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ABOUT
GRASSROOTS
Publication Details
Grassroots Forum is published quarterly by the BC/Yukon Area 79 Service Committee. It carries news and information about groups and committees, minutes and financial statements from the Quarterlies and Assemblies, and reprinted material from AA literature, such as Box 459 and the AA Grapevine. It is the primary means of conveying information between the Area Service Committee and the DCMs and GSRs throughout Area 79.
How Grassroots is Distributed
- As a password protected, electronic document available for viewing or download from this website (see below, pdf format).
- Publication of a printed magazine which is distributed by mail. If you wish to subscribe to the printed version of the newsletter, please see the subscribing information below.
GRASSROOTS
COMMITTEE
The Grassroots Committee is responsible for overseeing the production and distribution of Grassroots Forum, the BC/Yukon Area 79 Newsletter.
Statement of Purpose
The Grassroots Forum is a newsletter by and for the members of Alcoholics Anonymous in BC/Yukon Area 79. It is compiled and edited by the Grassroots Chairperson with the assistance and input of the Grassroots Committee. This newsletter is a vehicle for communication within Area 79 with the aim of strengthening unity and participation. Grassroots is also the means of distribution of the minutes, financial statements and all reports from our Area Quarterlies and Assemblies. It is the aim of the Grassroots Forum to fulfill its purpose with the greatest possible consideration of fiscal prudence and to practice AA principles in all of its affairs.
More Information
- To assist the Grassroots Chair with recommendations for improvements to the Area Newsletter.
- To assist in encouraging the fellowship’s participation by submission of articles to be published.
- To become familiar with page S41 of the AA Service Manual (Area Newsletters or Bulletins).
- To assist in the development of changes to the Grassroots Newsletter requested by the fellowship within Area 79.
District Committee Chair?
A79 Resources...
Resources to assist the fellowship with committee work, along with minutes and reports from the ASC and much more can be found in the libraries.
ELECTIONS AND
APPOINTMENTS
Area Officers
Fourteen (14) Area Officers are chosen, every second year, to serve 2-year terms on the Area Service Committee (ASC) . Seven of these are elected, in even numbered years, at the September Assembly of the full Area 79 Committee. Seven are appointed by the Selection Committee, following the elections, to sit as chairs of designated Area standing committees.
It is strongly suggested that the outgoing (not the incoming) GSRs and DCMs be available to vote at the Election Assembly in order to assure a more informed election.
To apply for an appointed position in Area 79, please email your resume to resumes@bcyukonaa.org
Elected Officers
The seven (7) elected officers are listed below, with a brief summary of their roles:
- Delegate – Reports to and from the General Service Conference.
- Alternate Delegate – Assists Delegate in responsibilities. Currently the Alternate Delegate also sits as the Literature Chair.
- Chair of Area 79 – Responsible for the agenda and chairing Area and Area Service Committee (ASC) meetings, assigns travel of committee members.
- Alternate Chair – Assists Chair in responsibilities. Currently the Alternate Chair also sits as Grapevine Chair.
- Treasurer – Maintains payables and receivables for Area 79. Chairs Finance Committee.
- Secretary – Records meetings and prepares the minutes.
- Registrar – Maintains Group Records of Districts and Groups in Area 79 and informs the General Service Office (GSO) in New York.
Appointed Positions
We encourage everyone who is interested in an appointed position on the Area 79 General Service Committee to submit a brief resume. The following positions are appointed by the incoming Chair through a Selection Committee made up of the incoming Chair and 3 other elected ASC members.
- Accessibilities – Explore, develop and offer resources to make the Alcoholics Anonymous message available to everyone.
- Archives – Collect, classify and care for literary works and artifacts.
- Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) – Establish and maintain better communication between A.A.s and community professionals
- Corrections – Carry the AA message to alcoholics in correctional systems
- Finance – Discusses Area 79 self-support and the Seventh Tradition.
- Grapevine – Develop awareness of the many benefits that can be derived through the Grapevine and La Viña (Spanish version) subscriptions
- Grassroots – Oversees the production and distribution of Grassroots Forum, the BC/Yukon Area 79 Newsletter.
- Literature – Promote Conference-approved literature, audiovisual material and other special items.
