[Businessmtg] Business Meeting Agenda Item #2

[Dawn Werezak]

Hello Everyone,

In response to Jerry's comments about OLA-OC, they are a recognized service arm of Al-Anon because WSO accepts monies that they donate.  If they were truly an outside entity then WSO would be violating our Traditions by accepting monies from them.  Other Al-Anon meetings that are registered with WSO do indeed send monies to OLA-IS and support them....so in theory, if even a portion of WSO registered meetings are sending financial support to OLA-IS and in turn OLA-IS donates monies to WSO (which is accepted without question) then they are a service arm, even if it is unrecognized officially by WSO.  

Secondly, WSO does little to support ASP in terms of representation.  Yes, our meeting is listed on their Electronic Meeting list....we have been since ASP's early days.  Yes we get new member inquiries, and I imagine that some of them find them by either getting them directly from WSO's electronic meeting list that they request, by word/email mouth from present or past members, or by simply stumbling across us on the internet via different programs.  My son has stumbled across us in his activities on line several times by accident.  Is our survival for membership solely reliant on being listed on WSO's Electronic meeting list, perhaps not.  

Yes, Electronic meetings are a relatively new entity in the world of Al-Anon, but we are no longer the "trial" that electronic meetings were initially slated into.  In 1996 to 1998 online meetings were listed with WSO group records to that members or potential newcomers interested in attending electronic meetings would know how to access them.  In January of 1998 the trial period was extended for an additional three years.  

Here we are going into the 12th year of electronic meetings being an entity in Al-Anon and it is only in the new Service Manual that we are finally mentioned, albeit fleetingly.  In the years that I have been of service on line I have not seen any mention from WSO that they are willing to move forward with on line meetings beyond doing us the service of providing a common listing place for us to make us available to members or potential members.  

One thing I have learned in my own recovery and from talking to my sponsor and sponsoring others is that Al-Anons are resistant to change mostly because change involves doing something differently.  On line meetings are asking WSO to do things differently...that request has not been answered.  Keeping in mind that while we do have paid trusted servants at WSO who are not Al-Anon members, many of them are members of this program.  Understanding that in general Al-Anon members fight any kind of change I can appreciate this.  What I also know from my own personal journey is that there comes a time when we all have to walk through the fear, ego, pride, stubbornness, and so on and go to the other side and do things differently.  That is what I believe that online meetings are asking WSO to do...and there is a very slow response to this request.

So what can we do to help it along.  First I think we need to continue to demand, yes I said demand, better service from WSO as a whole.  Second I think we need to change what we do and not be sheep.  Just because things have always been done one way, it does not mean that we can not be pioneers and find a different way of doing things.  

At no time have I ever suggested that ASP break the Traditions of Al-Anon.  I take them very personally in my home life and in my group and I have learned to incorporate them into my life in as many areas as I can.  Over the course of my time in service to ASP, which has been about 7 of the eight years that I have been a member here, I have learned to see more than I did previously when it comes to service.  

Fact is on line meetings are very different than face to face meetings and I have absolutely no issues regarding how WSO serves face to face meetings.  I do have an issue with the lack of service that many on line meetings receive from WSO.  I would truly like to see ASP become a leader in creating a positive change for all on line meetings with WSO and I think that we can do that.  It never hurt me to have my boat rocked...in fact I grew from those experiences in ways I could never have imagined.  So I am rocking your boats and asking to you look forward into growth and not cling to the boat out of fear of rocking it further!

If there were not pioneers among the members of Al-Anon we would not be here.  Al-Anon's original pioneers were Lois W. and Anne B.  Those two women saw a need and worked to fill it.  All along Al-Anon has been moved forward by the pioneers, some of whom I am pretty positive rattled cages and thoughts and were poo-pooed along the way.  Still they persevered and look where we are now with the Al-Anon movement.  We have grown from few and scattered groups to a global fellowship and it includes on line meetings.  Now, how can we help it continue to move forward and embrace all of its members.

The question being discussed as Item #2 of our agenda is:  "What do we do with the monies over and above our prudent reserve?"  So think about it.  What would you like to see an online meeting offer to its members and how can we go about providing that service?  How can we have a voice and face in the fellowship?  What can we do to see that happen?  Part of what I have learned in Al-Anon is that we take care of our group first and then we start branching out and helping the next level up.  

I am positive that together we can come up with a positive and innovative path for ASP and that it will have a rippling effect like a pebble in a pond, if you truly let your imaginations soar and open your minds and hearts to what you would like to see happen.

I look forward to hearing from the rest of the group on this topic.

Love and Serenity,
Dawn