Alternate Delegate’s Report on the North East Regional Forum (NERF)
On June 2nd – 4th, I attended the North East Regional Forum held just north of Pittsburgh, PA. It was my first NERF! It was an opportunity to hear from both Class A and Class B trustees and get a better sense for what they do as well as learn about the different types of trustees (Regional trustees, General Service Trustees, and Trustees at Large). There were also several members of the General Service Office Staff present to explain the different positions there, what they do and the latest goings on.
Several delegates, including Joe, gave short presentations on topics of their choosing (such as extending the hand of AA to the newcomer, and finances.) There was a presentation and discussion about safety. There were multiple opportunities for Q&A and general sharing sessions and we were provided with multiple handouts relating to the different topics discussed. We were presented with a detailed and well explained look at the financials.
Saturday night there were multiple workshops to choose from. I attended one on how to keep service work interesting and one on CPC.
I also had a chance to speak to the Grapevine editor. I was interested in the current backlog for publishing new GV books, particularly what the ETA might be for the book of stories from atheists and agnostics that was approved at the 2016 General Service Conference. She said the current GV book backlog was 7 – 8 books and the current LaVina book backlog was around 5. She was hoping the atheist and agnostic book might be ready in the 1st or 2nd quarter of 2018.
In general, it was a deeper dive into understanding how all the parts and pieces of our general service structure work and what’s new with them. And to see some friendly and getting to be familiar faces!
I have to say, while Joe was speaking about the importance of extending the hand to newcomers, I was experiencing it. You get a special sticker on your nametag if it’s your first NERF, so you’re easy to spot. I was genuinely touched by how people I barely knew were checking in on me, inviting me to eat with them, etc. It really did make my experience better. Feeling how great it is to be on the receiving end of such kindness is a great reminder to be on giving end whenever possible and just how special our culture of inclusion is.
Respectfully Submitted,
Barb C. – alternate delegate
