“GaL-AA stands for

Gays and Lesbians in

Alcoholics Anonymous.

Much has changed in

the thirty years since we

began

-

In This Issue

2015 Wrap-up

Elections

Donations

GaL-AA Survey

Sponsorship

Step 11 & Tradition 11

GaL-AA Fall Newsletter November 2015

Gal-AA at the 2015 International Convention

80 years and 14 conventions is what marked the AA 2015 Interna-

tional convention in Atlanta Georgia July 2-5

During the AA International Convention over the July 4th weekend in

Atlanta this summer the GaL-AA committee hosted the dance party

and weekend-long hospitality suite for our community and convention

attendees. The weekend was a great success, beginning Friday

night when over 2000 attendees danced to the music of Atlanta's

very own Atlanta sober DJ.

Party guests were also treated to some wild entertainment with the

Miss Sobriety World contest and contestants from Atlanta and Dallas

raising funds for additional GaL-AA outreach.

What was experienced over the weekend took months of planning,

budgeting, fundraising, marketing and many, many meetings. We are

grateful to have such a dedicated committee and lucky to find profes-

sionals with experience they bring for their own special contributions

of time and talent. We also had over 150 volunteers just for the

weekend activities coming from all over the country and abroad. We

certainly could not have done it without such a great group of volun-

teers and committee members. Financially we maintained a fully self-

supporting budget and able to give back to GaL-AA International too.

We are very proud of the team and of creating a special event and

many lasting memories and friendships.

See you in Detroit in 2020 - Ron D. Atlanta

Gal-AA executive committee would like to thank all the volunteers for

making the event a success at the 2015 international convention.

Your hard work and dedication was evident at the Westin Hotel Hos-

pitality suite and Friday night dance.

GaL-AA would also like to thank the many many people who stopped

by to say hi, get information, and to tell us about what's happening in

there city's and states and how we could further help the still suffer-

ing Alcoholic.

Contact Us

GaL-AA

9450 SW Gemini Dr. #45287

Beaverton, OR 97008(555)

support@gal-aa.org

Visit us on the web at www.gal-aa.org

Donations for August/September/October 2015

Executive Committee

Chairperson

Denise R.

deniser@gal-aa.org

Attleboro, MA

DOS: 10/24/1989

Deputy Chair

Michael N.

aamike@gal-aa.org

Marion, WI

DOS: 5/12/1997

Secretary

Carol N.

carol@gal-aa.org

Stoneham, MA

DOS: 2/9/1980

Treasurer

Mark J.

markj@gal-aa.org

Snellville, GA

DOS: 7/5/2005

Advisor I

Jamie B.

jamie@gal-aa.org

Dallas, TX

DOS: 2/4/2008

Advisor II

Gary C.

garyc@gal-aa.org

Royal Oak, MI

DOS: 6/1/1991

Advisor III

Pierre B.

pierre@gal-aa.org

Atlanta, GA

DOS: 1/4/1994

Technical Liaison

Rob F.

robf@gal-aa.org

Columbus, OH

DOS: 12/25/2008

Group 687507 Kensington, CT 20.00

St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, FL 50.87

Sober Saturday Matinee Washington, DC 71.70

Good Shepherd Randolph, MA 50.00

Brothers & Sisters in Sobriety Columbus, OH 39.36

Sunny Dunes 5th Tradition Palm Springs, CA 33.82

Live & Let Live St. Paul, MN 40.55

Doylestown Men's Group Doylestown, PA 10.00

San Antonio Lambda San Antonio, TX 125.00

Sunny Dunes 5th Tradition Palm Springs, CA 51.43

Live & Let Live St. Paul, MN 40.55

Doylestown Men's Group Doylestown, PA 10.00

San Antonio Lambda San Antonio, TX 125.00

Sunny Dunes 5th Tradition Palm Springs, CA 51.43

Member story from the International

I am from Albuquerque New Mexico. my partner and I with three and two

years sober went to the AA International conference in Atlanta and it was our

first international conference . We stayed at the GaL-AA host hotel the Westin.

We met a group of men from Phoenix there in the GaL-AA hospitality room.

Three months later, I was attending their men's retreat called Renewal In the

desert. The connections in AA are infinite and unexpected. I love that about

AA.

