December 2024

December 2024

Hello Area 78! I hope you all have had a Holiday Season complete with memories to cherish, its not always an easy season for us, especially in early recovery.  So my hope is that you have not found yourself alone and have found new ways to share in the spirit of giving in brotherly love. One day at a Time. Each Day at a Time. Stay sober and help others. Grateful for such a simple design for living that really works.

My wish for us all in 2025 is to have just enough challenges to help us grow personally. Just enough spiritual pain to help us all seek the peace. We know happiness comes from right action and that we only have a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. May God bless us all. To have a Happy New Year – we only have to live by spiritual principles. Progress not perfection!

I wish to meet you all as we trudge the road of happy destiny, as we work together in service to protect this beautiful way of life.

This past month has been busy! I was asked to organize the volunteer list and set-up of our Western Region Hospitality suite for the upcoming International Convention in Vancouver, July 3-6 2025!

Our Western Regional Trustee, Gail P, myself and the other three Western Delegates, have met on line to put into action the ideas on how to make our Hospitality Suite a welcoming and fun place for all members to go to during the Convention. It will be a room to connect with others with a variety of resources fro enhance the event for the membership. This room is in the Fairfield Waterfront in MacKenzie Room II. A nice bright space to connect and relax, a place to get or give a hug!

We hope to have a fun photo opportunity for you and your friends. There will be a white board with space to communicate with each other and suggestions for those who would like to sit with friends, Districts or even Area’s during the Big Meetings!

I hope you have purchased your registration through aa.org and have found accommodation, there is a continual release of spaces to accommodate us, so please do register!  We have not met as a fellowship for 10 years! My hope is you get to experience the incredible feeling of sharing an event with around 60,000 members in sobriety.

Also, January 17-18 is the Area Committee Meeting being held in Calgary! This service meeting is mostly for the Area Officers, Committee Chairs and DCM’s to come together to share information on issues and concerns in Area 78. Among other business, we will also be reviewing the Budget to be put forward in March, as well as the Pre-Conference Agenda, looking at ways for your committees to best serve our Area. GSR’s and visitors are encouraged to join us, especially for the Saturday evening for a banquet dinner and then Daryl D past Area 78 Delegate will share his recovery and service story. Please check out area78aa.org for further details on registration and location.

Also upcoming February 7-9 2025, is the WRAASA (Western Region Alcoholics Anonymous Service Assembly). It will be held this year in Winnipeg! And I’m super excited to be going to Winnipeg in February! They have winter fun down pat!

This event has a full agenda discussing some of the issues that are common to us all. For example one of the Topics is “It’s OK To Ask For Help!” The four Area Delegates will each have 10 minutes to share on this topic. The Full Agenda can be found on the WRAASA.org website where you can register and find out any further information on the event.

I have personally attended many of the WRAASA’s over my years of being of service to this program that has saved my life. To meet with like minded people and be supported as we learn together how to best carry the message to each other and to those who still suffer has helped me tremendously. You can foster leadership by sending your District Committee Member, who will in turn bring back a report and enthusiasm to share!

The revised Service Manual is now available for purchase in Print! Carolyn B (Trustee for AAWS) is hosting a Service Manual study many people have found to be a really interesting way to study the changes made as we evolve our service Structure.

We have completed the review of the concepts since September and so starting in January join us as we learn together! Presenters will give an overview and then there is a Q and A portion! Log onto 870 8376 8965 Passcode 414768  – Monday’s evenings at 7 MST.  See you there!

As Delegate Chair to the 75th Conference coming up April 27-May 3 2025, I get to attend the January Board meeting in New York this January 30 – February 3. What an incredible privilege and honour this is! I am looking forward to reporting back to you on this. This is the Board meeting that confirms the Items that will be coming forward for the membership to discuss, review and recommend at Spring Assemblies across our whole Conference Area. All 93 Delegates will receive the same information in all three Conference Area languages along with all the background information so that the Delegates can be informed with the voice of each Area. This process is similar to the groups business meetings where we make decisions through the process of Tradition Two. And your groups voice is an important part of this process!

The PAI’s (Proposed Agenda Items) will be available by February 21,2025. These items will be immediately put on-line under the private members section of our area78aa.org website. As directed by a newly carried motion to make Agenda Items Available to any member interested in studying the Agenda Items and the background information. Inclusion!

Our Area 78 Pre-Conference Assembly to discuss the agenda items for the 75th Conference will be April 11-13 in Red Deer. Make sure your group has a GSR, as this is the manner that your group has a say in the direction that Alcoholics Anonymous evolves. The General Service Rep (GSR) is really the most important service role in the whole structure as this is how our voices are discussed and heard. Make room for your GSR to give a report during your business meetings! Part of your 7th Tradition contributions go to supporting your GSR to attend the Assemblies in Area 78. I remember my first time attending an Assembly, I was fortunate to sit with Doug W, who helped me understand what the heck was going on! I saw how AA is so much bigger than just my little group. I well remember that feeling of amazing wonder as I learned that this is how we protect our 12 step work.

Again, I hope this holiday season has been full of gentle growth towards healing for us all as we learn how to be honest enough to forgive and accept  each other with kindliness and love. To support each other as we learn how to simply be our best selves in our recovery journeys.

My husband and I got to spend this season celebrating the love and growth of not only my family, kids, and grandkids with laughter and love, but we also were able to attend many fellowship events that surrounds and supports us as we practice progress not perfection.

Warm Regards and Loving Service,

Karen O’C

Area 78, Panel 74 Delegate

delegate@area78.org

cklinservice@icloud.com

403-479-6883