A Brief History of A.A. in Edmonton

[Mike R]

I found this laying about, found it interesting, and thought I'd type it up.

Written in '92 by a member named Neil L. and titled:

A Brief History of A.A. in Edmonton

June 18, 1945

• The first A.A. meeting in held in Edmonton at the Hotel McDonald with 5 members present.

1945

• Edmonton Chapter: Alcoholics Anonymous formed with 8 members.

1946

• Space is leased from the government for the Edmonton Chapter House and Detox Hospital. The Edmonton Chapter House Committee is formed. Edmonton currently has 40 members, all of whom contribute $3.00/week to operate the Chapter House and hospital.

Feb. 12, 1948

• Bill W. and Lois speak in Calgary, 82 Edmonton members are present.

Jul. 31, 1948

• The Detox Hospital reports having had 94 patients so far, 35 of the patients are still in the program.

Sept. 23, 1948

• Alco society is incorporated.
  Shortly thereafter Alcoholics Anonymous (Edmonton) Inc. is incorporated. The Chapter House moves to a house at 9823-108 St. leased from the provincial Government for $1.00/Year. The new Chapter House houses a hospital, boarding house and offices. The staff are paid employees. Edmontons' current membership is reported at 87 members.

1949

• Membership has increased to 126 members.

May 9, 1950

• Edmonton become the literature depot for the area. We receive our first copy of the traditions... The traditions cause much turmoil in the Edmonton A.A. fellowship. The primary core of A.A. in Edmonton divides into four groups (#1, #2, #3, and #4)(Centre, Norwood, Westend and South Side). The turmoil and dissension over the Traditions cause the first emergency meeting of A.A. in Edmonton to be held.

July 1950

• Edmonton Intergroup Association of A.a. bylaws are written. Edmonton Intergroup is formed.
  To this date, all service work had been done by all members of the fellowship on an as-needed basis. With the formation of Edmonton Intergroup, each group (of the 4) was expected to elect 2 members to serve on the Intergroup Committee, the Secretary of Chairperson of each group was also expected to be on the Intergroup Committee (total of 12 people). The Intergroup Committee then set up a schedule for the groups to look after the phone, the office, the Newcomers meeting and the Fort Jail meeting on a weekly rotation basis.

1952

• Edmonton now has 5 groups with 154 members.

1953

• Edmonton fellowship membership now totals 355 members. A.A. operating the 108 St. Chapter House/Detox Hospital, is now view to be in conflict with A.A. non-affiliation.

1954

• Membership in 'Area 78 totals 40 groups of over 500 members. Edmonton records for 1954 show 8 groups. The Intergroup Committee is now made up of 24 members from the 8 groups. First area 78 assembly is held in Calgary.

1963

• The Treatment and Corrections Committee is split into two separate committees. The GSR body meets twice a year, prior to the combined Area assembly/Provincial Convention. At this point in the fellowships' history, most service work is still locally run by the Intergroup Committees.

1970

• Due to dissension about the operation of the Central Office in Edmonton, a second Central Office is opened in Edmonton by a group of local members. This action causes the second general meeting of A.a>a in Edmonton. As a result of this general meeting, the operation of the Central Office and existing service structure is put in the control of a Central Office board of trustees.

1972

• A Public Information Committee is started in Edmonton under the GSR body, with the approval of the Intergroup body and the Central Office board of trustees. The area recognizes the Edmonton committees and grants their chairpeople honorary DCM status with a vote at the area assemblies. The precedent for this came from Calgarys' arrangement.

1978 (approx)

• Due to lack of financial support and GSR involvement, the Edmonton service committees migrate back to the control of Edmonton Intergroup and the board of trustees. The separate committees (Treatment and Corrections) are consolidated back to one committee.

1982

• A Cooperation with the Professional Community Committee is started at the Edmonton level under Intergroup and the Central Office board fo trustees.

1985

• With growing concerns in the fellowship, the the control of Edmonton A.A. is vesting with too few "elite" members, a third general meeting of A.a. in Edmonton is called. the meeting results in an AdHoc Committee to investigate and suggest a means of restructuring Edmonton Intergroup.

1986

• The Edmonton Intergroup calls a fourth general meeting of A.a. in Edmonton, to present the recommendation of the above AdHoc committee to the general A.a. membership. the proposal consists of the current mandate, policies and procedures of the Edmonton Intergroup. The proposal is accepted by the Edmonton Fellowship.

