning January 26, 2019

8:00 a.m. – Registration opens

Saturday - 9:00 am - 10:00am – Session 3Today’s World – Growth Through Service

Topic 1: General Service Representative – Cindy W - Lakeville Big BookA.A. Service Manual – Page S23 – 1st and 2nd paragraphs

“Most A.A. members are primarily interested in their groups, in their own sobriety, and in helping other drunks one-on-one. And that is as it should be. While the work of general service has precisely that same objective - carrying the message to the alcoholic who still suffers - the connection is not always direct or obvious. Some stimulators are usually needed to get the attention of A.A. members - to show them that service can add a rich dimension to their sober

SMAA 38th Annual RUS Conference

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 SMAA 38th Annual RUS Conference

lives and Twelfth Step work, and that their participation is vital to the future of A.A.Good communication is of vital importance. In personal Twelfth Step work, there is no end to communication. The sponsor talks with the drunk; speakers share their experience; we share with each other. But when it comes to general service work, communication has a tendency to break down. It can take hard work to get the attention of alcoholics, but with a creative approach, they can be encouraged to take time out from the nuts and bolts of recovery to think about another phase of their new lives. Once A.A. members are well informed about service, they often want to become involved and to take on their own service responsibilities.”

Synopsis:Knowing that there are differing ways to be of service offered me avenues besides ‘sponsoring’ to have direct impact on my fellow alcoholics. The ‘community’ part of RUSC resonated with me. When I first came to AA, I didn’t think of, or seek a community, but the women in my home group community sought me out and helped meduring my recovery. This is what I want to share. How community, leads to service opportunity, which leads back to community.

Questions:1. How has ‘communication’ from your local GSR helped you in becomingpart of the AA community?2. Do you have any ‘fears’ preventing you from service?3. Are you able to ‘describe what growth’ is? Do you claim it?

Topic 2: District Committee Member – Jeff T – The Firing Line in Roseville

Synopsis:

Growth through service is accomplished by pushing past my comfort zone. That

facilitates a broader understanding and involvement in AA as a whole. Anytime I am

moving toward the good of others, I am outside myself and therefore much more useful

to God.

Questions:

1. At the bottom of page 13, Bill tells us "Belief in the power of God, plus enough

willingness, honesty and humility to establish and maintain the new order of things

were the essential requirements.". How am I doing on those?

2. Page 77 states "Our main purpose is to fit ourselves to be a maximum service to

God and those about us". Am I actively seeking God and His direction to "fit" into

His plan & accomplish this daily?

3. What areas of my ego do I have to be keenly aware of to avoid "spiritual pride"?

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. – Break

Saturday, 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. – Session 4Today’s World – Growth Through Service

Topic 1: Standing Committee Chair. – Greg J – Lakers Thursday As Bill Sees It – Page 224

“No society can function well without able leadership at all its levels, and A.A. can be no exception. But we A.A.’s sometimes cherish the thought that we can do without much personal leadership at all. We are apt to warp the traditional idea of “principles before personalities” around to such a point that there would be not “personality” in leadership whatever. This would imply rather faceless robots trying to please everybody.A leader in A. A. service is a man (or woman) who can personally put principles, plans, and policies into such dedicated and effective action that the rest of us naturally want to back him up and help him with his job. When a leader power-drives us badly, we rebel; but when he too meekly becomes an order-taker and he exercises no judgment of his own – well, he really isn’t a leader at all.”

Synopsis:Why I got involved in General Service: Early on to assist with continuous sobriety. As time progressed, I loved the depth and dimension it added to my program of recovery and the additional personal responsibility I felt.What did my GS path look like: Attendance at District meetings, then GSR, District CPC chair, DCM, Area CPC Chair and transition Treasurer?What I have I gained in my GS journey: Continuous sobriety, more friends, humility, understanding, responsibility.

Questions:1. Why should GS be part of a program of recovery?2. How much GS is recommended or needed?3. Where is the line between 12 step work, participation and general service?

Topic 2: Area Officer – Doug C – Break It Down Big Book Group

Synopsis:When I began serving as Area 36 treasurer, I was terrified that I did not understand the purpose of an A.A. area in specific and had just a basic grasp of the conference

structure in general. I relied on my past service experience, sponsorship, and lessons learned through experiences I was having as Area Treasurer. I came to believe that our principles and structure really are our best tools for preserving our singleness of purpose and our hope that A.A. will continue to thrive for generations to come.

Questions:1. Am I aware of the motives that drive my actions as I serve in A.A.?2. What is the purpose of an Area?3. Will a good process yield good results?