- Public Information – Communicates to the public what AA does and does not do.
- Remote Communities – Creates awareness about and assists those who are unable to make it to regular face-to-face meetings on a consistent basis
- Treatment/Bridging the Gap – Assists members and groups who are interested in carrying our message of recovery to alcoholics in treatment facilities
- Website – Maintains the Area 79 Website.
Additionally – Grassroots Committee Chair: Responsible for the Area Newsletter (Grassroots Forum) and leads the committee responsible for the format, content and distribution of this quarterly publication. Motion passed in October 2016 reads….
“The Area 79 chair will be free to assign Grassroots, or any other standing committee, as an additional responsibility to any member of the ASC, based on committee workloads and ASC members’ skills”.
Things to Consider
- Communications between members of the Area Committee are generally via email and therefore it is essential to have access to electronic communications in order to be considered for a position.
- The transitional General SC meeting held on the first Wednesday of December, (after the election assembly) is mandatory as are all monthly ASC meetings of the 2-year rotation.
- The time commitment required is substantial and will vary from position to position, and also with the particular skills possessed by the member. Generally, some time will be spent every day to check and respond to emails and phone messages. Some jobs have workloads that are heavier at certain times than at others.
- We encourage you to speak with members of the ASC (current or past) to ask more specific questions if you are considering applying for an appointed position.
- General Service Committee membership may sound demanding, but, as we so often find in AA, the rewards are far greater than time and effort put in.
- For more information please read “duties common to all” on the job description page.
How to Apply
- Email your resume to resume@bcyukonaa.org
- You will receive an immediate confirmation of receipt of your application and a response from the Area 79 Chair within 48 hours.
- Resumes must be received at Resumes at BC/Yukon AA by October 31st to be considered. When sending your resume, you can include additional information that may help the Selection Committee.
- Resumes are reviewed by the Selection Committee the evening of the first Tuesday of November. The Chair will call you that evening with the results. Please be sure that you are contactable by telephone.
- Successful applicants will be required to attend a transition meeting held the first Wednesday of December at the BC Yukon Area office in Vancouver (travel expenses are covered by Area 79).
- Successful applicants will be ratified at the January Quarterly. At that time, they will present their resumes (2 minutes maximum) to the fellowship.
GRASSROOTS
CHAIR
Job Description
The Grassroots Committee chair is an appointed position of the Area Service Committee. They are responsible for the production and distribution of Grassroots Forum, the BC/Yukon Area 79 Newsletter and the summary bulletin Grassroots Highlights.
“Newsletters or bulletins published by area committees or central offices/intergroups may include local A.A. news, information about groups and committees, and reprinted material from A.A. literature. As with most A.A. service activities, it has been found prudent to make a committee (rather than one or two individuals) responsible for the format, planning and content.”
The A.A. Service Manual pg ? reprinted with the permission of Alcoholics Anonymous®
Duties
- Produce the Grassroots Forum and Grassroots Highlights four times a year following quarterlies and assemblies.
- Maintain a subscription list and coordinate mailings (you will need to address and stuff approximately 150 envelopes four times a year).
- Issue statements for advertising and subscription renewal.
- Provide digital copies for posting on the Area 79 website.
- Send a digital copy of each edition to the Area Service Office conference desk.
- Coordinate with the area chair regarding distribution timeline when quarterly/assembly agendas are to be included for mailing.
- Send an email notification to subscribed mailing list, DCMs and GSRs.
- Duties common to all ASC members on the ASC page.
It is helpful to have volunteers to help you proofread, stuff envelopes and sort as required by your local post office. A reliable computer and access to a printer are a must. Your time-frame is every three months for publication, with each issue being completed 6 weeks following the Quarterly or Assembly, and promptly sent out via website and post. An issue of Grassroots typically takes two months from start to post office drop off.
Qualifications
- Have a computer or ready access to one.
- Desktop publishing ability.
- Organizational abilities.
- Understand what is and what is not AA or AA-related material.
- Time: Plan on 40-60 hours in addition to regular ASC duties over the 8 weeks following each Quarterly or Assembly to complete an edition. This is a substantial time commitment.
- Work schedule should be flexible to accommodate last-minute changes or scheduling conflicts, as well and printing and post office hours.