[Businessmtg] Mailing NC Packets

[Steve Rankin]

Thank you Emee for explaining why an Al-Anon group needs to pay its own way
fully, and not accept in-kind donations from trusted servants or members.  

On the surface, it sounds like a great idea.  This is one of those things
that we have an opportunity to learn through service in Al-Anon.  Like Emee,
I've had lots of opportunity in f2f Al-Anon to learn about this.  

It is important for a group to understand the true cost of its decisions and
to make unbiased decisions on what services it can provide or how to spend
its money.  When a member personally funds a particular facet of the group's
activity, the group loses track of that expense.  Eventually, the group
comes to take it for granted as a part of the group dynamic, which can lead
to a number of difficulties.  And since the group is decision to participate
in the activity is dependent on the financial support of one member, the
group's decision is skewed by one member.  

As an Area Treasurer in California in the late '90's I welcomed donations
from individual members of Al-Anon as well as groups and district.  However,
I would not accept donations that came with stipulations or restrictions on
how the Area could spend it.  Such stipulations and restrictions may be
appropriate in other settings, but not in Al-Anon.  

Finally, in all fairness I think I should note that I didn't exactly follow
this for the first 10 years of ASP.  We made a few attempts to put ASP on a
truly self-supporting footing during those 10 years, but they didn't work
for various reasons.  I should also mention that Emee was a part of one of
those attempts, but that one failed because I dropped the ball in doing my
part to set it up.  

That's my ES&H.

Hugs,
Steve