April - Greater Toronto Area Intergroup

Produced Monthly For AA Members in the Greater Toronto Area
Volume 8, Number 2
April 2003
25 cents per copy
Inside This Edition
Vern L. Celebrates 30 Years ......................1
The Fourth Step ........................................2
The Editors Say.........................................2
Archives Alley............................................3
Have You Heard? ......................................3
Quotables ................................................3
Cuban Travelers Needed ..........................4
Intergroup Report.....................................4
Alatoon .....................................................4
“I was in tears
when one speaker
shared about
losing her son...”
See story, right...
See page 2
Quote Of The Month
AA isn’t a selfimprovement
program.
It’s a selfremovement
program.
Overheard at the ORC
Attendees Say ORC “Great Success”
The Royal York Hotel was
home to nearly 3,000 miracles
last month at the Ontario
Regional Conference (ORC),
March 14 – 16. According to
Betty D., conference chair, 2,963
people from all parts of Ontario,
as well as other provinces and
across continent, gathered to
meet, listen to, and to share with
fellow AA members.
The theme of this year’s conference
was Let the Miracle Happen.
Participants came from all
walks of life. They were young
and old, short and tall, some
wore mohawk haircuts, and others
sported Yorkville coifs. Their
periods of sobriety ranged from
one day to 52 years but they all
had one thing in common: the
fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous,
through which they were
finding a new way of living.
Bill P., Start of Today Group,
attended his first conference in
1961. “I keep coming,” he said,
“because I like the conferences.
I like the speakers, and I like the
people,” he said with a grin, “at
least some of them.”
Lisa J., who has yet to find a
home group, was at her first conference.
“I found it very moving,”
she said. “I was in tears
when one speaker shared about
losing her son and I had to leave
the room.” All in all, she found
the conference an enriching and
positive experience.
For Lisa and other newcomers,
the Newcomers Room was
Vern L. began his sobriety
with three and a half years
at the Kingsway Group, followed
by seventeen years at the Midtown
Group. He also aided in
founding the Etobicoke Group
(now the High Park Group).
Vern has shared his insights
with members of the As Bill Sees
It Group for the past three years.
When asked why he joined As
Bill Sees It, he said, “It is the
best group I have ever seen in
my life.”
The head table in the Canadian Room at the ORC didn’t remain empty for long
during the recent Ontario Regional Conference.
an important source of encouragement
and information. From
the moment it opened, the room
was staffed with greeters and volunteers
eager to make newcomers
feel at home and to answer
their questions. Rene T., Silverbirch
Group, was co-ordinator
of the Newcomers program.
“Volunteering is the biggest gift
of my life,” she said. “I remember
what I felt like when I came
in. I was so blessed by the people
I met. When the Chair wanted to
move me to a different this job, I
said, ‘No!’”
Participants had a choice of
many different panels and speakers
during the conference.
In addition to local speakers,
guest speakers came from California,
Texas, Florida, and places
Vern L. Celebrates 30 Years
The key to Vern achieving 30
years of continuous sobriety is
service in community. He spent
26 years in the treatment and recovery
field at Alpha House. He
recently retired from there. For
the past 12 years, Vern has been
involved in counseling at St. Michael’s
Cathedral and serves on
an Alcohol and Addiction Recovery
Committee with the Order of
St. Vincent de Paul.
Dorothea, a member of As Bill
Sees It and a friend of Vern’s for
in between, to share their experience,
strength, and hope with
other AA members. Although
the speakers had widely different
backgrounds and experiences
– from Sandy B.’s time as a
pilot in the marines to Lee Y.’s
years spent in prison – there was
a common thread. All had recognized
their powerlessness over
alcohol and the unmanageability
of their lives. By reaching out for
help they had discovered a new
way of living that allowed them
to fill the emptiness within each
of them with the consciousness
of the love of their higher power.
As Sandy expressed it, “We were
all looking for God and didn’t
realize it. The miracle is that so
many of us found Him.”
