Gooch

I was sent this by one of those special people in my life, the very fist NA member I ever made contact with , in fact the man who seems to have been a guiding force in my area for the growth of Narcotics Annymous. A man who hitchhiked every week to a church to make sure the meeting was opened, because he recognized the same value of one adict helping another as our founder did. He said "as I read this it brought tears to my eyes" . I really believe that the message he carries in service to Narcotics Anonymous had a lot to do with me being clean today some 17 years after I met him and for the 14th consistent set of 365 just for todays.

I had tears in my eyes when I read this as well and I thought i might share it with all of my family here on SR. Sometimes we may seem zealous, hardlined, and stubborn in our attempts to preserve and carry the NA message. It's only because we know that it works and we want it to work for you as it has for us and so many others. We are doing our best to remain faithful to the message of original members who fought so hard to create a place for us where we could recover.

Please give yourself a break ( us too if we've peed in your wheaties) and keep coming back!

in service .. Gooch


Jimmy K, founder of Narcotics Anonymous,
speaks on the twentieth anniversary of the beginning of our fellowship

(transcribed from tape)

occasion: 20th ANNIVERSARY DINNER,
location: ISLANDER RESTAURANT - LOS ANGELES
date: AUGUST 18, 1973
Introduction by Bob B.

The 20th Anniversary is, I think, a good occasion for me in terms of—I was not around for the 20 years because I was still playing crazy. But about 15 years ago, when I did come around I met some people that---something happened in the process. And it wasn't to happen for another three years before I was to get clean at the insistence of the state. And then to find out that I could come out after a couple of years and to stay clean over a period of over ten years.

It wouldn't have been possible if there wasn't people like the people in this room that kind of insisted, kind of pushed, kind of bad rapped me, they kind of held me up. They gave me all the things that were necessary, the things that I needed. And at the same time, one person that I became very close to, at that time, stayed in close touch with me over the years—giving me some confidence in terms; that I could do it if I would only try. And we've been through many trials of error in my growing up. And at the same time, we've shared a lot of heartaches and pleasures also. I'm going to let him tell you his own story in terms of what happened.

At this time, I've been going through papers—our offices and things have been in trunks of cars and back of garages—in cardboard boxes, in old filing cases, and what have you. And many of these things that I've kept over a period of years is an original set of By-Laws that were adopted in 1953.

August the 17th, which was yesterday—today is like a year (20 years) and one day. This set of guides that were set down in order to determine, how to run, or to govern NA as a whole; some particular guides. There have been many, many additions and changes since then. But at this time I thought it would be appropriate that I put these here By-Laws in some kind of archives for safe keeping. And who better is there to give this (to), and put it in safe keeping, but the person who helped put it together, kind of shepherded it around, kept us all tied in some manner together. And I put them in a binder so that he can probably put them away with the rest of his treasures as a remembrance of, say, oh—that's where it started and this is how it is
today.And I would like to, at this time, to introduce and present this here set of By-Laws as a token of safe keeping and a token of whatever. I can't—don't even know the words to express it—to Jimmy K., one of the founders of NA; and one of the people who has been a mainstay; and one that keeps it together—and has kept it together through many of the years that it has been around. So, this is the By-Laws, an original set, and I'm going to give these here to Jimmy.

And at this time Jimmy probably can give a little more background and
highlight as to where it came from, what happened, and what's happening
right now. I'm gonna turn it over to Jimmy K."

text of Jimmy's talk; complete and unedited

"My name's Jimmy Kinnon, I'm an addict and an alcoholic. I've been on the verge of tears for about one hour here and that almost did it. But I'm not ashamed of tears anymore, providing they're the kind that are shed for something that's worthwhile. That just about wiped my brain clean, I cant even remember what I was going to say now. However, in our fellowship, at any time, our main purpose has to be always foremost in our lives: whether we're socializing with each other in our individual homes or whether we're at a gathering of this kind, particularly this kind. What I have to remember, personally, that I'm here, and possibly all of you are here because of people who'll never be here Most of you have noticed that there are a few pictures over there on that easel. These are some of the pictures of the beginnings. We started long before NA was a reality, even in name. We grew out of a need (we grew out of a need) and we found: Those of us who were members, had come into AA, and ound we could recover. In AA we found out that many addicts were still going down the road of degradation and death. And we thought it was right that we should try to do something. But, you know, we're funny people, the more we try to do things together, the more we fight each other and the more we tear each other apart—tear down the very thing we try to build. And that's been the history, up until a few short years ago, of Narcotics Anonymous. We tore down as fast as we built. That's the kind of people we are and we must recognize that to recover. All of us must know the nature of
the illness, the nature of the addict, and the nature of recovery. All
these things are necessary to grow., and to live, and to change. And we started from resentments; resentments made us grow.

Before NA there was HFD (Habit Forming Drug Groups). These were hidden, these were two or three people meeting in apartments, here and there. Nobody knew where they were; they demanded certain things, and were dominated by one or two persons. You know, you and I don't go for authority, we don't like authority. A few of the people I met down on skid row years ago from East LA formed another group known as Addicts Anonymous. They infringed on the AA name and they died very quickly because they too were dominated by one man. We had another group started in the valley then that also called itself HFD and was dominated by one man.

So we found out very early, and our experience has taught us. that we can have no bosses, no big shots in Narcotics Anonymous. For a while after we formed: A lot of things happened that I'm not going into tonight— but due to some things that happened and due to the nature of the addict, the nature of our illness, some people were put in a position where they became the leaders again, the "Great White Father". You know, we can't have a "Great White Father" or a "Big Momma", you know, it doesn't work in this organization. And NA died once more, and the friends of ours in AA helped to pick us up, and said, "Don't let it bother you". These were the real friends we had in the beginning; members of AA who believed in us, members of AA had themselves a dual problem at that time and recognized that. They came and helped us get started again. But again and again this happened in this organization. One person would try to dominate the whole movement. And every time it happened we began to die. Because the Traditions go down the drain
when we try this. And one of the first things that we said when we met as a group in that house, number "one" up there [pointing to visual aids] where we formed those By-laws that Bob was talking about; where we sat together trying to iron out some of the things we wanted to doWe came down to very simple ideas:

Number one. That we believed that this program of 12 Steps would work for addicts as well as for alcoholics.

Two. That the Traditions must be followed if we were to grow, and grow as a fellowship that could stand on its own feet aside from and away from Alcoholics Anonymous. We could take our own place as a fellowship, and not be dominated by or affiliated with anything of anybody else. And we said we would keep a place open for at least two years—and if, in two years, one or two addicts showed that this program could work for them; we would have felt that it had been worthwhile. That, fundamentally, was what we started with.

But we argued about it for about six weeks before we put those By-laws on paper, and then we didn't want the By-laws. The sooner, I figured, we could get rid of the By-laws, the better off we'd be; because the policies of the Traditions are enough to guide us in what we have to do. The Traditions will save us from ourselves. And this is what is so necessary for a fellowship like ours. this is life -- the other way is death as we know it. But how hard and how difficult it is not to go back? How difficult!!!

Naming Narcotics Anonymous

The first big order of business we had when we got together was the
name.
I was the first Chairman of what we then called - uh - nothing. AANA,
that's what it was called and I said, "You simply can't do that. You made me your Chairman, we're gonna have to find another name, we can't call ourselves AANA or NAAA." And the Committee who voted me the Chairman immediately vetoed what I said. Right, that's a good way to start. They vetoed everything I said the first night, so I thought I was off to a pretty good start. I wasn't going to get away with any horse **** from these people.

They were going to find out what was right to do. And so the first order of business was to contact Alcoholics Anonymous to find out if we could use their name; and they found out that you couldn't do it. So I got the satisfaction, at least, of being right on the first thing that they vetoed.

That made me feel a little better, you know, because I got news for you, I get my own way most of the time. I know you recognize that, because so do you. That's the kind of people we are. But we had a lot of trouble when we first got together; because I'm just like you are and you're just like I am.

You're going to have to show me that what you say is going to work or I
ain't going to go along. And thank God we are like that. I think that's
what makes this program work eventually.

Meeting Places

It was very hard to find a place to meet; after we got together and
agreed what we were going to do. You couldn't find a hall to meet in. Nobody would allow us in. They didn't trust us in any way, shape, or form. And it's pretty sad when you go from one place to another after you've got something real good going and nobody will let you use their hall. You know! Eventually we did find a Salvation Army hall and they allowed us to use it for five dollars a month. You know, that's pretty good, but there were no facilities there. There was one little restroom with a hand basin and a bowl in there, and that was it. There was no kitchen, so we had to go out and buy a little electric stove and some coffee pots, some cups—which I still have at home.
I found them just this week; I've had them all these years. We used to give them to each other because this week you might meet at my place, which is the second picture up there [pointing to visual aids]—and next week we might meet at your place. So you took the cups with you so everybody would have a cup to get their coffee in. You know, not many of us had more than a couple of cups in our houses then; in fact, not many of us were working. But that's the way it was. I still have those things. On the table here is the copy that we drew up, or rather Doris drew up, and Guilda, for the newspaper as our announcement that we were now in business. You know, we now had a hall, >we now had a set of By-laws, and we now had a purpose. And it says here:

[transcript of ANNOUNCEMENT (intended for publication)
TO ATTRACT ADDICTS TO NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS]

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS, OUR PURPOSE

This is an informal group of drug addicts, banded together to help one another renew their strength in remaining free of drug addiction. Our precepts are patterned after those of Alcoholics Anonymous, to which all credit is given and precedence is acknowledged. We claim no originality but since we believe that the causes of alcoholism and addiction are basically the same we wish to apply to our lives the truths and principles which have benefited so many otherwise helpless individuals. We believe that by so doing we may regain and maintain our health and sanity. It shall be the purpose of this group to endeavor to foster a means of rehabilitation for the addict, and to carry a message of hope for the future to those who have become enslaved by the use of habit forming drugs.

STARTING MONDAY NIGHT OCT. 5, 1953
EACH MONDAY NIGHT THEREAFTER AT 5:30 P.M.
CORNER OF CANTARA & CLYBOURN, SUN VALLEY, CALIF. DIRECTLY BEHIND
SUNLAND LUMBER COMPANY


I got news for you, the Sunland Lumber Company is now defunct, but we're still living. The Salvation Army hall is still there—there are 2 pictures if it up on the top line [pointing to visual aid]. It is now a Spanish church.

Some of the other pictures up there are where we had some of our "Rabbit
Meetings". We called them "Rabbit Meetings" then because we never knew
where we were going to meet. If there were 5 or 6 of us at a meeting tonight we decided then whose apartment or whose house we'd have the meeting in next week. And you would take the cups and sugar bowls and the format with you, you know, and then we'd meet at your place next week.

It wasn't that we who were getting into the program then were so afraid of the law but the newcomers were scared to death. I made a sign and we put it outside of the front door of the church there [referring to visual aid](about twice the size of this - three times the size of that) that said NA Meeting tonight at 8:30. And then we opened the door for business and we'd get about a dozen alcoholics in there who came to help us. And then a car would pull down around the corner slowly and they'd look at the sign and then they'd split.

A visit to the LAPD

Nobody trusted nobody. You know they thought it was staked out. They
wouldn't believe us when we told them there was no surveillance. And we
weren't just too sure in the beginning ourselves. Because as a group we
decided we were going to get right with the law at least and we went down to the Narcotics Division. And we told them, we didn't ask them, we told them we were going to have a meeting of addicts. And they raised their eyebrows a little bit when we first mentioned it. But there were 5 of us down there. A Miller (I forget if he was a Lieutenant or a Captain then) he listened and he said, "It's about time something like this happened. I've been trying to help addicts for years and with no success— I can't help anybody." And so he
called in a lieutenant to listen in on our conversation and see what he
thought. And he was a hard-nosed, old style, hope-to-die cop who knew for sure (who knew for sure) that none of us could recover, you know. And he listened and Miller was saying, "I like that idea." "I'll go along with that idea." "I buy what you have to say." "I'll do everything I can to help you."
All the way down the line he was all for us. He kept his word, by the way. And he said to this lieutenant, "What do you think?" And the lieutenant said, "Ain't gonna work, once a Junkie always a Junkie, you know that, God Damnit. There's never any of them gonna get any better. I don't care what you say, I don't care what these people say, it ain't gonna work."

And old Pat, who was sitting back there with his mouth shut all this
time and never opened his mouth says, "Lieutenant, my name is so-and-so, I was born and raised in such-and-such a place, I got arrested the first time for such-and-such a thing, and I was sentenced such-and-such a time for so many years; and starting there I want you to go back and check my record all the way through. I've been in every God Damned Federal Pen, except Danamora, in the country. I'm the last of the Petermen, and I haven't had a bit of Junk for 18 years. I haven't been in Jail for 18 years; and this program works for me. Now you look it up and prove it to yourself because I was never out of jail from the time I was a kid until the time I found this program." And the guy didn't know what to say. Pat said, "Now I mean it, check it out." Whether the guy ever checked it out, I don't know; but I know that the police department and the Narcotics Division kept their word to us. And
they never staked us out, they never busted us in any way, shape, or form—never rousted us coming or going to meetings. And so, we in turn kept our word, we policed ourselves and we followed the Traditions as best we knew how. And this is what has made us basically begin to grow in the past 12 years.

A few of the other buildings (on that, a few of the pictures up there) referring to visual aids] were men, one man in particular, who started AA within some of the Federal Institutions many years ago and helped us start Narcotics Anonymous in Walla Walla, in San Quentin, and a few other places.

Les has since died, too.
(I don't know what the hell I made these notes for, anyway, `cause I'm not following them.)

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

We did begin in 1960 again, the beginning of 1960, with about 4 people. And started to build the group up again according to the original concept; the Steps for the individual and the Traditions for the groups. And we've been growing slowly and steadily ever since. Primarily, I believe, we've been growing because we haven't had the domination of any one group of people; particularly in the area that most of us know—California area. I think primarily that is the reason, the main reason for the big difference.

Plus the fact that more and more addicts know the value of 12 Step work. It used to be we could never get addicts to go on 12 Step calls. Some strange things used to happen, you know, when about 8 or 10 addicts, in a group, would descend on some poor, unsuspecting little Junkie who was dying in a back room someplace in his mother's home. And we'd descend on him like hornets — whooo! You know! Everybody'd get scared. We had to go in groups because nobody would go alone or singly or in couples to go. Everybody was afraid they would get loaded if they went and called on another (another) addict. So that was another one of the myths that we build up ourselves:

That we can't go and call on somebody who's using without using ourselves.
One of the greatest lies of all time. You know it ain't true, not a damn bit true. And this is one of the reasons we grow. Plus the fact that we follow, possibly, the best thing that any of us can do, we are willing to listen.

Bob, what did you do with my other notes? Steal them? Oh, here they are.

I resigned one time as chairman of NA before I really got going again, because of the very thing I'm talking about. I resigned because we were not following the Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous. It's a strange thing, I said I was going to mention it tonight and then I decided against it—but I am going to talk about it. Because actually, although we had meetings going for several years, (about 4 years) there was no Narcotics Anonymous.

Because one of the things we said: That we would call ourselves an NA Organization and Fellowship as long as we used the Steps and the Traditions. So when we stopped using the Traditions and became a one-man-rule proposition there was on longer realty any NA. I mention it for two reasons; because it died out and there were only a few of us left, but it also points out the fact that this program, once we begin to live it, we can't let it go, it's going to grow again. This program is not going to die out, if all of us in this room right now—and this is a miracle in itself —if all of us in this room don't make it, this fellowship is not going to die out. Not because I say so, but because that's the very nature of recovery: That once there is the knowledge
that something can be done it is never lost. Somebody will pick it up and continue.

The Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship Grows

We've come an awful long way. I paraphrase commercials an awful lot and there's a good paraphrase in our structure of Virginia Slims, "You've come a long way baby (you know) to get where you are now." And, I'm not going to say a hell of a lot more because, uh, I'm too high right now; I'm going through the ceiling right now.

We're growing faster now than we ever did before. We're in more states, we're in more countries, and there are more opportunities for each and every one of us to find our place in Narcotics Anonymous and carry the message of recovery to addicts all over the world now. We can no longer try to contain it here in California or in this country. But it's going to take everything all of us got, it takes everything we've got to stay on this program. This is a blood and guts program. This is not a program for panty wastes—but there are no panty wastes in NA. If you're an addict you've got a lot of guts to begin with, or you wouldn't be here; so let's put them to good use.

Let's take this thing that we've got and make something better, even than it is, out of it. You know that I've said many times, a long time ago, that a man without a dream is only half a man, and a fellowship without a vision is a farce. And I still believe that and know damn well that we can find fulfillment in living a day at a time here. And a day at a time our vision and our Fellowship can become a greater reality. They're the things that I'm still interested in.

Carry the Message

Two years ago at the convention, when I had just regained my voice, I said then that as long as I live I would use what voice and what strength I have to further the efforts of Narcotics Anonymous and that other beautiful fellowship I belong to, Alcoholics Anonymous—and I intend to do that. But it's going to take all of me, and it's going to take all of you, and all the people that you're going to talk to, and all of the people you're going to carry the message to, to make this a greater reality. There are people out there on La Cienega Boulevard dying of our disease. There are people all over this world dying of our disease, and, believe it or not, we are truly the only people who can really help them. Let's never forget that. You and I have been given, through illness—through suffering—and through disease, a talent for helping other human beings like ourselves. Let's never forget that we have it and that we are responsible for others. But primarily, we
must be responsible to ourselves and —I seldom talk about Higher Powers, the particular concept of a Higher Power that I have, around the group; but believe me I have it. And, I don't know how many people are in this room tonight . I don't know if there's 100 here or 110 or 112, but over and above all of us, and in and through all of us, there's a power that there isn't anywhere else in the world. That's what Narcotics Anonymous is all about. That's what it will always be all about. And I'm serious tonight. I'm live serious not dead serious. This is a program of life and living. I've been serious long enough and I hope for the rest of the night we all have a hell of a lot of fun, because that's what living's all about.

Thank you very much."

(end transcript)



The transcript of this wonderful piece of Narcotics Anonymous history is posted on the NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS HISTORY PAGE, part of the NA WAY WEB RING.

godsonmyside

N.A, Way Interview
Bob Barrett
January 24, 1988


Bob B.: I'm probably one of the few people that have been here continuously all through that period of time although there are other people that were around. There was not the continuity, perhaps, while see we were here they moved away, or whatever the circumstances were that they were kind of unassociated with what was going on as far as N.A. was concerned. Perhaps (unintelligible) by word of mouth and perhaps that's all. I think our problem was close on hands...

N.A. Way: You were close to the core of N.A on central services right from the beginning ....

Bob B.: Yeah. I think probably I had the opportunity to move away and I would think you'd say well that wasn't the case because I had no choices to move away or wanted do you know.

N.A. Way: Well, when was your first exposure to Narcotics Anonymous?

Bob B.: 1959.

N.A. Way: And what happened there? Was that when your wife went out and...

Bob B.: Yeah. She went out to find some help for herself and in the process of going out to try to get some help for herself, she ran into Jimmy's wife at that time at an (unintelligible) AIAnon meeting and that's how she ran into her. She ran into her at an AIAnon meeting and the message was to say that there were people in the Valley that were addicts staying clean and Jimmy's wife at the time, Gladys, was instrumental in you know getting over the message because I think sometimes you know, wives or sweethearts or whatever the case is, go to meetings pleading for help and they plead for help in terms of "what can I do about that person?".

N.A. Way: How can I make this guy straighten up ?


Bob B.: I'd say up until I went to 'Nam and came back, so that's up 'til about '63. Then they had another meeting up in Hollywood; that was the Yucca meeting at St. Stephen's Church up on Yucca and what ...Yucca and Gower.

N.A. Way: Do you know if that's still there?

Bob B.: St. Stephen's; yeah, that's still there.

N.A. Way: Now was that added on with the Moorpark meeting still being held?

Bob B.:: Yeah. That was an additional meeting.

N.A. Way: Was there ever a break in the Moorpark Meeting up until the end of last year?

Bob B.: Not really. The day changed; there were little periodic lapses or date changes, etc. There was also lag time ...l'm not sure what year it was and I'm not sure if they had a meeting there at that particular time. But it's almost been continuous either Friday or Monday almost from the beginning.

