64 th general service conference communicating our legacies –vital in a changing world

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64th General Service ConferenceCommunicating Our Legacies –Vital in A Changing World

The 64th General Service Conference

Hilton West Chester, Rye Town, NY

April 27 – May 3, 2014

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Conference Committee Meetings Trustee Elections Conference Committee Reports Conference Actions Floor Actions

64th General Service Conference

Our Primary Work:

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Conference Committee Actions:

Recommend an Advisory ActionNo ActionAdditional ConsiderationRecommit to the Trustees Committee


Our Primary Work:

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“Were it not for Committees it is doubtful that any conference could get over a fraction of the ground it now covers. As the Conference has grown in size and influence the Committee’s importance has grown even more…”

- AA Service Manual


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Two “Delegates Only” Meetings Three Regional meetingsSeven AA meetings 14 Presentations and ReportsGeneral Sharing/Q&A- 5 HoursDelegate Highlights GSC Inventory & Report backDelegate Goodbyes - 48Trustee Goodbyes – 3Stepping Stones


How we spent our time:

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Who makes up the Conference?

93 Delegates 71% 7 Class A Trustees (Non-Alcoholic) 5%13 Class B Trustees (Alcoholic)* 10% 4 Non-Trustee Directors 3%15 GSO and Grapevine Staff 11%

132 Total

*one vacancy due to the death of Trustee Marty Walters from Western Canada earlier this year

Avg. Age: 59 yrs.

Oldest: 78

Youngest: 32

Avg. Sobriety: 21

Longest Sobriety: 41

Shortest Sobriety: 7

Area w/Largest membership: Area 9 Mid-South California

Area w/Smallest membership: Area 85 NW Ontario


Conference Diversity:

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64th General Service ConferenceSunday,10:00 am

It Begins!

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Board ReportsGeneral Service Board

AAWS Board

Grapevine Board

GSB Treasurer Report

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General Service BoardChair: Terry Bedient

Group Safety

“Serving the Fellowship” Initiative

Work Continues on Original 14

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AAWS BoardChair: Gary Lutz

Over 100,000 copies of 75th Anniversary Big Book sold

Over 1900 New Groups Registered in 2013

Redesign of aa.org

Over 40% of Literature sales are now online

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Grapevine BoardChair: Nancy Haynes

$3 Million Total Revenue - flat

$315,000 Profit – up $100,000

$135,000 from Cost ReductionsExcellent Cost Control by GV Leadership!!

http://store.aagrapevine.org/SubscriptionCombo.aspx?PK=M42H1S

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Subscriptions continue to decline 2013: Declined 6,100 7%

Last 5 years: Print declined 24,000 Online added 5,000

*** Net Decline: 19,000 Subscriptions

Grapevine Circulation



0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,00019

7419

7519

7619

7719

7819

7919

8019

8119

8219

8319

8419

8519

8619

8719

8819

8919

9019

9119

9219

9319

9419

9519

9619

9719

9819

9920

0020

0120

0220

0320

0420

0520

0620

0720

0820

0920

1020

1120

1220

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Subscriptions

AA Grapevine Circulation: 1974-2013

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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

104,000 102,300

93,10090,500 88,900

82,300

104,000 102,300

93,10090,500

83,900

77,300

Grapevine SubscriptionsPrint and Total 2008-2013

Subscritions-Average for year (include Online)

Print only Subscriptions



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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013$0.00

$5.00

$10.00

$15.00

$20.00

$25.00

$30.00

$19.96$20.80

$22.50

$25.60$26.39

$27.18

$12.00 $12.20$13.38

$16.26$17.17

$17.91

GrapevineRevenue and Gross Profit

Per Subscription 2008-2013

Revenue per Subscription

Gross profit per subscription



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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013$0.0

$0.5

$1.0

$1.5

$2.0

$2.5

$3.0

$3.5

$2.9$3.0

$2.9 $2.9$3.0 $3.0

$2.1

$2.3

$2.1

$2.3 $2.3$2.2

Grapevine RevenueTotal and Magazine 2008-2013

Total Revenue (millions)

Revenue-Magazines (millions)


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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

-$500,000

-$400,000

-$300,000

-$200,000

-$100,000

$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

-$138,000 -$133,000

-$400,000

$23,000

$257,000

$315,000

Grapevine Net Income 2008-2013

NET INCOME


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Audio Story RecordingsGV 70 celebrationsAudio Recording stories for salePublish audio content via 3rd Parties“mp3” format for existing CD items2015 International Convention Publications

