District 19 Area 11

Branford, North Branford, Northford and East Haven Ct. Alcoholics Anonymous

 District 19

GSR Meeting

February 24, 2026

  • Welcome (DCM): Initiated by the District Committee Member (DCM) or his/her Representative

The meeting opened at 7 by Steve, DCM

  • General Service Representative Pre-Amble (ALL):
  • Serenity Prayer (ALL):
  • Tradition II (TBD): For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern

Dawn volunteered for March, Tradition 3

  • Concept II (TBD): The General Service Conference of A.A. has become the active voice and operating conscience of the world-wide fellowship of A.A

Dawn volunteered for March, Concept 3

  • General Service Representative Introductions / Reports & Concerns (GSRs):
  1. PLEASE take this time to NOT ONLY introduce yourself, and your group, but tell us something positive about sobriety and your group.

Frank:  GSR for Serenity Sunday Night and I went to Neraasa this weekend.  I noticed there are meetings without GSR’s and meetings are on the schedule that no longer exist listed on the sign in sheet.   I am relinquishing my GSR role and Corrections

Pat:  Noon St. Therese meeting

Dawn:  Schedules chair for D19

Joy:  GSR for Wednesday morning old timers

Lisa:  Gratitude Breakfast rep

Dave:  Branford EMR.  We reviewed the budget and approved it.   We elected the chair for Saturday mornings who is also the speaker seeker. How are meetings handling speaker seekers doing that?

Frank is going to chair a speaker seeker group

Ameilia  Branford Rock Saturday Night meeting.  Taking over for Carol Ann

Frank B:  GSR Saturday night Assistant treasurer and coffee maker.  He goes to a meeting that alternates a male and female speaker seeker

Glen:  Tuesday night Northford speaker meeting.  Our group approved the budget.

  • Review and  Approval of Meeting Minutes (D19 Secretary)
  1. Current Month being Reviewed for Approval: N/A: Meeting minutes were not published at the time of this meeting; DCM and Secretary will work together and publish minutes for January and February together.
  • Old Business (DCM/ALL):
  1. Gratitude Breakfast
    1. Lisa came to discuss the upcoming Gratitude Breakfast It will be Saturday April 18 at the Congregational Church starting at 9 with doors opening at 8:30. There was $500 left over from last year.  So far, $350 has gone out for insurance for the event and planning meetings.  The budget is $800 for food, $200 for beverages, flyers $150-$175.  The committee is asking for $1200 in seed money and has paid that back in the past.  Dawn presented the motion to vote, Frank seconded.  The vote was unanimous to to provide the money and Dave issued a check.  Tickets are needed to get into the event and will be available via a QR code.  There was a question about increasing the price and Lisa reported that by using a QR code it allowed for $3 per ticket profit but would consider raising the price next year.  Also, in the past tickers had been donated and there was a general discussion about doing this again.
    2. There was a discussion about lack of volunteers from Branford and it was discussed that after the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve Alkathons that people were not as willing to volunteer for a big event again.
  • The planning meetings are at the Congregational Church 5:30 on Thursdays. You enter on the East Haven side of the church.   Please share this with your groups.
  • New Business (DCM/ALL)
  1. Alternate District Committee Member Open Position: No volunteers at this time.  Steve cannot find in any of the area guidelines anything that says we cannot operate.  Please talk this up at your groups to get a volunteer
  2. The Grapevine
    1. Discussion on D19 Groups & Subscriptions, Grapevine Features & Service Positions

Steve is the Alt chair for the Area committee as he would like to move into that once the DCM position ends in December.  If your group is looking for a way to attract newcomers a monthly subscription is $3 and it is audible and available online.  Digital access requires an email and password which have the potential to be shared.

Frank:  there is a neighboring meeting that donates them to the Corrections Committee to bring to meetings which is very helpful if you can only attend one meeting per week.  There is also an app for access to Grapevine.