11:15 a.m. – 1:00 p. – Lunch on your own

Saturday afternoon – January 26, 2019

Saturday 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm – Session 5Today’s World – Demonstrating our Integrity

Topic 1: This Matter of Honesty – Barb S - Fevered Brains FairmontAs Bill Sees It – Page 17

“The perverse wish to hide a bad motive underneath a good one permeates human affairs from top to bottom. This subtle and elusive kind of self-righteousness can underlie the smallest act of thought. Learning daily to spot, admit, and correct these flaws is the essence of character-building and good living.”“The deception of others is nearly always rooted in the deception of ourselves.” “Somehow, being alone with God doesn’t seem as embarrassing as facing up to another person. Until we actually sit down and talk aloud about what we have so long hidden, our willingness to clean house is still largely theoretical. When we are honest with another person, it confirms that we have been honest with ourselves and with God.”

Synopsis:To grow in honesty is to move beyond our own rationalizations and wishful thinking. We have deceived ourselves as well as others. Integrity is gained by a factual investigation of our character defects that leads to actions that denote uprightness of character.

Questions:1. How do I continue to look honestly at my actions and motives daily?2. What examples in my life show that I am growing in realism and authenticity?3. Am I the kind of friend and confidante that I need others to be to me?

Topic 2: Breaching the Walls of Ego – Christina G – Dunn Sober Group of Alcoholics Anonymous

Big Book – Page 87-88

“As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many times each day “Thy will be done.” We are then in much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.”

Synopsis:The "Walls of Ego" separates us from our Higher Power and our fellows. In applying thespiritual principles contained in A.A.'s Steps, Traditions, and Concepts we allow our Higher Power to "Breach the Walls of Ego" with the powerful wrecking ball known as humility. We lose egoism through the humility gained in Step Work so that we can be useful to God and our fellows and recover from Alcoholism. Through the Traditions, we learn to practice a genuine humility by which we keep ego out of our A.A. Groups to foster Group unity and attract the still suffering alcoholic who has a desire to stop drinking. In applying the Concepts, we are afforded humility to breach the walls of ego inour participation in the General Service structure so that we can effectively serve A.A. as a whole.

Questions:1. As an Alcoholic, why should you be concerned with "Breaching the Walls of Ego?"2. What are the ways you have used A.A.'s Spiritual Principles to "Breach the Walls of

Ego"?3. What "materials" are you using to build your "Walls of Ego" right now? Have you

ever used your participation in A.A. to build a "Spiritual Wall of Ego"?

2:00 – 2:15 - Break

Saturday, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm – Session 6Today’s World - Anonymity and Service

Topic 1: " A Tradition Born of our Anonymity – Andy D – Foxhall Chapter SevenLanguage of the Heart – Page 13, 1st paragraph

“In the years that lie ahead the principle of anonymity will undoubtedly become a part of our vital Tradition. Even today, we sense its practical value. But more important still, we are beginning to feel that the word “anonymous” has for us an immense spiritual significance. Subtly but powerfully it reminds us that we are always to place principles before personalities; that we have renounced personal glorification in public; that our movement not only preaches, but actually practices a truly humble modesty. That the practice of anonymity in our public

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 SMAA 38th Annual RUS Conference

relations has already had a profound effect upon us, and upon our millions of friends in the outside world, there can hardly be doubt. Anonymity is already a cornerstone of our public relations policy.”

Synopsis:The principle of anonymity tells me I need to set my ego aside and to work for the greater good of the whole. As I become less selfish, I become more useful to God and my fellow man.

Questions:1. What does principles before personalities mean to you?2. Are you serving for the right reasons?3. What is the spiritual significance of anonymity?

Topic 2: To Serve is to Live – Mark M – Foxhall Chapter 7Language of the Heart – Page 130, middle of the 2nd to the last paragraph to bottom of page

“To serve AA is to live. We gladly accept our Third Legacy and may we guard it well and use it wisely. God grant that the Legacy of Service remain ever safe in your keeping.” “In that fine hour the torch of Service did pass from the hands of us who are older to yours, which are younger; it passed to every oncoming generation of those children of the night whose darkness, God willing, shall be banished within the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous all through the bright years which destiny surely holds in store for us.”

Synopsis:Service has been a key to my sobriety. By being involved in service has allowed me to get out of myself and help others. It has allowed me to see the whole of AA beyond my Group or District. "Faith without works is dead".

Questions:1. When it comes to service in AA what does "Faith without works is dead" mean to

you?2. How has involvement in service change your view of AA?3. Dr. Bob list 4 reasons why he was involved in service. What are your reasons?