As usual at the ORC, the main
See ORC, page 3
nearly 30 years, says, “He lives
what he believes and he lives the
Twelve Steps. His door is always
open to anybody.”
These words truly describe
Vern’s attitude. Through his actions,
Vern has demonstrated that
his primary purpose is to stay sober
and help other alcoholics to
achieve sobriety.
Vern celebrated thirty years of
continuous sobriety on March 3.
See Vern, page 2

BETTER TIMES / 2
On April 2, shortly after you
read this, a big truck will
be pulling up outside our house,
four people will emerge, and
they’ll begin taking our worldly
belongings for a long ride.
We’re bound for Paisley (near
Port Elgin, close to Lake Huron),
where the North Saugeen
and Saugeen Rivers meet and the
fishing hole is a block and a half
from the new house.
New territory, new people, and
a new way of life. Although both
of us have lived in smaller towns
(2,500 people for Myles, 450
folk for Ann), we’ve both spent
much of the past 30 years in major
cities. More importantly, if
you listen to some people, we
got sober in Toronto, so we may
have trouble staying sober somewhere
else.
It took me more than two years to tackle my
Fourth Step.
It was when looking at Step 4 that things ground
to a halt. What? Made a searching and fearless
moral inventory of ourselves? You’ve got to be kidding.
The last few years of my drinking I
couldn’t bear to look at myself. The
first thing I did every morning
was to look in the mirror
and get sick to my
stomach. The life I
had led was too
painful to look
at. I closed the
Big Book and
it was two
years before
I resumed.
After attending
a
number of
Step Discussion
meetings,
I became
determined
to do a proper
Step Four as
laid out in the Big
Book. I had learned
enough to know that if
I was going to achieve the
kind of contented sobriety that
I saw in the people around me then I
must do this Step. With that in mind, I signed up for
a spiritual retreat organized by members to discuss
the 12 Steps. I packed my bag with the Big Book
and 12&12, paper and pencil, and the determination
to do it once and for all.
My eyes zeroed in on the sentence, “Resentment
is the ‘number one’ offender.” I didn’t really have
any resentments now, did I? Well maybe one or
Looking for a meeting? Call 416-487-5591 (TTY: 416-487-5062) or visit www.aatoronto.org
about 1,110 souls? Sure we are.
The Editors Say...
Are we afraid that we’ll be isolated,
lonely, and worse, thirsty
when we get there? Not at all.
We already have a community of
friends in every small town in the
region. We just haven’t met some
of them yet. At the Friday night
meeting in Walkerton, we were
not only told how good the Tuesday
night meeting in Paisley is,
we were asked to get involved in
some local service.
So long; it’s been good to know ya...
As recently as
weeks ago, someon
meetings we atten
plaining that AA w
here in Toronto as
where else. It w
time we’d heard
or some variation
(“AA wasn’t as g
was here so I cou
ber…”)
So, naturally, o
worried about us. And we appreciate
it, too. But
look at the same t
us, we’ve attende
Vancouver, Regi
Texas, Orlando, F
Flagstaff, and Yu
Moose Factory, Parry Sound,
The Fourth Step
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
TA.
een
me,
and
at?
ing
aff,
ed.
of
ers
othembraced
this program. They found
of
encoory
g to
a new place, a small village of
two. I headed up the page with the three columns as
directed on page 65.
When I called it a night my list had 30 names on
it. These included almost all my employers, many
co-workers, a parent, my brothers, my ex-wife, my
children and many friends. On line after
line in Column 3 the words were
similar – self-esteem, pride,
anger, guilt, and jealousy!
I would have described
myself as
an easygoing,
pleasant, somewhat
introverted,
nice
guy. This
inventory
allowed me
to see what
a sick selfcentered
excuse for
a human
being I actually
had
been.
With the
admission of
my powerlessness
over alcohol
in the First Step, my
journey to sobriety commenced.