Tactical Actions....Also need a Long Term Strategic Plan


Revenue Generating Programs:


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La Viña circulation increased 9% in 2013 3rd year in a row for an increase 10,100 Subscribers almost back to peak of 2007

Total revenue was up only 2% -

Cost of Service to provide La Viña : $144,000

La Viña

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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20137,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

10,000

10,500

11,000

10,404

9,663

8,741

8,982

9,157

10,145

La Viña Subscriptions Per Year

2008-2013

Subscriptions-Average per year


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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013$0

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

$120,000

$140,000

$160,000

$124,600 $122,600 $120,200

$129,300$123,500 $125,300

$76,300

$54,500

$75,500$69,700

$116,000

$142,500

La ViñaRevenue and Cost of Service

2008-2013

Revenue-TotalCost to GSB to provide La Vina


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Treasurer David MorrisClass A (non-Alcoholic) Board Member

Certified Public AccountantOwn Financial Consulting FirmRetired Executive- JP Morgan/Chase Bank


Board Report: Finance

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Finance Report

2013 Literature Sales: $12.6 million Up 2%

Profit $30,000 vs a budgeted loss of $600,000 Printing, shipping, warehousing costs decreased

Big Book, Twelve and Twelve, Daily Reflections and Living Sober all had small increased sales Pamphlet sales have declined 20+% in last 5 years

Sales are up…Costs are down…all is well in Publishing town!

Literature and Publishing

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$6.9 Million, increased $350,000…..5+%Highest ever!Every category increased

Birthday/Individual ContributionsIncreased 50+% in the last 5 years

42.5% of Groups contributedSame as last year, Down 4% from 4-5 yrs ago

Contributions cover 72% of cost of services per member


Finance Report

2013 Contributions

$0

$1,000,000

$2,000,000

$3,000,000

$4,000,000

$5,000,000

$6,000,000

$7,000,000

$8,000,00019

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1986

1989

1992

1995

1998

2001

2004

2007

2010

2013

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Total ContributionsTotal Percentage of Groups Contributing

CONTRIBUTION HISTORY: 1983—2013


Finance Report

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2012 $ 10.4 Million

2013 $ 3.6 Million

Reduction $ 6.8 Million

Pension Obligation now 87% funded

2012 it was only 56% funded

Currently not a Financial Concern!! YEAH!!!!


Finance Report

Unfunded Pension Liability

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Conference Committee Meetings Trustee Elections Conference Committee Reports Conference Actions Floor Actions


Our Primary Work:

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Eastern Canada: Richard Boisvert, Panel 60 Delegate, Area 90, Northwest Quebec

Pacific: Joel Castellaw, Panel 60 Delegate,Area 08, San Diego/Imperial Valley

Both Elections went to the ‘hat’, Both had received the fewer votes in all ballots

Congratulations to Richard and Joel


Regional Trustee Elections

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Conference Committee Actions:

Recommend an Advisory ActionNo ActionAdditional ConsiderationRecommit to the Trustees Committee

64th General Service ConferenceConference Actions

Our Primary Work:

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Cooperation with Professionals: Revised “If You Are a Professional” Pamphlet

Corrections: Update “It Sure beats Sitting in a cell” video Finance: Translate Conference Materials Grapevine: motions and Floor Actions on “Right of Decision” and

to remove “Alcoholism at Large” both failed Literature: NEW PAMPHLET! “Many Paths to Spirituality” Public Information: No changes to Anonymity Card; survey and

new video passed Archives: Updated “Markings on The Journey” video Report and Charter: No Action-Warranty III

Details on aanorthcarolina.org next week!


Conference Actions

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1. Recommended revising the pamphlet, “If you are a Professional”

More inclusive of different professional“Acknowledge” attendance vs sign or stamp

2. Same pamphlet, different sectionAdded sentence to keep responsibility on the alcoholic to make contact with AA

3.Recommended deleting smoking phrase from the Health care pamphlet.

All three passed

Additional Considerations: Added reference material to CPC Kit/Workbook


Cooperation with the Professional Community

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1. Recommended minor changes to the pamphlet “A message to Corrections Professionals .

2. Recommended that a new video be developed to replace the 25 year old “It Sure Beats Sitting in aCell”

Both passed unanimously

Additional Considerations: Suggested that the DVD. “Carrying the Message

Behind These Walls” be included in the Corrections Kit.


Corrections

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64th General Service ConferenceFinance

Recommend that because all Conference Members are equal and should have equal access that a plan be created by the General Service Office to translate Conference Material (background material, etc.) into French and Spanish for use during the conference, with a report being presented to the 2015 General Service Conference

Passed unanimously…AA unity at it’s very best!