N.A Way: I visited Jimmy once before he died. We went for a drive and he took me to a little white church somewhere in the north east valley where he said that they used to have meetings spontaneously. Do you know where that might be?

Bob B.: In the north east valley?

N.A. Way: Yeah, up around Sun Valley ...do you know which one that might be.

Bob B.: No. One in Hollywood off Cole and Melrose. This was tied to neither one of those; this was almost like a regular, this probably became the first second meeting that we had (unintelligible). That was in '60 or '61.

N.W. Way: And how long did that last?

Bob B.: Probably six months to a year.

N.A. Way: Do you have any idea why



Bob B.: (Unintelligible) one is still alive, it was her daughter that was an addict. Sandy used to live there; she was just a youngster, she was only about sixteen or seventeen years old.

N.A. Way: Do you have any idea why that meeting stopped meeting there?

Bob B.: There was probably a number of reasons. We found it difficult to have meetings at people's homes. When they decided to go out, usually the meeting breaks up. I mean cause Sandy went back using or she left town or whatever the story was, the meeting wasn't there anymore.

N.A. Way: So, in '63 the meeting began in St Stephens. How long did that go on?

Bob B: That went on for a long time, the Hollywood meeting.

N.A. Way: For quite a number of years?

Bob B.: Yes.

N.A. Way: What else

was going on from '63 on?

Bob B.: Well we went to Glendale over on Colorado.

N.A. Way: And that was in '63?

Bob B.: Yeah, last of '63 and into '64. We started to grow about that time. The number of people, the places that had meetings, like I say you had the Hollywood Meeting, you had the Glendale Meeting, you had the (unintelligible) downtown, over at Third and Westlake. Probably in '63 and (unintelligible).

N.A. Way: Was it all the same people that were showing up at all these meetings?

Bob B.: Yeah. We just had one in Long Beach when Louie Eckels got out of the penitentiary and he had one in Long Beach at his house that used to get fair publicity because it had soft music and dark lights. (laughter)

N.A. Way: O.K. Was that in '63., '64?

Bob B.: Yeah, right.

N.A. Way: That didn't go on too long?

Bob B.: Well,no, Louie went to the hospital and he died.

N.A. Way: Well, that ended that. Was that in '64?

Bob B.: Yeah.

N.A. Way: About how many people were in Narcotics Anonymous (active) by 1964?

Bob B.: Our meetings at that time probably averaged anywhere from twenty to twenty?five people.

N.A. Way: That's a lot more than I would have imagined.

Bob B.: You have to realize that this is the same twenty?five people but they are pretty active. At any given function we'd all be there, you know.

N.A. Way: Was N.A. something that was pretty much standing on is' own?

Bob B.: Yeah, it was on its' own.

N.A. Way: I understand that everyone was going to A.A. meetings.

Bob B.: Periodically we were all going to A.A. meetings. It wasn't a case that we had cancelled out A.A. out of existence; fact is that they were more supportive in some ways because this was one way they could get away with if they saw an addict they'd say "go over there", you know, "don't come around here with all that bull ****, go over there".

N.A. Way: Well, remember Ron's article that he did for the trustees a few years back for the, no actually it was published in the Grapevine, and he said "...the position that Bill Wilson had in the late 50's about drug addicts using A.A.'s 12 Steps and 12 Traditions has come true and you guys no longer have to have a problem with what to do with drug addicts.

Bob B.: On nights that there was not meetings or there were meetings too distanced, a person might go to an A.A. meeting, in order to establish the thing of going to meetings. It became like a haven in a sense of speaking you know, and I guess that's one of the reasons where many people had developed close ties in that particular circuit.

N.A. Way: What was that N.A. community like in '63 and '64?

Bob B.: We were more intimate at that time then we are now. There was a necessity to have the closeness in things that we done together;we were in each others households or in each others company over considerable periods of time. Weekly or daily, you know. Transportation being what it was it was always the case that when you go to a meeting you collect a car load. You shuttle 'em back home after the meeting; those types of things, you know. We had a lot of that type of involvement with each other over a period of time. We became very intimate in that respect. So, there wasn't much going on that the other person didn't know was going on. We were very enmeshed and entwined in terms of our daily activities.

N.A. Way: And I know its still like that any time an N.A. community starts out in a town anywhere...

Bob B.: Yeah, we become very supportive in that respect. We don't like to be alone so to speak and if you're tryin to stay clean you like to be around someone who's staying clean.

N.A. Way: What you're telling me about Narcotics Anonymous in Los Angeles in the early sixties, it sounds so completely local, but the fact is that for all the other people in all the other different cities all over the world who use the name Narcotics Anonymous and who use the Twelve Steps to try and approach the problem of this disease, this is the only N.A. community that survived and this is the N.A. community that started the world wide movement...

Bob B.: I think one of the unique things is that we didn't try to intertwine with other agencies and I think that's where the downfall in many of the other areas came about is their intertwining with these other agencies as a support or depending upon ...how they met in and how they were supported and how the message was carried. I think all these things were very important.

N.A. Way: Was that just blind luck?

Bob B.: I think it was a combination of both. I think we were lucky in terms that we didn't have to depend on these other agencies exclusively for our survival; we had no whole lot of things that we had to do ...we didn't get grandiose in terms of that we didn't have to go out and rent a hall or need the money for any particular thing; we made do with what we had. We begged, borrowed and connived or whatever the case might be in order for our survival.

N.A. Way: When you couldn't get any other meeting places besides the Unitarian Church, you didn't go out and rent a clubhouse and

Bob B.: That we couldn't pay for and whenever we went to somebody's house and said here can we have the meeting at your house? We'll bring the coffee or tea and milk or whatever and all you got to do is serve the plates or open the door ...are you going to be around? Or do you have a house? There was a lot of cases like that, you know. The only reason I had a house was that I happened to be married and (unintelligible) had a house because even during that time when someone would say could we meet at my house I would say, Yaaaayl. cause, I was still loaded you know.

N.A. Way: Of those twenty?five or so people in '63 and '64, how many were men and how many were women?

Bob B.: I would say that 75% were men

N.A. Way: So that about eighteen or twenty guys and five or seven women?

Bob B.: Yes

N.A. Way: How many of those people were married?

Bob B.: I'd say 50% of them.

N.A. Way: Had all of them served some kind of prison term?

Bob B: Most of them probably had served time, maybe not prison but jail time ...very few were people you know just street people who happened to walk in and who stayed who never done any time.


N.A. Way: Can you think of anyone like that

Bob B.: Yeah, Elaine Goodrich is one, she's still down in Palos Verdes

N.A. Way: When did she come in

Bob B.: Around '84 and she's still a housewife I mean an upper middle class house wife. She almost crawled in the door. This was her last gasp she'd been to all the hospitals in the world, tried everything else in the world and here she is, you know.

N.A. Way: Most of the rest of them were hypes, right?

Bob B.: Mmmmm, yeah the bigger proportion, the larger proportion were.

N.A. Way: 80%?

Bob B.: Yeah, I'll say 80% were mostly intravenous drug users.

N.A. Way: So the rest were

Bob B.: Combinations, pills, uppers

N.A. Way: What type of welcome did Elaine Goodrich receive, I mean did she find an easy welcome? or was she just in a daze for a while

Bob B > : She was in a daze. I' d say for about the first year.

N.A. Way: How did the folk respond to her? Did they welcome her?

Bob B.: She was accepted, you know acceptable. I don't think it was the case where she was abrasive in any way.

N.A. Way: There wasn't any idea that Narcotics Anonymous was only for heroin addicts?

Bob B.: No, I don't think so. A lot of our identity was there, but I think there was enough people that was understanding as to what our plight was you know, she had problems with drugs and she might have a chance, she might have a chance.

N.A. Way: Do you feel like we've gotten a pretty good feel for what the community was like in '63 and '64?

Bob 8.: Yeah. We still had a hostile community I think it started to turn around probably in '64 and '65. I'll tell you what happened. There was a big transition in who was using drugs now, who was being exposed as to using drugs. The popular trend in the days of the '60s were that a lot of middle class people had moved into the street and moved into the love scene and moved into the drug scene and drugs were becoming more generally popular and accepted in terms of saying it's here and you just can't ignore me and people with money and influence were being affected by it because relatives and children and everything were being affected by it. So the attitude kind of changed in saying it's not just them dirty bums living out there on the street that are real dope fiends anymore. It's not the brown, black and blue of the street that are real dope fiends anymore. I think that's when the social attitude did change where it became we're going to have to do something different about the treatment of drug addicts without being only punitive.

N.A. Way: Did this have an effect on the N.A. community insofar as finding meeting places goes?

Bob B.: Yeah, it did, to the effect of Oh, you're going to help drug addicts, come on in. That's why I say, I think it was during that period of time that we found acceptable meeting places as far as churches, etc. who would open their door and say, yeah come on in and we'll try it and see how it works out.

N.A. Way: Let's say by the end of '65 how many meetings were there at that time ...we're talking that at the end of '63 we had the Moorpark, the Hollywood, the Glendale, and the Royal Palms meeting, and then the meeting at Louie Eckels (sp) house, so four maybe five ...how many two years later?

Bob B.: Probably got uh we got very involved with institutional work a big transitional period we started going into a lot of institutions. I tell you what happened about that time '65, '64 and '65... We moved North, there was a kind of northern transition. They tried to start a couple of meetings down south. A couple of people had moved down to San Diego and they had tried to start a couple of meetings Mary Vargas and she was kind of like a spokesman around California about the treatment of drug addicts and she worked for another agency but she was a member of N.A. but she was traveling up and down the state and she got hooked into legislators and she got hooked into some of the programs that they were trying to start around the country and so she became very outspoken in terms of doing particular things and she got out a thing that started at UC Berkeley on the study of addicts, called Ad Center, and the Ad Center was staffed by a number of addicts.

N.A. Way: When was this started?

Bob B.: 1965; that's when Sylvia, and Ross and George and all of them when up to northern california to work at ad seller.

N.A. Way: Sylvia Magdaleno ?

Bob B.: Yeah.

N.A. Way: Who else?

Bob B.: Ross Counts (sp), George Romero. The ad seller became very important in terms of saying how northern california got started cause out of those people that went up north, Sylvia and Kenny and Ross and all of them up there working for ad center between San Jose and the little centers that they had set up as part of a network they started a meeting in Berkeley, they started a meeting in San Francisco, they started a meeting in San Jose and there was a common center that they started meeting because they were like study centers that they were doing surveys and things for ad seller.

N.A. Way: So N.A. meetings were started at the same place as these people set up the ad sellers(sp).

Bob B.: They were in the same area but not necessarily at the same facilities because they had offices up there and they didn't have meetings in the office but they did have meetings in the area that they were established. A lot of people would say that (unintelligible).

N.A. Way: Did Sylvia Magdaleno stay up there?

Bob Bar.: Yes, she did.

N.A. Way: So, she's been up there continuously since the '60's

Bob B.: Almost continuously, yes.

N.A. Way: So she'll be able to fill me up on a lot of the details...

Bob B.: Oh yeah, she will. Have you caught up with her?

N.A. Way: Yes, I have.

Bob B.: Cause, I had talked to her about this a long time ago, I said we're filling in the holes from that particular time...

N.A. Way: I hope that we can spend some time at least an the phone. Ideally, I'd like to go up there and spend a few days but I don't know if that's possible.

Bob B.: Well, when she comes down here tell her to give you a call. But there was a lot of transition and people started spresding out over a big geographical area.

N.A. Way: So we have a Bay Area and down towards San Jose

Bob B.: Right and that was kind of like a general area (unintelligibble) and so it was just kind of a natural transition.

N.A. Way: I guess it was like any member would just start a meeting...

Bob B.: Yeah, and addict would say, hey, we need a meeting and then start one

N.A. Way: Was the same kind of involvement going on in the institutional work?

Bob B.: Well, in the institutional work I think if we say carry the message another route they may not have heard it and I think it was a great thing when we were able to get in the institution where there was that institutional attitude that there was no hope and there was no talk about recovering addicts.

N.A. Way: What kind of attitude was that?

Bob B.: Kind of like an attitude of ignorance you know, and I can understand because we thought amongst ourselves that there wasn't any hope and so how can you convince anybody else that there is hope when you don't believe it yourself?

N.A. Way: How was that that y'all didn't even believe it?

Bob B.: Well, I mean, they'd been saying for a thousand years that there's no hope for dope fiends, you know, relapse was common place I think we probably over a period of years in our recovery we talked about every particular time that we were clean for any reason. We couldn't give you the dynamics of why we didn't stay clean. We just knew we had all the great intentions and high ideas and seemingly motivation that when I get out of one of those places I'm going to get my **** together and keep it together and maybe once in a while have a little taste but I'm not gonna get hooked. We had good intentions but always ended up getting hooked, you know. But we didn't have that direction to go. So it's hard to convince another person that you've got your **** together.

N.A. Way: What was the first institution that you got into and how was it that you were able to overcome those areas...

Bob B.: Well, I think the first institution that we got into probably was Tehachapi and it was a combination of CRC becoming very interested because they were trying to find new ways to treat addicts...

N.A. Way: When guys at meetings talk about C.R.C. is that the one they are talking about?

Bob B.: Not particularly because its changed over the years.

N.A. Way: Is there only one C.R.C.?

Bob B.: Now it is, before it was two or three institutions that C.R.C. was using part or all of that institution as a house for their programs and they were part of the regular C.I.M. (California Institution for Men) or women. They were trying to institute the C.R.C. philosophy so to speak.

N.A. Way: How was the contact with the C.R.C. at Tehachapi initiated?

Bob B.: Yeah. Straighten up or what do I do with him or how do I do it? And there seems to be no place for them to get no help. Because there were very few places talking about affording help to addicts at that particular time because the whole social view about addiction and addicts at that time was "there's no help for addicts". There was medically only a couple of places where they were even attempting to do anything with addicts like Fort Worth and Lexington

N.A. Way: Yeah. Those are the only two that I know of with any national reputation.

Bob B.: Yeah, with any national reputation. The only other thing, there was a Dr. Stewart Knox working with Edgewater Hospital in the private sector that was trying to pioneer some ideas about addicts in recovery. But these we're talking about private?funded situations where you had to have long money to even approach them so to speak.

N.A. Way: Yeah. At that time narcotics addiction was pretty much under cover.

Bob B.: That was exposed you know...it was like a hopeless condition. There is nothing we can do. We might could dry them out in the hospital; we had one hospital that could do it privately. And probably only one person in the city as far as Los Angeles that was able to service addicts in that respect.

N.A. Way: Who was that?

Bob B.: Stewart Knox. He was in Los Angeles at the time. But he had been associated with Lexington and quite a few other places. So he thought he may have had some answers about how to treat addicts.

N.A. Way: Was it a treatment that ...a psychological treatment?

Bob B.: There were a number of things. He was doing a chemical thing where he was changing of diets and a number of processes that he was going and doing. He was trying a whole lot of things.

N.A. Way: As I recall, Bob Smith and him and his gang, you know A.A., were trying about everything they could do.

Bob B.: Well, I think probably it was initiated in a number of ways; I was there for one thing (laughter).

N.A. Way: You were in the C.R.C.?

Bob B.: I tell you one of the reasons it became very strong in there was because it had a certain warden there who's philosophy was that he made everybody go to some twelve step program when they first got there. He didn't care if you didn't go no more after you went those (I think it was) twelve weeks but you had to go twelve weeks. If you didn't want to go after that it was up to you. You had what they call a prescription program he made everybody go to meetings so when they started instituting a C.R.C. type of philosophy the first thing we probably say hey we at (unintelligible). They had what they called a combined meeting, an N.A. A.A. meeting in there at the same time. They was just locked in together. There was no outside participation for N.A. A.A. got to have outsiders come in but not N.A.

N.A. Way: This combined meeting was held by people inside ?

Bob B.: Inside the institution, that's right.

N.A. Way: How were those (unintelligible) Did he always use the pamphlet

Bob B.: No, they used the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous; he didn't use the pamphlet at all but then people started coming up from L.A. and bringing the pamphlet with them to read.

N.A. Way: When did that start, that N.A. members from the outside started coming in?

Bob B.: '63, '64; we're talking about kind of opening the doors.

N.A. Way: And that was the first one where outside folks started coming in but really there was a meeting of sorts that existed there already?

Bob B.: That's right there was a meeting of sorts allready going.

N.A. Way: I've never heard of anything like that before.

Bob B.: There are still probably a couple of institutions that have what they call N.A. way meeting, they just do their thing, several have NA/AA or AA/NA and ah they don't care what you think about them, dat what they do! What they're saying is that you can talk about either one, alcohol or drugs this is a forum where you can do either one.

N.A. Way: So, Tehachapi got going...

Bob B.: Tehachapi got going and then when they separated C.R.C. from Tehachapi and moved it down to Narco...

N.A. Way: That's the one that I've heard of, Narco

Bob B.: I took the first panel into there

N.A. Way: Is that so? When were you released?

Bob B.: I was released in '63.

N.A. Way: Did you get clean in Tehachapi?

Bob B.: I got clean before I went to Tehachapi in about '61.See, I got clean and then had to go to jail and do my time see, and then I got out in '63. Everybody remained in contact with me and came to see me and vist me and write letters. So that all the contact was still there and starting the meeting there and trying to get the literature there was part of the what I went to jail about you know what people were bringing in that's when (unintelligible)

N.A. Way: Was Jimmy the recognized leader?

Bob B.: Pretty much so because he was the only source we had as a stable source ...an address you could write to.

N.A. Way: By that time he had been clean for fifteen years

Bob B.: No, not that long.

N.A. Way: Well, how long had he been clean for?

Bob B. He'd been clean for a couple of years before he (unintelligible) the N.A. thing. So we're talkin bout '52, '53,'51, tenor twelve years. He's the only one who had any time besides Scott; Scott had about five years. Scott was one of the first to talk N.A. He'd go on a A.A. panel and talk N.A. That's where Russ came from, after a panel he talked to Russ and Russ got out and called him up (Scott). So those are the kind of connections we had when we started and people stayed in contact when you were in jail, they wrote letters and came up to see you. Those were the close ties that (unintelligible).

N.A. Way: How did the N.A. community in general in the L.A. area grow from '64/'65 up thru, were there any bug spurts...

Bob B.: I think that was a big spurt in '65 going up north, because many of the people there were secretaries or strong members with time and it was about half the fellowship; these were the people with the skills to start meetings, etc.

N.A. Way: Yeah, and those are the kind of people that a study group like the Ad (unintelligible) would want to hire to do their work for them

Bob B.: That's right because they had some background, and those are the people that they wanted up there because they were doing a lot of the footwork for them at their school up their.

N.A. Way: There was something in San Diego as well, during that time, did you say?

Bob B.: Well, they had meetings ...they tried to start a couple of meetings but they didn't roll?it was kind of sporadic they would start up and stop. A lot of the people who were there left or their jobs would take them somewhere.

N.A. Way: Did anything really happen that stuck in San Diego in the '60's?

Bob B.: Nope, not that I know of.

N.A. Way: So the N.A. community that's there now had not been established yet.

Bob B.: Correct.

N.A. Way: So through the late '60's we're talking about pretty much the same as what we saw in 1965 with the foundations laid in Los Angeles and Northern California but nothing really growing outwards.

Bob B.: Not yet. Growing inwards but we were getting a lot of responses outside of the L.A. area as to what was going on here. We were getting lots of enquires as to what was going on and where do I get literature, etc.

N.A. Way: Do you know of any meetings that were outside of California that were started at that time?

Bob B.: Perhaps Philadelphia or that particular area was one of the first strong enquirers; Cleveland was another one. Eagleville(unintelligible) hospital in Pennsylvania is another one.

N.A. Way: Now did we have an N.A. number that was working there or how did we get into Eagleville?

Well, we had enquirees. People came (unintelligible) and thay game them a (unintelligible). I think (unintelligible name) talks about it somewhere along the way that that'swhere he first contacted us...

N.A. Way: How long has (unintelligible name) been clean now

Bob B.: I don't know if he was clean at that time or he got clean then

N.A. Way: It seems to me that he's clean about ten years now.

