[Businessmtg] Disbursement of Funds Over Prudent Reserve

[logmark at comcast.net]

Biz-Pals, 

  

Al-Anon's Service Manual has no direct suggestions 

regarding on-line meeting donations. The general 

principles still hold true: meet the financial needs 

of the group first, then make donations to other Al-Anon 

service arms. Trouble is there is only one service arm 

when it comes to on-line meetings - the WSO. Since 

donations can not be designated for a specific use it is 

my belief that our only choice for disbursing funds in 

excess of our Prudent Reserve is donating to the WSO. 

  

There are some strong opinions against this. Others will 

have to make this claim. As the past Treasurer I can tell 

you that it's darned [!] disheartening to keep asking for Trad. 

7 donations only to see our Prudent Reserve grow and grow. 

Year after year no support sent anywhere. Makes it awfully 

hard to keep asking for member donations. 

  

I say there is no excuse for holding on to many hundreds 

of dollars. None. Whatever the history of On-line Al-Anon 

the fact is that there is now no Al-Anon service arm other 

than WSO to which we can send support money. And, I believe 

that we should begin doing so. In the five years I was Treasurer 

we made one quarterly donation to the WSO and I caught some 

flack for that [though it was my understanding from old business 

meetings that we were going to donate our funds in excess or our 

PR at the end of each quarter (turned out I was wrong - final decision 

had not been made.] That's as far as we've ever gotten. 

  

So, there's my position: All treasury funds in excess of our 

Prudent Reserve - and not required for funding of current or 

planned business needs - are to be disbursed to the WSO 

on a quarterly basis. 

  

If there is another legitimate Al-Anon entity we could consider 

I wouldn't have a problem. Reading the Traditions and the Service 

Manual I arrive at an understanding that other options don't exist 

for us as an Al-Anon group. 

  

Jerry 

-