Constitutional Congress Set for Jan. 26-28 2001

The LifeRing Inc. Board of Directors at its June 25 meeting set the Constitutional Convention of LifeRing Secular Recovery for the weekend of January 26-28, 2001, at the U.U. in the Pines retreat center near St. Petersburg, Florida.

The primary business of the congress will be for the convenors of LifeRing meetings to endow the organization with an autonomous, democratic structure, and to share experiences and give each other support for our meeting-building work.  This will be mainly a working session for convenors, not mainly a recreational event. 

The Board appointed Tom Shelley to chair the Program Committee, Marjorie Jones to chair the Finance Committee, and Marty Nicolaus to chair the Bylaws Committee for the congress.  

The U.U. in the Pines retreat center is a historic spot for the organization.  It was here in 1997 that SOS members called for a national organizing convention, founded LifeRing Press, and elected a provisional national steering committee, among other efforts.  See 1997 story.  The center has motel-style lodging and family-style dining.  The price of approximately $110 for the weekend -- the exact amount will be announced shortly -- will include two nights' lodging and all meals, as well as transport to and from the Tampa airport.  

In other action, the Board amended its Bylaws to expand its Board of Directors from five to seven members, and elected Tom Shelley and Marjorie Jones to the Board.  Tom was one of the original members of the LifeRing Inc. Board and was its first President.  Marjorie is also Chief Financial Officer (Treasurer) of LifeRing Inc.  The Board also elected Tom to fill the post of corporate Secretary vacated by Ron Crane.

The LifeRing Inc. Board of Directors now consists of Robert Bradley (Morgantown WV), Diane Jeanette (New Haven CT), Marjorie Jones (Oakland CA), Scott Newsom (Houston TX), Marty Nicolaus (Berkeley CA), Bill Somers (Oakland CA) and Tom Shelley (St. Petersburg FL).  

Members of the LifeRing Inc. Board must be persons in recovery from substance addiction and must have a minimum of two years clean and sober.  LifeRing Inc. is a nonprofit corporation chartered in California and has tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  LifeRing Inc. also operates LifeRing Press and the LSR Service Center.  The principal business office is in Oakland, CA.  

-- MN 7/2/00

Links:  LifeRing Corporate Charter -- LifeRing Bylaws -- 501(c)(3) Letter -- Proposed Structure for LSR