District 17 Newsletter
August 25, 2009
The District monthly GSR meeting was held on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 at the District 17 Central Office, located at 373 Woodward Ave. in Kingsford. The meeting opened with a moment of silence & The Serenity Prayer. In attendance were Cliff W., Kevin M., Laura K., John R., Bruce L., James B., Joe L., Dave G., Aaron H., Dennis S., Ken W., & Jen J. Change to last months’ report Financial Chair report (There are two Friday AM groups & 50.00 was attributed to the wrong group … It’s been corrected now on the Year-to-Date report) If you want to receive the monthly GSR district minutes, please send Jen your email address (jljezylo@uplogon.com)
Past month Newsletter: Change to last months’ report Financial Chair report (There are two Friday AM groups & $50.00 was attributed to the wrong group … It’s been corrected now on the Year-to-Date report). The Newsletter was accepted as amended.
Financial Chair Report: Attached July Financial Report & corrected Year-to-Date report provided by District 17 Treasurer, Bruce L. Financial report unanimously accepted. Thanks, Bruce!
Corrections Chair Report: 8/25/09 Received box of goodies from Keith K. with the stuff from Camp Ottawa. Thank you guys for service to this facility and the inmates. Thanks for the goodies which are as follows;
1 NA soft cover 3 Living Sober soft cover
2 full coffees/ 1 open 1 Daily Reflections Large
2 12 X 12 hard cover 3 Large Soft Big Books
3 Inmate to Inmate soft cover 5 Hard cover Big Books
Grapevines and various pamphlets
Still looking for volunteers for the Dickinson Co. Women’s AA, The Florence Co. Men’s, and Men to do an Iron Co. Men’s meeting which will have to be started from scratch. I made decision last month to not spin wheels going no where, until someone does come forward with an interest in this meeting rather than chase windmills like it was suggested. I left open coffee at club and the two full cans brought reserve count to 9, and I dropped one off at jail tonight, which leaves 8.
Respectfully in service: Dennis S. Corrections report unanimously accepted Thanks Dennis
DCM report: Being new to the DCM role for District 17, I’ve learned a great deal in a few months (actually ten months) with experiencing a Area Spring Conference, a couple of assemblies, two committee meetings (Appleton) and (Merrill, WI), and being a member of the Area74 Inventory committee. I’ve completed the reading of the AA Service Manuel and just like my finding this program of recovery later than most, at age 48, I can understand fully the primary purpose of this program in reaching out to the alcoholic who is suffering by sharing my strength, hope, and experience and by performing service work in giving back all of what I’ve received in this new life of true sobriety (straight from the gut).
The 0900 AA Hotline has been active this past month. As the first contact number on the menu #8 option, I’ve received three calls that I responded too. To the chagrin of many people, these calls were at 5 p.m. on a Tuesday, 3:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, and 11:45 p.m. on another Wednesday. Many people believe that you only receive calls around 3 a.m. in the morning. In the past few years, I recall receiving maybe two or three calls after midnight. Most of the calls are received in the afternoon or early evening. You may ask why? True, the 0900 AA Hotline is for people that need help with their drinking. As a live contact number, I receive calls as being the yellow pages of information on AA. I’ve received many, many calls from people court ordered to AA, calling and wanting to know when our next class is and where. I’ve received calls from women that in turn, I was able to refer to a woman member of the fellowship.
That one call I received at 5 p.m. was from a man who needed help. He stated that he wanted to quit drinking and at present was going through DT’s (shaking of body, sweating, and vomiting). He didn’t want to go to a hospital. He was alone and needed someone to talk too. I stated that I would get someone from the fellowship to go with me to his home. He had given me his address and phone number. I made five calls to male members of the fellowship with no answers. A 6th call was answered by a member’s cell phone stating that he was in Marquette. I even called the Iron Mountain Alano Club two times and let their phone ring and ring with no pick up. I ended calling this man and talking to him for a period of time answering any questions that I could. I informed him that I would be over by the next morning. That was accomplished and I was able to present him with a Big Book and an AA meeting card as the three of us had a 12-step call.
On Saturday, August 15th attended the Area Committee Meeting in Merrill, WI. Turned over the cash boxes and extra plastic holders for name tags to members of the Area Fall Conference in Marshfield, WI on the weekend of Sep 18-20, 2009. Presented a District 17 DCM report that will be published in the monthly’ Now & Then’ for September. An agenda was established for the upcoming business meeting at the Fall Conference and the fall assembly. It is an election year on the Area level that will be conducted at the Fall Conference. The final financial statement of the Spring Conference that will be delivered at the fall assembly has now been added to the Spring Conference web-page located in the District archives web-page on our website. Could use some carpentry work in our District Central Office. Respectfully submitted, Cliff W. DCM district 17.
A motion was made to send the District 17 DCM to the Area Fall Conference (Sept 18th, 19th, 20th). Ken: Feels we should do this & pay registration, transportation, & room/meals. If Cliff needs someone to drive down there, it would require doubling the costs. John R. is going for both Friday & Saturday & will provide transportation. Then we’d only need to pay for Cliff. Dennis made a motion to pay for Cliff’s motel for two nights, conference registration, & banquet. Laura seconded. Motion accepted & passed. DCM report was unanimously accepted.