I love SA. I am really committed to my SA program and this fellowship. I have peace and serenity in my life because through SA I have found a way to live a sober life. I am grateful to my Higher Power, my sponsor, and our 12-Step program for this great gift. Upon receiving a great gift, it is very natural to want to give back. When I was asked if I would consider being nominated to serve as a Trustee, I said, “Yes.”
“What can we do so that more women attend our meetings? What can we do to support women in SA? What can we give women when they come into our meetings? What are we doing wrong that women leave our meetings? How can we encourage more women in service?”
Have you heard of the SA Board of Trustees? Do you have any idea what service the Trustees provide our fellowship? Have you ever thought that you might be a candidate to serve as a Trustee? Whatever your answers to these questions, we invite you to read on and learn more about this particular service opportunity.
The program teaches us that we cannot keep what we do not give away. Step Twelve tells us that service is an integral part of recovery. There are many opportunities for service within the SA Service Structure. These opportunities are all described in the SA Service Manual, available for free download off our website sa.org. There are opportunities within your local home group, the intergroup that services your home group, the regional assembly that serves your intergroup. Lastly, at the international fellowship-wide level, there are opportunities at the General Delegate Assembly, the Board of Trustees, and their committees. As current chair of the Board of Trustees, I’d like to focus on the Board of Trustees and our Committees and the opportunities for you, the SA Member, to serve.
Who are we? We are the Public Information Committee who serve under the Board of Trustees. I call us the band of creatives. We reach out to the general public, telling the world SA is here to help those who identify with us. Today, addicts are immersed in the digital world. Many of them will never stumble upon vital information about sexaholism and SA. That is where we come in and why we need your help.
I write with gratitude for SA, the guidance of our Higher Power, and the excellent and dedicated work of the Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee worked diligently throughout 2022-23 knowing there would be a high number of Trustees rotating off the Board this past July. Needless to say, replacing needed vacancies was a critical challenge. Since April, five Trustee candidates were approved by the Nominations Committee and passed on to the BOT for consideration. All five candidacies were subsequently approved by the Trustees and forwarded to the GDA. Three candidates Gary P., Jack H., and Mathew M. have been GDA approved. Currently, two potential Trustee candidates await GDA interviews. The Nominations Committee continues to actively seek and invite applications for Trustee candidates.
Board of Trustees: July has been an eventful month for our Trustees. Three Trustees rotated off the Board after having served the fellowship for their full four-year terms; one other was not reaffirmed by the GDA. In the meantime, our Nominations Committee has been busy recruiting and interviewing new Trustee candidates. One new Trustee was approved by the GDA at the Polish Convention in July.
It fills me with awe to write this ESSAY column each issue. Who would have thought, when this sexaholic entered a meeting many years ago, that my experience and recovery could help so many? I get to share with you all the marvelous things that contribute to international recovery all over the world.
What a wonderful fellowship we have! Whenever someone reaches out, SA is there. Through a dedication to service by members like you, we have an effective international organization to keep us available to the next newcomer—and to all of you.
SA continues to fulfill its purpose to be available to the sexaholic who needs it. We have meetings in over 70 countries, as well as lots of online meetings. Any newcomer who needs SA can find a meeting!