With the searching
and fearless moral inventory, the
life my Higher Power had intended for me
commenced. It’s a life I didn’t know existed. Words
can’t describe my gratitude for this program. I encourage
my sponsees not to delay doing this Step as
I did. It put my sobriety on a new plateau and prepared
me for my next Step.
John H.
And it’s service that will be the
key. It’s true that we both found
our sobriety in Toronto. But it’s
through continued attendance at
meetings and through service in
AA that we’re going to keep it.
Nevertheless, we’re still going
to miss you all.
Ann P. & Myles W.
Vern (from page 1)
His medallion will be held at the
As Bill Sees It Group on Sunday,
April 6, at 8:00 pm. This will
be an open meeting. The group
meets two blocks south of Lawrence
Avenue on the south-west
side of Markham Road, in Cedarbrook
Lodge.
The As Bill Sees It Group hopes
all friends of Vern, past and present,
and all who wish to help
Vern celebrate his thirty year medallion
will attend.
Our door is open to everyone.
Mike B.
BETTER TIMES
Published monthly for AA
members in the Greater
Toronto Area
234 Eglinton Avenue East,
Suite 202
Toronto, Ontario M4P 1K5
Telephone: 416-487-8110
Fax: 416-487-5855
TTY: 416-487-5062
E-mail: btimes@aatoronto.org
Web: www.aatoronto.org
Editorial Committee:
Ann P., editor, Joe C., editor-inwaiting,
Terry H., Jim H., Kevin
M., Dan McK., David N., (cartoonist),
Dennis O., Ed R., Elizabeth
S., Alexx V., Myles W.,
Nancy W.
Opinions expressed in BETTER
TIMES are those of the authors
and do not necessarily reflect
those of Greater Toronto Area
Intergroup

Looking for a meeting? Call 416-487-5591 (TTY: 416-487-5062) or visit www.aatoronto.org
Archives Alley
Richmond W. joined the Oxford
Group in 1939 in Massachusetts,
the same year the Big
Book of Alcoholics Anonymous
was published. He stayed sober
for two and a half years, then relapsed.
Eighteen months later, in
May of 1942, he joined AA.
Reunited with his wife and
children after 30 years of drinking,
he would find happiness and
purpose in his life. He was 50
years of age.
Many AA members sit in
prayer and meditation with Richmond’s
“little black book” every
morning and start their day with
a spiritual reading geared to their
recovery from alcoholism. The
Twenty-Four Hours a Day book
was written in 1948. A piece of
prose Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,
which is regularly read
at meetings in the Toronto area,
is believed to have been derived
from this book. It can be found
on the pages for July 29, 30, and
31. Its original authorship is still
uncertain.
Why is Richmond W. significant
in the archival history of
AA?
Richmond offered his book to
Bill W. at AA World Service in
1953. AA’s decision not to acquire
the book led to the AA
conference-approval process for
book production in 1954. Some
believed that Twenty-four Hours
a Day was too religious. Subsequently,
Richmond sold the
rights to his book to the Hazelden
Foundation in 1954.
Richmond died sober in March
1965. Hazelden profited significantly
from his very popular
book as well as the two others he
wrote, For Drunks Only and The
Seven Points of AA. He was the
second most popular author in total
sales after Bill W.
Bernadette MacL.
Quotables
“If you feel like you’re sinking
– DROP THE ROCK!”
“The AA program doesn’t
work for people who need it, or
for people who want it. The AA
program only works for people
who do it.”
“If nothing changes, nothing
changes.”
“The hardest thing to open is a
closed mind.”
Recent Medallions
Gwen S., 20 yrs., Midtown
Group, Feb. 20.
Vicki M., 1 yr., Anniversary Group, Mar. 19.
Jim C., 10 yrs., North Toronto Group, Mar. 25.
Joe W., 1 yr., Anniversary Group, Mar. 26.
Upcoming Medallions
Scott M., 5 yrs., Bloordale Group, Apr. 6.
Vern L., 30 yrs., As Bill Sees It Group, Apr. 6. See
page 1.
Dianne, 15 yrs., Westmoreland Group, Apr. 8.
