Colorado Area Al-Anon & Alateen

Colorado Area Al-Anon & Alateen - past issues of Delegate's Corner
(last update 7/26/2005)

From your delegate - July 23, 2005

From your delegate from March 21, 2005

Dear Members of Area 5 Assembly,

These are the questions that the assembly Action Committees developed last November. I submitted them to both the Southwest Regional Delegates Meeting and the World Service Conference for consideration as discussion topics. 96 questions were submitted from all over the US and Canada for consideration at the WSC. After vote of the members of the WSC, Question 1 was chosen to be discussed on the floor in one of two hour-long sessions. It was also chosen for open discussion on the floor of the SWRDM in March. Questions 2 & 3 were selected for 1/2 hours floor sessions at the WSC (a total of 4 questions were chosen - 2 were from Colorado!).

During a breakout session at the WSC called, Talking With the Delegates I had the opportunity to pose our ask-it basket issue and received a great deal of support from other delegates for books in audio format to become a reality someday. None of the discussions lead to a floor motion this year (that's normal). The purpose of the sessions is to "talk to each other and reason things out". Hopefully, discussions will continue in the future. I encourage all of you to continue discussion of these topics in your group meetings and district meetings. At this year"s November assembly I will ask you to come up with new questions to submit for next year"s Conference. Love in Service, Carol Panel 44

AREA 5 CHOSEN TOPICS

How do we use the principles of the three legacies to resolve disagreement regarding decisions when it seems the Concepts themselves are in conflict with one another, i.e. legal rights vs. traditional rights and, especially, who has final authority (veto power) [pages 165 & 168 of the Service Manual]? How can Al-Anon keep its personna as a spiritual fellowship guided by the groups and a Higher Power in the face of certain legal mandates from its corporate board of directors? Will we remain a spiritual program if the Board does all the guidance, and the Conference is only a means to get the Board decisions out to the fellowship?
How can we communicate effectively and become more informed, get groups more involved, and increase the voice of the groups that are not currently represented? How do we get new people into service and keep them in service?
What are the impacts, both positive and negative, of technology, including the Internet, on our fellowship and how can we use technology to best serve our fellowship?

ASK-IT-BASKET QUESTION
How can our CAL become more available in more formats i.e., CAL books on audio tape and CD for ALL members use: those who have vision problems, hearing problems, reading/comprehension problems, time issues - for all members?

From your delegate - March 21, 2005

I had a wonderful productive time at the SWRDM and hope you had the same at assembly. I've heard a report from the GR of my home group and spoken with the Area Secretary. It sounds like it was a great assembly and AWSC.

Here's a bit of news:

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL SERVICE SEMINAR

The Hawaii hosts are planning so many fun things to do along with the Service Seminar. Important for you to know is that you won't need a car while there. In fact, the hotel charges $20/day for parking. The bus system is excellent at $2 a ride. A shopping center is within walking distance of the hotel. Soon they will be setting up a website for us with tourist info etc. They talked about some not to be missed things: a swap meet that is held nearby, an outstanding 99 cent store and they are planning to offer a Lei making workshop. They will probably also put together some group sightseeing excursions. FYI, there is a Woman to Woman Conference being held on the island the weekend before the RSS. That information will be available later also. The forms for registering with WSO for the RSS are not out yet. Check the WSO website often. They should be there soon.

55th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

WSO is working on plans for a celebration of our 55th year. It will be held at the end of the Conference in 2006 on Saturday, April 29. It will be held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

March 21, 2005 - continued

CLOSING OF THE PRINT SHOP

The equipment in our print shop was sadly out of date, breaking down, and we were unable to get parts. The investment to bring it to current technical standards would be very high. The Board made the decision to discontinue doing our own printing at this time.

NOTE FROM THE WSO PUBLIC OUTREACH DEPARTMENT

National Publicity
We have just been notified that Dear Abby will run the WSO's Web site address in the column to be published in local newspapers on Wednesday, March 30th. There is the possibility that it could run a day or two before or after that date, as local papers have that autonomy. We thought you'd like to know and let others in your area know, as visitors may find their way to local Web sites and phone numbers!

SWRDM 2006

Next year the Southwest Regional Delegates Meeting will be in Oakland, California at Jack London Square March 10-12, 2006.

BOOKS ON AUDIO FORMAT

At the SWRDM I spoke a bit about books on audio format. It was then that I learned that the Courage to Change CD will be a visual CD - not audio. Everyone I speak with in our fellowship loves the idea of our books on audio format but getting it beyond the grassroots level seems like a brick wall. It was suggested to me by our SW Trustee and the Chairperson of the Board that LOTS of letters from members to WSO would have a great effect. So, if you and others you know would like to see this eventually happen...... WRITE letters!

WSC...LOVE AND LOVE GIFTS

I don't know how many love gifts were brought to assembly for Teri to mail to me but I'm hoping it's lots! If you or your district still wants to send thing you may mail them directly to the hotel (as listed in the Butterfly). They may not arrive at the hotel prior to April 12. PLEASE drop me a line, a joke, a card or anything while I'm there. I need to know you're with me!

I will be leaving for the WSC on Thursday, April 14. Following the Conference my daughter will be joining me for a week in NYC. We're looking forward to that mom/daughter bonding time. I will return late in the day on April 29.
I would love to come to your districts to tell you news from the Conference. All it takes is an invitation from you. Also, please feel free to email me with any of your ideas, comments etc. for me to know for Conference prior to April 12th. Hugs

Love Gifts - January 2005

On the Delegates Online email group we've been having a discussion about 'love gifts'. It reminds me of how much I've always loved receiving them. Here is what I wrote to the group:

In Colorado we have always looked forward with anticipation to the Delegate's WSC report in July because it also meant we got to choose and keep a love gift or two from other Al-Anon's throughout the US and Canada. When I was DR we all loved what we chose and even used some of the very creative ideas to create our own and pass on at events in our area. Mostly they are very simple things, not too expensive to make, and created beautifully within our fellowship. (We can never have too many bookmarks.) They might appear rather "folksy" to people outside our fellowship but to us - they're the essence of the love we share here.

Last July I took the love gifts to the assembly. I selected some of my favorites, added the new Blueprints and created a "basket of love" which went on our fundraiser silent auction. It was won with great enthusiasm by someone in the upper reaches of our Rockies and earned something like $25 for the area. I also had a drawing for the Survival book in Spanish. That was really popular too.

Please everyone, bring love gifts - my area loves the love gifts! And, they're going to send some for you.

Now then, I'm counting on all of your districts to provide love gifts for me to share at Conference. Last year I had post cards from all over the state. This year I'd like to take the wonderful bookmarks, do-dads, magnets, whatsits, or whatever that represents our program from the loving hands of the members. (mints, candies and any yummy item is also very popular at conference). It is fine if it's a variety of things or, one of the districts could organize a 'love gift' making project. Just be sure they show that they came from Colorado and bring them to the March assembly.
Since I won't be with you at Assembly in March, Teri B. will collect them from all of you and ship them to Stamford for me at Conference time. It really will be best if they all go to her and get shipped. Heaven knows I will have very full bags with my clothing and conference materials!
I also look forward to hearing from your districts about our theme for this year - ENERGIZE AL-ANON: EXPAND - EXPLORE- EXPERIENCE. Please let me know your thoughts on how we can encompass this theme in 2005.
If ya'll have any particular issues you would like to discuss with me please email, write or call.
I would be most delighted to visit your districts to give a first hand report from conference, share my story, attend your fundraising event or just meet those who don't come to assemblies (I would not get to meet them otherwise). Just invite me.
I love each of you in that very special Al-Anon way! Hugs.