Bob B.: The message I think that came out of there, maybe it was the early seventies, It was either the last part of the sixties or the early seventies, that this occured. We got, as I say, a lot of out of state communication on where to start, how to start, those things. People were becoming more mobile in terms of moving and moving about was concerned

N.A. Way: So did we have some members moving from California to other places?

Bob B.: Either we had members or people who had been losely associated with N.A., relatives whatever, because someone would come up with or say, I
found this pamphlet and I want to enquire as to what it's all about. I know that (unintelligible) parties will say (unintelligible) clean we're experiencing in Philadelphia.

N.A. Way: Do you have any idea when the Philadelphia N.A. community actually started?

Bob B.: I'd say early 70's.

N.A. Way: I don't know where I've heard it but I have heard that Philadelphia is the oldest N.A. community outside of california. They were there for quite a while with nothing else goin on on the East Coast.

Bob B.: They were pretty much all that was going on on the East Coast between that hospital there Cleveland had a couple of recovery houses or something around Cleveland that were very involved with that same circle. They were usually associated with some other organization, Salvation Army, (unintelligible) Pearce has all that information.

N.A. Way: I'm going to be spending some time with him when you all have your meeting in early February. One thing I'd really like to do is make copies of all the papers you have

godsonmyside

Bob B.: I thought I had given you most of the copies that I have or someone from your office at one time or another. I might have some correction copies or like that but it's not like I try to keep it in order or anything like that.

N.A. Way: Now there is some sort of

Bob B.: (long unintelligible stretch)

N.A. Way: They have five principles for recovery.lt looks like a fairly comprehensive counseling program, vocational, psychological,

Bob B.: (unintelligible) like when I (unintelligible) N.A. treatment

N.A. Way: Interesting. Now is this the first edition, I know the second edition is more the size of the small booklets that we have now the 5.5 by 8.5. Is there any (unintelligible) between this and the second edition?

Bob B.: T;Ihere was some, it wasn't a whole lot but there was corrections and things. Maybe a little more expansion on some areas, but basically pretty much the same. There was a smaller copy.

N.A. Way: There was some kind of a conference in 1969 that put together an outline of what the N.A. organization ought to look like.

Bob B.: Well, we had what they call the parent organization of Narcotics Anonymous

N.A. Way: The parent general service organizartion of the Southern California Region. What was that all about?

Bob B.: That was around '65,'66.

N.A. Way: Is that so. Well, what was that about, what happened?

Bob B.: What started that was pretty much Jimmy was trying to establish a basic organizational chart as to what it could be and what it should be and as to its growing sense as a unit and a so that's when (unintelligible) like the Board of Trustees, the different departments or components of how it should work.

N.A. Way: Jack showed me some stuff that he had

Bob B.: Yeah, that was the late '60's. That's what we functioned with at that time was that flow chart.

N.A. Way: Was their a Northern California and a Southern California region or was it...

Bob B.: It was all part of the California Region.

N.A. Way: From time to time did representatives from the groups get together?

Bob B.: Yeah, I think we got together, like the Northern California group tried to form a region

N.A. Way: Was their any other kind of literature besides that white pamphlet? When did the This is N.A. pamphlet come out, that is one thing I actually have a copy of.

Bob B.: No, I don't

N.A. Way: I have no idea where it came from it's just one of those things that happen to be in the file. I believe it shows a Berkeley address on the last page.

Bob B.: It may be something that you'd associate with ad center, because one of the fellas up there used to put out because they had written some things for, an introduction, and It might have been where, I think I might have actuallly had one of these pamphlets.

N.A. Way: The interesting thing about this pamphlet is that it's a copy of the A.A. pamphlet, This is A.A.; and to tell you the truth it's a real nice explanation of what N.A. is about but it's not original

Bob B.: Yeah, but it's kind of like where it came from in a sense. We didn't particularly have any friends called this is N.A. Reason 1 know is because I was in charge of getting and storing the printing and picking it up and carrying it around. So we didn't have it down here. They might have had it up there, but we didn't.

N.A. Way: The address on that last page says Box 954, Berkeley.

Bob B.: So it came out of that ad center

N.A. Way: Why parent organization? What was Jimmy's idea?

Bob B.: Well I guess he said where it all came from , you know. I guess that what you call the parent organization. And I guess that's his understanding that you have to have a source somewhere.

N.A. Way: It would seem like even then he had a very far reaching vision of what N.A. was and would be and how far it would reach out; he was envisioning a world fellowship in the late 1960's

Bob B.: What happened see, is Jimmy got sick with T.B. for about four or five years and he was confined part of that time partly at home and partly not,
because he'd hurt his back and then the tuberculosis too. So for about four or five years he was not really active in terms of N.A. no more than what he could correspond and so forth, and so between Sylvia and Ron Larson and myself and a few others we kind of like had to hold it together and we stayed in conference with Jimmy . That's what was happening at that particular time; he was getting a lot of mail, it would arrive over to his house or to our post office box and one of us would usually pick it up and try to respond.

N.A. Way: By 1970 how many meetings did we have in California in general and in the Los Angeles area?

Bob B.: Probably ten to twelve meetings.

N.A. Way: The year following that was when Narcotics Anonymous held its' first convention; called at that time a world convention.

Bob B.: World as we knew ft. (laughter)

N.A. Way: What was that like, where did the idea come from?

Bob B.: The trustees got it together. We had a trustees meeting and we said to ourselves we need to have a convention and get everybody together and be recognized as having something new. All the trustees pitched in $25 each or whatever it was to get it off the ground.

N.A. Way: The trustees started (unintelligible)

Bob B: We formed a parent organization which must have been '65 or '65.

N.A. Way: Were the trustees like the elected leaders of the parent organization?

Bob B.: Yeah, pretty much so. Between the trustees and the group secretary or group representative we formed up in Morehead Park an organization...

N.A. Way: So you had the trustees, and then there was a representative from each of the groups.

Bob B.: Yes. Whoever the secretary of that particular group was usually informed them of (unintelligible) of the parent organization.

N.A. Way: The parent organization and the board of trustees maintained in pretty much the same form until 1971 you saw the same kind of thing as in '67?

Bob B.: Yeah it probably lasted up until that time when we got the office open and then we got more broad coverage in terms of function. I think the trustees probably pretty much are the ones who ran whatever happened in Narcotics Anonymous.

N.A. Way: So in '71 y'all each pulled $25 out of your pockets...

Bob B.: And had a convention.

N.A. Way: How many people showed up to that?

Bob B.: Somewhere between 150 and 200.

N.A. Way: Today that would be a pretty good sized first convention.

Bob B.: I think it was well advertised, well taken in terms of an event to be seen at.

N.A. Way: Did anyone show up from outside of California?

Bob B.: I think they did. I believe so. The receipt book is out at the office. Because I gave it to whatchcallit about a year or so ago. I just happened to find the receipt book and I think I'm the first person on the top of the list. Me, George Emerson, who else, Carl Baggie, and all the participants who signed in should be in there.

N.A. Way: Dorothy Gildersleve?

Bob B.: Dorothy Gildersleve, yeah.

N.A. Way: Lewis Quick?

Bob B.: Lewis Quick, yeah.

N.A. Way: What happened at that convention. Just describe it, you had 150, 200 people showing up and...

Bob B.: Jimmy was the speaker, I was the Chairman...

N.A. Way: Jack was telling me, was Jimmy given some type of citation?

Bob B.: A plaque; I gave him a plaque. It had all this here original meeting minutes, etc., in it. I don't know what happened to it. It was closed in glass...

N.A. Way: Do you think that he probably has it over at her place now?

Bob B.: I don't know. I don't know what Betty has. I've often asked where that (unintelligible) plaque is. It was kind of like the original by?laws or what have you from that first meeting; that first steering committee put together in July of '53. Names and everything and it was enclosed in glass.

N.A. Way: I'm gonna talk with Chuck Gates later and ask him if there is any way that he can approach Betty. She's evidently taken the (unintelligible) pretty deeply and she's pretty ill now.

Bob B.: She is?

N.A. Way: From what I understand, yes.

Bob B.: I saw her not too long ago. Anyhow, I gave him this here plaque as a momento and as a safekeeping.

N.A. Way: What was it, a three day event. Say a Friday nite and Saturday and Sunday morning?

Bob B.: Actually it was only a two day event: Saturday and Sunday morning.

N.A. Way: What happened?

Bob B.: Well, we just had generally some kind of general meeting and as to the areas or needs that had been representeed and people that were for instance I think we had Judge Emerson give a little talk and Dorothy (unintelligible). I gave a little history before I introduced Jimmy.

Bob B.: Yeah, just trying. You know, trying everything they thought might work you know, change the diet, change the habit pattern ...counseling, put them in a clean environment. Track them over a period of time, you know, there is a number of processes they were doing I call it warehousing of addicts, at that particular time, but they couldn't even touch the problem because if you didn't have money you couldn't even get involved with it

N.A. Way: People with a narcotics habit had more important things to do with their money than...

Bob B.: You better believe it. Most of those that were in treatment, any kind of treatment, were people that had money and didn't have a financial problem but the problem was with people that had nothing and wasn't going to spend money for that anyhow. Where accepting the idea that there was a cleaning up...we didn't discuss about cleaning up at that particular time, even on the street you know, all we talked about was where to get some more and where to get some more. Who had it and where to go get it.

N.A. Way: There wasn't really any thought on the street at that time...

Bob B.: It was very low or none. We may have mentioned it on some occasion. I've got to get my **** together, I've got to clean up, you know or I got to cut this habit back. All these things are shortcuts not talking about clean for ever using nothing.

N.A. Way: Clean from heroin long enough to get your health back.

Bob B.: Yeah. Get your health back and get some things straightened out ...those types of things you can imagine that from that standpoint our attitude, that kind of mental attitude about what our addiction was about.

N.A. Way: Well, in 1959 when you attended your first meeting where was that meeting and...

Bob B.: That was in the Valley. They were moving from Shyer's Dryer over on Ventura to, they were trying to get this Unitarian Church in Studio City, the one on Moorpark.

N.A. Way: Do you recall where exactly Shyer's Dryer was?

N.A, Way: Was there another meeting Sunday Nite before you all broke up?

Bob B.: There was a meeting Sunday Morning. It was held at La Mirada Country Club.

Did people stay there or in hotels, or...

Bob B.: No, most people stayed at home or at other peoples houses generally.

N.A. Way: Was there any kind of business meeting that was called a World Service Conference at that one?

Bob B.: We established a date to have a...the idea for this particular event was to raise enough money to (unintelligible). That was the primary purpose.

N.A. Way: Did it raise enough money to get you going?

Bob B.: Yes and no. We made maybe two or three hundred dollars which was enough to pay the rent at a place that we already had.

N.A. Way: And were you working for Impact at the time?

Bob B.: (unintelligible). I was involved with Impact but I'm still involved with Impact. So I used one of the rooms as the World Service Office.

N.A. Way: Did you have literature there?

Bob B.: Yeah.

N.A. Way: Was there a phone number there, was there a N.A. phone?

Bob B.: We had an answering service out in Hollywood and all of our calls went through our answering service.

N.A. Way (OK that tape ended off with the office you were using at Impact House on Crenshaw)

Bob B.: The answering service was twenty four hours but there wasn't always someone at this office. But when someone was at the office we could get calls there.

N.A. Way: When did people start using the answering service?

Bob B.: Oh, we had the answering service back in '60.

N.A. Way: Somehow it's just seeming like things were a lot more organized in the '60s then I would have thought.

Bob B.: It started coming together as an organization in the '60s. We may not have had all the how to's and wherefores. We had some questions and were enquiring and trying to do the job at hand. We were getting information from a number of sources.

N.A. Way: Who were some of the people who were telling you what to do?

Bob Bar.: People like Dorothy Gildersleeve and Dr. Quick and Jimmy was telling us things to do or suggesting some ideas even when he was sick and not there

N.A. Way: How did all these non?addicts get involved, I mean Dorothy Gildersleeve...

Bob B.: Well, she was a social worker

N.A. Way: Was she the one that had been associated with Penny

Bob B.: Penny, yeah but it is Lewis Quick that was associated with Penny.

N.A. Way: Judge Emerson, how did he get tied in?

Bob B.: I'm not even really sure.

N.A. Way: He was the first judge who started referring people to Narcotics Anonymous, wasn't he.

Bob B.: Yes, yes he was.

N.A. Way: He's still sitting on the bench out there in Whittier and if he has time I'm going to sit down with him and get as much of this from him as he can remember.

Bob B.: It might have been because around '69 or '70 they had some parole officers and probation officers that were usually associated because of their clients and they might have seen some things there that they liked

N.A. Way: Gildersleeve must have been impressed.

Bob B.: Also, through her association in the Valley, with all of her clients, she started referring to N.A. as a viable recovery source.

N.A. Way: How was she involved? What type of role did she play?

Bob B.: As a spokesman primarily. She was associated with a lot of people in the legislature, so to speak, or into recovery or social services. Those types of things. And she just had the kind of ability to kind of help people. And Quick being a psychiatrist, he probably had a lot of understanding about people.

N.A. Way: And did he refer Penny to N.A.?

Bob B.: I think he found out about N.A. through Penny.

N.A. Way: And what kind of role did he play once he found out?

Bob B.: He was a trustee initially, but then he got sick and had to withdraw from being a trustee. He had diabetes or something pretty serious and wasn't able to be very active. But he always spoke very well in those places that you associate with people and where word of mouth is applicable.

N.A. Way: It sounds like you had a really nice combination of people who were helping both inside and outside.

Bob B.: And we came by these people just kind of out of the blue.

N.A. Way: I've heard some people call those kinds of things,"God Shots", or gifts. Are there other non?addicts that were helping us in the late '60s and early '70s?

Bob B.: Yeah, there were.

N.A. Way: Were there meeting directories at that time (late '60 early 70s) showing where all the meetings were and if so do we have any copies of them?

Bob B.: No.

N.A. Way: So it started to spread a little bit more from that Hollywood, central LA. mode

Bob B.: yeah.

N.A. Way: So it was just the White Book all the way up to '78 except for those five pamphlets and all of those were a direct exerpt from the little while booklet except for the one for those who (unintelligible). What I'm really looking at is N.A. up through the first conference at Valley College because that seems to be the breaking point between (unintelligible)

Bob B.: Greg put this organizational chart together and we spent a couple of weekends up in the San Luis Obispo area finalizing what should be (unintelligible) and who was to see that it functioned like that.

N.A. Way: It looks like the structure, the things that are talked about are expansion and further explanation of the parent organization...

Bob B.: It was but just more organized and concise. I think the biggest argument probably was who was going to be responsible to see that the guidelines were followed.

N.A. Way: When did incorporation finally take place. Jack was supposed to take care of that when he was elected chairman of the board of directors. That is what he was supposed to do but he never did it ...From what I understand you had the office until '73 or '74 and then when Jack came in gradually you were able to let go

Bob B.: They had (unintelligible) who was supposed to have been elected office manager so what he had done was take (unintelligible) up to Crenshaw with all the supplies and everything up to the Suicide Prevention Center where he was working. He was working at the Suicide Prevention Center under some government grant type money. When that folded he left the office unmanned for a while of course our literature they moved over to Cry Help where they had a little sub?office out here in the Valley.Jack probably got involved in it because they had to move it out to Cry Help's little sub?office out here in the Valley. Bill had a (unintelligible) Jack, ran a little out patient office out here in Van Nuys.

N.A. Way: Do you know the address of that place.

Bob B.: If somebody know where Mary Beck is she probably tell them where it is. I think it was on Victory but I'm not sure. A lot of our stuff (files and things) were lost at the suicide prevention. It was kind of one of these offices there that too many people had access to and a lot of stuff disappeared.

N.A. Way: Crenshaw was the first.

Bob B.: Crenshaw was the first office location; Highland was the second and then to Van Nuys

N.A. Way: Jack said it was a convenient location and that you were paying $50 a month.

Bob B.: It was convenient for me alright, I lived right around the corner.

N.A. Way: From the place in Van Nuys it went to Jimmy's House. O. K. Jack recalls that it stayed there until about 1981 is that right. That's what he recalled and then it moved to another location in Sunland.

Bob B.: Well it had two places in Sunland it moved to. The late 70s as I recall because they moved to the storefront, they had two storefronts.

N.A. Way: The second storefront, the last one before it was moved to Wyandotte by Bob Stone, that's the only other office location that I've seen.

Bob B.: There was another one right off Vineland. Vineland and Lankersheim.lt moved into the house, there was an office right next to Jimmy's house before it moved to Vineland and Lankersheim.That's when we incorporated, just about the same time. Gregg, myself, and someone else were on the incorporation papers. I don't know what year that was.


N.A. Way: So N.A. has been brought up to the meetings at Valley College then. When was the first meeting separate from the Sorld Service Conference, '76 or'77

Bob *B.: I don't remember. Valley College should have been the following year.

N.A. Way: One last thing: About how large was the N.A. community in Los Angeles in 1976?

Bob B.: I say it had to be two or three thousand.

N.A. Way: Is there anything that we missed.

Bob B.: Probably lots of things but it will take triggers to get them to click in.

N.A. Way: I'd like to get back with you in a month or so after I've spoke to some others and try and fill in some gaps with you. What about some of these people: Jean Lecacas

Bob B.: He's around; he's still clean. He's a gypsy. That's what he is. From northern california to southern california, that's where you see him.

N.A. Way: Carl Beck.

Bob B.: He's still around. In Aftatena. His last name is spelled Baggett. His office is in Covina. He was a member of the Board of Trustees in '69 or '70. Mel Calvin, he's still out in Whittier. Whittier Electronics. Gilda Hays, I don't know if she's dead or not. I'm trying to think about Jess Loyn , he was alive a couple of years ago at the House of Uhuru in East L.A. Eddie Cochran was back but I don know ...he may be up in Camarillo but I'm not really sure. He was involved in N.A. earlier in the '50s than I was. Pepe would know where a lot of these people are. Russ Counts is in Tulsa, Oklahoma or Norman, Oklahoma. He's the one went up to ad Center with Sylvia in about '65.

N.A. Way: Elaine Goodrich is in Palos Verdes

Bob B.: Yes. Sylvia Magdaleno might know where Mary Vargas is. George Romero is in New Mexico ******* 892?7165, Rio Rancho, New Mexico. He went up north with the Ad Center too and he got sick up there; wandered around in a daze for about ten years ...l know you have the names of the Magdaleno brothers there.

N.A. Way: I Just have the names of the husband and wife Magdaleno. There are more Magdaleno's? (laughter)

Bob B.: Yes, all four brothers. Ricks up North, Sylvia will know where Rick is and George is down here, he's got 25 years, I got George's number you don't have to get it from Hank ...George's number is 372?0446.There are two brothers up north. Rick and Hank and George have been clean ever since. They all have over 20 years. Another person you can catch up with is Ron Larson or Cathy Larson ...l don't know where Ron is, Cathy is in Kansas; Ron was in the L.A. Area ....Mary Hepbergh has Cathy's number she's been around a long time too her number is (408)293?5751. She is the director of Pathways in San Jose. Bill Beck is down in Washington somewhere.

Bob B.: Well not really knowing the Valley that well at that time. If someone would have asked me, "Where is the San Fernando Valley?", I would not have been able to.

N.A. Way: Well I understand that at that time the Valley was much more separate from the city than it is now.

Bob B.: The only thing being recognizable that I can think of would be Ventura Boulevard. You know as a reference. Where it was, what intersecting street, I couldn't tell you.

N.A Way: I read the transcript from that dinner that the Trustees had with Jack Prost, and there was some mention of Doc Morris and a meeting on Fairfax Avenue, and Shyer's Dryer and they were all in the same context.

Bob B.: It couldn't be Fairfax because Fairfax doesn't run out there. Colfax maybe. That might have been in the vicinity because Colfax comes out there about approximately in the vicinity where it would have been.

N.A. Way: What was Shyer's Dryer?

Bob B.: It was a sanitarium for alcoholics.

N.A. Way: Do you know what the proper name for it was?

Bob B.: It was something like Shyer's Sanitarium or ...l really don't know.

