In 2018 the SA Board of Trustees established the SA Archives and History Committee [A&HC] to collect and catalog records of the origin and development of the SA Fellowship. The A&HC mission is: “to preserve the history of SA, to document the memories of our members and make this information accessible to SA members and other researchers [in order] to provide a context for understanding of SA’s progression, principles and traditions.”
It was a huge success, especially since we organized it in a month’s time frame. We had 133 people registering with around 30 people at each of the meetings. We had people from all over the world attend.
The Irish Fellowship enjoyed numerous meetings and workshops hosted by long term member Dave T. from USA January/February 2019.
I have gratitude for the wonderful SA International Conference just completed in Madrid, Spain and want to share a HP moment. I came home believing I could go most anywhere in the world today and find an understanding SA friend to welcome and listen to me.
I am sitting here on a Madrid to Edinburgh flight waiting to take off. Last Friday I walked to the convention center. I knew I had not registered. Having emailed two of the core committee I knew the important thing was that I got to the center. Soon after entering I offered to help the registration team with the influx of 300+ members wanting to register.
After the Madrid Convention some remaining members gathered at the Prado Museum. The Prado is such an amazing museum, so much fantastic art that it can be overwhelming.
A fellow Spanish speaker asked, “Will you come to the International Convention?” With sadness I answered, “I can’t go, I don’t have enough money to travel from Colombia, South America to Spain.” He told me, “but it is the first Convention that will be translated into Spanish and English and you are the delegate of the Latin American Region ...” I prayed to my Higher Power to put myself in Its hands. My friend told me to ask for help. To my surprise the help arrived!
The excellent SA International Convention in El Escorial outside Madrid was a great success with over 300 SAs and regional S-Anons in attendance. The facility and the global audio streaming (with up to 50 SA listeners for each session) and the major talks were inspiring. Translations were provided by hard-working volunteers.
Dave T. (the Stringman) recently visited Australia with the support of various International SA committees, for which the Australian SA fellowship is extremely grateful. Dave came to Australia because we want and need to hear from the sober old-timers while they still can make the trip to the other side of the world!
My sincere and heartfelt thanks to all who helped make the SIM event a reality this year. I want to especially thank all the committee members who were a joy to work with. To all the speakers that shared their ESH. To the MC fellows who kept a close eye on SIM for 24 hours especially Daniel, Tzvi, and Brendan. I hope you get a good night’s sleep!
