Last Updated on January 30, 2019 by Area 53 Web Team
Alternate Delegate Peggy A. and I participated in the Southeast regional forum on August 17 2013. The experience renewed my belief in the dedication of our A.A. General Service Office (GSO).
The forum was held in Charleston WV and Peg and I drove 3 hours down and 3 hours back. We participated there from 9:00 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. and got back to Columbus around 11:30 p.m. Saturday night.
As the 2013-14 Delegate for Area 53 Central and Southeastern Ohio I saw, first hand, the efforts our world service workers make to inform and seek the A.A. fellowship’s directions and suggestions.
Regional forums are sometimes called the GSO road show. They are< coordinated by the paid staff workers at GSO and include non-paid members of the General Service Board (GSB), who serve as directors of the corporate boards for A.A. World Service and Grapevine. See Chapter 10-12 in the A.A. Service Manual. Forums are marked by great informational literature displays and thought provoking presentations that include informative panels and workshops and sharing Q & A sessions.
The whole event serves as an extended opportunity to talk one-on-one and get personal experience from the GSB and the servants who work for us in New York. There is no official business conducted. The essence of the weekend is communication and understanding.
If you ever asked: Why should I care about A.A. beyond my home group? How does support of G.S.O. help A.A.s worldwide? How are the GSB and the A.A.W.S. and Grapevine Boards accountable to the Fellowship? At these forums you get the answers and you get heard.
At forums individual A.A.s hear about dollars & cents, nuts & bolts general service 12-step work as practiced by world servants funded by the groups. Discussion of sponsorship, leadership, traditions, public relations and more are the meat of this banquet of information and sharing.
Sharing at forums is captured in Forum Final Reports which are produced afterward and distributed to all attendees either through e-mail or via postal service. Regional Forums Final Reports are made available eventually on the A.A. website (aa.org).
It was a privilege to represent Central and Southeastern Ohio in Charleston and I will be available anytime to come to your group and answer your questions about how the A.A. message is getting carried by all our trusted servants from New York to the 29 districts and more than 600 groups in Area 53.
In Service,
Dave C.
Delegate, Area 53 Central Southeastern Ohio