Additional considerations: No increase in suggested Area contribution for Delegate Expense at Conference. Minor changes to self-support card

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Grapevine

Recommended Actions: The Committee recommended that the AA Grapevine have the ‘Right of Decision’ for all formatting decisions on producing the Grapevine and La Vina. Amendment offered to clarify ‘Spiritual Parity”…FailedVote: 76 in favor, 49 against…Failed by 7 No minority opinion Floor Action on the above Recommendation… Vote to hear Floor Action passed 70 to not hear, 50 to hear, needed 82 to not hear!After much discussion, motion Failed, substantial unanimity, count not necessary!

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Grapevine

Committee discussed the request to reconsider publishing “Alcoholism at Large” section of the Grapevine and took no action.

Floor Action: Discontinue publishing the “Alcoholism at Large” section of the Grapevine.Vote to hear the Floor Action passed. 74 to not hear, 50 to hear, needed 84 not to hear.After much discussion, motion Failed. 70 for 53 against, needed 82.

Additional Considerations:A “New Business Plan” to reduce the La Viña deficit <Cost of Service> be developed by the Grapevine Board, bring back in 2015.

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Literature

Recommended new pamphlet with the title ”Many Paths to Spirituality” be approved.

Introduction to the pamphlet by Bill W., is powerful: "....We have atheists and agnostics. We have people of nearly every race, culture and religion. In AA we are supposed to be bound together in the kinship of a universal suffering. Therefore the full liberty to practice any creed or principle or therapy should be a first consideration. Hence let us not pressure anyone with individual or even collective views. Let us instead accord to each other the respect that is due to every human being as he tries to make his way towards the light. Let us always try to be inclusive rather than exclusive. Let us remember that each alcoholic among us is a member of AA, so long as he or she so declares.” Bill W., AA Grapevine, July 1965…Responsibility is Our Theme

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Literature

Pamphlet very well received except for one part. In the section of the pamphlets with 6 ‘paths’ by a variety of AA members the Jewish person talks about not feeling guilty in saying the Lord’s prayer in order stay sober. There was an amendment offered, then an amendment to the amendment, to change that segment - both amendments Failed!

Motion to approve pamphlet as originally presented Passed with substantial unanimity, no vote counted needed.

Only 3 minority opinions offered.

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Literature

Recommended that “Non-alcoholics are welcome to attend open AA meetings as observers” be added to the Primary Purpose Blue Card.Vote: 123 voted, 82 in favor, 41 against, exact 2/3 vote. Passed

Minority opinion, with vote to reconsiderVote: 123 voted, 62 in favor, 61 opposed, One vote decision. Passed.

Vote: 115 voted; 60 in favor, 55 opposed, needed 77 Failed.

Recommended removing “drug” reference from Living Sober. Vote: 118 voted, 60 in favor, 58 opposed Failed.

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64th General Service ConferenceLiterature

Additional ConsiderationsDiscussed the suggestion to create a pamphlet for alcoholics with mental Illness and took no action. Adequately covered in other literature

Floor Action, same as above: GSC recommended that literature which focuses on Alcoholics in recovery with Mental Illness be developed.118 votes, 54 decline to hear, 64 to hear. Will hear Floor action.

Much discussion. Vote 126, 77 in favor, opposed 49, need 84. FailedMinority Opinion, voted to reconsider, PassedOriginal Motion, more discussion, called the question,Vote: 128, 77 in favor, 51 opposed, Failed

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64th General Service ConferencePublic Information

Recommended that the Anonymity Card(F-20) be revised. Motion to recommit to Trustees PI Committee failed. Motion initially passed, then minority spoke… Motion to reconsider passed unanimously. Relatively short discussion on original motion. Original motion Failed under reconsideration. Recommended numerous classification descriptions on AA Membership Survey be changed. Passed

Recommended that survey be conducted. Passed

New Video, 2 discontinued, Passed.

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Just Ask!!!

The information is available

Other Conference Actions???


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Rocketed into a fourth dimension“We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed. The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God's universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves.”

- Alcoholics Anonymous, p25

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Forever a Panel 63 Delegate!

Thank You Area 87 and AA!


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Atlanta 2015!


64 th general service conference communicating our legacies –vital in a changing world

Documents

aa service manual

conference committee

trustees committee

trustee goodbyes

grapevine staff

area wlargest membership

trustees nonalcoholic

shortest sobriety