3:15 – 3:30 - Break______________________________________________________________________

Saturday 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm – Session 7Tomorrow’s World – Courage to be Vigilant

Topic 1: Member and Custodian – Samira A – Women’s Oasis Big Book Group

A.A. Service Manual – Page 4 Concept 1

“The final responsibility and the ultimate authority for A.A. world service should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.”

Synopsis:“Custodian” is defined as a person who has responsibility for protecting or taking care ofsomething. For alcoholics, “something” refers to Alcoholics Anonymous: the group, district, area, and General Service Conference. Just like our individual sobriety, the future of AA is not guaranteed. Therefore, each A.A. member must act as custodian andparticipate in the collective conscience of our fellowship to protect our world service’s effectiveness as society at large continues to grow and change.

Questions:1. How do I act as a custodian in my group?2. How do I discern when it is best for me to speak up or when it is best towatch the group conscience unfold without inserting myself into the discussion?3. How do I practice the principle of group conscience in my personal life?

Topic 2: A Vision for You – Ann A– Arch to FreedomAs Bill Sees It – Page 317

“Vision is, I think, the ability to make good estimates, both for the immediate and for the more distant future. Some might feel this sort of striving to be heresy against “One day at a time.” But that valuable principle really refers to our mental and emotional lives and means chiefly that we are not foolishly to repine over the past nor wishfully to daydream about the future.As individuals and as a fellowship, we shall surely suffer if we cast the whole job of planning for tomorrow onto a fatuous idea of providence. God’s real providence has endowed us human beings with a considerable capability for foresight, and He evidently expects us to use it. Of course, we shall often miscalculate the future in whole or in part, but that is better than to refuse to think at all.”

Synopsis:Ensuring the future of AA takes courage and vigilance. If AA fails it will be because we will have destroyed it from within. The importance of traditions and keeping AA alive for tomorrow.

Questions:1. Does my group have a clear vision on our responsibility to keeping AA as a whole

alive?2. How is my home group and myself individually ensuring AA's future?3. In what ways has our group or me had to show courage in being vigilant about our

responsibility to AA?

______________________________________________________________________

4:30 p.m. -7:00 p.m. Dinner on your own

Saturday Evening

7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. – Open Speaker Meeting

A.A. Speaker - Arnold R, Past General Service Trustee

8:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. - Ask It Basket

9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. - Ice Cream Social

Sunday morning - January 27, 2019

Sunday 9:00 am - 10:00 am – Session 8High Road to a New Freedom

Topic 1: 80 years – Ed M – Nicollet Group RichfieldBig Book – page xx-xxi – Forward to the 2nd Edition last two paragraphs

“Alcohol being no respecter of persons, we are an accurate cross section of America, and in distant lands, the same democratic evening-up process is now going on. By personal religious affiliation, we include Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and a sprinkling of Moslems and Buddhists. More than 15% of us are women. At present, our membership is pyramiding at the rate of about twenty per cent a year. So far, upon the total problem of several million actual and potential alcoholics in the world, we have made only a scratch. In all probability, we shall never be able to touch more than a fair fraction of the alcohol problem in all its ramifications. Upon therapy for the alcoholic himself, we surely have no monopoly. Yet is our great hope that all those who have as yet found no answer may begin to find one in the pages of this book and will presently join us on the high road to a new freedom.”

Synopsis:Where I found myself in the BB, I.E. Bills story and our common ground: war vets, vision of being a "captain of industry" and how booze got in the way. The freedom I found in being able to handle situations which used to baffle me. (i.e., being a nurse for 3 years to my wife as she slowly one day at a time died from Alzheimer's). The freedoms I have experienced since getting rid of the handcuffs Booze had on me. Travel, new Motorcycle, new bride, new true friends.

Questions:1. Where did you find yourself in the Big Book?2. What is your favorite new freedom?3. Have you experienced any foreign lands in your sobriety?

Topic 2: 71 languages – Mariam C – Nuevo Amanecer in Saint Paul12 X 12 – page 129, middle part of the first paragraph

“Without unity, the heart of A.A. would cease to beat; our world arteries would no longer carry the life-giving grace of God:”

Synopsis:The first translation made in 1946 by Ricardo P., was never published.In 1947 a fellow of the Latin American group of New York, named Frank M, made the second translation into Spanish, which was published. 36 years passed before the millionth issue was sold, but currently approximately one million copies of the Big Book are distributed in English only, translated into 71 languages, the last language to which it was translated was NAVAJO's and is distributed in 170 countries.

