Special Forum In Rimouski, Quebec

On saturday, august 11, 323 members of AA, AA's General Service Board, and General Service Office (GSO) and Grapevine staff came together for a special forum in the village of Rimouski, located on the shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the upper reaches of Quebec. Tom K., acting Eastern Canada regional trustee, welcomed the largely French-speaking participants in their home language. Leonard Blumenthal, class A trustee and chairman of the General Service Board, explained the purpose of special forums in his opening remarks: Established in 1979, these forums were designed to foster communication between the General Service Board and AA members living in remote or isolated parts of North America. Next year, special forums will be replaced by local forums, which will be organized by local groups rather than the General Service Board, and will focus on the specific needs of their AA community.