N.A. Way: I understand the building is gone now.

Bob B.: Is it. The building's gone, yeah. In fact that whole area has been changed you know as far as construction around there, etc.

N.A. Way: But getting back to that first meeting, ft was at Shyer's Dryer?

Bob B.: Yeah, it was at Shyer's Dryer. And the attendance was both alcoholics and addicts together. I think my next particular meeting during that period was at the Unitarian Church.

N.A. Way: And that was the same year?

Bob B.: The same year or early '60, because it was in late '59 or early '60 when this occurred.

N.A. Way: The alcoholics who attended, were they there in support or were they thinking of themselves as members of N.A as well as A.A.?

Bob B.: They were maybe thinking of themselves as members of both N.A. as well as A.A. There were people there who had initially had drug problems perhaps intertwined with their alcoholism together; it's all part and parcel of the same thing. So they were in attendance as a supportive unit and that's the way that they came to meetings. Very often it would be a case of once a month at our N.A. meeting a lot of people from the clubhouse would show up.

N.A. Way: Which clubhouse was that?

Bob B.: North Hollywood, on Bradford.

N.A. Way: Is that still there?

Bob B.: Yea, it's still there. And they used to come by, you know, and now if we have a big meeting you know once a month we'd have a big meeting with all these people from, oh, all the dignitaries from A.A. come over to support or see what's happening or just to keep their hands you know involved perhaps...

N.A. Way: Did the "jack rabbit meetings," you know, the secret meetings, stop by 1959?

Bob B: Yes and no. I guess you might say they really didn't get started. See, there was a break between about '53 up 'til about '59. Of N.A being very active. Most of the meetings they had were kind of periodic or sporadic.

N.A. Way: Yeah, my understanding from reading the Jack Prost transcript was that from '53 to '59 Narcotics Anonymous was really nothing more than a name that was given...

Bob B.: ...in the mind of people more than anything else ...time devoted to the drug problem so to speak and that type of issue. Not that we established N.A. meetings per se. I think probably one of the forerunners at that time that became very important is when little Sylvia Wexler got out of the penitentiary...

N.A. Way: Do you know if Sylvia Wexler is still alive and around?

Bob B.: As far as I know she may be still be alive. She was sick and moved from the L.A. area because of her health. She got out of the penitentiary in '59 and she got very active with Jimmy in terms of trying to start some separate meeting apart from the A.A. Fellowship. She was more or less kind of like a very dynamic figure about doing that you know. About trying to get things going.

N.A. Way: How much do you think she was responsible for helping N.A. to really get going?

Bob B.: I think she was very important; as I say, I think she was one of the important elements that made things cohesive and brought things together. Not only that, I think she spoke a language that the addicts of that day understood. Where perhaps "J" was in a different instance in terms of playing a more established community?based person. She was dynamic in terms of the "gogetter," she became involved in that respect. She got very active in that concern ...overly so in perhaps some ways.

N.A. Way: How old was she when she got out?

Bob B.: She was around fifty years old.

N.A. Way: O.K. So she would be close to eighty.

Bob B: Yes, 'cause she had to be close to fifty then.

N.A. Way: When was the name Narcotics Anonymous first used?

Bob B.: It was being used at that time; it was called Narcotics Anonymous in 'S9.

N.A. Way: Sally Evans had something that when it was first started it was called "A.A. for Addicts." Do you know anything about that?

Bob B.: Well, there was a number of other things that had occurred just like this here Danny thing that went on over here in Riker's Island, you know I had a lot of historical you know, so much historical ...there had been a number of attempts around the nation as far as that's concerned to start or establish N.A. or a place for addicts so to speak.

N.A. Way: But this thing that started with Jack Prost, that really started with Jimmy K. and that committee in July of '53.

Bob B.: Well as far as I know they batted a number of things around as far as names are concerned but I think it got pretty well established in '59 during the time of Sylvia and Scott and Jack Gilbert and there was another fellow too, Manuel Delgado.

N.A. Way: Scott Conlan?

Bob B.: Yeah.

N.A. Way: Do you know if any of these people are still around?

Bob B.: One of the brothers?is still, oh ****, there's a couple of fellas who were Mexicans that I met fairly recently 'cause of my (unintelligible) last year that were still just trying to clean up once again. They were somewhat involved in terms of carrying the message 'cause they go around to different places and carry the N.A. message

N.A. Way: Do you know if there was any literature at that time?

Bob B.: No more than the Little Yellow Pamphlet basically.

N.A. Way: That was the only literature that we had? The Little Yellow Pamphlet??was that the same as the Little White Book?

Bob B.: No. There was more to the next edition. The Little White Book had tended to correct, you know, what was left out of the Little Yellow Book. I think it was a case of to add some more things to it. To clean up what was in the Yellow Book. Because the Yellow Book didn't have that many things you know. I did have the excerpts for the White Book but the White Book didn't come about until after...

N.A Way: Well, what we have in the Basic Text says '62.

Bob B.: About then is right. Jimmy had written some more things. He added to the Little Yellow Book and added some more of his own about recovery and relapse and those types of things in the beginning. So, you know, we're talking about probably, yes, '62.

N.A. Way: Do you know when this (holds up "This is N.A." pamphlet) first came out? Do you have any idea?

Bob B.: I'm not really sure; I know it was prior to '59.

N.A. Way: Do you think Jack might have an idea of when...

Bob B.: I don't think anybody has. 'Cause I don't even know if Jimmy knew exactly. The only person I can even think who may have some idea when that came out ...and I wouldn't even have an idea of how to get in touch with them at the present.

N.A Way: Do you have any idea of who the printer was?

Bob B.: Yes, I do but I can't think of it right now... Wait, it was a printer down in Venice ...Bill Nolte.

N.A. Way: I'll see if I can track him down.

Bob B.: I think he's dead. So, we're talking about the printing of the pamphlet with these changes incorporated therein. It was about this time when Mother Sylvia came on the scene; she got out I think in '62.

N.A. Way: Is that Sylvia Magdaleno?

Bob B.: Yeah.

N.A. Way: She would've been very young then, wasn't she?

Bob B.: She was, she was probably in her early twenties.

godsonmyside

N.A. Way: From '59 to '61 or '62 was there only the one meeting on Moorpark?

Bob B.: Yeah, the one meeting on Moorpark and they had what you called "jack rabbit," you had to be there ahead of time to know where the next one was going to be.

N.A. Way: But, the Moorpark meeting was held every week?

Bob B.: It was held every week. And if there was going to be a Tuesday meeting or whatever you would have had to have been at the last one, or get on the telephone, in order to know where the next one was going to be.

N.A Way: And was that done just because it was easier that way to have meetings that way without a location...

Bob B.: Yes, but realize that we're still talking about the social attitude about acceptance of addicts. Anyplace you asked about having a meeting they'd kind of look kind of weird at you. We were getting bad publicity as far as papers were concerned. They talked bad about addicts.

N.A. Way: Would it be like asking a church in a small farm town in Wisconsin if you could have a dance in the church for a group of homosexuals?

Bob B.: That's right. You're getting the idea now. That kinda response. And I think this is one of the reasons why. You find one friend, so to speak, and you speak with them and hope that someone else down the line will hear about your plight and say that you can have a meeting over here. And pretty much that does occur.

N.A. Way: How many of the jack rabbit meetings were held in an effort to (unintelligible)?

Bob B.: Generally, it was one, and then it went from one to two because you had sometime a periodic meeting, like on the weekend or something but generally it was like Tuesday and Friday when they had the meetings.

N.A. Way: And the Friday night meeting was like the regular established meeting; Tuesday night was at somebody's house? How long did that arrangement go on with the Tuesday jack rabbit and the Friday Moorpark

godsonmyside

Blue Story

Note 1

I had the unfortunate luck of being the area literature chair [of and area in South Florida] when the 4th Edition fiasco occurred in '88. It seems that the World Lit Committee (WLC), at either the 85 or 86 WSC (can't remember for sure), put in a motion asking for permission to perform a "LIGHT EDIT" (their words, my emphasis) of the Basic Text, to correct problems of inconsistency of grammar, tense, gender, number, etc. (E.g., sentences that began in the past tense and ended in the present tense.) Obviously, nobody had a problem with that. Unfortunately, they couldn't leave it at
that.

When the 4th Edition came out, there were people actually in tears, saying, "They've gutted our book!" In a classic example of "exceeding one's mandate," the WLC had changed a lot more than grammar and tense. They had rewritten whole passages, altered the meaning of many phrases, and worst of all, totally deleted many phrases, sentences and even paragraphs.

My friends were adamant that, as lit chair, I hold a workshop. So, I sat down with both books for a couple of days and detailed the alterations. Indeed, I found out that my friends had not exaggerated; there was no rational way that a literate person could describe the changes as merely "grammatical." I typed up my findings into a report.

At the workshop, members of the "royal family" (addicts who belonged to the sponsorship tree that has often exerted a dominant role at the WSC) came to try to shout us down and call us trouble-makers. When that didn't work, they pretty much said we were lying. Their position was that there had been no substantive changes of the Basic Text, and that we were just spreading division and distrust in the fellowship. (This was not the first or last time that the "NA Gurus" stuck their feet in their mouths, embarrassed themselves, and ended up being mad at me for bringing the meeting back
to order and standing on principle.)

We carefully laid out the history of the 4th edition, the details of the changes, and the furor that was already taking place across the fellowship by mail and phone. (One of the least pleasant stories circulating was that the changes were made to appease Comp-Care and Hazelden, who were then
distributing more Basic Texts than the Fellowship itself; they wanted the changes to make the book less "raw & street-wise," and more literary. Many addicts said that less rawness reduced its realness.)

Once we held up the books and showed the changes, they could no longer claim that there were no substantive changes. So instead they admitted, yes there were changes, but they were GOOD changes! We said, one's opinion about the changes is not the point; the point is that the fellowship
was lied to and the WLC exceeded its mandate in a spectacular example of self-will run riot.

The 4th edition split the fellowship that year; the 5th edition came out as a compromise which satisfied nobody, because while it restored the out-and-out deletions, it did not change back the
alterations of text.



Note 2

Some addicts continued to object, and tried to bring motions through their groups, areas and regions that would stop publication of the 5th Edition, would restore the publication of the 3rd Ed. revised (which was, after all, the last edition that had actually gone out to the groups in a group-conscience process), and would put in place a standing rule that changes in the NA literature would not be possible in the future without strict adherence to consulting the group conscience. These motions were defeated, not by a strict democratic process, but by parliamentary maneuvers and
being declared out of order.

So as you can see, many members -- including many of the most idealistic members, and including many of the people who had helped write the book -- felt disaffected, felt that their input was not merely not being considered but rather was being actively discouraged. Naturally, they objected.
Ironically, those who spoke out to this steamrolling full-speed-ahead rejection of the voices of caution, were suddenly being called "rebels," "trouble-makers," and "self-willed addicts in denial."
Again proving that the disease has been to so many meetings with us that it can use the language of recovery against us. (In another age, a teacher pointed out that "The devil can quote scripture, and twist it to his purpose." Similar concept.)

Despite being a voice of moderation, caution and co-operation, I was painted with this same broad brush locally by those with strong loyalties to the WLC. I was being called a "dangerous addict!" Me, a chubby, non-violent, vegetarian, gentle jokester! I had never said a word publicly against any
person, I had just called for the WLC and WSC to listen to the objections of the members and find a path of mutual understanding consistent with our principles and the group conscience. But that fell short of total loyalty and acquiescence, so now I was being attacked and even slandered. Fortunately it didn't work. The newcomers and GSR's already knew me to be a helpful and honest person, and calling me names just bounced egg back on the faces of
the NA gurus. Which of course only made them madder.

It was during this time that I made the acquaintance of a member known as "Grateful Dave." He was sick with HIV and felt he had little to lose by being brave. He was one of the members who began printing the Baby Blues, and he was pretty up-front about it; but when he explained his purpose he
was not alone for long. A number of areas, and even a region or two,
bought the books and supported Dave's efforts. I neither jumped on Dave's bandwagon nor opposed him, but I did admire his guts, and understood that he was not merely motivated by self-will.

Dave said that proceeds from the sales of the BT were being used to build a bureaucracy at the WSO; that because of the high cost of that office they needed more saleable "product," but that the old group-conscience process that had created the BT was "too slow;" that those members who had
been the creative forces that made the Text possible, were now consistently pushed aside -- no longer welcome in world lit. because they had the annoying habit of standing on principle and demanding accountability; and because NA's best writers were discouraged and shunted aside in this manner, all the writing projects being developed by WLC were mediocre at
best, and would continue to be rejected by the fellowship.

Note 3



One had only to look at the utter failure of the "professional writer" project on It Works, which wasted over $80,000 of the fellowship's money, to see that Dave was not far off the mark. Dave believed that what the WSC and WLC needed was a wake-up call. They had gotten too caught up
in money, and too out of touch with grass-roots addicts who raised the money and wrote the literature. While the BT was written by any addicts who wanted to participate, without regard to "official position" or even clean-time, the WLC was now becoming so restrictive in who could participate that even bona-fide regional lit committees were being told, "Don't call us, we won't call
you."

They couldn't see that encouraging the creative urges of the fellowship would create MORE literature; they could only see that literature not created by the WLC would become harder and harder to control. Legalities had superceded principles. His sources on the WLC and WSB
(trustees) told him he was right on.

Dave said that the whole problem with the set-up was that we had failed to follow AA's model. (Dave, by the way, was no anda; but he would not argue with a successful model.) In AA, literature did not fund world services. Donations by the groups (and incidentally legacies and bestowals left by richer members before AA had the Traditions) were the primary source of revenue for AA's services and offices. AA's literature prices had consistently and deliberately stayed low; furthermore, AA was not terrified by the prospect of electronic distribution of the Big Book and other AA lit., because the wider the distribution the greater chance that that would bring in new
members -- hence guaranteeing a continued fund flow through the best source, Self-Support! (7th Tradition)
In NA, the WSO had grown explosively BECAUSE of the Basic Text! When revenues began to falter, officials began to react with fear because it might mean the loss of some jobs. The 4th-edition effort to "tone down" the book to "sell more product" to treatment centers and distributors had
backfired, which now had the prospect of wrecking WSO and WLC's long-range funding plans -- a major new writing project every 5 years. It was essential that the credibility and loyalty of the
objectors be called into question, and the attention of the fellowship drawn away from the major blunder that had been caused by ignoring group conscience.

Dave was determined to prove that the emperor had no clothes. The Baby Blue was designed to prove that the BT could be published dirt cheap, and given free to any newcomer who needed it.
Dozens of groups around the fellowship ( but especially in the eastern US) bought thousands of copies, and gave them away free -- asking only for a "donation suggested" if

possible. It said on the cover, "Fellowship Approved" -- which was not untrue per se, because in fact the 3rd Edition revised was the last version of the book that HAD been approved by the fellowship at large! (Though, certainly, the Baby Blue was never CONFERENCE approved. Nor did it say it was.) While previous versions of the BT, from grey review & input to the 3rd revised, had gone out to the groups, the 4th and 5th had never gone out to the groups. Dave had convinced quite a few thousand addicts that the Baby Blues were more authentic expressions of the group-conscience
process than the official version was!

Of course, this was a challenge to be sued. Dave was awaiting the prospect with relish; he had done
his homework.



Note 4

Grateful Dave wanted a test case, to challenge the WSO's claim to owning the copyrights to NA literature. He did not hide his role in the Baby Blue affair, he flaunted it. And in short order, he was awarded: with a lawsuit. He was ordered to appear in Federal Court in Philadelphia

to defend his actions, and he was ready. WSO sent its assistant director and an expensive lawyer. Dave sent Dave. He represented himself. WSO told the judge that the Basic Text had been a work-for-hire, and that Dave had infringed on the copyright.

Dave disagreed. And he had a witness, a man who could rightfully be called "Mr. Basic Text" himself. Bo S. of PA came to testify on Dave's behalf. Bo had been the first world lit. chair. He had started the process that led to the Basic Text. He had shepherded the whole process through to its
conclusion, even though many had told him it couldn't (and even shouldn't) be done. Bo was a recovery hero to many addicts. Bo told the judge that the BT had never been a work-for-hire; that in fact the then-officers of the WSO had strongly objected to a book not produced within the WSO.

Bo told the judge in detail the story that is briefly outlined in the Basic Text. (In the 3rd edition it is called the foreword; in the 5th addition it's called the preface.) He described how hundreds of people contributed thousands of man-hours to create a "synthesis of the collective group consience of the
Fellowship as a whole...". A few other members who had also "been there" to witness the creation and birth of the Basic Text, also spoke to corroborate Bo's description.

Dave and his witnesses also described how the rights to the book had been given to the fellowship in trust, and that the WSO could be described as the trustee but in no way the "owner" of the book; and that in any case it was never foreseen that the WSO would protect the book from use by its
members, just against copyright infringement from outsiders. From all descriptions, the judge seemed unusually hip to the unique concept of a "Spiritual Fellowship" as opposed to a corporate business.
For once the meek did inherit; he dropped a bombshell on the court by announcing to the representative of the WSO that he was ready to find against WSO and in favor of Dave. However, he was offering him a chance to come to some mutually agreeable compromise with Dave, if Dave
was willing to be magnanimous -- and that he STRONGLY suggested that WSO get humble and
ask!

It seems that in a flash, the tables were turned. Dave had every right to gloat, but he didn't. In fact, he was actually invited out to Van Nuys and spent some time at the Office with that official, hammering out the agreements. It appeared in the CAR.

Dave agreed to stop publishing the BBs, and WSO agreed to hold a fellowship-wide referendum on the BT. Both sides were duty-bound to stop all finger-pointing and name-calling. The judge was satisfied. And most of this story was never broadcast to the fellowship, "in the interests of
unity."

Unfortunately, the referendum was kicked out at the next WSC. Too expensive, too time-consuming, too blah-blah-blah. Dave grew much sicker, and died before he could pursue the matter further. Most of the impetus for exposing the naked emperor died with him. And the name-calling crept
back.

You may have heard of the much-vaunted "4th Step" of WSC and WSO in the past three years. This largely grew out of the above problems. Yet the results of that inventory are still much in doubt. Corporate mentality still seems to rule at the world level. The only reason It Works came out at all is
because the window was reopened for a short while on group-conscienced literature to let it happen.




Note 5

But people like Bo are not being asked to come back and restore the process. Rather, an atmosphere of distrust and polarization has still remained regarding all this stuff; I see no immediate solution, as both sides are absolutely convinced that they are right.

A few years ago, Bo S. and a few trusted friends decided that it was time for a new group-conscience process, to be called "the NA Way of Life." It was meant to be a broad view of the culture of recovery that develops in the lives of members as they spend many years living clean.
He composed an outline, and did some writing himself; but then he turned to the workshop process. Getting "just folks," regular members, to participate in the work, he held various workshops around the country to encourage the same spark of contribution and collective creation that had led to the
BT.

People who have participated in these workshops describe it as a wonderful opportunity to share the miracle that has transformed their lives. They also are amazed to see the group-conscience process in
action; it works.

In the mood of distrust that has gone on ever since Jimmy K was locked out of the WSO, it is hard for some members to believe that some people serve in an independent role, not because that would be their first preference but because that is the only way they can serve. Bo S. is not trying to lead a
coup, and I am confident that neither was Dave. They were trying to light a spark, and Frankenstein's monster could only respond, "Fire bad."

Despite the fact that my moderateness has been a matter of impatience to those more partisan than I, the very fact that I can view the contributions of people like Dave and Bo, not with anger and outrage but with appreciation and understanding, makes me "unreliable" and

"potentially disloyal" in the view of those who support the party line. Despite good shares at good conventions, (again one of those "independent roles" I was mentioning,) and 10 years of writing pretty good recovery articles and ideas, I consider the chance of my being considered as a WCNA speaker or WLC member as so close to nil, it would stun me for a week if I got an offer.