1988 (approx)

• The Public Information and cooperation with the Professional Community Committees are recombined into one committee, as are Hospitals and Treatment and Corrections and Institutions. Due to voting concerns at the area level, no more honorary voting position are allowed at area.

1990

• An informal approach to the GSR body is made by Intergroup to discuss the GSR body's willingness of need for the service committees to be responsible to the Edmonton GSR body.

1991

• The Area 78 Committee and member in general expresses some concerns over the lines of communication between Area level service committees and Edmonton service committees. (To be represented at the area level, the Edmonton service committees must have a GSR or DCM as a committee member).

1992

• The Public Information Committee and Cooperation with the Professional Community separate into two committees.

Note:
By no means are these notes complete of detailed. They were compiled from minutes of the meeting and individual members recollection. If you know of any glaring omissions please supply further information to any archives committee. The only purpose for these notes is to further the group's knowledge with respect to the history of the service structure in the Edmonton area.
Neil L.

[Mike R]

In addition to that, was another page written by then Intergroup Chair Don K. (a photocopy of dot-matrix printed sheets).
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Recent developments at Intergroup re: restructuring of Service Committees between Edmonton Intergroup and Edmonton GSR Body.

I have been active in service work in Edmonton for the last eight years as an Intergroup Rep. and have filled various position within the Intergroup service structure; most recently as Intergroup Chairman.

During this time and prior to this time, I have been part of numerous informal discussions that suggested that some of the Service Committees should be part of the GSR Body.

In 1991, there was a number of meeting between representatives of GSR and Intergroup to discuss the issue. there was nothing presented to Intergroup. In November, 1991 as part of the review of the Intergroup Operating Procedures, the Credentials Chairman attended the GSR Body meeting. It was suggested that GSR should assume responsibility for the PI, CPC, and the T & C Committees. The GSR Body was to pass a motion to this effect. Intergroup received the Credentials Committee report as information and revised the Operating Procedures. We were waiting for a motion from GSR Body.

In February, 1992, at the request of the GSR Body, Intergroup selected three representatives to and AdHoc Committee to study the issue and make recommendations to Intergroup. This Committee met a number of times and reported to Intergroup in May 1992. the report was received as information and no action was taken, as the GSR Body had requested more information.

On June 20/92, a number of member of the Operating Committee of Intergroup and the AdHoc Committee met and approved the AdHoc Committee report with minor changes. At the July Intergroup Meeting, these recommendations were discussed at Intergroup and tabled as information.

On Sept. 20/92, the Chairs of Intergroup and GSR met with the purpose to develop new terms of reference for the AdHoc Committee. They were unable to do this and instead developed a number of specific recommendations for approval by Intergroup and GSR Body.
These recommendations included:

• co-chairs for all service committees., and
• joint funding of Intergroup and GSR Body.

The joint proposal was presented to the Operating Committee of Intergroup on Oct. 1st. The Operating Committee rejected the recommendations and suggested that we proceed with restructuring of PI, CPC, and T & C Committees to GSR Body. This was reported to Intergroup on Oct. 8th as information.

On October 17, the Chairs of Intergroup and GSR Body, the Vice-Chair of Intergroup, and the Chair of the AdHoc Committee met and formulated a joint motion regarding the restructuring of introduction at Intergroup and GSR Body with the restructuring to occur on January 1, 1993.

Intergroup has always been concerned that the Service Committees have the financial resources and human resources to fulfil their mandat and fulfil our primary purpose "CARRY THE MESSAGE OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS". I am sure that the proposed restructuring will enable this to occur and enhance the work of the Committees, Intergroup, and the GSR Body.

If the proposed restructuring does occur, oru focus will have to ensure continued cooperation between Intergroup and GSR, so the work of the Committees can be done.

Submitted as information by
Don K
Chairman, Edmonton Intergroup

addendum re: Finances-proposed restructuring

The 1992 budgets for the PI, CPC, and the T & C Committees total $3100. Assuming the 1993 budgets will be similar except for the addition of $3000 for newspaper advertising by the PI Committee, the 1993 budget will be approximately $6100 for the three committees.

Based upon the proposed group contribution split of 50-30-10-10 and assuming groups make contribution to the GSR Body based on this split, the GSR Body should receive approximately $7000-8000 in group contribution. It is assumed that group contributions will remain at the present level.