Chris G., 20 yrs., Bloordale Group, Apr. 20,
Terry H. (formerly Terry G.), 5 yrs., Scarborough
Group, May 23.
Group Anniversaries
Saturday 2 pm Meeting, 7 yrs., May 3.
Things We Cannot Change
The following AA members died recently:
Bill C., Shepherd Group, Mar. 5.
Joe McN., Mar. 11.
Pat S., Bloordale Group, Mar 17.
Special Events, Conventions &
Conferences
More information on all these events is available
on the bulletin board at the GTA Intergroup ofÞ ces
(address below).
Come and Hear Dr. Bob, co-founder of AA.
Thurs. Apr. 10, 8:00 pm, New Anchor Group, St.
Margaret’s in the Pines Church, 4130 Lawrence
Ave. E. just west of Kingston Rd. Dr. Bob tells his
story in this very special audio presentation. 35-40
minute tape. Popcorn, cola, coffee, and fellowship.
Living in Sobriety, Together, Brampton
Springathon 2003, Sat. Apr. 12 8:00 am – 6:00
pm. Loafers Lake Rec Centre, 30 Loafer’s Lake
Lane, Brampton. Full AA, Al-Anon & Alateen
program. $15. Info: springathon@rogers.com or
http://members.rogers.com/springathon
Happy and Free in 2003, 38 th Australian National
Convention of AA, Apr. 17 –21. Adelaide, South
Australia. www.adelaideconvention.cjb.net
Blossom Time Convention, Apr. 25 – 27. Ameri-
Cana Hotel, Niagara Falls. AA, Al-Anon, Guest:
$15; Alateen: $10. Banquet: $39. Dance with
registration: $10. Dance only: $15. Info: Junior
L. 905-788-9394, btcnfall@vaxxine.com, www.b
lossomtimeconvention.com Hotel: $110 single or
double, 1-800-263-3508.
Pass It On, 38 th Annual International Conference,
1000 Islands District of Area 83 of AA, Apr. 25 –
27, Ramada Inn, 6300 Arsenal St., Watertown, NY.
AA, Al-Anon. Info: Erney B., 1-315-786-7287.
Hotel: 1-315-788-0770.
The Joys of Service, Info AA Day, Sat. May
24. 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Lansing United Church,
49 Bogart Ave., Yonge & Sheppard. Early bird
meeting, service panels, GSO speaker – Rick W.,
Public Information Coordinator, Delegate’s report.
$5. Potluck lunch.
Founders’ Day 2003, Akron, Ohio. June 6
– 8. Panels, meetings, 12 Traditions skit, dance,
motorcade and more. AA, Al-Anon and Alateen.
Pre-registration only: US$15. Package plan: meals,
room, registration, bus tour, and “Big Meeting”
Have You Heard?
BETTER TIMES / 3
ticket: US$150. Other options
available. See Web site:
www.akronAA.org and click on
Founder’s Day.
Experience, Strength & Hope, Trillium
Convention, June 20 – 22. International Plaza
Hotel, Toronto. Full AA program. Info: Murray M.
905-897-8444 or John L. 905-272-3016.
Happy, Joyous & Free, Midland & Area One
Day Round-up 2003. Sat. July 19. 9:00 am to 5:15
pm. Georgian Bay Native Friendship Centre, 175
Yonge St., Midland, ON. AA and Al-Anon. Roundup
$10. Lunch: $10. Ticket info: Richard – email:
rbj-plj@csolve.net
Cornerstones of Sobriety, Hamilton and Districts
AA 35 th Annual Autumn Leaf Round-up. Sep.
12 – 14. Sheraton Hamilton Hotel, 116 King St.
W., Hamilton, On. Full AA, Al-anon, and Alateen
programmes. Registration, dance & banquet: $55/
early bird (before July 31) $50. Registration only:
$23/early bird: $18. Alateen registration and dance:
$10. Info: Senga 1-905-387-5935. Hotel: $129
single or double. 1-800-514-7101.