The party line, that all the above were merely stunts pulled by malcontents, thrives when people only know one side of the story. I do not liken the division, as one member did, to the political division between conservatives and liberals; there are lots of liberals who are very

grass-roots, and lots of conservatives who can't wait for government to get into your bedroom and tell you what to do. I think the problem is the "heady rush of power." Those at the center can be intoxicated by their position, and many say that's why they sought it. Just like "it takes one to know one," so those in power are apt to believe the motives of those who oppose them are all about power. It's hard for them to believe that it's about principle. And when it gets polarized enough, each side demonizes the other, and it's hard for both the ins and the outs to even believe that their opponents HAVE any principles.

I am sure that all members want the best for NA, and that no-one wants to "tear NA apart." I fear that addicts on all sides of disputes fail to thoroughly consider the thoughts and the legitimate grievances of those who disagree, and in the process create enmity and division needlessly.

But our problems are not going to go away until we really LISTEN to each other, instead of jumping to conclusions and calling each other names. The fact that even highly informed and experienced members can view some of our most valuable and creative members as distant stick figures wearing
"kick-me" signs, shows that we still are quick to believe the worst about each
other, rather than seeking to know the facts. I don't believe that this is really the Evil Empire vs. the Rebel Alliance, or its reverse. But if we don't back up and show love & respect, it could get a lot worse.

Love and Blessings, DH in South Fla.

godsonmyside

Jimmy K was a constant writer, as were other members such as Penny K, and Sylvia W.

"Who Is An Addict?" was written by Jimmy Kinnon in 1960

"What Is The NA Program?" was written by Jimmy Kinnon and Sylvia Wexler in 1960.

"Why are we Here?" was written by Sylvia Wexler in 1960

"How It Works." - the paragraphs before and after the Step were written by Jimmy K. Again the

Steps having the word addiction and the word We in each and every Step and the Traditions using the word addict all dated from 1953.

"What Can I Do?" was written by Jimmy Kinnon in 1960.

"Recovery and Relapse" was Jimmy Kinnon's story and he wrote that in 1960.

"We Do Recover" was written by Jimmy Kinnon in 1961.

Phil P wrote "1/3 of My Life" in 1962.

"I Can't Do Anymore Time" was written by Penny Kennedy in 1962.

Gene H wrote "The Vicious Circle" in 1962.

"Something Meaningful" was written by Bob B in 1962

Bob happens to be the only person whose story is in two different places under two different names written at two different times in his life. His story is also in the Basic Text, "I Found The Only NA Meeting In The World

There's another story that was in the '62 book that you don't see today. It's called "One Woman's Story" and was written by Betty Gruber. They took the story out in 1976 because she went back out.

In 1963, Jimmy K. wrote Another Look, which is an IP still on the rack today.

In 1976 Greg P wrote "I was Different."

In 1976 Betty K wrote "Fearful Mother."

In 1976 Bill B. Wrote "Fat Addict."

Our Gratitude Prayer was written by Jimmy K in 1972.

Jimmy K designed our symbol on a napkin while in the hospital with Tuberculosis in 1968.

Greg P. Wrote, The Triangle of Self-Obsession.

Greg P. wrote the NA Tree, the first service Guide.

Greg P. wrote the second half of the Twelve Traditions.

Greg P. also wrote the chapter in the Basic Text, The Twelve Traditions, everything after the first part, the traditions.

In 1968, NA's first newsletter, "The Voice'" appears.

Further Growth

During 67-68, the Parent General Service Organization formed. Began in Bill B.'s barber shop. Much like a Regional Service Committee. Board of Trustees met with GSR's each month. This was a representative service committee.

In 1969 a two page Service Structure Ideal approved. Later this same year the Parent GSO completed their own bylaws. New Board of Trustees had 4 members for life. {these were Jimmy, Bill B, Bob B. and Jack W.} There was also the commitment to elect additional Trustees. So we had the beginnings of the first committee that has continued until today.

In Northern California the group had retyped the Big Book of A.A. and was about to use this as our book substituting the word drugs for alcohol. The Ad Center in S.F. had three different pieces of literature one called THIS IS N.A. that was a direct plagiarism of A.A.`s WHAT IS A.A.

The fellowship was experiencing a new type of challenge. Our continued growth in both numbers and geography made it difficult for the Board of Trustees to coordinate a unified "world" effort and frequent geographical conflicts. To address this need, a decision was made by the Board of Trustees and the general membership to establish a central office. This central office was to function as a clearinghouse, rather than a legislative body. As a result, the Parent Service Committee of Narcotics Anonymous was created.

By 1970, there were 20 meetings in the world. One page Steps, Traditions, and Third paragraph of We Do Recover was the standard group readings.

1970-1971: The name, Parent Service Committee of Narcotics Anonymous, was changed to Narcotics Anonymous Central Office Committee.

The Board of Trustees authorized a central office on July 23, 1971:

There was also a call to gather for a conference of all existing meetings in the fellowship to be held November 5-7. Sylvia M. was the main speaker. Trustees pitched in $25 each. Groups were to send their representatives to discuss the opening of a service office and other matters of concern. The BOT had expanded and was meeting regularly. This first conference became known as the first world convention of N.A. It has been held every year since.

The opening of an office was the major item of discussion. It was agreed that this should happen and that the groups would support it financially. This never happened. Donations to the Office were received from Ca., Ne., Co., Id., and Ga.

November 6, 1971: At a business meeting during the world convention, the general membership voted to elect a Narcotics Anonymous business manager with a "formal" office. Various problems followed the establishment of a business manager and business office--primarily money. There were inadequate resources to pay the manager and he was unable to serve without pay.

There were approximately 150 to 200 members in attendance at a time when there were only about 40 known groups.

This year was the start of a very rapid growth period. The late sixties and early seventies set the stage as members of N.A. in California deepened their personal commitment to the Fellowship and intensified their efforts to the point where unprecedented results began to occur. It is this aspect of personal commitment that has preceded every positive event in N.A.'s history. The courage to change has always come after a period of difficulty during which pain and confusion seemed to win out. Finally, when enough members see the general need clearly, they take action.

Thus the foundation was set. In the early days, N.A. was mainly concerned with recovery from heroin addiction. As our 3rd tradition became more established, NA grew as never before. The only requirement for membership was the desire to stop using. Addiction was now an epidemic. As our message of recovery became more available so did the need for the message. The first office location was a yellow building near I-10 and Crenshaw at 2335 Crenshaw Boulevard. Bob B. lived in an apartment in the building and the storefront was WSO.

November 15, 1971: The financial statement for the general service office for January 15, 1971 through November 15, 1971, reported income received from groups in Georgia, Nevada, Colorado and Idaho, as well as California.

December 13, 1971: The Narcotics Anonymous Central Office Committee announced by letter the firm decision to open a "world central office" in January 1972. January 1972 the first GENERAL SERVICE OFFICE of N.A. was opened at 2335 Crenshaw Blvd in L.A. with Jimmy K. as office manager. This was to be the first of several locations over the next few years. Now there was a place to write, telephone and a central place for our fellowship's materials. The second World Convention was held at the Elks Club, Studio City, No. Hollywood.

1972 70 N.A. meetings worldwide. 3 foreign countries, 19 states. Germany - Australia - Bermuda - California - 57 Pennsylvania - 6 Minnesota - 3 New Jersey - 2 New York State - 2 Washington, D.C. 2

February 15, 1972: The Board of Trustees authorized by letter the publication in hardback of an N.A. book on recovery--not yet written.

AA tells Jimmy not to use adaptation of "I am Responsible" Prayer. Jimmy writes our N.A. Gratitude Prayer.

October 23, 1973 San Fernando Valley Area Service Committee forms. Jimmy speaks about a representative service structure. Jimmy reads N.A. Principles of Service from the 2 page Service Structure Ideal of four years previous.

1. Each N.A. Group has but one primary purpose: To carry this message to the addict who still suffers.

2. Every N.A. Group ought to be fully self-supporting.

3. N.A. should remain forever non-professional.

4. Although N.A. as such ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

5. Our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern.

6. We try to carry this message to addicts and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Service office relocated to Highland Ave. in Hollywood. The name was changed to The World Service Office of Narcotics Anonymous.

November 1974: Following moves to 1346 Highland Ave., Los Angeles; a room in the Suicide Prevention Center, Los Angeles

Northern California becomes a region. The first Area service committee was formed, on the 23rd of Oct., the San Fernando Valley Area Service Committee. The third Convention was held in San Jose. On August 18th the 20th anniversary Banquet was held at the Islander Restaurant on La Cienega Blvd.

Perhaps, the best record of the early Years of N.A. in California exists in recorded talks given by Jimmy Kinnon about the history of N.A. on several occasions, most significantly at the 20th and the 23rd (actually 22nd) Anniversary Celebrations of Narcotics Anonymous which were held in Southern California in 1973 and 1975.

1974 saw the beginnings of the writing of the N.A. Tree. This was the start of the development of a service structure for the fellowship. One trustee did most of the work. This allowed members to gain knowledge and a personal involvement with the processes of their Fellowship. It increased identification with, and commitment to, the general Fellowship. After careful consideration, the first N.A. service structure was approved in the form of a booklet entitled The N.A. TREE. It allowed for the World Service Board of Trustees and the World Service Office to continue to exist much as they had before. It added the representative body, the World Service Conference, without which the Fellowship had been unable to grow at a significant rate. All recovering addicts have to safeguard against their egos getting out of hand, and only elected, formally correct service positions would allow members to get involved without the threat of egotism in their personal programs.

The WCNA-4 was held in Anaheim, Ca.

The first General Service Office was opened at 101 Santa Fe St. in L.A. This was much like a regional office of today. New printing Little White Book. Bootleg N.A. "White" booklets printed in Northern California. Covers were green or grey.

In 1975 the N.A. Tree was first approved and published. This was the first guide to our service structure.

WCNA-5 Santa Rosa, California

November 15, 1975: Following the move to Sun Valley, it was discovered that several boxes of records and other historical data had been lost.

January 7, 1976: At the California Service Conference, Arroyo Grande, CA, the first "N.A. Tree" was accepted for publication. In addition, the California Service conference authorized publication of a World Directory.

Elective positions of service became available in the middle seventies with the advent of the World Service Conference. As commitment and identification among members deepened, relapse became less commonplace in N.A. Basic issues became the subject of heated debate. The learning from these discussions deepened the growing knowledge and wisdom of the Fellowship.

Many of these interactions were informal and undirected. They grew out of the natural processes of recovery. Member meets members and further introductions expand the circle to include members from all over. Some items of discussion have universal interest and application value and many do not. Where members from all over agree on something, it is significant and it is from these types of agreement that formed the original material in the Basic Text.

1976 WCNA-6 was held in Ventura, California on the weekend of 11/12.

First World Service Conference held in Ventura Ca. 11/13. WSO moves to above a bail bond office on Van Nuys Blvd. and then to JK`s home.

1976 200 meetings worldwide: California - 83, Arizona - 12 Georgia - 5, Minnesota - 11, Pennsylvania - 16, Texas - 11

The order form from the WSO in 1976 includes: - the White Book - a Spanish translation of the White Book - This is N.A. - the N.A. Tree - a group starter kit - monthly record form - complete group kit - Who what how and why - the Group - So you love an addict - We made a decision - Another look - Recovery and relapse - Como trabaja la programa (How does the Program Work)- Power and principles - A friend indeed -sponsorship - Symbol of service - Sayings and slogans - Turning the wreckage into building blocks - Carrying the message -- not the illness - Relationships - the World Directory of meetings and contacts.

1976 "This is N.A." printed in Northern California. One chapter, "Came to Believe" is republished as IP #4. AA notifies Jimmy that the booklet is plagiarized from an AA pamphlet. IP #4 is pulled from circulation and Northern California stops printing the booklet.

1976 WSO incorporated.

WCNA - 7 was held at the Jack Tar Hotel in San Francisco, California. 1977 The attendance was around fifteen hundred with many of these coming in from large treatment centers.

Oct 21st 1977, Second WSC meets. Held in conjunction with convention. No representative showed from Northern California. Southern California RSR, present. 4 trustees 2 delegates. Conference was postponed till 3-26-78.

WSC-3 April 1st & 2nd 1978 at Los Angeles Valley College. First time separate from WCNA. Representatives from, South California, Midwest Regional Area, Northern California, Pennsylvania, Texas, Boulder Co., Victoria B.C., Minneapolis Area, Atlanta. GA 30 Trusted Servants in all. Boards of Trustees Elected - Voting Procedures - conference committees were established: Administrative - Policy - Finance - Literature - Institutions -Public Relations

1978 WCNA-8 Houston, Texas. The Eighth World Convention was held in Houston, Texas at the Shamrock Hilton. Less than three hundred attended, though many came from up and down the east coast where meetings of Narcotics Anonymous were sprouting up. Around a hundred members came from California. The World Convention was a great strain on the Houston N.A. community but it really helped the members who attended and took home the message that N.A. was real. Many new meetings were started.

1979 WSC 4 April 28th to April 29th at Los Angeles Valley College. RSR's present --South California, Northern California Houston, New Jersey, Nebraska ----(Pages Missing from World Conference Report)

Any Trustee, RSR, ASR, Delegate, Spokesman from outside California , WSC Officers (Executive. Chair) and Subcommittees Chairs, were eligible to vote. Only qualifications for Administrative Committee was to be in attendance. Subcommittee Chairs could not be delegates. New WSC Guidelines accepted.

Information Pamphlets: "We made a Decision"--"Another Look" "4th Step Guide"--"So You Love an Addict". Blue version service Guide. (3rd edition tree). Quarterlies --1st W.S.C.L.C. in Wichita, KA was funded by WSC

WCNA-9 1979 The Ninth World Convention was held in Atlanta, Georgia at the Sheraton Hotel. 1979. While there were terrific difficulties, over two hundred meetings started in the six months following the Atlanta World Convention from Detroit to Miami.

The issue of the use of the big book at the tables of NA is a large issue. Many who have been around for awhile are very opposed to this change. Very large problem with many resentments generated. These carry forward until today.

The first World Literature Conference was held at Wichita, Kansas in a Community Room of the Chamber of Commerce. Material was gathered and chapter outlines were written by the twenty five attending members. By spring, a thousand copies of the Handbook for N.A. Literature Committees were printed for Committee use. The Handbook was approved by the 1980 WSC and added to the WSO inventory.

Work on the Basic Text grew out of the WSC and the general interest from the growing Fellowship. The new service structure allowed a "correct" way for members to get involved without risking relapse which sometimes follows excessive personal involvement with projects. The first World Literature Conference was held in Wichita, Kansas. It produced the Handbook for NA Literature Committees which was approved by the 1980 WSC. Input was collected and processed in open participatory Literature Conferences. The sites of these conferences were: Wichita, Kansas; Lincoln, Nebraska; Memphis, Tennessee; Santa Monica, California; Warren, Ohio; Miami, Florida; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Monthly letters went to a list of participants which grew to include two thousand NA members. These members who wrote the Basic Text also founded thousands of meetings all over the Fellowship. They backed up the structure and the structure backed them up. The book was approved in 1982 in support of a motion to approve from the RSR from Las Vegas, Nevada. It was published as a hardback in 1983 and presented at the WSC.

WSC - 5 1980 ran from May 2nd to May 4th at the Los Angeles Valley College. ___ RSR's present from Southern California, Northern California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Texas, Mid America, Wisconsin, South East, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia and Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. Decided to rewrite the service manual. These drafts are first separation of Board of Trustees and WSO Board of Directors. Service Manual has light blue cover. Literature Handbook proposed and approved by WSC. H&I cans approved to be passed around for second collection at meetings for H&I to collect and hold in a separate bank account. Any meeting carrying outside literature be dropped off every meeting list. Lincoln, Nebraska chosen as 2nd World Service Conference Literature Conference site.

Information Pamphlets: "Another Look" approved. -- 2nd WSCLC. to be held at Lincoln Nebraska on September 8th to 14th 1980.

WCNA-10 September, in Wichita, Kansas.

1980 September 8 - 14, Second World Literature Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska. Produced topic outline and cut and pasted input into the outline.

1980 - First Northern California convention held in Santa Rosa.

1981 February Third World Literature Conference held in Memphis, Tennessee. This nine day conference ran twenty four hours a day. It produced the Grey Review form mailed free of charge to every known group in the world. Funds for this raised strictly within N.A. Fellowship.

1981 April Fourth World Literature Conference in Santa Monica, California. Processed input to the Grey Book. The draft that is generated here never shows up again. Does anyone know where it is? Some say this was the best edit of the book.

Some time in the spring a meeting between Jimmy K. and Chuck S. takes place. There was two others at this meeting. The topic was the Basic Text. In short form the disagreement was something like this...

Chuck S. believed that the text was the needed to be printed and released as soon as possible, that the book would save a lot of lives and delay would only kill people.

Jimmy K. believed that the book would take additional work and would be printed when the work was finished...

This begins a new and major separation in the fellowship. Chuck S. began to make phone calls all over explaining that Jimmy K. had told him that "I'm the president of NA and the book won't be printed until I say it's ready". Chuck asked that groups withhold funds from WSO until the Conference time in May. Members involved in the work are very upset. Funds to the WSO decrease, Fellowship printed literature increases again.

Thus begins a bitter time in NA. No discussion seems to take place between sides and the problems get worse.

1981 WSC-6 May 1st to May 3rd at the Los Angeles Valley College. RSR's present from: Southern California, Northern California, Ohio, Illinois, Oregon, Mid America, Nevada, Texas, Mid Atlantic, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Victoria B.C. and Louisiana.

The procedure calling for the Conference Agenda report to be distributed 60 days prior to the World Service Conference was tabled to help the WSC get started.

Information Pamphlets: "We made a Decision" withdrawn.

1981 July Fifth World Literature Conference held in Warren, Ohio. Week long conference held in local school house. First chapters finalized.

godsonmyside

1981 September WCNA-11 Miami, Florida

1981 September Sixth World Literature Conference held in Miami, Florida. Basic Text approved by the World Literature Committee to go out for approval.

1981 October - Mid-South Regional Service Conference mails out White Approval forms to every group in the world free of charge. Several members stay over to take Service Structure through five drafts published as review form in green cover. First half approved at next WSC.

1981 1100 meetings in world : Australia - 18 Canada - 26 England - 4 Germany - Guam - Ireland - Scotland -

1982 February Seventh World Literature Conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to prepare stories for review to be added to Basic Text already out for approval.

1982 WSC-7 approves Basic Text, Narcotics Anonymous for hardback publication.

1983 WSC-8 First Edition Basic Text passed out at Conference. Decision to replace office manager.

WSC-8 May 4, 1983 to May 8,,-1983 at the Santa Monica Retail Clerks Union Hall 1410 Second Street in Santa Monica, California. RSR's present: Alaska, Tri-State, Iowa, Alabama, NW Florida, Georgia, S. California, N. California, Mid-Coast, Ohio, Mid-America, Chesapeake-Potomac, S. Nevada, Upper Midwest, Carolinas, Greater Philadelphia, Mississippi, Mid-Atlantic, Mid-Coast, Louisiana, New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas, Colorado, N. Nevada, West Virginia, New York, Central Great Lakes, Pacific Northwest, and Tennessee (28 in all) Nine Trustees present

Amended 1982 Minutes to send to policy committee to set fixed terms for the World Service Board of Trustees.

Motion tabled calling for the World service conference resignation of all present Board members, office manager, and employees of WSO, Inc. and the conference immediately elect a new Board to reorganize the World Service Office.

Motion that only RSR's and State Representatives be voting participants; motion was referred to an Ad-Hoc Committee and was later defeated.

Motion for the World Service Office to take whatever steps necessary to hire a full-time office Manager.

Informational Pamphlets numbers One through Eleven passed as approved literature.

Motion that the literature review period be one year. Motion that approval literature be sold by the World Service Office

MOTION that our book be completely returned to its original approved form before any more are printed. (motion carried)

H & I Handbook was approved.

Informational Pamphlets One through Eleven - Physician's Viewpoint dropped. Board of Trustees Guidelines Election of Trustees. Modification of the Literature review process.

JK resigns from Trustees and the conference decides to free him from the work at the office. A non-addict who has been serving the fellowship as it's WSC parliamentarian, Bob Stone, is hired to manage the office. A letter to JK expressing the WSC's views seems to never have been sent. A meeting between the WSO BOD chairman, JK and the new office manager takes place in early June. JK states that he will work with Bob Stone in any way. Shortly after, he finds that the locks have been changed at the office.

