Yukon, OK

Howdy from Oklahoma City, OK.

We are growing and getting stronger down here. Groups seem to regularly exceed ten people in a meeting. We have also started an intergroup for our three groups. There is also talk of a fourth group being started. We have groups in all parts of the city except the south, and the people from the south are kicking around ideas for various meeting times. They are getting active, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it start soon.

Enclosed with our order is a check for donations from the individual members and additional donations from the groups. Two of our groups have decided to donate ALL funds above current expenses and prudent reserve (two or if necessary three times regular monthly expenses) to the intergroup. This money will be sent to Central Service Office (CSO) from intergroup (pending our next intergroup group conscience)—following the same procedure as the groups. Thus, when intergroup’s prudent reserve is reached, ALL money not going into current expenses will go to CSO. This follows our understanding of the money flow in larger fellowships such as AA, NA, and Al-Anon. This allows CSO to direct its money to further 12-Step work for new locations at the international and national level and provide funding for those in need of such as in hospital and institution meetings. (Meetings where SA as such cannot have a regular meeting because group conscience is not followed because the prison or other organization imposes regulations such as who can attend, etc.) CSO is already providing important contributions to this effort by providing free literature to inmates. I know some of the inmates (the ones that come out of their own desire) in the meeting I bring in the prison are interested in this offer.

Because of the importance of CSO’s work, I would like to ask other groups to consider this form of donation also. This form of donation benefits both the group and SA as a whole. This protects the group from collecting a large treasury in which pride can enter the group and divert us from our source of protection in the form of our Higher Powers. (It may also tempt an individual, this has happened.) This plan, besides protecting the group, also allows it to have its funds to use for any 12-Step work that the group may deem appropriate since these can be set aside out of current expenses. (This can include parties, get-togethers, etc.—recovery is fun, healthy fun, and I as a newcomer appreciated seeing that there is hope for more than just stopping, when one is in recovery.) The second benefit is to our 12-Step efforts that go on through our CSO as described in the previous paragraph.

Finally, I believe that this form of giving is a better way of following Tradition Five—“Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the sexaholic who still suffers.” Money in a treasury to my understanding does not further our 12-Step work to which Tradition Five speaks. I hope others will consider this in their group conscience meetings.