CHAIRPERSON: Mary Kay R.

Meeting opened with a moment of silence followed by the Serenity Prayer. Attendance: 31, 18 District Representatives, 1 Past Delegate, 5 Coordinators and 5 Officers.

Welcome to all officers, coordinators, district representatives and a special welcome to all attending for the first time.

Reminder from Mary Kay: The Area World Service Committee Members meet for the purpose of voicing and exploring their ideas, issues, concerns and visions related to their service jobs by way of an open form in the midst of a wealth of Al-Anon service experience, strength and hope. Service work is then enhanced as members share information and provide affirmation for one another. This meeting produces a timely agenda and many full-bodied reports encompassing both up-to-date achievements as well as newly proposed projects, all of which are presented to the next Ohio Area Assembly.

Mary Kay reminded all that we will have the open forum where ideas, questions, problems from groups, districts or service are shared.

Mary Kay wrote a letter to the Districts that do not have a District Representative. She wrote to 38 groups. See copy of letter attached. 10 of these came back because the person didn’t live there or passed away and I let Group Records know. Cleveland Area has elected 5 new DR’s. We still have a lot of work to do and need ideas as we still have a lot of pockets that need the links of service connected with a DR.

DELEGATE: Geri H.

Well here we are starting another New Year. I am confident that we will have another productive year with lots of new ideas and suggestions coming from all our Coordinators, Committee Chairpersons and our Action Committees. I am excited to announce that Ohio has been chosen for our Public Outreach special project, "Al-Anon/Alateen 101." Two members of the WSO will be visiting our 2-Day Fall Assembly in Youngstown. Delores T., Associate Director of Group Services, who has been my special agent in this project, will be attending and we are not sure, at this time, who the other person will be. I’ve talked with Toni, who is Chairing the 2-Day Fall Assembly, and she has eagerly assured me that the people from the Youngstown area will be happy to pick them up at the airport and bring them to the Hotel. WSO sent me literature material in the amount of $1,200.00 approximately for our Project. (100 Videos, 100 Posters, 57 How Al-Anon Works Book, plus 43 Books purchased by Ohio). I gave this literature to Karen, our Institutions Coordinator, and she will be getting with the Public Outreach Action Committee as to distribution. The WSO Volunteers will be doing a 90 minute presentation at the Fall Assembly and basically just sitting in and being a part of our Assembly Week-end. Pittsburgh, PA is the site chosen for the 2008 International Convention that will be held on July 4-6, 2008. As I have mentioned before WSO is quite concerned in regard to Alateen and Alateen Sponsors. I previously asked our Alateen Action Committee to come up with Area Guidelines. I received a letter from Cecilia L. (Chairman of the Board), stating that a motion was passed requiring Areas to create Safety and Behavioral requirements that meet minimum requirements set by the Board of Trustees. This includes information as to what the WSO expects from the Areas and What the Areas are to expect from the WSO. It states that no later than Dec. 2004, if an Area uses the Al-Anon/Alateen name in conjunction with meetings, the Area is to have Safety and Behavioral Requirements for all Alateen Members and Al-Anon Sponsors involved in Alateen. I’ve talked with Steve, our Alateen Coordinator, about this and he will keep us posted as to what he and the Alateen Sponsors and Action Committee come up with. I saw on the Internet that "Stepping Stones’, the home of Bill W. and Lois will get National recognition this year when it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I received a memo from Claire R.; Associate Director of Public Outreach Professionals, stating that there was an article for National Children of Alcoholics Week was Feb. 8-14, 2004. This article appears on the US Government’s Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Web Site. It includes a listing of the WSO Toll Free Meeting Information Number and Web Site address. The Forum "Round Table Topics" now features questions Groups submit and are asking that Groups be informed. Groups can submit 5 or 10 Questions, just as you would do for an "Ask It Basket Meeting." The Group sending in questions can choose to be Anonymous or Sign the Groups Name. Send questions to: The Forum, Attn: Round Table Topics, or email to wso@al-anaon.org. Also there were over 68,000 of the September Forums sold in 2003 and the Deadline for Ordering 2004 is July 30, 2004. Nest weekend I will be attending the RDM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and then on to Virginia Beach.

SECREATARY: Linda A.

Area World Service Meeting Minutes of September 13, 2003 were approved. Attendance for today can be found at the upper right hand corner of page 1.

ALTERNATE DELEGATE: Barbara W.