The publication of our Basic Text allowed for a revolution of immense importance to our young Fellowship. Suddenly there was money in World Services, a lot of money. This put pressure on those entrusted to serve us at the world level in two ways. There was more to do and more to do it with. Yet the scale was balanced by the problems of money, property and prestige that were no longer a matter of program rhetoric. An office that grossed less than ten thousand dollars the year before the literature movement begun in 1979, was now bearing the strain of millions of dollars. The strain alone created problems. They say there is a blessing in every difficulty and a curse in every blessing. Certainly our radical, accelerated growth resulted in some painful disillusionment and personalities pushed aside principles to get in on the action. The emptiness of these apparent victories is vivid in hindsight. Those who did not give way to the fear and justifications of the moment are still with us today. Others fell by the wayside. If you ever feel these strains, start talking about them with your sponsor and home group. The fresh air of discussion usually kills the fungus of self-will when it starts to make us believe we run the show!

Hiring people to replace the volunteer worker at strategic points set up potential for conflicts not foreseen or viewed as possible by the leadership of the times.

WSC-9 April 23- , 1984 at the Retail Clerks Union Hall, Santa Monica CA.

RSR's present Alabama, Northwest Florida, Alaska, Arizona Southern California, Central Great Lakes, Chesapeake Potomac Colorado, Florida, Mid America, Hawaii, Georgia, Greater Philadelphia, Washington, Louisiana, Mid Atlantic, Mid-Coast, Ireland, Mississippi, Maine, North Nevada.

To accept the proposed standing rules of WSC which defines 2/3 majority vote as 2/3 of all participating voting members.

WSO manager allowed to address conference make reports, answer questions, and discuss matters of his responsibility when requested by the conference. WSO goes into merchandising (tee-shirts, bumper stickers, tags, tokens, etc.)

NA Way limited to articles on recovery and upcoming-events.

Stories: I Can't do Anymore Time, Fat Addict, Early Services, I Felt Hopeless, I Kept Coming Back, It Won't Get Any Worse, My Gratitude Speaks, No Excuse for Loneliness, Relapse and Return, Sick and Tired at 18, The War is Over, and Up From Down Under.

Works In Progress: Staying Clean in Isolation, Revised White Booklet, Clean and Serene, Welcome to NA, The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of NA, It Works... How and Why, The Twelve Traditions, NA History,

Motion that IP "Am I An Addict?" be removed and sent back to WSCLC failed

Motion that the functions assigned to 1984 - 85 WSC select committee on the service structure, be reassigned to the WSC Policy committee. Failed.

Several addicts asked that the IP "A Guide to 4th Step Inventory" be removed from the list of approved literature because the word "homosexuality" appeared in the section on sex. They felt the pamphlet implied that homosexuality was a character defect. Others disagreed, saying the pamphlet instructed, "If you have strong feelings about any of the following, write about it." There was much heated debate over the need for NA to have its own 4th Step Guide (before 1982 approval, members had been using treatment center and AA guides) and whether the conference participants had the authority to remove literature that had been approved by the entire fellowship. Many felt the question had to go out for Group Conscience. In the end, the majority of voting WSC participants acted to remove the 4th Step Guide from the approved literature list.

Interestingly enough, a similar debate took place on the "missing words" from the 4th and 9th Traditions of the first edition Basic Text that had been restored after Fellowship uproar and incorporated into the 2nd Edition of our Basic Text. A motion was made to delete the words from the text making it similar to the first edition. On this issue, the WSC did not feel it had the power to act without the fellowship voting on the issue, so RSR's were instructed to go back and take a Group Conscience on the question and report the results by a set date. Even this "solution" to take a Fellowship-wide Conscience, violated established WSC Guidelines which required notifying the fellowship well in advance of the conference. The results of that poll removed the words in question. In 1991, a lawsuit was filed by the WSO against a member who was producing copies of the Basic Text with the original wording intact. The lawsuit was settled, and I have documents related to this.

Motion that IP "A Guide to 4th Step Inventory" be approved after the removal of words Homosexuality, Animal Sex, and Abortion, from page 5 and the words *******, Bitch, *****, Bastard, from page 4. Failed.

Motion that IP "A Guide to 4th Step Inventory" be approved with adding the word Heterosexuality to page 5. Failed.

Motion that the procedural guidelines for the WSCLC be approved and replace the procedural guidelines for the creation and development of new literature.

Motion that the WSC International Affairs Committee be eliminated with its duties being carried on by the WSO. Failed.

Motion to hold Quarterly WSC Workshops and rotate to other areas.

IP "Another Look" - Approved -- IP "The Use of Medication in Recovery" - Was removed.

Priority list for WSCLC revised "A Guide to 4th Step Inventory"
"Just for Today", Daily Meditation Guide IP "To the Medical Profession"
Revised "Handbook for NA Literature Committees" Revised "Recovery and Relapse"
Booklet "Resource Guide for the Trusted Servant"
Booklet or IP "The First Three Steps"
Revised "Am I An Addict?"
Revised "The Group"
"H & I and You" - to be sent out for approval.
Convention Guidelines adopted
Treasurer's Handbook adopted:

"Convention Committee" -

1. To establish a relationship with WCNA-15 to begin the transition of the new world convention guidelines.

2. To research and formulate corporate and legal guidelines so as to satisfy the needs of a world convention,

3. To redesign the intra-committee guidelines so as to satisfy the needs of our new world convention guidelines,

4. To assist the WCNA-16 in the management of the next world convention.

5. To assist and provide information to all conventions.

"Policy Committee" -

1. To draft a set of rules of order to be recommended for use at future WSC's

2. To draft guidelines for policy committee

3. To establish guidelines for new literature handbooks and establish guidelines and written materials generated by committees other than the literature committee

4. To gather input for and draft Chapter 3 of "A Guide to Service in NA"

5. To review existing procedures of the WSC

6. To produce input to the select committee on "A Guide to Service in NA".

"Financial Committee" -

1. Creation of committee guidelines

2. Further work regarding H & I accounting and fund flows in cooperation with the H & I cooperation

3. Development of report formats for use by World Service bodies

4. Consideration of any input submitted to us by components of the service structure regarding matters of finance

Motion to take the word "recovered" and replace it with "recovering" wherever it appears in print. This was passed at the 1985 WSC held in Van Nuys.

ROUGH AGENDA ITEMS:

"International Committee":

1. Representatives form the NA fellowship outside the USA.

2. Members with previous participation on any WSC Subcommittee.

3. A written request through the chairperson stating NA service experience and/or relevant experiences which would create an asset to the International Committee.

WSCLC: The White Book, The Group, WSO Order Form, Recovery and Relapse.

Hospitals & Institutions Committee:

A survey be sent out, revise H & I Handbook, mailings to institutions, probation and judicial services, to hold workshops, close working relations with any level H & I, bimonthly newsletter, to support H & I in financially undeveloped regions, to collect H & I stories, to add to the Handbook, internal education programs, writing guidelines, financial guidelines, a literature review process for H & I literature, editorial guidelines for H & i newsletter.

"Public Information": PSA videos, radio PSA'S, PI packets

Our Fellowship has grown along similar lines in each community. Sometimes the meetings were started more than once by the same people. Their desire for recovery the N.A. way led them to give it one more try. One of our advantages today is in being able to find out how N.A. has gotten started in other communities. Not all their experience will apply to us, but we can get a feel for the way to get past the problems and into the solutions.

The founding members in each area have been sincere, willing and open to the needs of others. On the surface they may have appeared crazy, stubborn, self-willed and revolutionary. Still, we know that their desire for recovery and their love for other suffering addicts has to have been behind their every act. Even their mistakes worked out well when they were sincere and willing to admit fault. None were perfect, but the miracle of N.A. is the way we can rise out of our own ashes. They went to great lengths to find or latch on to even one more newcomer. Their personal services backed up the entire service effort in their area! The opportunity to see others recovering helped encourage them, but the real miracle was that they stayed clean. Their lives steadily, if shakily, got better. They established our basic unity of identity, concern and effort. One of their great strengths was the ability to get along with one another in favor of the Fellowship. This lesson was hard won. Many members today have paid this price. Most agreeing that it is a priceless reward.

It may sound like a lot of work, and in ways it is. This is what it takes for us to have our own Fellowship. It is also enormous fun and has a lot of real life excitement rather than alternatives. We get to spend our time with people who enjoy our company and frequently appear amused by our worst problems. But they have been there - and they have simple answers and suggestions that might work for us.

These clean addicts are constantly growing in number and are available in countries all over the world. We will continue to learn and to share the NA Way, carrying our message to every corner of the globe.

We in NA, today, are grateful to all those who have made our program and our recovery possible. Many people have loved us and wished us well when we were difficult and undeserving. Our life clean, gives us some idea of how hard it is to love us. The lessons we learn from helping others teaches us we have to give a lot to get a little. Fortunately, it is quantity we are giving and quality we are getting.

dalin

i have an awesome baby blue.greg p was awesome.bob b is my grandsponsor.glad this sight is here.

godsonmyside

If you have a Baby Blue, be gtrateful to Grateful Dave & Jim M. those guys went out on a limb for there love of the program and Dave died due to aids while during the court battle.

Peace,
Todd J.

dalin

he was in my family tree of sponsorship.my current sponsor went to court with him,bo s,to represent na and and the basic text writers.

godsonmyside

Who is your sponsor?

dalin

bo s is now.was greg p.when he died in 99,bo was there for me big time.he came to toronto to see me and we did a family tree get together here.i live part time in georgia,mostly in toronto now.

godsonmyside

Cool!!

Moontime

My friend Kermit was sponsored by Greg P before he died too. Dalin you may have crossed paths with him at some point. I live in area where we have lots of west coast recovery (my sponsorship family- Remar family) and lots of the east coast recovery (Kermit O - Greg P, Bob McK family) and though these old timers may disagree over lots of things about NA in the past the love is strong for what we have today. Agree to disagree for a fellowship both love so much.

godsonmyside

The N.A. TREE


The Service Structure of

Narcotics Anonymous


Serenity Prayer


GOD . . .

Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I

cannot change.

The Courage to change the things I can . . .

And the Wisdom to know the difference.


We cannot change the nature of the Addict or

Addiction . . .

We can help to change the old lie "Once an addict,

always an addict" by striving to make recovery

more available.

God help us to remember this difference.






An open letter to the members of Narcotics Anonymous


November 17, 1975


Dear Fellow Members:


Again, the groups in our area are being asked questions like, "Hey, what's this GSR we're supposed to be electing next week, what does he do?"; "Where does the money go, what's it used for?"; " Now that I've been elected Secretary, what do I do?"; "What's the WSO?" Most of the answers we've heard to these questions and others like them have been based on good guesses, opinion, or misinformation. There doesn't seem to be anywhere in N.A. where this kind of information is set down in plain terms.

Gathering together what we could find in old ditto sheets, letters, tapes, from the literature of other fellowships such as ours, and from our own experience, we have tried to find answers to some of our own questions and to clarify some of our misconceptions. The following is a pamphlet about the service structure of N.A. as we understand it. Its purpose is to express, in simple terms, basic ideas about how we as members and servants of N.A. relate to each other and to N.A. as a whole. It is our hope that this pamphlet will become part of our literature, available to all members; and that, in some small way, it will help ensure the continuation and growth of our fellowship.


Yours in Fellowship,


A Group of Concerned Members


copyright 1976 C.A.R.E.

Narcotics Anonymous

World Service Office

P.O. Box 622

Sun Valley, CA 91352




DEDICATION


This presentation of the Service Structure of Narcotics Anonymous is dedicated to the following proposition:


To assure that no addict seeking recovery need die without having had a chance to find a better way of life, from this day forward may we better provide the necessary services.




Our N.A. Symbol


Simplicity is the keynote of our symbol; it follows the simplicity of our fellowship. We could find all sorts of occult and esoteric connotations in the simple outlines, but foremost in our minds were easily understood meanings and relationships.

The outer circle denotes a universal and total program that has room within for all manifestations of the recovering and wholly recovered person.

The square, whose lines are defined, is easily seen and understood; but there are other unseen parts of the symbol. The square base denotes Goodwill, the ground of both the fellowship and the member of our society. Actually, it is the four pyramid sides which rise from this base in a three dimensional figure that are the Self, Society, Service and God. All rise to the point of Freedom.

All parts thus far are closely related to the needs and aims of the addict seeking recovery and the purpose of the fellowship seeking to make recovery available to all. The greater the base, as we grow in unity in numbers and in fellowship, the broader the sides and the higher the point of freedom. Probably the last to be lost to freedom will be the stigma of being an addict. Goodwill is best exemplified in service and proper service is "Doing the right thing for the right reason." When this supports and motivates both the individual and the fellowship, we are fully whole and wholly free.


INTRODUCTION


The purpose of this pamphlet is to express, in simple terms how we, as members and servants of Narcotics Anonymous, relate to one another and to N.A. as a whole; and to present an ideal Service Structure for N.A. in such a way that we can strive to improve our fellowship, and better fulfill our primary purpose of carrying the message of recovery to the addict who still suffers.

N.A. is a Twelve and Twelve program borrowed from the A.A. fellowship. In fact, three of the first committee of five were also members of A.A., who wanted to make this proven program of recovery available to addicts. So why, you may ask, don't we just use A.A.'s structure and be done with it? This would probably be a good idea except that we are not A.A.; our needs, despite the similarities, are to a certain extent different. (As addicts, the progression of our illness is normally much more rapid that alcoholism. How many alcoholics have you heard who have at some time in their lives been reasonably successful in business or family relationships? On the other hand, how many addicts have ever had anything even resembling a successful business or family relationship? This is just an example of how our basic patterns are subtly different.) We are precluded from directly using any part of the A.A. program other than the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions; and finally in order for N.A. to survive we must be autonomous, we must have a fellowship and program of our own.

In the early days of N.A. we had what have been called "rabbit" meetings; held sporadically in different places at different times. At this time with only one or two N.A. meetings in existence, a specific structure for N.A. wasn't needed and really wasn't wanted. Soon N.A. grew, and permanent meetings were established, but because these were few in number and all were located in the Los Angeles area, there was still no real need for any established service structure. However, N.A. has continued to grow. As groups began opening up in population centers other than Los Angeles, we began to feel the need for some kind of structure. Intergroup or General Service Committees came into being in various locations, each trying to take care of business on a local level, without too much regard for N.A. as a whole.

In the last 5 years, this approach has sort of backfired. The unity necessary for personal recovery has been in short supply. Each group or area moved in its own direction -- usually apart. The very existence of N.A. was again seriously threatened as it was in the 1950's when the traditions were ignored. Some positive action has been taken to try to solve this problem, conventions were held, a World Service Office opened, and lines of communication shakily established. We can see that these attempts have paid off to a certain extent. Groups in various areas are starting to work together, much of the petty bickering seems to have disappeared and it seems that many members, in all areas, are trying to establish a better environment for sobriety [in AA this word means a balanced state of mind in abstinence from the drug alcohol - this term was dropped as N.A. developed in lieu of "recovery"] in N.A. The strength and unity of purpose evident at the last N.A. Convention shows we are making progress. Maybe this is because for the first time, we now find many members with long-term sobriety [recovery] active in the meetings and in the fellowship. It's no longer a rarity to find members with years clean rather than only weeks or months. Perhaps some of the personal maturity gained in living drug-free has started to have an effect on N.A. as a whole.

Despite this progress, we are still at a very critical stage of the "coming of age" process. Today large, active fellowships are developing in several population centers and new groups are starting up in many areas throughout the United States and in foreign countries. N.A. is growing, and with this growth the need for unity and communication increases. The old adage that a house divided cannot stand applies to N.A. as well as any other group. Right now we don't seem to have any unifying structure or clear-cut lines of communication for N.A. as a whole. What structure there is, only functions on a local level and our vital lines of communication have often been both hard to locate and as changeable as the weather. It is our sincere hope that this presentation of the service structure of our fellowship, as we understand it, will help to fill in some of the gaps that separate us; and that in some small way we can contribute to the growth and future of N.A.

THE TWELVE TRADITIONS OF N.A.


We keep what we have only with vigilance and just as freedom for the individual comes from the Twelve Steps, so freedom for the groups springs from our traditions. As long as the ties that bind us together are stronger that those that would tear us apart, all will be well.


1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on N.A. unity.

2. 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.

3. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using.

4. Each Group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting other Groups, or N.A. as a whole.

5. Each Group has but one primary purpose -- to carry the message to the addict who still suffers.

6. An N.A. Group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the N.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property or prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

7. Every N.A. Group ought to be fully self supporting, declining outside contributions.

8. Narcotics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our Service Centers may employ special workers.

9. N.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. N.A. has no opinion on outside issues, hence the N.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

11. Out public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.


It is necessary that we be aware of these principles in all our N.A. work and especially whenever our actions could in any way affect N.A. as a whole. Any undertaking such as this pamphlet must, if it is to be valid, have as its foundation all of these traditions. The N.A. pamphlet says: "There is one thing more than anything else that will defeat us in our recovery, this is an attitude of indifference or intolerance toward spiritual principles." The Traditions are spiritual principles and we have tried in writing this pamphlet to keep these principles in mind.

The First Tradition, of course, is the purpose of this pamphlet. A service structure for N.A. is necessary for our common welfare and to promote personal recovery. Unity within our fellowship is the goal we hope can be achieved by the implementation of this structure.

Much thought has gone into the structure to be described in this pamphlet. One of our primary aims has been to lay out the structure in such a way that the integrity of the conscience of each group is maintained throughout the service arm of N.A. The Second Tradition also describes the nature of those members active in N.A. Service as trusted servants and only by emphasizing this relationship between the group and its representatives can the principle of democracy and group conscience, which we have tried to build into this structure, work. We find it necessary to stress that adherence to the Second Tradition is of the utmost importance, without it no effort to strengthen N.A. as a whole can be successful.

The guarantee that our society will remain an open fellowship in which recovery is available to all and not limited to a select group is one of the principles (Third Tradition) which the implementation of a formal structure can help to ensure. We hope that N.A. will never become weighted down with rules, regulations, requirements, initiation fees, selective membership, and discrimination which prevent recovery and which have, in time, destroyed most programs designed to help addicts.

Tradition Four talks about the autonomy of each group, except as it affects other groups and members. Again this Tradition can be strengthened by lines of communication and unity, freeing the individual group from the arbitrary actions of another group.

Our primary purpose, as expressed in the Fifth Tradition is, along with some of the other Traditions, the reason we are writing this pamphlet. The hope that we can, in some way, carry the message of recovery more successfully and on a broader scale has been our motivation.

The Sixth Tradition concerns the use of the name Narcotics Anonymous. Formal service structure with active member participation can help prevent the misuse of our name and guard against the problems of money, property and prestige and their ultimate weakening of the fellowship.

Undoubtedly one of the most widely used terms in N.A. is the "7th Tradition." Most groups, in fact, even call the collection which is taken during most meetings the Seventh Tradition. This is unfortunate, the Seventh Tradition is not a basket with money being put into it; it is a principle -- probably the most widely confused and abused principle within all the 12-step fellowships. Few of us, it seems, have given much thought to this principle and its far-reaching consequences. The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous were not adopted by the fellowship until 1950 and during the 15 or so years prior to this adoption A.A. was not fully self-supporting. Numerous cash gifts from non- members and organizations were accepted, loans were taken, a cash advance on Big Book sales was accepted, stock was issued, and money came from many sources outside the fellowship. Because of the "strings" so often attached to free or easy money, A.A. had to pay its dues for this outside support. All the Traditions are there for good reasons and the reason we must be fully self- supporting is obvious in the history of A.A. It is, in more than any other way, through the practice of this principle that our fellowship maintains its freedom. The acceptance of a service structure for N.A. will give us a guide to what needs to be supported, a context in which one can see where the money goes, a chance for the group to use its funds to benefit N.A. as a whole, and some checks to help prevent our contributions from supporting someone's habit or paying someone's rent.

Tradition Eight describes the nature of people who will make up this service structure. That they should be non-professional just as we are individually non-professionals in our 12 Step work is obvious, and for the same reasons. The nature of professionalism contradicts the principle of giving freely of one's self for the common good. This principle of giving and sharing is, of course, one of the cornerstones of our program of recovery.