Questions:

1. Is the program of recovery translated fully from language to language, oris something lost?2. Can a person recover when reading the basic text in another language?3. Does the language of the heart need a translation?

10:00 – 10:15 - Break

10:15 – 11:00 a.m. – Wrap up of ConferenceOur Three LegaciesReflections on 2019 Recovery, Unity and Service Conference

11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.Incoming Delegate Remarks – Missy P

11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

RUSC Chair closing remarks – Jeanne H

Editor’s note: All additional readings provided to presenters to help prepare for their presentations can be found on a separate handout at the Recovery, Unity and Service Conference.

See you there!!!


AREA 36 INVENTORY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018AREA 36 AREA INVENTORY

Saturday, September 15, 2018

A. Trusted Servants

1. Are we electing/appointing our Area Officers and Standing Committee Chairs

with care and consideration on the basis that serving is a great responsibility and opportunity for Twelfth Step Work? In what ways can we approve upon this?

a. We have lost trusted servants that were participating in the past couple of rotations.

Would like to see more encouragement for people to stay.

b. Districts show up consistently at Committee meetings If someone is already holding a

job, let them finish their rotation

c. Concern with expensive ASL interpreters – it is hard for deaf people to be on

Committees.

d. Area should trust that God is governing our Group Conscience meetings; nominations

from the floor – which limited the pool of people to stand for trusted servant positions. Ifsomeone isn’t already standing, they should also be given the opportunity and let God sort the rest out

2. In what ways can the Area improve on its ability to help newly elected trusted

servants and Gs Rs understand their new roles and responsibilities to Area?

a. Area renamed our TSLT because they thought that meant how to be a Chair or

Treasurer in their Group meeting. The name should be more transparent. Would like to have evaluation results more transparent on the website and in the Newsletter.

b. My 1st year as a GSR, I used the principals of AA: Progress not Perfection. I would ask

the previous GSR or my Group to guide me how to represent them.

c. Sponsorship

d. Better communication between previous trusted servants and incoming trusted servants

with electronic record keeping including a timeline on what to expect will happen next inthe job.

e. GSO sent me a GSR packet kit. Would like an Area kit on what to expect to do at Area

Assemblies and what to bring, what will be voted on.

f. Alternates. I was an Alternate Committee Chair and unfortunately, needed to step up to

take the Chair position. I was fairly informed. If an Alternate is used and trained in

while being an Alternate then it is logically recommended that Area Chair choose the Alternate to serve as incoming Chair.

3. Are we ensuring that we are practicing the principle of rotation in our Area with

Officers? Committee Chairs? Conference/Workshop presenters? When practicing rotation, are incoming trusted servants fully informed of their new responsibilities and provided with necessary information to serve effectively?

a. Rotation meetings have not been well organized and expectations not clearly vocalized

as to what the Officer/Committee Chair role is per the Trusted Servant Guidelines … AllCommittee Chairs need to be consistent in bringing this information forward.

4. In what ways can we better encourage continued involvement of past trusted

servants?

a. Important that past Delegates are present for the institutional memory that we need to

save us a lot of time and energy by sharing their past experiences when mistakes were made and to share what has worked.

b. Service Sponsor idea is good.

c. Past trusted servants can be reminded that we have Committees that are always

looking for members.

d. Finding a balance from folk who have done the job using Tradition, Structure and

process and encouraging new ideas.

B. Finance

1. How well are we using contributions to provide services to the Groups in our

Area? The Fellowship? To the still suffering Alcoholic?

a. Finance letters are complicated. One of the letters was perceived as shaming and filled

with numerous questions that belonged in Inventory and didn’t tell me how Area was using my contributions.

b. Provide a list of services that the Area is responsible to have available to the Groups.

Committee work and vague heading of travel. Travel is part of our communication structure but not articulated anywhere.

c. Improvement needed on letting the Groups know how we are spending their money.

Example: Breakdown for costs of State Fair booth.

d. Budget – some of the conversation was that the RUSC is not well attended and seems

to be a big line item in the Budget. Is TSLT the best use of time and money? Also, there is the controversy of using funds for ads in light rail and buses. Would like to hearmore real time reactions

e. Minority voice – biggest part of our budget is travel and we send our trusted servants

too many things; would like to see what other Areas are doing as to who is sent to WestCentral Conference and West Central Forum. A huge chunk is used to send all Committee Chairs and Officers.

