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Newsletter Duties and qualifications quoted from The AA Service Manual Combined with Twelve Concepts for World Service, 2004-2005 Edition, pg S37. Other Officers quoted from pg 51. Other Officers An area committee usually has other officers who are responsible to the committee for special activities. Examples are public information and cooperation with the professional community chairs to head up the area P.I. and C.P.C. committees; correctional and treatment facilities chairs to coordinate this vital Twelfth Step work; a literature chairperson to act as a liaison between various service entities; a Grapevine and La Viña chairperson to disseminate information on the magazines and other Grapevine materials; an archives chairperson to gather area history and maintain the area archives; a convention chairperson to facilitate this event; a finance chairperson to encourage self-support for both area needs and those of G.S.O.; a liaison chairperson to foster communication between the area and the central office/intergroup; and other committee assignments and responsibilities as suggested by area needs. Newsletters and bulletins published by area committees or intergroups/central offices may include local A.A. news, information about groups and committees, and reprinted material from A.A. literature. As in 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. Here are some ideas taken from local experience with A.A. newsletters and bulletins: scheduling “theme issues” on some aspect of the A.A. program and using excerpts from A.A. literature relating to the theme; asking for and publishing letters from A.A. readers; carrying minutes of various committee meetings; running a Calendar of Events feature; conducting a subscription campaign (perhaps making announcements at group meetings) to build paid readership. Local A.A. publications are permitted to reprint the Steps, Traditions, and/or the Concepts, and to quote a phrase, sentence or brief paragraph excerpted from A.A. literature such as the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, The A.A. Service Manual and Conference-approved pamphlets without a prior, written request to do so. When this occurs, the proper credit line should be included to ensure that the copyrights of A.A. literature are protected. After a quotation from a book or pamphlet, the credit line should read: Reprinted from (name of publication, page number), with permission of A.A.World Services, Inc. SWTA The SWTA Area Service Committee Chairperson rotating out shall provide “Guidelines” in writing to the incoming chairperson. |