Strength, Kindness, Honesty, Sharing, 12 th Annual
Fireside Sobriety Gathering and Open Air
Powwow. Aug. 28 – 31. Six Nations, Third Line,
near Hagersville, On. Meetings, Dances, Powwow,
Talking Circles, Corn Roast: Advance:$20. At Gate:
$25 or $8/day. Elders 65 and over free. Children
under 12 $2. Toronto contact: Leslie K. 416-850-
7356 or e-mail FiresidePowwow@yahoo.com
Miracles of All Ages, 8 th Annual Mississauga Fall
Round-up. Sat. Oct. 11. 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. St.
Mary’s Ukranian Catholic Church, 3625 Cawthra
Rd., S. of Burnhamthorpe. $15 including cold
buffet lunch. Info: Scott M. 905-454-5008, Mare
M. 416-605-4295, or Steve A. 416-236-4914.
New Meetings
Friday Uptown Open Meeting, 8:00 pm. Holy
Rosary Parish Hall, 354 St. Clair St. W. at St.
Clair W. subway. Front entrance, downstairs. Nonsmoking.
Starts Apr. 4.
Meetings Discontinued
Beverly Hills Group, Tues. 8:00 pm only. Fri.
continues.
Meetings Needing Support
Mount Dennis Group, Mon. (C), Thurs. 8:00 pm.
(West)
How to reach us
Submit group news, medallions, other event notices,
letters to the editors, or articles to BETTER
TIMES (before April 10 for the May issue) by mail:
c/o GTA Intergroup, 234 Eglinton Ave. E., Ste. 202,
Toronto, ON, M4P 1K5, by fax 416-487-5855 or
by Internet e-mail to btimes@aatoronto.org. Only
signed submissions with a means of contact will
be accepted. Subscriptions available. Call Alexx at
416-487-8110.
ORC (from page 1)
speaker meetings were recorded. Immediately following
each session, tapes and CDs were available
for sale. These are still available from Audio Archives,
at 905-889-6555, ext. 22.
Elizabeth S.

BETTER TIMES / 4
The January 2003 financial
figures showed a greater deficit
than January 2002, said Ron
S., North Toronto Group, and Finance
Committee member. Last
year, January was a stellar month
due to sales of the new 4th edition
of the Big Book. That did
not happen this year. The change
in deficit is not seen as a dire
trend.
John L., Beaches Group, shared
his group’s concern about the
deficit and presented a cheque to
Intergroup. His group also suggests
a brief letter be sent out to
all groups about the situation for
reading at open meetings. This
suggestion will be considered by
the Finance Committee.
Mary J., Saturday Morning
Discussion Group, was acclaimed
to the open position of
Operating Committee Junior.
Scott MacD., Bloordale Group,
Grapevine Committee Chair,
says the committee encourages
all Intergroup reps to suggest to
their groups the idea of having
a group Grapevine rep and subscription.
Flyers and tickets are now
available for Information AA
Day said Barry W., Bayview
Group, chair of the event. It is on
Saturday, May 24. See HYH?
Betty D., Beaches Group, Ontario
Regional Conference chair,
reported that everything was on
track for the conference. The
conference is always budgeted to
break even.
Peter B., Keep It Simple Group,
liaison, reported that the Correctional
Facilities Committee is
looking for a secretary.
Peter also noted that the Access
Ability Committee has recorded
several blind people wanting
help getting to meetings.
Moving on to the Web Site
Committee, Peter noted that
Looking for a meeting? Call 416-487-5591 (TTY: 416-487-5062) or visit www.aatoronto.org
Diana M., Thorncliffe Park
Intergroup Report
Group, Treatment Facilities
Interesting Times
Chair, reported that not all Districts
have representation at the
table. Support is needed at the
Treatment Facilities committee
table and for several service
meetings.
After much discussion as to
why, a motion about the annual
budget was ruled out of order by
the Chair. Motion did not stand.
After clarification of the existing
Procedures, a motion involving
bequests was withdrawn.