Winter issue of Al-A-Notes was mailed in February. Deadline for the Spring/Summer issue is May 1. If anyone has a topic suggestion for the sharing by the officers and coordinators - please submit! Fliers for insertion require a fee payment when you submit the flier. The charge is $30.00 for 1-sided and $60.00 for 2-sided. Subscriptions are $2.00 a year, $3.50 for two years. Expiration season and year appears on the label of your personal subscription if you are a subscriber. If you are an Officer, Coordinator, GR or DR and you did not receive the Al-A-Notes, or the information on the label is incorrect in any way, please contact the Groups Record Coordinator. If you are receiving a personal subscription and any information is incorrect, please contact me. GR’s and DR’s, please share your Al-A-Notes with your Groups!!! Exchange newsletters (36 different states) will be available at Assembly for anyone that wants them.

TREASURER: Janet P.

Both Dec. 31, 2003 and Feb. 29, 2004 are available on the table in front. Dec. 31, 2003 ending balance shows $44,911.84. Income totaled $24,264.95 from Group & Plea letter donations, OAC 2002 Return float, Miscellaneous income, Registrations at Assembly, OAA Banquet, OAC 2003 Return Float & Proceeds and Al-A-Note Subscriptions and CD Flex Interest. Expenses include Assembly Reserve (Mtg. Expenses), OAC 2004 Float, Excess Funds (Posters), Regional Seminar, Active Past Delegate, Coordinator & Equipment Funds and Transition Team. This leave balances in CD Flex of $36,446.79 and Checking Account of $8,465.05, which totals the ending balance. Page 2 contains the details of Assembly Funds governed by our By Laws and Handbook guidelines and the bottom is Budget Items that are approved yearly by Assembly from the Budget Committee. Corrections are under Coordinator Funds balance should be $5,966.77 and Action Committee Budget balance should be $78.66. Page 3 covers Donations from Groups and Plea Letters counted by number to groups contributing. If a Group contributes both from the Group and Plea letter they are counted only ONCE even though they contributed TWICE. They are $345.00 of donations that DO NOT give their Group number or WSO number. These need to be identified. 2004 Treasurers Report Income is $3,689.89 from Group donations, plea letters and CD Flex interest. Expenses of $2,366.15 from 2-Day Fall Assembly (Assembly Reserve) and Coordinators Fund (DR Folders). All funds are in CD Flex $37,995.29, Checking Account $1,477.97, Fremont Credit Union Savings $6,000.00 and Fremont Credit Union Checking $488.31 for a total of Cash on Hand of $45,921.57. Page 2 covers Assembly Funds and Budget Items with new Budget needed to be approved. Page 3 is Donations from Groups and Plea letter. Janet email address needs correction from the AWSC member's list to be jprovenzale@woh.rr.com and that’s all unless there is question

GROUP RECORDS: Janice R. Report given by Steve F.

I have been trying to make changes and corrections as they have come in to me, just when I think I am caught up something new comes in, but that’s good so keep the changes coming. An update list of AWSC members and if there are any changes, please make them on one copy and give them to Steve to bring back to me. The Cleveland Area is redistricting and a new District 7 has been added with Linda A. as the new DR in it. Sarah P. is the new DR for District 47, all their changes are not completed yet and I will be contacting Linda A. concerning the changes she sent in and the other new DR’s in Cleveland. New Districts list is here please take them home and make any corrections needed and mail them back to me. I will have updated lists for the Assembly meeting.

FORUM: Cyndy W.

Dear OAA, after much prayer and meditation to my Higher Power, I have been lead to resign my position as Form Coordinator. I have enjoyed serving the Assembly but sometimes life experiences changes the coarse of our journey. I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers as you continue to service and spread the message. Would anyone like to fulfill this position? You get a lot of information from WSO and they can answer any questions you may have. You need to read the Forum, keep us up to date on changes, needs, and new or exciting articles and encourage subscription increases. DR’s please share this with your GR’s. There are two notebooks to pass on for this position. Page 7 in the handbook describes the position and qualifications.

