Highlights from SA Today Meeting, Regina, Canada, July 1997

SA to Increase Dialogue with Other “S”-Fellowships

The new Interfellowship Committee will communicate with other “S”-fellowships. A member of each of the other “S”-fellowships will be invited to attend the SA Today meeting at the next International Conference.

Special Needs Addressed

I am the chair of the ad hoc, or temporary, Special Needs Committee of the SA Board of Trustees. We are interested in encouraging members to get involved with our committee. Issues that we are addressing include the following: how to deal with minors in an SA meeting; meeting the needs of visually- or hearing-impaired persons; how to support the physically challenged, and especially to provide access to meeting places; meetings supporting parents (child care); and the needs of gays and lesbians. There may be other individuals or groups with special needs about which we are unaware; if so, please contact either myself or Michael Alvarez, one of the non-sexaholic trustees.

The minors in meetings issue is our committee’s “top plate.” We are interested in hearing about how meetings are handling this potentially difficult issue. We have noticed that each state’s laws may approach this differently. For instance, the Pacific Northwest tends to have strict court-ordered monitoring of sex offenders that could prohibit minors attending SA meetings (in some situations). We need to hear the groups’ experience, strength and hope. Thank you so much.

Please respond to Special Needs Committee, c/o Central Office.

The Special Needs Committee will study the needs of those having difficulty in attending SA meetings. It will then make recommendations to the fellowship.

SA members interested in serving on these new committees or any committee should contact Central Office. Your service is welcome.

Conferences are Autonomous

In response to recently raised issues, the Board reaffirmed that each SA International Conference is autonomous. Policy issues should be referred to the General Delegate Assembly through your region’s delegate.

Central Office Management Committee (COMC)

In order to cover the increased cost of publishing El Libro Blanco, in Spanish, the funds currently allocated for the Spanish version of Recovery Continues will be reallocated.

Essay will not separate business news from the rest of the newsletter.

Negotiate a new rental contract for office space for Central Office.

Finance Committee

The current fiscal status of SA is assessed as excellent! (Thank you for the good Seventh Tradition work!)

Kay, our hardworking SAICO office manager, will receive a modest salary increase.

Internet Developments

The Internet Committee has these projects under development:

• Spanish web site
• Online order entry
• SA Net Group. The Enet group has about 100 members, and growing. It is open to all SA members. Just send Email to saico@sa.org. This is a great tool for loners who have Email access.

New projects for the Internet Committee include:

• Add SAICO phone and fax numbers to the web site.
• Study other “S”-fellowship web sites to gather ideas for improvements.
• Add the Calendar of Events to the web site (without names and phone numbers).
• Add an advertisement for Essay.

Intergroup Committee Looks for Local SA Groups

Your intergroup is your source of information about the rest of the fellowship. It is your connection to SA as a whole. The intergroup is your pipeline to the Regional Assembly. Intergroups were formed in order to facilitate two-way communication between local groups and the Regional Assembly.

If you would like to be a part of this service structure, please consider joining or forming an intergroup. The Intergroup Committee will be glad to help in this process. Please direct your inquiries to the committee through Central Office.

Essay

In 1998, the format of Essay will change to a magazine format. Comments on, or suggestions for, the new format should be sent to the Editor, c/o Central Office.

If you are reading this, please remember to foster awareness with your group of Essay as a communication tool for the fellowship.

As always, Essay needs for you to submit your group news and thoughtful articles about your experience, strength, and hope in SA.

Literature Committee

The Literature Committee is working on many exciting projects, brochures for the professional community, newcomers, and for SA phone service.

Any SA member with an interest in helping with this vital committee—as writers, readers, editors, or any other capacity, should contact Central Office.

Legal Committee

The Legal Committee has been working of ways to track and safeguard our valuable copyrights. International copyrights are difficult to enforce; however, there are definite steps that can be taken to protect USA copyrights.

Nominations Committee

The next sexaholic Trustee election will be in January 1998. The Nominations Committee is seeking candidates for the position of Trustee. Candidates should be recommended by their intergroup, group, or region and should submit a service resume to Central Office.

Nominations will be open until the election. Candidates should be available to be interviewed in Daytona. The term of office begins at the end of the July 1998 Conference in Newark, NJ for a period of four years.

Regional Re-alignment

The Regional Re-alignment Committee is studying the current perimeters of SA Regions. We are asking for your input.

Are these boundaries meeting your needs for communication, distance and intergroup involvement? There have been suggestions that some boundaries present obstacles.

If you prefer being involved in a different region, please send your thoughts, experience, and ideas to the Regional Re-alignment Committee, c/o Central Office.

Role of the Non-sexaholic Trustee Clarified

The non-sexaholic trustees serve on committees and at the national level.

As non-sexaholics, they can do service work, but not Twelve Step work.

If invited to meetings by the members, they may attend, but they are also free to decline these invitations.

The non-sexaholic Trustees are free to leave SA Conferences after the Board and Assembly meetings, if they choose.

Non-sexaholic trustees can speak on behalf of SA, but not for SA.

The fellowship will continue to look for other, creative roles for our non-sexaholic trustees.

SA Corrections Committee Chair is Open — Ideas Sought

The position of the Chair is open; a new Chair is being sought among the fellowship. The Board is working up a job description for this position.

The Board is asking members, local groups and intergroups that do prison service to share their experience, strength and hope with others who want to start some sort of prison service. Correspondents are always needed. The variety of experience can vary so widely from state to state and region to region that it could render national guidelines unworkable. Still, this service is valuable and necessary. Our SA members in prison thank you for caring and remembering.

Please send your thoughts and ideas to SACC c/o Central Office.

Fellowship Issues

During a wide-ranging discussion, several issues were brought forward. The Delegates shared their experience and were charged to return to their regions looking for solutions that can be shared and that can lead to recovery.

One of the most immediate critical needs is for sponsors for women, especially in groups where women members are few.

Relationship of SA to the Rest of the World

Now, more than ever, there is a need for each member to carry the message person to person around the world.

International Committee

The Board expressed the gratitude of SA for the work done by Indrei and Jose Maria on the International Committee. Any International members wishing to help out on the International Committee should contact Central Office.

Loners Committee

There is a continuing need for SA members to write or call other SA members who are in isolated areas, areas where there isn’t a meeting, or where they cannot get to a meeting as often as they would like. SA members interested in this area of service should contact Central Office.