The Ninth Tradition has been the topic of considerable deliberation in the preparation of this pamphlet. How can we propose a structure without proposing organization? The Tradition states that we ought never be organized, but that we may create service boards and committees. This seems to be, at first glance, almost a contradiction in terms, but somehow we must untangle this mess. We ought never be organized and disorganization is killing us. What can we do without violating this Tradition? We feel that the key to this problem lies in understanding the purpose and nature of the structure we propose. First of all the purpose of this structure is service. Most of us realize that in order to keep our meetings going there are some necessary functions which must be performed, this is service. The development of lines of communication within our fellowship is service. Providing for 12 Step work is service. This Ninth Tradition says that we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. Most of this pamphlet deals with just that. But what about mapping it all out with charts and descriptions, and everything, isn't that organization? The purpose of laying out these boards and committees in an orderly form, showing what they do, and how they relate to each other is not organizational in nature, but informational. What we are presenting is not an organization, but a method; a method by which the services necessary to N.A. can be performed with a minimum of confusion. In this sense, this service structure is fully in keeping with our Ninth Tradition.

As with other Traditions the Tenth Tradition is supported by the service structure. With such a structure functioning within our fellowship we are assured that no one person can express his personal opinions in the name of N.A. as a whole.

With a service structure, public relations as discussed in Tradition Eleven become a group matter rather than a personal one. With the group conscience working as the basis for decisions concerning public relations the chances of inadvertent anonymity breaks are greatly reduced. The individual who is going to publically break his anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, or TV because of self-obsession, in one form or another, is going to do so despite traditions, service structure, group conscience or the advice of his friends. In establishing this service structure we do not vainly hope to prevent this type of anonymity break, we do, however, hope to minimize the occurrence of the accidental anonymity breaks which result form lack of information and guidance.

That leaves us with the Twelfth Tradition. We, as a group, feel that this tradition, as it relates to this topic and to N.A. as a whole, is self-explanatory. We pray that in implementing this service structure, principles may always be placed before personalities.

godsonmyside

THE SERVICE STRUCTURE OF NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS


[organizational chart below]




MEMBER


|


GROUP


|


AREA SERVICE COMMITTEE


|


REGIONAL SERVICE COMMITTEE


|


WORLD SERVICE BOARD -- WORLD SERVICE OFFICE


|


WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE




A NOTE ON TERMINOLOGY


Considerable thought and discussion took place concerning which words should be used to describe our structure. It seems ironic that, while we were in agreement about the structure itself, we went "round and round" about the words. The irony, of course, is that it's the structure which is important, not the words. Some felt that we should use the same terms that other fellowships have used, other felt that we should use government terminology. Both of these suggestions, as well as others which came up in the course of our discussions, have merit, but neither fully serves the purpose. First of all, this structure of ours isn't exactly like any other and it can't just be plugged into an existing framework. Secondly, the use of someone else's terms would not be in N.A.'s best interest. N.A. is a fellowship unto itself; and it is of the utmost importance that we maintain our own identity.

For the purpose of this work, we decided to use the simplest possible terms which were meaningful to us all. Geographically we chose to use the words Area, Region, and World. These designations can be thought of as roughly equivalent to the telephone company divisions in the sense that they are meant to represent population rather than location. this is important because we are, and deal with, people not places. Furthermore, we tried to avoid using terms such as "organization," which might imply a lack of adherence to our Traditions. Instead, we used words like Service Board and Service Committee which could not be construed as a violation of the Traditions.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that some of the service arms which we describe in this structure are not a part of the N.A. program. They exist separately and are designed to provide services to the program. The Narcotics Anonymous program consists only of 12 Steps, 12 Traditions and addicts helping each other. We have described three types of service in this overview; these are Personal Service, General Service, and World Service. In general, the Personal Service one or more members can offer directly to the addict who still suffers is a part of the program. It is in the nature of our 12th Step work. General Service and World Service, however, are not primarily involved in this type of direct service. Rather, they are designed to support our program of recovery by providing the services necessary for our members and groups to survive and grow.

If you as a member or as a representative of your group need more information or clarification on any part of this pamphlet your World Service Office will be more than happy to help. Get in touch with them by writing: WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, P.O. BOX 622, Sun Valley, CA 91352.




The Member


The front-line, so to speak, of N.A. Service is the individual N.A. member. A member is a self-proclaimed addict who is living a drug-free life by practicing the principles of Narcotics Anonymous. Anyone can be a member, the only requirement is the desire to stop using. One qualifies by taking the First Step and remains a member as long as he or she is clean and desires membership. The services that each of us provide are the most important in N.A. It is the member who carries the message of recovery and works with others. It may sound silly but without an active membership there would be no need for a service structure, there would be no N.A.

The benefits of membership are clear cut to us all: a drug- free life, the chance to grow, friendship, and freedom. However, membership is not without its responsibilities. It is the responsibility of each member to maintain his or her personal sobriety [recovery], to share freely his experience, strength and hope with the addict who still suffers; and to work to ensure that, that which was freely given to him remains available to the newcomer.

Before coming to N.A. most of us realized that we could not stay clean alone. The gathering together of two or more member addicts for the purpose of learning how to live a drug-free life by practicing the principles of N.A. constitutes an N.A. Meeting. When these meetings are held regularly, they can become a Group.


The Group


An N.A. Group is any meeting which meets regularly at a specified place and time, provided that it follows the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions (having no outside affiliations and receiving no outside financial support) and is duly registered with the World Service Office of Narcotics Anonymous. The Group is the second level of the service structure of N.A.

The primary purpose of an N.A. Group is, of course, to carry the message of recovery to the addict who still suffers. However, it also provides to each member the chance to express himself and to hear the experiences of other members who are learning how to live a better life. There are two basic types of groups: those which are open to the public, and those closed to the public and for addicts only. Meetings vary widely in format from group to group. Some are participation meetings, some speaker, some question and answer, some special problem discussion, some topic discussion, and some have a combination of these formats. Despite the type of format a group uses for its meetings the function of a group is always the same, to provide a suitable and reliable environment for personal recovery, and to promote such recovery. The Group has proven to be the most successful vehicle for 12 Step Work. After sharing on's personal experience, strength and hope, the most valuable thing a member can do is usually to being the suffering addict to a group meeting. In this way the group meeting becomes a place where the newcomer knows he can come for help. Often the first thing that can open the doors of recovery for the addict is the recognition of himself in others. The Group provided a setting in which the newcomer can find this identification by hearing a number of recovering addicts instead of just one or two.

The Group is the level at which we first find some of the mundane business of N.A. being taken care of. There is rent to pay, literature to buy and distribute, refreshments to be provided, a meeting hall to be kept clean, a time schedule to follow, announcements to be made, and many other things to be done for the maintenance of the Group. The Group must stay in contact with other Groups in their local area and with the rest of N.A. so they can find out about activities, learn of new groups opening up, get new literature, and find out what's happening in N.A. This is also the first level or which fellowship funds are handled, and the correct use of this money is essential for the preservation of the Group. In general, there are many uninteresting things that a Group must do, in addition to its meeting, which are necessary for survival.

We have found that most members who attend group meetings just aren't interested in the "business" of N.A. As a result, a few dedicated members who are willing to do something for the group, usually have to do most of the work. It is at this point that the principle of trusted servant comes into being. Although most addicts don't want to help out with the work, they are at least willing to delegate this responsibility to someone else. This seems to be part of the nature of the addict. These members who have been drafted to do the work make up an informal Steering Committee out of which come the group officers. For the purpose of most groups these officers usually consist of a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a General Service Representative (GSR). Some groups, however, have additional officers, such as a Program Chairman to arrange for speakers of decide topics to be discussed, depending on their specific needs. Group officers other than the GSR normally serve for a period of one year and are elected by the group as a whole. One of the pitfalls which has caused many N.A. groups to suffer or even fold has been the election of officers who were unqualified to serve or did not have a history of sobriety [recovery]. Often N.A. elections have seemed to be popularity contests rather than the selection of trusted servants. The officers of a group must be chosen with great care because of the responsibilities that their offices carry and the potential effect bad officers can have on their group.

The Group Secretary is responsible for the day-to-day functions of the group. It is his primary responsibility to assure that the group meeting takes place when and where it is supposed to. He selects a leader for each meeting, makes sure the coffee gets made, keeps the meeting records, arranges for group business meetings, arranges for the celebration of "birthdays," makes sure that the meeting hall is left in proper order, and answers correspondence. This job is important because without a good Secretary a group had little chance of attracting new members.

The Treasurer of an N.A. group is responsible for the funds which come into the group from the collection and for the distribution of these funds. The money collected in our meetings must be carefully budgeted. There are numerous expenses necessary for running a group.

The Treasurer keeps an accurate record of all the group's financial transactions, he or she maintains the group bank account, and distributes monies to pay the rent, purchase literature, provide refreshments, buy supplies, and cover the costs of any miscellaneous expenses the group incurs. In order to maintain our fellowship and freedom, the monies which come from group collections and members contributions must always be used to further our primary purpose. A group must first support itself. After paying its bills, any remaining funds should be placed in a group bank account and a reserve adequate to run the group for 2 or 3 months built up. After this "prudent reserve" has been established, excess funds should be diverted to help N.A. as a whole. A group can do this by contributing to the area or regional committee which serve the group or through contributions directly to the World Service Office of Narcotics Anonymous. One of the biggest problems we have faced has been the misuse of group money. Thousands of dollars in needed funds has just sort of disappeared. This abuse limits what N.A. can do and for the individual the dues have usually been very heavy; obviously, the Treasurer has a grave responsibility and much thought should be taken in selecting a member to perform this function.

The General Service Representative is the vital link between his group and the rest of N.A. He is the formal line of communication whose purpose it is to represent his group's conscience in matters affecting other groups of N.A. as a whole. Because the role of the GSR is so important to the success of N.A., this servant will be discussed in some detail in the next section of this pamphlet.

As a general guide, we have found that the group Secretary and Treasurer are most successful if they have certain assets necessary for the performance of their responsibilities. These qualifications include:

1. The willingness or desire to serve.

2. A history of sobriety [recovery] (we suggest a minimum of 6 months continuous freedom from drugs -- including alcohol).

3. A good working knowledge of 12 Steps of recovery.

4. An understanding of the 12 Traditions.

5. Active participation in the groups they are to serve; preferably some experience with the group's Steering Committee.


These assets do not guarantee a good servant, however, they do help to ensure that those we choose will be capable of doing the job. Normally, group Secretaries and Treasurers serve for a period of one year at which time they are succeeded by other members who have been elected by the group. Of course, the use of drugs while serving as a group servant constitutes an automatic resignation for that officer. One of the responsibilities of group officers not often talked about, is to train group members to replace them. A group can be strengthened by new officers who are prepared to take over the responsibilities of those they replace. Another valuable lesson we have learned is that the continuity of service can be aided by staggering the election of servants, and overlapping terms of service. (Example: A Group Secretary might be elected in November to begin serving in January and the Treasurer elected in March to begin in May.) Remember, choose your trusted officers well, it is you who they will be serving.


PERSONAL SERVICE

The Members, the Meeting, and the Group provide what has been called Personal Service. This type of service is in the nature of the one-to-one, addict-to-addict relationships so important for our initial sobriety [recovery] and recovery. It is at this level that we find personal identification, the hope necessary to continue, and the first introduction to the program of recovery.


The General Service Representative


As we have said, the General Service Representative (GSR) is the line of communication between the group and N.A. as a whole. He or she is the link that binds the groups together in their performance of our primary purpose. It is his responsibility to keep the group informed and to express the group conscience. In all matters affecting N.A. as a whole or other groups he is, in fact, the voice of his group. Finding good GSR's who will take an active part in the business of N.A. is probably the most important thing we can do to improve the fellowship. Active representation, more than any other thing, can strengthen the ties that bind us together, and promote our common welfare.

The GSR speaks for his group at Area and Regional Service Committee meetings. He takes part in the planning and implementation of the N.A. functions which affect the members of his group. As a result of this participation he can keep his group informed about what is happening in N.A. A group member should always be able to go to his representative and find out about activities, other groups, and about N.A. as a whole. Although the GSR is no expert on N.A., a member should be able to come to him and get guidance or information concerning how N.A. works, the Traditions, and how he can get more involved. The GSR is an active group member. He serves on the Steering Committee, helps train new officers, and is normally the mail contact for the World Service Office and other groups. He is responsible for maintaining the group's 12 Step list. Often the GSR's phone is busier than that of any other member; he is the contact for his group. AS if this weren't enough, the GSR, in most groups, is also responsible for the literature. He makes sure books and pamphlets are available, and that new publications are presented to his group. He also encourages members to submit their stories and thoughts to the WSO for incorporation (anonymously, of course) in the N.A. Newsletter or pamphlets in production.

A group's General Service Representative normally serves for a period of two years. The first year he or she is an alternate who can take over in case the voting representative is ill or cannot, for any reason, continue to serve. The second year, he becomes the voting representative, taking over the full responsibilities and functions of the office, and in turn is helped by a newly elected alternate. This "apprentice" system serves two purposes: First of all, it helps to provide a continuity of service which never leaves a group unrepresented; and secondly, the year spent as an alternate provides the training necessary to a good GSR.

As you can see, the role of the GSR in N.A. service is not a simple one, or one to be taken lightly. The election of good GSR's and alternates is probably the most important thing that you, as an individual, can do for N.A. as a whole. In choosing your representative, remember that he or she is your voice and your ears in N.A. If you wish to be well represented and well informed, it is your responsibility to elect the best possible nominee. For this reason we suggest that candidates for GSR should have:

1. A commitment to the principle of creative action through service.

2. A minimum of one year of continuous cleanliness.

3. Experience as a group officer.

4. A good working knowledge of the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of our fellowship.

5. An understanding of the service structure of N.A. and the nature of the GSR.


These qualifications are not, of course, hard, fast rules. They are however, some of the things you should consider in the selection of your representative. The General Service Representative, as we have described him, is your link to the rest of N.A. He is also the tie that binds the personal service you and your group perform to the next type of service which is offered by N.A. -- General Service.

GENERAL SERVICE


Thus far we have been dealing with the personal services that one member or a few members can offer the newcomer in his search for recovery. The next type of service found in N.A. is General Service. General Service provides the support necessary for groups of N.A. members so that they can act together for the common good. A new idea in service also begins at this level, this is the concept of community service. This kind of service not only helps the addict who still suffers but also makes available, to the society it serves, a workable program of recovery for the drug addict for who other types of help have seemed to be just so much wasted effort. Narcotics Anonymous exists in many areas as an obscure unrecognized drug program, about which little is known. It is a fact that most communities in which active groups exist, acknowledge the often surprising, success of our fellowship and are grateful to have our groups around.

General Service is divided into sections, the area and the region. These are both geographic and functional designations. The area is designed to provide service to individual groups with specific needs and the region is established to serve many groups with common needs. This difference in function is important to keep in mind as we discuss these two levels of service because in many ways they provide very similar services. The group's General Service Representative is active at both these levels and must be aware of the nature and purpose of each, lest we fall back into many of the problems we are trying to overcome.

In 1969, N.A.'s first committee, specifically designed to fill our General Service needs, was established. This group and others like it have contributed greatly to the growth of N.A. However, today it is no longer enough to have a few members getting together to keep their groups going. N.A. has grown and is continuing to grow. The absence of effort towards some necessary functions, and the duplication of efforts towards others seems like an old friend to many of us; a cure causing worse problems than the illness.

A "Designated Area" within N.A. is any local area, community, or town with a significant number of N.A. meetings. We have found it convenient to tink of an area as any community or communities which comprise a single telephone directory. This concept seems adequate for our needs today, however, any set of groups within definable geographic boundaries who need to function together as an area can be a designated area.

The "Designated Region" is a broader geographic unit made up of one or more areas. Normally we consider a region to be any state within the United States or any foreign country. Again, the definition of a region is ultimately one of need, any N.A. areas which can show this need can be considered a designated region. A good example of this, as it exists today, are the Northern and Southern regions of N.A. in California. In the future, it may be necessary to break this down even further. A definition of a region might then be any geographic unit comprising a single telephone area code. We feel it necessary to stress that for the purpose of N.A. the designations of area and region should always be based on specific need rather than resentments, insanity, or personalities.


AREA SERVICE COMMITTEE


An Area Service Committee (ASC) is a committee made up of representatives (GSR's) from all Groups within a designated Area (provided that it is duly listed with N.A.'s World Service Office) which meets monthly for the purpose of serving the specific needs of its member groups.

Our experience has shown that from time to time our groups have problems which they can't handle on their own. In the spirit of our fellowship, we, as individuals seek help from one another to deal with our living problems; just so, groups can find help from other groups. For this reason General Service Committees have been established. However, most of the problems a group faces are of such a nature that another group located many miles away can be of little assistance. Only a nearby group can help and for this reason our General Service structure is made up of both Regional and Area Committees. The Area Service Committees are made up of representatives from all the groups in an area and are designed to support their members groups.

Isolated groups often have a hard time of it because there is no one nearby to whom they can turn. For this reason it is to the groups' benefit to put forth as much effort as possible towards starting other groups in their Area; and, once this is accomplished, establishing a new ASC as soon as possible. Often isolated groups have had to temporarily sit in with another Area's Committee of even act on its own in order to provide the necessary services. Experience has shown us hat this can sometimes be a very rough road. If your group is of this isolated type, it is of the utmost importance that you keep in especially close contact with your World Service Office and other groups even though they are located elsewhere.

Because groups, just like individuals, find it hard to survive alone, one of the most important functions of the ASC is to encourage new membership. This can, of course, be most successfully accomplished by active 12 Step work. For this reason, each ASC should maintain an accurate 12 Step and Sponsor list, put together a notice of its meetings and post this notice in places where people can see it, provide for periodic public service announcements, keep in contact with local authorities and referral agencies, and perhaps arrange for an answering service to take calls which can then be referred to members on the 12th Step list. In our Areas this type of service is provided on a personal basis and our primary aim is to being the newcomer into our fellowship in the hope that he too can benefit from our program.

Another major function of our ASC's is in providing activities which may make cleanliness more attractive to the newcomer, give the member an opportunity to learn how to function drug-free on a social level, and which gives us a chance to gather together to celebrate living. These local activities could include dances, picnics, parties, dinners, breakfasts, round robin meetings, and any other functions which the committee feel would benefit its groups.

The third and most important service which the ASC provided is that of Group support. Whenever a group has specific problem or need which it has not been able to handle on its own, it can come to its Area Committee for help. These problems are almost limitless in scope. However, we have learned that we can get much accomplished when we work together.

The ASC often performs other functions which are of help to the groups. This committee helps new groups get started or gives aid to floundering groups. It might scout as area for potential meeting places; might help a group which is short of funds set up a "work party" system in lieu of rent; might encourage members of other groups to attend meetings which need support; our might keep a stock of literature which the groups can purchase without waiting for mail to get to and from the WSO. The point is that the ASC handles whatever functions are necessary or helpful to its groups.

In order to provide these services the ASC needs the support of its groups, the active participation of its GSR's, certain facilities, and qualified leaders. The group supports its Area Service Committee both financially and emotionally. It takes money to provide the services we have described. It is the groups responsibility to offer this support. When as ASC is formed this need for funds may be minimal. Just enough to pay for a post office box, the rent of a hall once-a-month, and to serve coffee. However, as an Area grows so the financial needs of the committee also grow. In order to provide a full line of services it requires a steady, reliable input of money. Some Areas have tried to provide these funds through their activities or by holding "round-robin" types of special meetings, or by any number of fund raising methods. All these alternate courses of financial support are helpful, however, the bulk of the responsibility still falls on each group.

The active participation of each group representative is essential for a successful ASC. Each GSR must keep his group informed and must represent his group's spiritual conscience in all committee decisions. In addition to this a GSR participates in helping to carry out the ASC's other specific functions. The planning and implementation of activities, the attracting of new members, and the aid given to groups with special problems are services which require much more effort than a monthly meeting. Most Area Service Committees have found that a subcommittee system is necessary to provide these services. A subcommittee service, such as 12 Step work, and may meet or do work as needed during the month between regular ASC meetings. It is the GSR's who make up these subcommittees and do the work.

