ACA members accepting the call of service work provide the energy we need to do the good work of ACA around the globe. There could easily be 300 million adult children in the world, so the work ahead remains steady. But we make progress each day. p.536
In the month of December, we received 314 requests. I emailed 491 answers. There was a big decline mid-month. As for telephone calls, we got 123 that I returned using Skype for anonymity. I realize that since my first report in April, I lumped Vonage voicemails into the "received emailed requests" category in error since they are received in my inbox. I went back and corrected all previous reports. It sure comes in handy knowing that it's okay to make mistakes.
International connections made this month:
Sweden New Zealand India Brazil Hungary Ireland Germany Canada China Japan France Dominican Republic Netherlands Greenland Israel Australia Italy
!!THE VERY FIRST ACA LIGHT WAS TURNED ON IN THE COUNTRY OF HONDURAS!!
Remarkable events:
-----------AROUND THE WORLD:
1) I sent to Majbrit a request from a French member asking for less expensive shipping options.
2) I helped a French member who requested shipping her literature to a hotel in NY where her French friend would be staying while visiting NY and bring literature home on the plane.
3) A Swedish meeting forwarded an attachment of what they posted in their newspaper to announce their meeting
4) A Hungarian member emailed asking about the correct interpretation of "love" in the 2nd Tradition, because their word conveys the meaning for lover. Using Google Translate we worked it through. I realized a week later Hungary is a part of the EU so I forwarded it to Majbrit to see if there was any other help needed.
5) A Brazilian member emailed me for meeting information; I sent to Ines who helped me immensely, she's so much better at translating than Google.
6) This month I sent 7 EU requests to Majbrit and some of my outreach templates for her use, I enjoy her teamwork.
7) I helped a member from the Dominican Republic, her country only has 1 meeting, I encouraged her to start one.
8) A Greenland & Netherlands member could not purchase literature using our shopping cart as those countries are not included, guidance was received from outgoing webmaster, and the office followed up on the webmaster's suggestions.
-----------ACA Teen: Las Vegas NV and Golden CO are linked together and supported by Majbrit and Joan in their ACA Teen interests. On December 19th Las Vegas ordered their meeting starter kit for their ACA Teen meeting!
-----------Outreach Teamwork:
Joan and I met again for our Member and Public Services division of service and website input. I finished my templates for the website and forwarded the 21 page document for Joan to add her magic. We will most likely finally become "Member and Public Services" in the January TC; combining H&I, outreach and public information under the same roof.
I sent the following H&I and Public Information requests to Joan: 1) To support parolees at CA State College who are starting meetings, asking for 15 BRB's. 2) A rescue mission in NJ requesting support. 3) A request to provide a key note speaker for an alternative health webinair.
-----------Intergroup: I responded to N. Central PA that currently Intergroup bylaws and guidance is being worked on because they'd like help forming their new IG.
-----------San Marcos event-related:
1) Members informed us that they received non WSO convention information due to inappropriate use of points of contacts mined off the meeting list.
2) A member asked for details about a non WSO convention and I explained we are not affiliated and referred them to our events page for further event questions.
3) The Events page got updated by board concurrence to show the difference between WSO sponsored events and non WSO sponsored events, a special worker who handles many functions agreed to upload new events as she's able. Links to other sites were removed from our website per Tradition 6.
4) A member emailed saying she was told she could find the convention website on our site but she couldn't now and I explained our non-affiliation and we had provided the link previously in error and it was now removed.
5) The Events page was edited from: announcing the planning committee, to announcing the convention. The registration flyer was included.
-----------Telephone meetings related:
1) By board concurrence, 3 telephone meeting contacts were emailed to find the activity level of 26 meetings to keep the meeeting listing accurate. Two contacts responded verifying their meetings were no longer active, resulting in cancellation of 8 meetings. 18 meetings remain in question with one group contact representing all 18.
2) By board concurrence the telephone website page will be changed to inform callers about conference lines, etc.
3) I responded to 3 Phonebridge complaints (10 in total now)
4) This month I experimented with following up all emailed requests with a telephone meeting list.
-----------Literature related:
1) In researching the activity of Internet meetings, I noticed a Russian & Italian meeting that is 1) posting large quantities of ACA copywritten material & 2) appears to be selling word document downloads to members and groups. Larry was notified. He emailed the meetings to cease and desist further infringement. Italy's Response: Italy IG has a translations service position who's role it is to do this. She didn't realze it was wrong, and I know this can happen because in my early recovery I ignorantly emailed ACA literature to "help" others who didn't have their literature yet. I contacted Majbrit since Italy is part of the EU and I contacted Joan as she gathers IG information.
2) A couple of members received ID Papers Booklet with upside down pages, they were shipped new ones.
3) An ACA member volunteered/provided digital downloads of speakers for WSO to use-I sent the links to Larry & Scott.
4) As a response to my "signature" at the end of my email that lists different services ACA WSO needs, a member asked me if she could help WSO because she is an editor, I happily sent her offer to Larry
5) A member emailed a poem and I gave him ComLine link to submit it to for when it gets up and running again.
-----------Professionals related:
I supplied a resource coordinator from Southlight Health Care South Carolina with links for pamphlets and meeting lists to share with clients.
I gave Harrison Medical Center in WA an ACA contact catalog update for their Community Resource Guide
-----------Fellowship requests:
I responded to a member of a registered meeting who wanted to limit the amount of members who can attend their workbook meeting.
I helped an ACA member who was searching for a gay designated meeting
A member asked if her group allows non ACA speakers to speak; is that in violation of traditions?
A member asked me to help him retrieve his poem off of the forum, and I was able to!
A member asked if she can get tax deductions for her donations, I informed her the ACA WSO is recognized by the US IRS as a 501(C)(3) charity organization.
A member asked if they can have a meeting in her home using ACA literature, but not register it.
A member asked if the office needs a new manager and or a new volunteer and I forwarded the request to Larry and MaryJo.
3 members commented around the 21st that there were mixups in their orders when they received them, I forwarded to the office and Larry and MaryJo when I saw the pattern. This is highly unusual that I hear from members that mistakes are made in orders.
-----Common comments:
More than twice a month every month I hear the following: ---I went to the meeting and it wasn't there! ---Is there a sponsor list or contact list? ---Where's the ComLine? ---Can other literature be formatted electronically? ---I can't find meetings using your website! ---I need to change a detail on my order.
Once or twice, every month we get: ----professionals seeking support for clients ----Requests for info on getting insurance for meetings in churches.
And 2 of my favorites:
"I recently received the ACA Fellowship Text from you and I just wanted to compliment you on your fast service and to say how absolutely wonderful the book is. I don't have an ACA meeting nearby so the text is what I'm using to help me in my recovery. THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
"This is the most beautiful affirmation book I have seen. I can feel a lot of creativity and love."
