Communications Committee

My name is Doug and I am an alcoholic. I currently serve you as the Area 69 Communications Committee Chair. It has been a pleasure to serve and I look forward to servings this fellowship as the new Area Registrar. I know I will continue to grow and learn as I do. That is one thing I’ve learned from this experience; giving and receiving are the same thing. I get as much as I give to this incredible fellowship. Thank you all for giving me that gift!

 

It has been a pleasure working with the Communications Committee, you’ve all taught me so much. I love how the A.A. committee process works. I’m also excited to see James, your newly elected Communications Chair, come in to serve the area. He’s been attending our monthly meetings and already has added a lot of new energy and enthusiasm.  Both LeAnn L. (the current Alternate Web Servant) and I have pledged our support to the new committee, we’re willing to help in whatever capacity they see fit. I look forward to working with this new group of people!

As per our guidelines the web hosting and the registration of the utahaa.org domain name have been paid to March 2010. Life to date Area 69 has spent a total of $729.75, as of December 1 there have had  85,680 visits to the site, which means that it has cost the Area 0.8 cents per visit! That’s less than a penny per 12^th step call! A pretty good value if I have to say so myself!

 

E-mail addresses for the newly elected panel will not be changed over no sooner than December 20, 2008. For those that are new to blogging I will ask the new Communication Committee to create some training so you can utilize this website feature.

 

This is the last Area 69 News & Notes newsletter for this panel. It has been an incredible learning experience. I want to thank LeAnn for putting together several of Panel 57’s newsletters.

 

I was able to attend the District 12 workshop that they held on Sunday, November 23, 2008 here in Salt Lake. It’s always a pleasure to see the enthusiasm and eagerness to participate that members of District 12 have! Thank you for allowing the Area to participate in your event.

 

Again I would like to express my gratitude to Julie, Monte, Andy, Charlie, Sheri, Nadine, Janet, Jim, Renae, Karen, Sheryl, Ken, Pete, Mike, Mike and everyone else who has participated in this rotation. I’ve learned a lot from each of you.

 

Doug R.

Area 69 Communications Chair

 

“Our Twelve Steps probably won’t change, the Traditions, not at all likely. But our manner of communications, our manner of organizing ourselves for function or service–let us hope that this goes on changing for the better, forever.”  –Bill W. 1960

Hello Family,

My name is Doug and I am an alcoholic. I currently serve you as the Area’s Communications Committee Chair. For those new to service or otherwise may not be familiar with what the Communication Committee does; it was established at the Kanab Fall Elections Assembly in September 2006.

The Communications Chairperson serves as both the Area Web Servant and Newsletter Editor, and directs three sub-committees; the Website committee, the Newsletter committee, and the Translation committee.  The Communications Committee meets monthly on the second Monday of every month. All are welcome to attend; we meet at Beans & Brew in Salt Lake City.

The Area’s website, utahaa.org, is maintained by the Website committee. The most important aspect of the Area’s website is the maintenance of the A.A. meetings list. These are kept up to date and accurate by cooperating with the various Central Offices as well as the cooperation of the various districts. Some districts have created service positions whose sole responsibility it is to make sure their districts’ meetings are accurately represented on the Areas’ website. Other districts have given this responsibility to their PI chair and/or their DCMs. I would like to thank all of those that are so diligent in keeping the Area informed of meeting changes, deletions and additions.

The Area’s newsletter is prepared and copies are distributed at the Pre-Conference Assembly, Post-Conference Assembly, Fall Assembly, and Fall Workshop. In even years, the newsletter may be distributed at either the Fall Workshop or the December Area Committee Meeting / Pass the Gavel. An Internet appropriate version of the newsletter is also published on the Area’s website. They can be found on the Internet at utahaa.org/publications.html, the Spanish versions of the newsletters can be found at utahaa.org/sp/sp_publications.html.