There are certain facilities which are necessary to the services provided by the ASC. In the beginning the may simply be a permanent mailing address (usually a post office box), a bank account, and a place to hold meetings (often a private house). As the membership and number of groups within an Area increases, or when the groups decide that they need a broader spectrum of services, more facilities are needed. These might include a telephone answering/referral service, a ditto machine, a typewriter and adding machine, and a place to store literature, among others. As an Area grows still more the members may decide to consolidate and improve these facilities by opening and staffing a local office. At all times, however, these facilities must reflect the needs of the Area if they are to be an asset to the groups rather than a burden.

In order to coordinate these services, each ASC elects officers. These officers include a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Chairman conducts the monthly meetings and is responsible for correspondence; the Vice-Chairman coordinates subcommittee functions; the Secretary keeps an accurate record of what occurs at each meeting; and the Treasurer keeps track of the finances. Their functions and responsibilities are very similar to those of the group officers. These officers are elected yearly from among the active General Service Representatives. They do not normally represent any group and have no vote in the committee.

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REGIONAL SERVICE COMMITTEE


The General Service Representative also attends the quarterly meetings of the Regional Service Committee. The Regional Service Committee (RSC) is made up of the GSR's from all the groups within a designated Region. This service committee is also designed to provide service to its member groups; and must be duly registered with the World Service Office. The ASC and RSC are similar in nature and purpose, however, their functions are slightly different. While the ASC serves the specific needs of the individual groups; the RSC serves the common needs of many groups. One of the primary aims of the RSC is to unify the groups within its jurisdiction. Another aim is to carry our message to addicts who cannot attend our meetings. A third basic function of this committee is to contribute to the growth of N.A. as a whole; both by helping to support our World Services and by initiating much of the work to be finalized at our World Service Conference. Ingrained in these basic functions is, of course, our primary purpose of carrying the message of recovery to the addict who still suffers. The desire to more effectively achieve this purpose is the reason that our Service System, including the RSC, exists.

Just as the ASC often deals with problems that the groups cannot resolve on their own; so the RSC tries to solve problems which the groups and their area cannot deal with. This is especially true when these problems involve several groups or an entire area. This is one way in which the RSC strives for unity. Another unifying function of the RSC is that of communication. The RSC provides a meeting place for groups and areas and a stepping stone to other Regions and N.A. as a whole. Most RSC meetings are held on a Saturday or a Sunday and either in a location central to the region or rotationally in the areas within the region. Sometimes the meeting will be scheduled for an afternoon preceded by a luncheon get-together. This provides an ideal setting for the representatives of various groups who might not normally get to know one another, to meet and develop valuable lines of communications.

The RSC is also responsible for major activities such as conventions, retreats, and round-ups. These also can be considered functions to stimulate N.A. unity. Most of us have, at some time, attended an activity of this type; and we are aware of the unity, creative action, and fellowship they can create. We encourage each region to hold at least one major activity each year. These can be as simple as a camping trip or an involved as a convention; it doesn't really matter, they all provide the same stimulus. Usually the planning and implementation of an event such as these is left to a Regional subcommittee specifically established for this purpose. We have found that a subcommittee system is even more important at the Regional level than it is in our Areas. This is because the region covers a greater number of meetings and only meets every few months. By necessity most of the work (excluding major decisions and matters of conscience) must be done by subcommittees. Only the initiation and finalization of a project actually takes place in the general RSC meeting.

Our traditions say that our primary purpose is to carry the message to the addict who still suffers. This is just as true for the RSC as it is for any group. All RSC functions have this purpose as a goal, however, some functions relate directly to carrying the message. As we have noted, the Areas basically work to being the addict to the fellowship, through public relations, public service announcements and advertising. The RSC's basic means of attracting addicts is to take the program to the addict. Institutional work is the responsibility of the RSC. This work is usually handled by one or more subcommittees. This type of "out of the fellowship" work is very important, but often very touchy. Most of the violations of our Sixth Tradition inadvertently occur during this type of work. Drug Programs, Mental Health Groups, hospitals, criminal diversion courses, drug and alcoholism schools, and other organizations who have requested N.A. speakers or panels for the benefit of their patients, residents, or members have at times used the N.A. name as part of their publicity. This type of misuse should, at all times, be avoided. It doesn't do their program any good and can easily become a threat to N.A.

Another important part of the RSC's function is to contribute to our World Services. Regional support in the nature of funds, ideas, and confidence is essential to the work of our World Services. Any excess funds which accumulate at the Regional Level should be contributed directly to our World Service Office. The RSC, itself has little need of monies; since it does not have any stationary facilities. Areas normally sponsor RSC meetings and arrange for securing a hall, preparing a luncheon, and providing coffee. Even when our RSC chooses to arrange these things themselves there should be no great expense since each GSR pays his own way, and these meetings only occur quarterly. Monies are needed for major activities, however these are ideally self-sustaining; with enough left over from one activity to secure the next. The RSC does, however, need money to operate; there are expenses. Large quantities of literature are often supplied to institutions and hospitals; most RSC's normally publish quarterly meeting directories; most Regions sponsor their delegates to the World Service Conference; and groups of any kind require miscellaneous funds for postage, stationary, supplies, and the like . Your RSC needs your support and the support of your group.

Most of the suggestions, ideas, and literature presented at the World Service Conference are initiated at the regional level. These are submitted in writing prior to the conference in order to be placed on the agenda.

Like the ASC, the RSC elects officers each year. They include a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Their functions and responsibilities are identical with those of Area officers. The RSC also elects a Regional Service Delegate who speaks for his region at the World Service Conference. He is the counterpart of the GSR, and will be discussed more fully in the next section of this pamphlet.

Both the Area and Regional Service Committees are autonomous just as the groups they serve. The first thing a group of any kind must have, if it is to establish its identity, is a mailing address. Once they have this, the next thing to be done is the register with our World Service Office. A group or committee must be registered in order to be listed in our World Directory and in order to receive the information and support available from the WSO. The final thing that must be done when forming a group or committee is to set down some kind of framework within which to function. For our groups, this is usually a simple format which describes the type of meeting to be held and how to proceed in holding it. Our committees also need a format in order to keep their meetings orderly, however, in addition they need some kind of guidelines in order to maintain their service functions.



Meeting formats vary widely from group to group however, meetings usually consist of a statement defining the group, readings from our pamphlet, the body of the meeting, announcements, a collection to support the meeting, and a closing prayer. As ASC meeting might consist of a definitive statement; the reading of our Traditions, old business (including work in progress and subcommittee reports), new business (including a report from each group), announcements, a collection, and a closing prayer. ASC meetings are generally fairly flexible in their formats in order to deal with the wide variety of problems which might come up. RSC meetings, on the other hand are usually pretty well structured. The format of an RSC meeting is virtually identical to that of an Area committee meeting. However, because the RSC deals primarily with common problems, individual groups do not usually report their specific needs. Some Regions have found it valuable to conduct their meetings by a prearranged agenda. During the time since their last meeting, the officers of these meetings have been in touch with Area Officer and collected topics for discussion and problems to be considered at upcoming meetings. In this way group and Area problems can be dealt with on a priority basis, and similar problems can be combined to prevent duplication of effort.

As we have said, each service committee should have some king of guidelines to ensure that its services continue to be provided regardless of changes of officers or representatives. Some committees have by-laws to fulfill this purpose. We feel, however, that the locked-in rigidity implied by the term "by- laws" doesn't represent the function of these committees accurately. We must always remain flexible enough to handle whatever comes up. For this reason, we suggest that the term "guidelines" be used instead. These guidelines should include a description of the committee, its purpose, the scope of its service, and should define the functions and responsibilities of its members, officers, and subcommittees.

The General Service Committees are the real working body of N.A. It is these committees which can contribute more to the growth of N.A. than any other parts of our service structure. However, in order to function they need active support; your support. Choose your representatives carefully; participate in group functions; get involved in N.A.; seek to serve where and when you can. The work's hard and often there seems to be little getting accomplished. However, you personal return will be a thousand-fold.

THE GENERAL SERVICE DELEGATE


The General Service Delegate (GSD) is to the Region what the GSR is to the group. The GSD, as a representative of his Region, speaks for the members and groups within his region. The primary responsibility of the GSD is work for the good of N.A. as a whole by providing two-way communication between his Region and the rest of N.A. The GSD attends the annual World Service Conference and takes part in any decisions which affect N.A. as a whole. The responsibilities of this servant don't begin or end with the conference, being a GSD is a year 'round job. He attends all RSC meetings and as many ASC meetings as possible; serves on one or more conference committees; receives conference information and requests from the WSO; works closely with Regional Officers and subcommittees; and is a source of information or guidance in matters concerning the Traditions or N.A. as a whole.

The GSD is elected at the group level. The representatives of each group, gathered together in committee, nominate potential delegates from among their number. Each GSR then takes these names to his group for a group conscience vote. The results of this vote are reported back to the RSC and the nominee who receives support from the most groups becomes a Delegate for the following year. A GSD normally serves for a period of two years; the first as Alternate Delegate, and the second as a voting Delegate.

We feel that in order for GSD's to do a good job, each nominee should have the following qualifications:

1. A commitment to service.

2. Service experience.

3. The willingness to give the time and resources necessary for his job.

4. A minimum of five years of continuous abstinence from drugs.

5. A good working knowledge of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of our fellowship.


Our General Service Delegate should be selected from among our best informed, most trusted, and most active members in order that they may best serve our needs and the needs of N.A. as a whole.

WORLD SERVICE


The final type of service which N.A. offers is World Service. These are the services which deal with the problems and needs of N.A. as a whole and which N.A. as a whole offers to its members, its groups, and to society. The basic purposes of our World Services are communication, coordination, information, and guidance. We provide these services so that our groups and members can more successfully carry the message of recovery, and so that our program of recovery can be made more available to addicts everywhere.

Our World Services include three specific service bodies: the World Service Office, the World Service Board and the World Service Conference. These three branches of service are interrelated and work together to benefit N.A. as a whole. The World Service Office is the "heart" of our World Services; the World Service Board, the "soul," and the World Service Conference, the "mind."

Within our World Services we again find new service concepts developing. First, our World Services work for the good of N.A. as a whole, only at this level do we find service bodies designed to deal with problems which involve our entire fellowship. A second new concept found at this level is that of the non-addict servant. These individuals have valuable skills from which our fellowship can benefit; and they can often give us viewpoints which are not clouded by the disease of drug addiction.

Our descriptions of the arms of N.A. World Service will be necessarily brief. At this date our World Service System is in a developmental stage, and we feel that any attempt at a full description of these services could, perhaps, limit their potential effectiveness. Each branch of World Service functions within its own framework; and these guidelines, as they develop, will specifically define the nature of our services. For the purpose of this pamphlet we are presenting a brief overview of the major functions and inter-relationships of our branches of World Service.


WORLD SERVICE OFFICE


Probably the single busiest part of our service tree is the World Service Office (WSO). WSO functions as the "heart" of N.A., circulating our lifeblood to and from all groups and members within our fellowship. WSO is the contact point and the distribution point.

One of the most important functions of the WSO is to link our wide spread groups and members into a single cohesive fellowship. The WSO stays in close contact with our Groups, Areas, and Regions. This contact is maintained through correspondence, our quarterly newsletter, and through the delegates and representatives of our service structure. WSO offers considerable aid to new groups, existing groups with special problems, institutional groups, groups outside the United States, members who travel extensively, and loners. This aid is in the nature of sharing the experience which other groups and members have reported to the WSO and by putting those who seek aid in touch with other groups or members within our fellowship.

Another major function of WSO is the publication and distribution of literature. This office publishes yearly a World Directory, quarterly Newsletters, all World Service Conference material, and new literature in both English and other languages. In order to provide these publications, WSO needs both financial support and the input of literature drafts from our members, groups and committees. WSO is also responsible for the printing, warehousing, and distribution of all existing literature. Additionally, a number of information kits such as our starter kit are available. As a sideline to its literature, the WSO also offers reel-to-reel and cassette tape recordings of important N.A. functions, personal "pitches," typical meetings, and discussions on various topics.

Another very important function of our World Service Office is to coordinate our World Service Conference. WSO is responsible for the planning of the Conference itself, selecting a suitable site, locating lodging, arranging for meals, establishing the agenda, notifying the delegates, and administrating all the details necessary for the Conference to take place. If and when N.A. has a truly international convention, the administration and coordination of this event will also be the responsibility of the World Service Office.

In order to provide communication, coordination, information, and guidance services, the WSO must keep extensive files of correspondence and other records. These files include letters to and from those who have contacted WSO; a file of all correspondence with each N.A. group; a record of all starter kits sent out; the name, address, and telephone number of all GSR's and GSD's; and the address of all General Service Committees and their officers. Along with these files and records, WSO keeps the archives of N.A.'s history. These archives contain relevant documents, newspaper articles, photos of original meeting places, etc. Records such as these are necessary so that we may learn from our past mistakes, stay in contact with all of N.A., and serve our fellowship.

One of the most difficult jobs of the World Service Office is dealing with public anonymity breaks. Due to the nature of our fellowship no part of our service structure should ever function as a disciplinarian. This would not be in keeping with our basic principles. When public anonymity breaks do occur, the WSO does function in an educational role. We try to explain to the individual or group and the media involved that actions of this type are in violation of our Traditions; and that this type of publicity can potentially cause grave problems which could threaten the survival of our fellowship. It is never our place to attempt to punish, we can only try to prevent the reoccurrence of this type of problem.

The final WSO function we shall discuss is that of public relations. Much of our mail consists of requests for information from individuals, agencies, and other drug programs. It is our policy to answer each inquiry; however, we stress that our function is not informational or referral. Our program is principles and people. Our relationship with those outside our fellowship is cooperative and our Traditions make it clear that we must stay unattached if we are to survive.

All these functions make it necessary for our World Service Office to be more of a "business" than a part of the fellowship. WSO is separate from N.A. but works with N.A. WSO functions as a non-profit corporation; with managers, departments, administrators, paid employees, subsidiaries, and the like. Our office is administered by our World Service Board and acts upon the directives of our World Service Conference. WSO is truly a business; its raw material is the program; its product is sobriety [recovery]; and its function is service.

THE WORLD SERVICE BOARD


The World Service Board (WSB) of Narcotics Anonymous has the broadest scope of any branch of our service structure. The responsibility of this board is to help deal with anything that affects N.A. as a whole; both internally and externally. All things which may endanger the existence of our fellowship or limit our growth are of concern to the WSB. This board does not, however, govern. Its nature is that of a custodian; providing guidance. The members of the World Service Board are known as Trustees and consist of both addicts and non-addicts. Their only purpose is to serve the best interests of our fellowship; and through the World Service Conference we give them the authority to do this.

Like the World Service Office, our World Service Board functions as a corporation apart from our program per se. All the actions of the Board are guided by our Traditions. Although the primary aim of the Board is to ensure the maintenance of the Twelve Traditions, they also serve in many other capacities and have other responsibilities.

The WSB is responsible for the administration of our World Service Office. In this capacity they strive to increase the effectiveness of its many functions and coordinate its activities. In order to perform this function and others the WSB utilized a subcommittee system similar to that used by our ASC and RSC; the main difference is that the Trustee committees are permanent while the General Service subcommittees are usually set up to deal with specific needs and disbanded when their job is done. The standing committees of the World Service Board indicate the major functions of the Board and include: public relations, finance, literature, institutions, policy, planning and nominations.

These committees meet throughout the year and are composed of Trustees, members and an occasional non-addict. Committee members are selected on a "What they have to offer" basis, and each brings special skills or experience relevant to the committee function.

The internal structure of the World Service Board is different from the rest of our service branches. The Trustees do not represent; they serve. This service is for an indefinite term; however, each trusteeship is reaffirmed yearly to ensure the continuation and quality of service. The WSB works closely with the World Service Conference and conference committees, but functions within its own guidelines. Its day to day activities are its own province. We, as members, have given the Board the right to act on our behalf, so long as its actions are within the framework of our Traditions. The Trustees do not, however, have the authority to control N.A. or change the nature of our fellowship. Our Second Tradition ensures that major policy decisions can only be made according to the spiritual conscience of our entire fellowship. This means that each of us, through our service structure, maintains the right to have a say in what happens in N.A.


THE WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE


The final part of our service structure is the World Service Conference (WSC). It is the nerve center, the brain, of our fellowship. Our conference is the one time each year, when all our service branches come together forming the complete N.A. tree. Unlike all other branches of N.A. service, the Conference is not an entity; it is an event, the coming together. In the spring of each year the Regional Service Delegates, the Trustees of the World Service Board and the manager and directors of the World Service Office meet to discuss questions of significance to the fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous as a whole.

The conference itself can last up to a week; however, the planning and implementation associated with the conference is a year-round proposition. The WSO is responsible for the administration associated with the conference itself. The Trustees and directors who attend the WSC must spend time in preparation studying problems to be discussed and gathering information upon which decisions can be based. Each delegate must be knowledgeable about the needs and feelings of his region, and be prepared to contribute to the conference.

The conference usually begins with an opening meeting which includes opening ceremonies, an overview of topics to be presented, and a review of the meaning and effect of the Twelve Traditions.

From this general meeting the conference splits up into eight committees at which all suggestions, questions, and problems which have been submitted are discussed. These topics can include anything of major importance to N.A. as a whole.

These committees include: the literature committee, finance committee, World Service Office Committee, World Service Board Committee, public relations committee, institutions committee, conference report committee, and the Conference Planning Committee. Each delegate serves on one committee; each committee contains at least one trustee; and those committees which have equivalents in the WSO or WSB meet in conjunction with them. the purposes of the committees are to discuss all input within their scope; resolve items which do not require major policy decisions, and prepare resolutions for policy items. These resolutions are designed to occupy as little general meeting time as possible and include a simple statement of the resolution, arguments for and against, and the facts which support these arguments.

After the agenda for the general meeting has been prepared from resolutions gathered from the committees, all conference members get together as a body once again. At this general meeting each resolution is presented and considered. Some resolutions can be acted upon by the conference and some must be taken back to each Region, Area, and Group for group conscience decisions.

The World Service Conference does not speak for N.A. as a whole. The voice of N.A. as a whole can only come from fellowship-wide group conscience. However, the conference can, because of our service structure, initiate action which will benefit all members.

Once the conference has considered all resolutions and decided which required group conscience votes and which were within the realm of conference action, the committees meet once again to plan for the implementation of the conference resolutions. The committees decide which branch, the WSO, the WSB or the RSC's can take the most effective action. Based on these decisions, directives are drafted and submitted for final approval.

Then, finally, all conference members meet together once again for the closing meeting. At this time the directives are approved and the closing ceremonies take place.

It sounds like the World Service Conference has a lot of power...this isn't true. All conference matters are dealt with in strict accordance with our Traditions and the Traditions clearly define the powers of the Conference; each Conference member is a trusted servant and has shown an understanding of our traditions; and all items discussed in conference originate within the fellowship. Due to its very nature, the Conference is the servant of the fellowship.


* * * * * * * * *


Everything that occurs in the course of N.A. service must be motivated by the desire to more successfully carry the message of recovery to the addict who still suffers. It was for this reason that we began this work. We must always remember that as individual members, groups and service committees we are not, and should never be, in competition with each other. We work separately and together to help the newcomer and for our common good. We have learned, painfully, that internal strife cripples our fellowship; it prevents us from providing the services necessary for growth.

It is probably obvious to you that many of the responsibilities and functions, which we have mentioned, just aren't getting done today. It has not been our intent to condemn the good work which has been done and is being done. Rather, we hope to clarify what needs to be done as that we can provide better service. The service structure of Narcotics Anonymous, as we have described it, does not exist in N.A. today. It is an ideal towards which we can strive, and in so doing, make recovery available to a greater number of addicts.

dalin

hey,bo and kermit where with greg the day he died.
they both do writing on the nawol like greg did.

dalin

glad you are here blood

godsonmyside

Kermit and Bo are both awesome!!
Peace,
Todd J.