OPEN FORUM SESSION FOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS

Problems, Questions, Ideas concerning the pockets of DR’s & GR’s getting linked to service. Letters to Group Representatives that have no DR. in their District explaining the need and their responsibility to vote in a new DR. Active DR’s and GR’s in a district to go to a meeting in a District that needs a DR or don’t have GR’s and talk to them about the links of service. Do a Workshop on service and invite the Groups from Districts that need both GR’s and DR’s, ask group members to attend and bring a friend. Do service leads at a group meeting be encouraging, show Inside Al-Anon Xtra, Ohio Al-A-notes and talk about the Assembly, Links of Service and planting the seed. Remember isolation is part of our disease and could effect the group as a whole. The Group Service Action Committee will be sending out a letter to all Groups telling them when the Assembly meeting will be, where we are, explaining service, inviting them to attend and how to get a hold of us. Encourage DR’s and Alternate DR’s to go together and talk about how much fun meetings are. Excitement can be contagious!! List District Meetings in your area newsletter, bring your Alternate to AWSC, bring your Alternate GR to Assembly, and do meetings on Service or a panel on Service. Information can be obtained from the Service Manual. Have meetings at your house or before the group meeting and invite members to come and help you with some service work needed to be done. (Promise dessert) Reinstate District Meetings at Assembly. Have a meeting on Group structure. Involve members in helping with Workshop, Conventions, 2-Day Fall and other functions as a step in service.

ALATEEN: Steve A.

Hello Folks, KOMIAC Planning sessions are in full swing. Jan was 1st meeting and the colors are Scarlet & Gray. It is a blessing to work with the people I have. Indiana’s Coordinator is sending information on background checks. This year’s Theme for KOMIAC is " Together We Can Make It." The team is doing an unbelievable job. We have $2,091.16 towards KOMIAC and $959.00 in Donations. Geri & Barb we voted to attend. A large discussion on background checks was had and it was decided by WSO by the end of 2004, to have it done. There was also discussion of inviting Canada and WV to KOMIAC. The idea was tabled and will be picked up at a later date. All Ohio Sponsor Workshop next weekend, we will discuss Background checks and WSO wants Safety & Behavioral requirements minimums needed by 12/31/04 and Alateen Groups and Sponsors re-registered. Felony conviction or sexual only on background checks is a concern with Sponsors. The WSO is requiring Safety & Behavioral requirements as well as background checks for all Sponsors and even Adults driving Alateens to KOMIAC , anyone involved with Alateens driving or taking them across State lines.

COOPERATING WITH THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY: Austin M.

Health Care Professionals are asked to write articles for NewsLetters and magazines of their organizations about Al-Anon/Alateen and to also submit these to the Forum for the September Forum special. The deadline is June 1, 2004. WSO is asking Districts, Intergroups and Groups to buy the September issue of the Forum to pass out to Professionals. I have received three mailings from WSO from Professional that want Information about Al-Anon/Alateen. I sent these on to the DR"S or the District Coordinators to follow up on. April 8th is National Alcohol Screening Day and we are encouraged to take Meetings on Wheels to Treatment Centers and Hospitals. Provide these centers or any Health Care Center with information.

AREA WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE – April 18-22, 2004

Geri H. and Lynda E. will be attending, please send an uplifting card or note to the Hotel asking that it be held for them.

RAMADA PLAZA RESORT HOTEL

5700 ATLANTIC AVENUE

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23451-2236

REVIEW & AUDIT: LuAnn F.

I have the 2003 Ohio Area Convention and 2003 Ohio Area Assembly Treasurer Books audited. Reviewing all income (pre-registrations, walk-ins, seed money, donations, literature sales, and ways & means sales) and all expenses completed the audit for the 2003 Convention. Total income was verified at $16,548.28, expenses were verified at $11,453.54 for a total of Net Income of $5,094.74. Recommendations: Sample of the Convention Treasurer’s bookkeeping given to incoming treasurer of the next Convention, as it was extremely easy to follow all the entries. Thank you Cheryl for making my job easier. 2003 Ohio Area Assembly audits was completed in the same manner. All Income & Expenses were audited. We started with a beginning dollar amount of $37,633.09 on 1/1/03. Total income was verified at $25,741.74. Total expenses were verified at $18,432.99, resulting in a Net Income of $7,298.75. This leaves us with Cash on Hand of $44,931.84 on 12/31/03.

PUBLIC INFORMATION: Becky H.