2. With respect to budgeting process, are we ensuring that we are avoiding

unnecessary expenses when drafting and implementing our Area budget? In what ways can this be improved upon?

a. State Fair – we members of Area 36 are not fully staffing the booth. Perhaps PI booth

is an unnecessary expense. Area Committee meeting – GLBT Pride Fair – other Pride events in Area 36 that funds were not used for – but used.

b. Finance Policy needs an overhaul to help the Area Chair when creating the Budget.

Have to pay attention to all sections of the Budget.

c. Not helping Area build leadership skills. Need to sit down with GSRs to ask how they

want us to spend our money. Would like a strategic analysis voice from the Groups. Seeing people serve and use travel funds and then don’t continue in their service.

d. Budgets – As to West Central Region, we are dealing with the Agenda Items being

talked about in AA that the Delegates will be talking about at the Conference.

e. Being new as a GSR, I found the budgeting process quite inclusive with the emails and

reports I took back to my Group for feedback.

f. Yes. Concepts tell us that all important decisions be made by serious deliberations.

We had time and continue to have time

3. How well does the Area’s use and keeping of a prudent reserve act in accordance

to our financial policy and the principle of self-support? When accepting money from sources other than Groups and individual members?

a. There’s some confusion that we have two reserves. A prudent reserve and Operating

Reserve. The Budget process has been explained. We have a surplus budget that is being used.

b. I knew nothing about doing a Budget and this has been a real eye opening to realize we

had a surplus. We have a prudent reserve and Area 36 never touches that. Is this good practice or not? GSO and Board uses their prudent reserve all the time. I understand that the first quarter of the each new year is especially heavy with expenses.

c. There are Districts coming together to cover Area Event costs. Is there a better way to

handle that? Our District has a line item to handle these situations.

4. In what ways can the Area better facilitate the opportunity for the Groups and

other service entities to be fully self-supporting?

a. Communication of 7th Tradition on the Area level. In the past, I’ve seen a possible

Proposal come up and it’s been out and the Groups knew about it and talk about maybe their Group is strapped on money and when it comes time to vote on that Proposal they have their hand up to spend more money. What are we going to do to pay for it? Let’s not sit on their money.

b. Time for the Area to have a conversation at an Assembly about what Area and District

responsibilities are. Area Chairs will visit Districts. Who has the responsibility to cover that cost? Area Chairs end up being chastised for doing their work. Delegate needs togo to Districts to give Reports.

c. On Area level, we have established the Pink Can to earmark Correctional Facilities

literature which is not following the 7th Tradition. We say self-support, but we have pet projects over here. See this as a conflict.

d. District 18 interactive workshop and created a flier on the 3 Ts of the 7th Tradition. Not

just money – time and talent as well. Many kinds of expressions of support in service beyond what is tossed in the basket. I treasure what we provide in travel. I treasure the institutional memory of those past trusted servants and long-time service people. Get out of building resumes, but what we bring. We all have the same primary purpose.

C. Communication

1. How well has the Area ensured its attention and services are being provided to

all Districts and Groups as needed?

a. We’ve lost a lot of institutional memory. Area 36 website has some glitches. Pigeon

isn’t always posted. Web and Technology Chairs needs help.

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 AREA 36 INVENTORY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018

2. In what ways can cooperation and communication between the Districts and our

Area be improved?

a. Between Area events, it was realized that DCMs weren’t aware that each District has

an email through the Area 36 website. The Technology Chair should provide a cheat sheet or attend the 1st DCM Sharing at ACM and TSLT for the new DCMs.

b. Encourage the Districts to be reaching out to neighboring Districts.

c. Ask Districts to provide and share their newsletters.

d. New trusted servants – not everyone may have access to internet and email. Principles

of patience, tolerance and love in communications. Prefer phone calls in communication.

e. Traditionally, GSRs get communications from DCMs. The budget was sent out to all

GSRs that were provided.

3. Does the Area provide every opportunity to GSRs to acquire feedback from their

Groups for use in Area actions and processes?

a. Yes, and Area communications can be more clearly presented at District meetings.

b. Not always. June Assembly example – background info was in the recently received

Pigeon so the Groups did not have adequate opportunity to discuss before voting. June assembly historically is not well attended so there isn’t really a group conscience.

4. How well does the Area address and provide for the minority opinion? In which

ways can this be improved upon?

a. We used to let all Minority Opinions speak and now we only allow one person in the

Minority to speak. We should let all voices speak; that is, if it hasn’t already been said.

b. Warranty 5 says that no Conference Action be personally punitive or incite public

controversy.

D. Service Structure

1. In what ways can we improve upon our Area Assemblies and Area Committee

meetings?

