[Businessmtg] Dispersing of our funds1

[Emee Arthur]

I can't believe I sent this one to the reg meeting too.  I do apologist.  I think I will just piggyback my shares from now on so I don't make this mistake again.

From: emee3x12 at hotmail.com
To: asp at asp-afg.org
Subject: Dispersing of our funds1
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:24:51 +0000



















Hi All,

Thank you Laura for your thoughts...I tend to agree with you on all points including the fireproof cape & ducking. Lol

I have always tried to make my decisions based on the Guidelines and the Traditions of our program, without putting my own self-will or personalities into the mix.  There is a good reason for our Guidelines & Traditions.  I have faith that these things have been completely thought through and that they were the best decisions for Al-Anon at the time they were written. These things were written before on-line meetings existed so it makes sense to me that there will be complications.  I am just grateful to have an on-line format to use...really, how important is it that we have a voice and voting privalages (at a higher level) in our ASP group? We can barely vote on our own group matters. Granted, not all of our members have an opportunity to do so, but most of us can attend a f2f group and do our voicing and voting from there.   If I need to express my voice to the Area or World service I can certainly attend those meetings and do so...all A-Anon members are welcome at these service meetings. As I understand, on-line meetings were only meant to be a supplement to f2f meetings. I am gratedful for this extra format.  There is a process for making changes and though on-line groups do not have a collective voice or a vote in issues above the group level,  we still have an individual voice as Al-Anon members. We can attend our local Area Assemblies and share our personal thoughts and concerns there.


The point I am trying to make is this: Changes at the group level are settled within the group (Tradition 4) but changes that would affect Al-Anon as a whole (such as with the Traditions)  have to go through the Links of Service.  For example,  it would be against the Traditions for any group or ASP to send funds to an outside entity.  So, if ASP wants to send funds to an entity I know little about, I want to know more about that entity before I make my decision.  Like: Whether it is an actual Al-Anon entity; whether it really needs our support; where it's other funding comes from; and I would also want an account of where these funds are being used.  I would like to know more about OLAOC before I agree to support it.  Also, I would like to know more about the GSOs and where their present support is coming from?  I would probably be willing to support these Al-Anon entities if I understood more about them.

Speaking for myself, I need more information, and a little discussion, before I make my decision on these other services.  Since we have already held our excess funds now for more than half a decade why not distribute them now to the one entity that we know can use our contribution,...our WSO.   ***Also, I would like to know if this issue comes to a vote, is this going to be a 
'majority wins' type of vote or will this be a 2/3 majority vote where 
abstentions are figured into the final count?

Here are my thoughts:

1.)  I would like to fill our moral obligation by sending all our excess funds to WSO at this time.

2.)  Then....began a new discussion at the next business meeting, defining who our Al-Anon Service Entities are,  and whether or not OLAOC is an actual Al-Anon service entity.  Are we in keeping with Al-Anon Traditions if we contribute to OLAOC privately?  Are we as an on-line meeting, amune to parts of the 12 Traditions because we are not a real 'group'?  Is OLAOC a service entity that f2f Al-Anon groups would see as part of an Al-Anon service entity that they could support as well, without breaking Traditions? Why or why not?  Can we form an OLAOC position in our meeting (is this an Al-Anon service position or an unofficial on-line position)? How much support does OLAOC really nead...the GSO's.  I have a few questions that I need answered before making a n informed decision.  

3.)  I'd like  us to Include an open discussion of the Traditions and how they apply to these matters at hand. 

4.) Then, with our more informed group conscience, make a motion & vote on our findings .  Then make an adjustment for our meeting's future contributions, at that time.

Thanks,
Emee