Minneapolis/St. Paul

Please copy this newsletter for your group.

Following the walk, there will be fellowship at Vera's Cafe, 2901 Lyndale Ave. So. We will also have a signup table there, and will be collecting 7^th Tradition, and hopefully, selling T-shirts. No money can be collected at the walk, as 20% of fund taking on Park property must be given to the city. (Among other inconveniences)

The GLBT in AA Cabaret will be held on Friday, June 30^th at the Wesley United Methodist Church dining room. Our local group wished to extend a welcome to the international GLBT community, but at hotel prices, we decided we could not afford to do it in the IAC Hospitality Room.

On Friday morning, we would like to open the Cabaret with a "Welcome to the Twin Cities" social. This would consist of free beverages and snacks. As we will be dealing with a large volume of people (possibly thousands) please plan on using your talents to bake goodies if you can, provide munchies (chips, crackers, cheese, fruit, coffee cake, or bars - any such foods, in the largest amount you can) If anyone has freezer space that would be available, please let us know. It would be very helpful to make some items in advance, if we have a place to store them. You can write, email (addresses on following page) or call me, Don H. at (612) 827-5163.

We would also like to have some entertainment in the afternoon, and possibly in the evening. If you would be interested, please let us know. We also will have an "open stage" during the day and will have a space to get away from the convention for a period of time. It will also provide a space to offer GLBT souvenirs of the convention. We have received comments from around the country saying that one thing lacking at past conventions were GLBT mementos.

Between the IAC functions and the GLBT in AA functions, we will need at least 300 volunteers. Of that, at least 150 will need to be local, working 2 hour shifts (and we can always use more!)

As to date, there have been three GLBT groups in the Twin Cities that have sent us histories of their group. If your group has not sent one in, please find an historian in your group who can either write the history, or if they are not comfortable writing, but can provide information, we can write it for you. We would very much like to have a brief history of every GLBT group in the Twin Cities posted in the IAC Hospitality Room. The request for histories was published in the last IACtivity (the IAC newsletter). Hopefully, we will have histories from other parts of the country - and the world! Let us preserve our history before it is lost.

Back to Basics was started by 2 members who felt a group was needed to study the basic text of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

Consequently our group studies the Big Book one week and the Twelve by Twelve the next week.

Although the group is a GLBT meeting, it is an open, mixed meeting and all are welcome.

The Dance Committee is being headed by India M. Although a DJ has been found, there are still many other details that have to be worked out.

Although the dance floor is large, IAC expressed concern that it may not be large enough. GLBT in AA has taken it upon itself to furnish an extension of portable dance floor. The 3'x3' sections rent for $8 each. We are asking those interested to sponsor a section - have your own little piece of the dance floor. Also, for decoration, we a making a 30 x 50 foot rainbow flag out of miniature lights. It would help the budget if anyone is interested in purchasing a string or two - the lights would be yours after the convention.

GLBT in AA has had a web site for over a year. In the past few weeks, Tucker B. has been redesigning it and updating it. He has put a lot of thought and work into it and it LOOKS GREAT! If you have any suggestions on anything to add, please send in your suggestions (the e-mail link to us is below the buttons on the left side of the screen). Please check it out, leave a note, or just get information. We hope to keep expanding our service, so your suggestions would be appreciated.

THANKS TUCKER!

Over the past months, Chris D. and Darwin J. have been trying to gather information in our area (North Central) for updating the IAC directory as well as the GLBT in AA meeting list. They have also been trying to gather information for the IAC and local archives - the history of GLBT AA - before the International Convention, so it can be displayed in the hospitality room. They have put in a lot of work to contact groups and make the requests. Thanks for your time and efforts, Chris and Darwin.

GLBT in A.A. and the Hospitality Committee would like to thank all those who have made donations in time and money. Many groups have pledge part of the 7^th tradition to help us carry out our projects. If your group has not sent in your pledge, please do so. The convention is fast approaching and the donations are needed to get plans off the ground.

If you or your group would like to make a donation, please send it to GLBT in A.A., 3036 Dupont Ave. So., Mpls, MN 55408. Articles for the Newsletter or requests for announcements in the Newsletter, Web Site, or updates to the Meeting List can be sent to the same address.

Requests for the IACTIVITY, IAC’s Newsletter can be sent to IAC, P.O. Box 18212, Washington, D.C. 20036-8212. A $5 donation is requested for IACTIVITY.

Donations for the Hospitality Room and Dance at the International Convention can be sent to either GLBT in A.A. or IAC.