The best part was the green welcoming committee chanting Bill Bill Bill, when-

ever I get in a place of fear I start hearing that rally in my mind and sometimes

I just say it out loud. BILL BILL BILL.

I am looking forward to the next AA international conference 2020 in Detroit.

Underdog08

Term 01/01/2016 – 12/31/2017

It is time for the GaL-AA Spirit of Rotation to inspire and excite your Spirit of service for the GaL-AA Community!

GaL-AA 2015 Ballot Positions:

Deputy Chair

Secretary

Advisor II

Election Time Line:

12 Oct – 20 November 2015: Resume Submissions accepted

27 November 2015: Slate of Candidates announced and ballots distributed via email.

27 November – 18 December 2015: Online voting open

21 December 2015: Results announced January 1st, 2016: New Officers assume responsibilities

GaL-AA Seeking Candidates For 2015 Elections

2015 international Statistics

Number of Volunteer's for GaL-AA - 150

First Transgender meetings at an International AA Convention - 3

Friday Night Dance - 2000 +

New GaL-AA Sign up’s at the International convention - 109

Glow Sticks for Dance - 3000

Rainbow wrist bands - 2200

Gay Meetings at the International - 3

Sober T-Shirts sold - 125

GaL-AA Coins given away - 3000

And a whole lot of new friends were made all around the convention

.Secretary

Prepare and distribute minutes for all GaL-AA Executive Committee

meetings and General Membership meetings with attendance record.

Document approval and/or corrections to minutes.

In cooperation with Chairperson, prepare and distribute meeting agen-

das and corresponding materials prior to each meeting of the Execu-

tive Committee.

Serve as custodian of corporate records including but not limited to by-

laws, policies, rules of order, minutes, correspondence, committees,

Manual of Policies and Practices, charter and archival materials.

Receive and review all GaL-AA correspondence; respond and/or redi-

rect as appropriate.

Responsible for all GaL-AA Executive Committee correspondence.

Maintain a listing of all members of the Executive Committee.

Manage the post office box/corporate mailing address.

Receive donations via mail; document and send acknowledgments.

Maintain co-signatory authority on all bank accounts.

Maintain compliance with non-profit incorporation, in cooperation with

Treasurer.

Maintain compliance with IRS status, in cooperation with Treasurer

Deputy Chairperson

Preside over all meetings of the full Advisory Council, Executive Commit-

tee and General Membership in the event that the Chairperson is unable

to do so.

Replace Chairperson in all identified roles and responsibilities in the event

that the Chairperson is unable to execute the position.

In cooperation with the Chairperson, establish all agendas.

Oversee all literature (in print and on website) to insure accuracy and

consistency of message.

Monitor all literature (written and on website) to ensure that it is within the

decisions and recommendations of the Executive Committee.

In cooperation with the Chairperson, facilitate an on-going process of

setting goals, monitoring progress, involving volunteers and identifying

needs or changes.

Serve as the primary liaison with AA-GSO, the AA Special Interest

Groups, Box 459 and the gay/lesbian international AA community. Main-

tain communication through letters of introduction, annual contacts and

transmitting GaL-AA minutes, financial reports and informational materi-

als.

Maintain responsibility for the election process, solicitation of nominees,

slate of candidates and balloting. Deputy Chairperson will appoint one

member of the Executive Committee to serve with the Deputy Chairper-

son in this task. The member is to be someone who is not a candidate in

the election cycle.

Advisor II

Maintain the primary role for Public Information, carrying the purpose and services of GaL-AA to the community.

Serve as primary liaison with conferences and roundups to cooperate in service to the alcoholic who still suffers.

Establish and maintain a model of public information for use at events to include booth display, staffing guidelines, presentations, signage

and a system to sign up individuals, groups and round ups, etc.

Coordinate all representation of GaL-AA at roundups and other conferences to ensure that the format, materials and message are consistent

with GaL-AA model.

Participate with the Deputy Chairperson and Technical Liaison in the development of GaL-AA literature for use in public information events,

routine AA conventions, gay/lesbian-specific settings and the website.

Serve to orient new members of the Executive Committee who take office on January 1 in even numbered years.