 

We printed all of the Area reports, they are available here today. I would like to encourage the GSRs to make these available to their groups, it is another way that we can let the members of Alcoholics Anonymous know what the Area is doing for them, and what they can do for the Area. I would also like to encourage the DCMCs to bring these back to distribute them at their GSR meetings.

Area Standing Committee Chair reports and the Delegate’s reports can also be found on the Area’s website, utahaa.org, in their individual blogs. These are accessible from the home page.

I would like to mention some website statistics. As of August ##, 2007 there have been 48,575 hits (people visiting the site), the grand total cost (life to date) of the Internet services has been $622.75, which means that it has cost the Area 1.3 cents per visit. And that per visit amount will only get less because we will have no more Internet related expenses until March 16, 2008 when the annual ISP amount of $107.00 will be due.

We have had a poll on the website asking the question, “How important is it that you have mobile access to Utah Area 69 A.A. meeting lists?” It has been on the website for 120 days. ##.#% feel that it is ‘Very important’, ##.#% feel it is ‘Some what important’, and ##.#% feel that it is ‘Not at all important’.

For those that are not aware the area’s meeting list can be accessed using your mobile phone’s internet access at utahaa.mobi. This feature has been available now for a little over three months.

The Translation committee has been busy translating the Area business documents, including the fliers and agendas from English to Spanish. These are available on the Internet at utahaa.org/sp/sp_area69.php. Spanish translations of the Area reports are available at utahaa.org/sp/sp_publications.html. 

The Communications committee looked into the idea of streaming the Area’s business meetings to the Internet; “pod casting”. It was determined that, “at this time, even though it is technically possible, there is not a demonstratable need for this service.”

I want to thank my committee members for there continued dedication and willingness to serve.  I would also like to thank the Area for allowing me to serve.

 

With gratitude,

Doug R.
Area 69 Communications Committee Chair

Greetings Fellow Servants,

 

My name is Doug and I am an alcoholic. It is my pleasure to serve you as the Area’s Communications Committee Chair.

 

We have been very busy, keeping the Area’s meeting list synchronized with the various Central Offices and Districts. We elected an Alternate Web-Servant; LeAnn L. She has been doing full monthly backups of the website, she has also learned how to add, edit and delete meetings within the database. I want to thank LeAnn for steping up and filling this position. LeAnn, you are an inspiration to a lot of people, including myself! Thank you for being so supportive!

 

We visited two District GSR meetings and were able to give our Communications presentation. At District 2 we gave a 52 page PowerPoint presentation. I kept apologizing and saying, “If you have to leave go ahead and go.” I cut the presentation down to 12 slides for District 10. Of course I left the actual presentation at home, thank goodness I had the print outs. That actually worked out better.

 

The entire point of the presentation was to let people know what the Communications Committee does, and to get people excited to stand for this position in September. One of the things that LeAnn shared is worth repeating, “we won’t just drop this committee onto whomever is elected for the next panel, we will be there in the transition as well as available as a ‘technical committee’ throughout the next panel.

 

I have copies of the presentation handout and the “checklist” for the Communications Committee Chair back at the Communications Committee display. If you haven’t already please bring this information back to your groups and invite them to come to the Elections Assembly this coming September.

 

Thank you for allowing me to serve this incredible Fellowship!

 

Doug R.

Area 69 Communications Committee Chair

If you are interested in working with the Communications Committee
please let us know.

We would be glad to have you!!!

.

E-mail the Communications
Committee and let us know where you would like to serve.

Check out the Sub-Committee pages:
Web Committee
Newsletter Committee
Translation Committee

The Communications Committee was established by a vote of the Utah Area 69 General Service Committee at the Fall Election Assembly held in Kanab Utah on September 23, 2006

“That the Area 69 Web Servant position and Newsletter Standing Chair position be joined to form a Communications Standing Chair position. Where the Communications Standing Chair would be the Area’s Web Servant / Newsletter Editor and would be responsible for three sub-committees; the Website Committee, the Newsletter Committee, and the Translation Committee.”

Guideline changes where also approved as part of this motion. See the original motion