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Report on the Maine Area 28 Inventory

 

Maine Area 28 held an inventory on December 9th, 2012 at the Oasis Club in Saco, Maine. It began at 9:00 am and ran through to 2:45 pm with a pizza and salad lunch supplied by the Area. The inventory was facilitated by Kevin D. from Area 30, East Massachusetts – panel 61. There were 6 DCMs and 2 GSRs in attendance with a total of approximately 45 people.

 

What is the basic purpose of our Area?

The purpose of the Area is to make it possible for individuals, groups, and districts to carry the message of A.A. This includes being a conduit or connection to the community, keeping communication flowing among all groups for “growth and harmony in the A.A. Fellowship.” (The A.A. Service Manual, 2011-2012. p. S44) Our area and AA as a whole has special workers and trusted servants working in the inter-groups and central service offices. The Area needs to work on our relationship with these entities and also develop clearer communications between and within each.

 

What more can our Area do to carry the message?

Communication is again the key ingredient. Less dependence on electronic communication between groups and individuals is needed with more phone and snail mail. To help communicate what we do we need to be more explicit about commitments for service positions and share what we do as service. More support for those taking service positions and a better understanding of suggested experience and responsibility involved in electing or appointing people to service positions is also needed. Reach out to all members of the fellowship to join in service work.

 

Is our Area attracting alcoholics from different backgrounds? Are we seeing a good cross-section of our community, including those with special needs?

Our Area does well in this with our treatment, corrections, bridging the gap and PI and CPC committees. It was suggested that different backgrounds should include the socio-economic and rural/urban differences. We could improve by using hearing impaired equipment at all Area functions and be more amiable in attracting people to service work by emphasizing principles over personalities.

 

Do new members stick with us, or does the turnover seem excessive? If so why? What can we as an Area do to retain members?

We need to find ways to reach all the Area for service, especially remote areas. It should stress the responsibility that members have when groups or districts pay their way to attend assemblies. They are the voices that need to be heard and instead of leaving early should participate more fully. Turnover seems excessive – we need to simplify and share our service experiences with others joining in service.

 

Do we emphasize the importance of sponsorship? How effectively? How can we do better?

We need to improve in this area. We could offer available service sponsors at area functions, especially assemblies, to guide new people through the process of service work at the Area level. People who are sponsors can guide sponsees in determining what service positions they may be qualified for and at the same time be a positive and enthusiastic power of example. Perhaps workshops on service sponsors would be good.

 

Are all members given the opportunity to speak at meetings and to participate in Area activities?

There are differences between service meetings and recovery meetings. Those who get up to speak at service meetings should be given an opportunity to be heard. However, it is the responsibility of each member to be respectful of other members as well as to adhere to the guidelines set down by the Area Chair for getting up to share. Robert’s Rules of Order is used loosely with a spiritual twist to maintain some order in the process of being heard in these service meetings. Always remember we may agree to disagree, always placing principles before personalities and have patience. Moving questions before everyone has a chance to share or being a mic hound and repeating what has already been said – are BOTH inconsiderate behaviors.

 

Mindful that holding office is a great responsibility not to be viewed as the outcome of a popularity contest, are we choosing our officers with care?

There are some who believe that we are not choosing our officers with care and/or not heeding the suggested experience that each position could use. Always keep in mind to do what is best for the group (Area) not what you think is best for the individual. Are our members making themselves available for positions? When standing for a position perhaps it would be best for the person to address the qualifications suggested in our workbook first and also be clear about how much time they have spent in previous positions. Area Officers could use their reports to share more about what their positions entail for duties and responsibilities and also visit groups and districts.

 

Are we doing all we can to provide an attractive and accessible meeting place?

The Area now has guidelines for providing accessibility to Area events and our Struggling District Funds offer ways to give financial accessibility. If we as individuals are enthusiastic about our service work we will attract others. We need to share our service experiences and support others in all our service work.

 

Does our Area do its fair share toward participating in the purpose of A.A.? (As it relates to our Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service)

It is not a good practice to replace or substitute service meetings for recovery meetings. “Our Three Legacies must be kept intact. In Recovery, we get sober together; in Unity, we work together for the good of our Steps and Traditions; and through Service – we give away freely what has been given to us.” (Daily Reflections, 1990. p. 366) There is a feeling that we need to work on unity along with service.

 

What has our Area done lately to bring the A.A. message to the attention of professionals in the community- the physicians, clergy, court officials, educators, and others who are often the first to see alcoholics in need of help?

Our Area has had many projects to bring our program to professionals and the public in schools, libraries, doctors and correction packets to name a few. We have Love and Service workshops as well. It is important to remember to be good tenants at each level. More ways to involve districts would add to this area of service.

 

How is our Area fulfilling its responsibility to the Seventh Tradition?

We were reminded that a prudent reserve is three months of operating funds and all other monies should go to the next level – (ex: group to district, Area, GSO – district to Area, GSO – Area to GSO) to help to carry the message of the A.A. program through literature, hotline, etc. It is the responsibility of each of us to hold our treasurers accountable to report on the funds in their care and for us to actually read these reports. We are non-profit, therefore each group, district, area, and GSO is not to be looking for ways ‘to make money’ but to be good stewards of our resources so we may best help the still suffering alcoholic and carry the message of hope that our program has.

 

 

 

 

 

      There were several points that continued throughout our inventory to help us with our purpose. Below is a synopsis of the inventory.

 

·         Communication

Education

Information

Keeping It Simple

Principles over Personalities

Maintaining our three legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service throughout the AA service structure

Sharing (a service) on each level – individual, group, district, area, our experience, strength, and hope

 

 

            In following these points, some of the things we uncovered through the inventory were as follows:

 

·         We need to improve our working relationship with our inter-groups (CSO & DEIG)

We need to use more U.S. postal service so that those without computers or know how will not be left out of the information loop – being mindful of our different backgrounds.

More emphasis needs to be put on the resources that Area provides such as literature, struggling district funds, information packets, and workshops.

Passing on our experiences to the next person coming up into service needs to be done.

We need to be more attractive and that can really only be done at the individual level. If you are enthusiastic about your service experience then you will attract others to service (unfortunately the reverse is also true). We need to be mindful of the role modeling of sobriety and service we present to others and reach out to others with positive support.

More workshops on sponsorship and the role of GSRs and DCMs at the Area level – distinction between sponsors and service sponsors, could be done.

Individuals need to be respectful of the fellowship so all can get a chance to share/ participate / learn at the Area level (Assemblies – the mic) Patience

Office holding and electing trusted servants is a responsibility and a commitment. We need to be mindful of what is best for the Area, not the individual when electing our trusted servants. Trust in God.

 

An inventory is not an end in itself. Our Steps don’t stop at four. It is now up to each of us working together to benefit from what we have learned and incorporate that experience and wisdom in our future actions.

 

Respectfully Submitted in Love and Service by Mary Lou Q., Alt. Delegate