2. How well do our Area processes allow for a fully informed group conscience at

Area Assemblies and Committee meetings?

a. I think they work well. Delegate Curt brings back info from GSO to the DCMs to the

GSRs. Area informs DCM and the DCM’s responsibility is to inform the GSRs. This rotation has been better on holding off things that need to go to the Groups.

b. Increases information leading to a better group conscience. Suggest facilitators to

consider having paper ballots on hand - especially for controversial divisive issues.

c. As a GSR, I feel I know what is going on at the Assembly. DCM communicates well.

Curt does a good job at getting info out. Would love to get emails from the Area Committee Chairs and what is happening at the ACM.

d. How do we get the Concepts out more – especially for the GSRs?

3. With respect to AA’s Right of Decision,” how well do our trusted servants

practice and have an understanding of the balance between a fully informed group conscience and this right?

a. Think we’ve done a better job on the Area level.

b. Tell a newcomer that however the Group feels, that’s the way you vote. Concepts need

to be better understood and could be a focus at TSLT on awareness of what Concepts mean and how they help.

4. Does our Area ensure a proper balance of authority between the Area Committee

and the Area Assembly with respect to custodial issues and the detail budget? In which ways could this be improved upon?

a. Need better access to the Area Finance Policy.

b. In the past rotation, we have stopped making those decisions at the ACM and sending

to GSRs.

c. With respect to “budget,” a lot of credit to the Finance Committee, Area Chair and

Alternate Chair to getting the Budget more transparent, especially in light of the new accounting system.

E. Miscellaneous

1. Does anyone have any issues or concerns that were not addressed?

a. There is a problem with the combined 1st quarter Delegate’s Workshop/Area Assembly. Confusion for the new people. It’s time to have a conversation to have separate these two events.

b. Concern is that General Service is focusing on how we do what we do and not so much on what we should be doing. A lot of time spent on structure, definitions and not so much on substance. ACMs are not attractive and it is hard to get participation. If the Agenda was more on how we help the drunks, there may be more participation. Committees should be actively doing things. Bridging the Gap, Corrections, CPC, and Public Information where we are sponsoring professionals.

c. Give our GSRs something more meaningful to do at our Area Events. GSRs should be given a right of participation at the ACMs.

d. Get better participation as a whole to make less Saturday focused. Seasoned folk not correcting people at the mic.

e. Accessibility and transparency of the whole process can be improved. It is difficult to be

able to bring an idea forward. We had an idea that fell into a crack. Would like to be heard and better transparency on how that idea is acted on.

f. Committee work – 3 Assemblies where Committee Chairs have 5 minutes where we do not have much opportunity to inform the GSRs. The Committee Chairs only get to speak every other Assembly. If we had more District participation, we would have better problem solving.

g. Alt DCMs are automatically assigned to Structure Committee. Finance Committee is well attended as well. Instead of assigning every Alt DCM to Structure, maybe assign them to other Committee participation. Calendar is onerous.

h. Combine ACM and Assemblies into a weekend event.

i. Concept 1 – ultimate authority for AA World Services – collective conscience of whole Fellowship. World Services are our Committees. Are we putting enough focus and priority on the Committees?

j. Jack C said that the best thing we do is meet. One of the reasons why we have the calendar. If I were to change anything I’d take away the June Assembly and separate the Delegate’s Workshop and Spring Assembly. There was a time where we had a two-day Assembly and nobody knew what who was doing. Area is supposed to support the Districts.

k. Area Assembly set up. I was invited by our previous GSR to attend and was inspired by

a whole new service level that I could engage in outside of my Group room. I am here

because we have these events open to everybody.

a. Area Inventory could be of better use in the middle of 2-year rotation so current Officers

are able to implement the views brought up at the Inventory? This Inventory may get lost as the new rotation hasn’t been assembled.

b. Minority groups – deaf, blind and others - do not feel welcome in District and Area

meetings. We need to ask for our accessibility rights – be more open to see that we can make the budget work to give the ability for minorities to participate. Also, please watch words that hurt other people.

c. Would like to see Area address how to create healthy Districts and more effective

Districts. We all know we have healthy Districts and struggling Districts. Can we be an effective Area if we don’t have effective Districts?

d. Time for Area to take the Pink Can Plan out of the fiscal responsibility of the Area.

e. Concern with Officers leaving the dais and coming to the floor with their individual

statements at the mic.

f. Combine RUSC and TSLT and focus on what each of the Committees have done on

the Area level. Need more pro/con discussions.

g. As we go back to our Groups, Districts look at what might be diluting the availability of

our members to step up to Service.