Mike E., Kingsway Group,
has been appointed ORC 2006
Chair.
Mark C., Yorkville Group, expressed
concern for GTA Intergroup’s
finances in 2005 when
the World Conference comes and
there is no ORC. There was some
discussion.
Myles W. has retired as
approach local
phone com-
how to change from the use of
An inquiry was made about
Webmaster with Vince R.,
Welcome Group, taking over the
panies to ensure listings are in Robert’s Rules of Order to the
task. Currently, the service provider
for the site is supplying the
place. The 40 churches of the Concepts. Derek F., St. Clement’s
Group, Junior Operating
Out of the Cold Program have
service free of charge.
requested Beginner’s pamphlets Committee member, has volunteered
to help with the wording
and meeting directories.
The Winter Season Open
House Committee needs a
The Archives Committee is of a motion.
chair for Christmas 2003. Resumes
to 234. Ken C., North To-
considering a revision of the The meeting closed with the
book Fifty Years of AA in Ontario,
said Maire O’B., Leslie
Responsibility Pledge.
ronto Group, was thanked for being
chair in 2002.
Group. They are also discussing
the formation of an Archives All committee meetingss are
Ann P.
Lucie G., Armour Heights Speakers Bureau where groups open to any interested AA member.
Call 234 (416-487-5591) for
Group, liaison to the Twelfth could obtain a speaker who will
Step Committee, reported that bring AA history alive.
times and locations.
the new phone greeter trainer
is Moira S., Park Royal Group.
Because the BETTER TIMES To volunteer for any committee
job, call 234, or visit the
Training is the third Sunday of
chair and alternate chair were
every month at 1:30 pm at 234.
on their honeymoon (and therefore
were not available to attend sign up. Your information will be
Web site, www.aatoronto.org, to
The Self-Support Committee the meeting), Kevin also reported passed on to the committee.
did not meet in February. as a BETTER TIMES Committee
The Public Information Committee
ran into a problem with Acorn Group, will be the new ing will be Tuesday, April 29,
member, that Joe C., Agincourt The next Intergroup meet-
AA not being listed in all regional
telephone directories this year, same time, Ed R., Scarborough ed Church, 20 Glebe Rd., (north
editor as of the May issue. At the 2003 at 8:00 pm at Glebe Unit-
said Kevin M., North Toronto Group, will take over the assembly
and production.
Yonge). All are welcome as ob-
of Davisville subway stn., east of
Group, chair. Kevin asked to
servers.
Cuban Travelers Needed
The second day of my vacation in Cuba found me irritable, discontent
and filled with restless energy. I went kayaking. I took a walk.
I just couldn’t relax.
The third day, my wife (also a sober member of AA) decided that
we could use a meeting (she is very diplomatic). During dinner, we
asked our young waiter if he had heard of Alcoholics Anonymous and
his reply was, “Of course. My friend’s the president!” They both lived
in Holguin, an hour’s drive from the resort.
Leo persuaded us to allow him to guide us around Holguin and meet
his friend. We trusted that he would be a good guide but we were
doubtful about his friend. Mauro turned out to be a very nice man who
teaches English from his home. He lost his job at the university as well
as his wife and child due to the use and abuse of alcohol. He has been
a sober member of AA for ten years.
Mauro, my wife, and I spent the next hour having a great little meeting.
He asked me why I was feeling so irritable. My answer received
this remark, “You know Rick, God did not carry you this far just to let
you down now.”
This made me laugh out loud because I traveled 1,500 miles to hear
the exact phrase that my sponsor uses on me all the time. Mauro also
shared with us his strong belief in God and a very positive, caring attitude
in the face of great poverty. Thanks to him, and AA, I was able to
regain a little serenity and enjoy myself for the rest of the week.
My wife and I have decided to try to help AA in Holguin. We have
purchased Spanish literature. If any of you are going to the Playa Pesquero
region of Cuba, would you be willing to bring a few books to
help carry the message? Please contact us at 905-844-4586
Thanks,
Rick & Linda B.