Since Al-Anon/Alateen tells us "First Things First," my report will begin with the Blue Fact Cards which were proposed and approved to be printed. I went to my Printer to get an estimate on printing 20,00 on stock card paper, next I contacted Mary Lou in Public Outreach at WSO to inquire as to what and how to meet legal and Al-Anon requirements. A sample was sent to them to study and advise. A letter was received from Mary Lou re: changes, updated information, a reprint information sheet to be filled out and a corrected Fact Sheet was sent back. 2 additional changes were made and permission to Reprint approval sheet followed. After making the changes the corrected and approved card was sent to the Printer for a proof reading layout. After 3 layouts correcting all the mistakes, color and paperweight determination the cards were printed and the cost for 20,000 was $330.00. No taxes as Ohio Al-Anon Family Groups is a non-profit. The cards were put into packets of 100 each, which will be handed out at the Spring Assembly. WSO sent a holiday new release "A Season for Gratitude-Whether the Alcoholic is Still Drinking or Not," which I sent to all Ohio District Representatives to get to their Group Representatives to get to the newspapers in their districts. Suggestions as to how to most efficiently makes contact with the papers are included in the mailing. As April is quickly approaching I want to make you aware of 2 projects for April. Prepared 5 pages for each DR are here to take with you back to your Districts and PI person. You District # and first name are on the front page of these packets. Please note that Page 3 is the release to be sent to newspapers "Who Are the Members of Al-Anon/Alateen?" to let the public know that April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Page 4 highlights April 8th as being National Alcohol Screening Day and various ideas of how to participate with those places where screening is done. The correction web site is www.nationalalcoholscreeningday.org. Page 5 suggests an outreach to local Alcoholics Anonymous Members. THROW OLD BLUE CARDS OUT

ARCHINVES: Norm B. Given by Steve F.

Same as before.

LITERERATURE: Sandy F.

Lasted memo from the Executive Director (1/13/04) posted on the Members Web site state the following material will be revised and current ones should be discarded: Fact Sheet for Al-Anon On –Line Meetings (S-60), Cooperation between Al-anon and AA (G-3) Guidelines, Alateen Safety Guidelines (G-34) and Adults Involved in Alateen Service Guidelines (G-35) As soon as these materials are revised and available again they will be on the Web site. These will be available for stock replenishment to all Area Information Service Centers and Local Distribution Centers at NO COST. Some of these will be edited and reprinted quickly, others will take time. Final decisions regarding updating, replacing or destroying the following materials will be based on information from surveys sent out. These are: Alateen Talks Back On: Sponsoring an Alateen Group (P-71), A Guide to Alateen Sponsorship-An Unforgettable Adventure (P-86) and Alateen Service Kits (K-16). Visit the member web site for future updates, revisions etc. www.al-anon.alateen.org/members and check the Administration section. Now available: Alcoholism, a Merry-Go-Round Named Denial (P-3), new preface cost $.60 and Alateen-Hope for Children of Alcoholics (B-3) minor revision made, removed out dated slang, simplified sentence structure and a new look to the same design to the cover. Price $5.50.

INSTITUTIONS: Karen M.

Correct email address is kmckelley@neo.rr.com for those of you who have had problems emailing me. Treatment Centers have the longest standing history as being one of the largest sources of referrals of Al-Anon. Questionnaires will be going out to all the DR’s designed to help me ascertain the types of outreach activity members in Ohio districts are willing to take. Please give all the GR’s in your District these to take to the Groups and express the importance of these, and then return them to me. We need your input. There are many ways we can reach out to Institutions; it can be simply done. The importance is making a concentrated effort in making our presence know

and keep them with updated with current meeting schedules. The State of Ohio has many Institutions that have never been contacted. Target the Crises Centers, Women’s Shelters and Correctional facilities as well as Rehabilitation Facilities. Preliminary results of a Delegate Questionnaire have been given to us from WSO. The indicate activities and actions that groups, districts and AIS would be most likely to undertake in the area of Institutions outreach: Meetings on Wheels, providing speakers, mailing literature, posters, table displays and meeting lists to professionals, sending/lending Al-Anon videos, making phone calls to facilities to offer materials, contact names and numbers, taking copies of the September Forum or visiting facilities. Hosting special public outreach meetings and invite facility staff, clients and families and encouraging groups to Adopt a facility. 12 Step Work is a continuos process and one of the most important steps. Be creative and let me know what you are doing for my report and to send to WSO. In May the Public Outreach Committee will be bringing labels - Free for your September Forums, will be given to the DR’s to distribute to Groups. "Free – Enjoy or Pass me on to a Friend or Leave me where I can help someone else. The 6-minute Video has had great respond, people noticed that no faces were shown and they notice the literature. The Free literature and Videos from WSO will be given to the DR’s to distribute to their Districts to get to the Professionals that are teaching Attorneys, Judges, Nurses, Police, Fire Persons, etc. We need the list of these.