Develop policies and procedures for GaL-AA work with the public.

Provide orientation to new members of the Executive Committee.

Committee Member Responsibilities

Gal-AA Volunteers Service continues to be the guid-

ing force of our organization, thus

we are expanding the range of

volunteers. As in the past, some

may choose to represent a group,

city, area, state or country. Others

may represent a Roundup, another

AA Special Interest or Professional

Group.

Individuals and teams may choose

to work on specific projects that

extend the hand of A.A. in these or

other areas: Corrections, Commu-

nication, Treatment, Special

Needs, PI (Public Information),

CPC (Cooperation with the Profes-

sional Community), Archives, Cen-

tral/Area Office, State/Area/

Regional AA Conferences, just to

name a few.

Upcoming Newsletters and E-

Blasts will offer more information

on these many opportunities of

service. The goal remains to share

information to and from GaL-AA.

Find you guide for AA

Sponsorship

Sponsorship is merely another way of describing the continuing special interest of a seasoned member that can mean so much to a newcomer turning to A.A. for help.

Individuals and groups cannot afford to lose sight of the importance of sponsor-ship, the importance of talking a special interest in a confused alcoholic who wants to stop drinking. Experience shows clearly that the members getting the most out of the A.A. program, and the groups doing the best job of carrying the A.A. mes-sage to still-suffering alcoholics,. are those for whom sponsorship is too important to be left to chance.

For the person seeking a sponsor

The process of matching newcomer and sponsor is as informal as everything else in A.A. Often, the new person simply approaches a more experienced member who seems compatible, and asks that member to be a sponsor. Most A.A.'s are happy and grateful to receive such a request.

An old A.A. saying suggests, "Stick with the winners. " It's only reasonable to seek a sharing of experience with a member who seems to be using the A.A. program successfully in every- day life. There are no specific rules, but a good sponsor probably should be a year or more away from the last drink - and should seem to be enjoying sobriety.

2015 International Financial information

An honor to serve

It's hard to believe that almost 2 years ago the GaL-AA Atlanta met for the first

time to discuss the 2015 convention and what, where, how and when we would

host the 2015 GaL-AA dance and hospitality suite. We were fortunate and

blessed to find a team relatively quickly with the skills dedication and time to

make our goal a success.

Over an 18 month period, the GaL-AA Atlanta team worked together on the

dance and hospitality suite for the convention. Most of the attention was put on

having a spectacular & fun dance. While not everything went smoothly or as

planned, the team pulled off the most successful dance in GaL-AA's history. It

was a great honor and privilege to be a part of this team! - Jim D. Atlanta

Table Topic

The four Absolutes:

Honesty

Purity

Unselfishness

Love

Contact Us

GaL-AA

9450 SW Gemini Dr. #45287

Beaverton, OR 97008

Visit us on the web at:

http:// www.gal-aa.org

On our website you can:

Search for Meetings

Add a Meeting

Find a Roundup

Find additional resources

And a whole lot more!

Step 11 : Sought through prayer and medita-tion to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out

Tradition 11 : Our public relations policy is based on

attraction rather than promotion; we need always main-

tain anonymity at the level of press, radio and

films.

Up coming Roundups 2015-2016

Houston Roundup—going to any lengths: November 27, 2015- November 30, 2015

Las Vegas Roundup – Let Go and Let God: November 26, 2015 - November 29, 2015

Austin Roundup 2016 – A New Freedom: February 5, 2016 - February 7, 2016

Spirit by the Sea—Rehoboth Beach Roundup: February 12, 2016 - February 14, 2016

S.E.M.R.U. Expect Miracles: February 12, 2016 - February 15, 2016

Together We Can 2016: Trust God, Clean House, Help Others March 18, 2016—March 20, 2016

Vancouver BC. Celebrate Sobriety 2016: March 25, 2016 - March 27, 2016

New Mexico Roundup—A Way Out: May 20, 2016 - May 21, 2016

Big D Roundup—Rocketed: May 27, 2016 - May 29, 2016

NJ Roundup – Happy, Joyous, free and Fabulous! September 9, 2016 - September 11, 2016

Pass it on!

If you don’t see your roundup listed please contact : support@GaL-AA.org and give us the information