Frank B. :  Clinton beginners meeting subscribes to it and we give them to newcomers with a Big Book. The Guilford meeting has it’s own email and keeps a Google page for minutes, budget, etc.   Sunday night meeting at Trinity(red door church)  also subscribes.

Steve: The digital requires an email/pw

aagrapevine.org is the website for subscriptions, podcast, etc,

  1. Spring Pre-Conference Assembly: GSR’s chance to speak to Mike to bring your meetings concerns before he attends the GSO.
    1. 12 April 2026; Pitkin Community Ctr, 30 Greenfield St. Wethersfield, CT; 9 to 3
    2. It is the GSR’s Responsibility to attend this meeting.

 

*****GSR’s please Go to the above link to get the background information for the meeting.  Reach out to Steve with any questions****

  • District 19 Background Information Meeting: Need to set Date/Location/Time
  • Committee Reports (District Sub Committee Chairs): 
  1. Answering Service: Jeff: absent/no report
  2. Public Information: Diane: absent/no report
  3. Schedules: Dawn: The  Thursday night 7:30  Women’s 4th dimension meeting formerly at the Congregational church in North Branford is now at Zion Church in North Branford on Thursday night at 7:30.  It has been updated in the app and the schedules chair. 

TheNew Haven Wednesday evening at St.  Bernadette’s meeting has temporarily relocated to Our Lady Of Pompeii church in East Haven.  St. Bernadette’s  had a burst pipe and is closed for repairs.   Dawn suggested  we print schedule books again at the end of April as it will be six months since the last printing.

  1. Haggaman Library: updated to March reopening.  The meeting is happening at Christ and the  Epiphany church until they reopen.   
  2. Correctional Facilities: Frank:  relinquishing position this evening.
  3. Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC): Open
  4. Archives: Open
  5. Accessibility: Open
  6. Communications: Open
  7. Website: Open
  • Officer’s Reports 
  1. Treasurer: Dave H.: Reviewed updated monthly budget report.  He will be changing how he prepares the reports and will be noting what we spend vs. what we budgeted.  It will make future budgets easier.  Dawn:  One of the groups I go to asked for the addresses for GSO, Intergroup, D19, A11.  Dawn compiled them and will send them to Karen for distribution to make it easier for groups to make donations or communicate.
  2. Alternate Treasurer: Frank:  No Report
  3. Secretary: Karen: No Report
  4. Registrar: Stephan V.:  No Report
  5. Alternate District Committee Member
  6. District Committee Member: We did an Area inventory this month with a moderator experienced in taking Area inventories. There were 12 questions asked.  It might be helpful to do this on a smaller scale in our district to get some information on how to better get the message to the next sick and suffering alcoholic.
  • Calendar Look Ahead (DCM):
  1. District 19 Budget Vote: 24 February 2026
  2. District 19 February GSR Meeting: 24 February 2026
  3. District 19 March GSR Meeting: 24 March 2026
  4. District 19 April GSR Sharing Session: 28 April 2026.
    1. Topics of Discussion are:
  • Succession Planning for next District 19 Panel of Officers (Please do your research on what makes a person qualified for the officer positions. The District has a responsibility to elect the best possible candidate that possesses the qualifications and the experience needed to help the District move forward.
  • Overcoming Complacency; this helps the newcomers and the long-timers build healthy relationships for service, handling resentments or with A.A., Spiritual Growth and the overall good of the District.  Please think about this one, as we move into the last half of this Panel and the future of the District.
  • Sick & Deceased (ALL):

Louis from the 5:30 Light and Lively Meeting died Saturday morning.  The Grandma Chronicles and Searching for the Bush Twins are two books of poetry he had published.  Other members shared memories

Mike C:  died at the beginning of the month.  He frequented many local meetings

Steve P:  died this month

  • Anniversaries: Please tell the group if you or anyone from your group has/is celebrating an AA Anniversary.

Dawn:  31 years on February 2

Carl from East Haven had 46 years

  • Responsibility Statement (DCM):
    • I am responsible when anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there. And for that, I am responsible.
  • Closing

The meeting ended at 8:17

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