BUDGET: Jill C.

The Budget Committee met Friday March 12th. The 2004 proposed budget was prepared. Liability insurance and insurance to bond the State Treasurer was discussed. Motions to be brought up to Assembly. Papers were prepared explaining distribution of funds from individual accounts. It is our recommendation that the information be included in our Handbook. See attached " Assembly Reserve Accounts."

BY LAWS AND HANDBOOK: Pat M.

See insert titled OAA – 2 Day Fall Meeting – Oct 18-19,2003 attached.

 

OAC & 2-DAY FALL LIASON: Lee R.

Just received meeting minutes to review. Take back to your Groups that the Ohio Area Convention is a personal weekend and has nothing to do with Assembly. People are mixing this up due to the work "Banquet." Will report more at Assembly.

2-DAY FALL ASSEMBLY: Toni B. – October 30-31, 2004 Hosted by Youngstown/Warren Districts.

Holiday Inn-Metroplex, Girard, Oh 44420, Phone 330-759-0606. Deadline for registration is Oct. 9th. Cost per room is $79.99 + tax. 1-4 persons per room. Two or more registrations must be made at the same time. Be sure to tell them at the Hotel you are will Ohio Area Assembly to get the correct room rate. For more information see the flyers of call Toni B. 330-270-5408.

COMPLIANCE LIASON: Chris M.

No Report.

WEB SITE: Dennis K.

No Report

2004 OHIO AREA CONVENTION: Janice R. – June 4-6, 2004 Hosted by Districts of Toledo

Clarion Hotel Westgate, Toledo, Ohio, Theme: LIFE, LOVE & LAUGHTER. Deadline for registration is May 18th. Cost per room varies according to the number of people in the room and there is Walk in rates with & without banquet. See Flyer or call Janice R. 419-666-4939 or Jane S. 734-854-1749 for more information. Alateens without banquet are FREE. Things are coming along nicely and the committees are working hard. There are only two things on the agenda that still need to be worked on. One is on Saturday afternoon at 3:45 – We are not sure yet if the Alateens are participating or not on a panel. If the don’t then we will have an Al-Anon discussion meeting for those who may want it. The other area is Workshops need chairpersons, hopefully you will volunteer. We would like to have as many Districts represented as possible. Steve has a sign up sheet to pass around. Hospitality – you can bring anything or make a donation. Picnic outside, bring lawn chairs and we will serve a light lunch. 90 Toledo persons volunteering on various committees. See Tentative Agenda attached.

2005 OHIO AREA CONVENTION – Columbus, Ohio, Holiday Inn East.

Room rate is $78.00 1-4 people. More information forthcoming.

2004 AA CONVENTION – No report

 

2nd OPEN FORUM SESSION

A Meeting had children at an Al-Anon meeting and the Church asked them to leave when they arrived due to the children being so disruptive previously. How do other Groups handle babysitting? Al-Anons each take turns babysitting. Some Groups have paid babysitters, but should be responsible. Two sitters for a lot of children, preferably over 18 years of age. The parents must take responsibility for their children and could be asked to leave if children are disruptive. Alateen month is October. Steve A. will look into this.

 

The following motions will be presented at Spring Assembly, May 15, 2004.

Motion #1 – Ohio Area Assembly to purchase insurance to bond the State’s Treasurer. Budget Committee

Motion #2 – Ohio Area Assembly to purchase liability insurance to cover the 4 Annual Meetings and State Convention. Budget Committee

Motion #3 - To replace motions 2, 4 & 5 under Regional Service Seminar section in Handbook to read as follows:

To allow in regular budget funds to a yearly drawing (funds permitting) to subsidize 3 qualified Area World Service Committee members to attend RSS. (Qualification’s attendance at 3 out of 4 meetings of current calendar year). Award to be used within 3 years or maybe transferred to another qualified member of AWSC. Budget Committee

Motion #4 - To replace motions 3 and latter part of 5 listed under Regional Service Seminar section of Handbook to read:

A person attending a RSS with Assembly subsidy does not qualify for a second drawing for 3 years from time of attendance. Budget Committee

Agenda for Spring Assembly, May 15th is enclosed.

DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES ---PLEASE COPY AND SEND TO YOUR GROUPS!!!!!