h. Attendance at Assemblies – we have 7 GSRs today at the Area Inventory. Ask those

that aren’t here why they aren’t here.

i. Can we have an Area event in Mpls and St. Paul? And trusted servant kits from Area

to Groups?

j. The RUSC is the only event where we have money coming in to help offset the

expenses to the Area. This is the first year where we see the expenses categorized.

k. Need to be able to take prolonged criticism from the members – grow thick skin. Make

a plea to focus on encouraging and nurturing and education part and less on the demanding critical part. Get tired of talking to newcomers who are in tears.

l. Add “what works” to the Inventory norms – so the new GSR can get some hope in

working service.

m.How well is Area’s use of our Prudent Reserve? There is nothing in the Finance Policy

about accepting money from Roundups; however this has been a traditional practice of the Area.

www.area36.org The Pigeon December 2018 AREA 36 2019 ROTATION

Area Committee Chairs / Coordinators

AccessibilitiesVal [email protected]

ArchivesMalcolm [email protected]

Cooperation with the Professional CommunityTony [email protected]

CorrectionsOpen

Grapevine / LaVinaPaul [email protected]

Group RecordsOpen

LiteratureVince [email protected]

NewsletterRiki [email protected]

Public InformationRon [email protected]

TechnologyJason [email protected]

Treatment FacilitiesSooze [email protected]

Corrections Facilities Contact CoordinatorLaura [email protected]

Treatment Temporary Contact CoordinatorPat [email protected]

ArchivistC J [email protected]

WebmasterJay [email protected]

Pink Can PlanSam St. [email protected]


Inclement Weather Procedure for Area 36 Events

1. In the event of potential inclement weather, the Area Chair will monitor the weather the night before an Area Event (any event listed on the official Area Calendar).

2. The Area Chair may also contact other Area Committee members such as Area Officers, Standing Area Committee Chairs, and DCM to ask for local weather reports.

3. The Area Chair makes the determination based on DOT report, national weather service; any information gathered from Area Committee Members based on local weather reports, individual safety being

paramount, no later than 5am on the day of the Area Event.

4. Area Chair will ensure the Area Committee members are notified by phone by 6:00am as soon as determination is made to cancel the Area Event and may enlist the assistance of the Area Officers to contact

all Standing Committee Chairs, DCMs, and Past Delegates notifying them of the cancellation.

5. The Area Chair will work to reschedule the event to the next available Saturday (if possible) and upon the ability to reschedule the event, will work with Area Officer’s to contact Area Committee Members

(ACM) by phone to inform (ACM) date/time of the rescheduled event.

6. The Area Chair will contact Web Chair to post cancellation and reschedule information.

Southern Minnesota Area 36 – Metro Map 9/14/2011

Last update: 6.10.17

2018 Southern Minnesota Area Assembly Calendar of Events Information about Area events can also be found in The Pigeon (our Area 36 newsletter) and on our website: www.area36.org

January 19-21 Recovery, Unity & Service Conference Mankato City Center Hotel 101 E Main Street, Mankato MN February 10 Trusted Servant Leadership Training Dakota County Tech College 9:00am – 4:00pm 1300 145th Street E., Rosemount MN February 17 Area Committee Meeting Mankato City Center Hotel Standing Committee Meetings 9:30am – 11:30am Area Committee Meeting 1:00pm – 5:00pm March 2-4 West Central Regional Service Conference W. Des Moines Marriott Hotel W. Des Moines, IA April 7 Delegate’s Workshop/Area Assembly Bethel Lutheran Church 9:00am – 5:00pm 1321 North Ave, Northfield MN April 22-28 68th Annual General Service Conference New York NY May 5 Area Committee Meeting Mankato City Center Hotel Standing Committee Meetings 9:30am – 11:30am Area Committee Meeting 1:00pm – 5:00pm June 16 Area Assembly New Ulm Community Center 9:00am – 5:00pm 600 N. German St, New Ulm MN August 4 Area Committee Meeting Mankato City Center Hotel Standing Committee Meetings 9:30am – 11:30am Area Committee Meeting 1:00pm – 5:00pm September 15 Area Inventory Lakeville Heritage Center 9:00am – 12:00pm 20110 Holyoke Ave, Lakeville MN October 13 Area Assembly Hutchinson Event Center 9:00am – 5:00pm 1005 MN-15, Hutchinson MN TBD Area 35/36 Joint Workshop TBD 12:00pm – 4:00pm December 1 Area Committee Meeting Mankato City Center Hotel Standing Committee Meetings 9:30am – 11:30am Area Committee Meeting 1:00pm – 5:00pm December 8 Rotation Meeting TBD 9:00am – 12:00pm

All Southern Minnesota Area Assembly events are open to all members of Alcoholics Anonymous, except the Annual General Service Conference. Everyone is encouraged to attend, and participate in, all SMAA events. Attendance and participation is a responsibility of all General Service Representatives, Alternate General Service Representatives, District Committee Members, Alternate District Committee Members, District and Area Committee Chairs and their respective Alternates, and District and Area Officers and their respective alternates.

