[Businessmtg] RE: [ASP] Int'l Conv. topic

Wed Mar 19 14:51:17 PDT 2008

In Miami , no group (that I know of) has ever sent anyone to any Convention. I personlly paid a lady's way to a local Convention one time and several others that couldn't go at the last minute gave their registration & dinner tickets to another member so they could go. This happens around here a lot. This type of funding for the Convention is a personal one and not out of the group's funds. 

*   [Page 88 in the Service Manual, says that GROUP FUNDS 
are NOT used for gifts to their members, that funds are used for Al-Anon purposes only.]

I can see great wisdom is this statement and could write out why, in detail if I had more time.

*   Tradition 4 Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting another group or Al-Anon or AA as a whole. 

Since group gift funding is something that is very clearly stated  NO  in our Service manual, I would say it is a mistake to ignor this suggestion and use "group autonomy" for this decision.  We need to consider the second part of Tradition 4 and also, the experience of those who came before us (which IS the Manual).

I guess we could ask be our membership if they would like to send a personal donation on a strictly personal basis  to fund someone to the Convention? I would NOT participate in this but I guess it could be done.

IMHO we have members who are already going to be there who can speak up at workshops or wherever they can for on-line groups.  I speak up at all our Assemblies and mention how great this on-line meeting is for me. It was not on our Assembly agenda but we were discussing, over the microphone in the middle of the Assembly, "Reaching out around the World."  That was my perfect chance to speak up.  We each get three minutes so it was like a 3 min commercial for the importance of on-line meetings to reach out around the world(smile). I also spoke about how great it is for people who can't easily get to meetings, and for physically impaired members and our hearing impaired members. When I mentioned how sometimes on-line meetings are the only meeting that deaf member can attend, I heard a lot of "hums?" and saw a light bulb turn on in the whole Assembly. I also said that on-line meetings do not have a voice or a vote and that I hope that would change.  At dinner I had a couple of members asked me go into detail how on-line meetings worked. Soon the whole table was asking questions. I am not a representative of ASP and I am not being paid to pass this information.  I do it because I love this on-line meeting and I believe in on-line meetings and their potential for reaching so many people around the world. No group representitive is needed for a Convention, we have on-line members already going to be there and anyone who is passionate about Al-Anon on-line will speak up anywhere. Those that are fortunate enough to make it there are the ones our HP will have speak, or not speak for us at this time. Maybe we are trying too hard to force issues. Why not Let it go of ... "We have to have a representative be there."

This Convention is a fun-pleasure-fellowship event not a working event where it is the group's responsibility to support a representative. When the time comes that we have On-Line Assemblies or Ola business meetings, then we would financially support our representative.  I am FIRM about NOT FUNDING ANY PART of an ASP member's expenses to attend the Pittsburg Convention from our group funds. 

Emee

> From: logmark at comcast.net> Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:36:39 +0000> Subject: [ASP] Int'l Conv. topic> CC: asp at asp-afg.org> To: emee3x12 at hotmail.com> > Biz-Pals,> > Since we're in a short lull, I had a thought that may help guide us.> My firm position against funding someone's attendance at the International> Convention is rooted in the policies I know best: those of my Area. Here in> Michigan we've applied the Traditions as we read them which has precluded> funding individual's room, meals, ttransportation, and fees for the State/Area> Convention. If someone is required to be there they are funded out of the> Convention Budget. Individuals may give as much as they choose; groups, no.> > Then I'm thinking - we (groups, areas, etc.) are all autonomous and may have> different policies in this regard. ASP's membership is not geographically> bound, so what is the spectrum of our individual Areas' policies? Could it be> that other Areas do have groups paying for members to attend their Area> Conventions? How are the Traditions applied in this regard in your neck> of the woods?> > I'd like to hear what other States' and countries' policies are regarding groups> providing money to individuals to attend Area Conventions. Input anyone?> > Thanks,> Jerry> _______________________________________________> > To put your ASP mail on Vacation Hold or unsubscribe visit the ASP member instruction page at~> http://www.asp-afg.org/ASP/Business/Member_Instructions.htm> > The ASP web site for ASP members is http://www.asp-afg.org/ASP/MembersOnly/index.htm> > For assistance with other ASP issues, contact Dawn, the List Administrator, at princessdawn at asp-afg.org> > _______________________________________________> ASP mailing list> ASP at asp-afg.org> http://www.asp-afg.org/mailman/listinfo/asp
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