Area 36 Maps

Area 36 Calendar 2018Twin Cities AA ASL Meetings Revised 2/28/16

Updated February 28, 2016

TheseTwinCityMetroAAMeetingsprovideAnAmericanSignLanguage(ASL)Interpreter

Monday,7:30pm Service#138577Tradition5(Closed/Step&Tradition)

ValleyofPeaceLutheranChurch4735BassettCreekDrGoldenValley,MN55422

Tuesday,7:00pm Service#631981CommonSolution (ClosedWomen’sBigBookStudy)

SpiritofHopeUnitedMethodistChurch7600HaroldAveGoldenValley,MN55427

Wednesday,7:00pm Service#144534OutrightMentalDefectives

(OpenBigBookStudyandCall-up)DunningRecreationCenter1221MarshallAveSaintPaul,MN55104

Thursday,7:30pm Service#176775Foxhall,Chapter7(OpenSpeakerMeeting)

WooddaleChurch(Entrance#5)6630ShadyOakRoadEdenPrairie,MN55344

Friday,7:30pm Service#127839ThreeLegacies(OpenSpeakerMeeting)

CrossofGloryBaptistChurch4600ShadyOakRoadHopkins,MN55343

Saturday,Noon Service#652680Mainstreeters PlymouthIIAlano 610HopkinsCrossroad Minnetoka,MN55305Sunday,7:30pm Service#178827SLPSNAAG (St.LouisParkSundayNightAAGroup)

UnionCongregationalChurch3700AlabamaAveSStLouisPark,MN55416


Last update: 8.3.18

2019 Southern Minnesota Area Assembly Calendar of Events Information about Area events can also be found in The Pigeon (our Area 36 newsletter) and on our website: www.area36.org

January 25-27 Recovery, Unity & Service Conference Fairmont Holiday Inn 1201 Torgerson Dr, Fairmont MN February 9 Trusted Servant Leadership Training Dakota County Technical College 1300 145th Street E., Rosemount MN 9:00am – 4:30pm February 23 Area Committee Meeting Mankato City Center Hotel Standing Committee Meetings 101 E Main Street, Mankato MN Area Committee Meeting 9:30am – 11:30am 1:00pm – 5:00pm March 1-3 West Central Regional Service Conference Courtyard by Marriot 1080 28th Ave S, Moorhead, MN April 6 Delegate’s Workshop/Area Assembly Bethel Lutheran Church 1321 North Ave, Northfield MN 9:00am – 5:00pm May 19-25 68th Annual General Service Conference New York NY May 4 Area Committee Meeting Mankato City Center Hotel Standing Committee Meetings 9:30am – 11:30am Area Committee Meeting 1:00pm – 5:00pm June 15 Area Assembly Lakeville Heritage Center 20110 Holyoke Ave, Lakeville MN 9:00am – 5:00pm August 3 Area Committee Meeting Mankato City Center Hotel Standing Committee Meetings 9:30am – 11:30am Area Committee Meeting 1:00pm – 5:00pm August 16-18 West Central Regional Forum Alerus Center 1200 S 42nd St, Grand Forks, ND October 12 Area Assembly New Ulm Community Center 600 N. German St, New Ulm MN 9:00am – 5:00pm November ___ TBD Area 35/36 Joint Workshop St Cloud MN 12:00pm – 4:00pm December 7 Area Committee Meeting Mankato City Center Hotel Standing Committee Meetings 9:30am – 11:30am Area Committee Meeting 1:00pm – 5:00pm

All Southern Minnesota Area Assembly events are open to all members of Alcoholics Anonymous, except the Annual General Service Conference. Everyone is encouraged to attend, and participate in, all SMAA events. Attendance and participation is a responsibility of all General Service Representatives, Alternate General Service Representatives, District Committee Members, Alternate District Committee Members, District and Area Committee Chairs and their respective Alternates, and District and Area Officers and their respective alternates.

Area 36 Calendar 2019

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AREA ASSEMBLYP.O. Box 2812Minneapolis, MN 55402

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