Fun Traditions exercise

[WakeUp]

Hi everybody. No I didn't fall off the face of the earth, just got back home from surgery.

Ok, got a little exercise in the Traditions for you.

You're the treasurer of your group and it's the end of the meeting, everybody left, the chairs and coffee are being put away ect. You get the 7th Tradition basket and start counting the money.

In an envelope, you find $5,000.

You have no idea who in the meeting put it in the basket, it was completely anonymous.

Now, what do you do with the money?

[CarolD]

Welcome back....
Hope you have a quick and successful recovery from your surgery.

That sure is a very large basket the group uses..

[tomsteve]

welp, cant really say as it hasnt happened. i would hope that, since there are still people there i would bring it up to them and see what they say. then hold onto it until the next business meeting. our group has a prudent reserve that has been maintained for 10 years. not even close to 5k. i am guessing the group conscience would have it sent to new york.

[Boleo]

Is this a trick question? Does it exceed some maximum contribution amount?

I would talk to the group treasurer. Unless it was someone I did not trust. In that case I would keep it somewhere safe till the next Group Conscious meeting and then announce the windfall, hand it to the treasurer in front of everyone present and ask for a GC vote on what to do with it.

[scrambled2012]

Originally Posted by WakeUp

Now, what do you do with the money?

what money?
KIDDING~~~!

[WakeUp]

My District holds a weekly Traditions meeting and this was a hypothetical question thrown out for discussion to see what came out of it. I guess there was some heated and opinionated responses.

Let's toss this around some more...what would you do with an anonymous 7th Tradition contribution of $5000? (Let's say it was a check.)

[laurie6781]

It has been quite a few years since I have been involved in the 'service'
end of AA.

However, as I remember, there is an edict from World Services that no
person or organization or company can contribute more than $500.00 a
year to a group, a Central Office or World Services. I learned this first
hand when as a member of The Pacoima Group and their GSR, we had
an old house that we had 'rented' for years. The house was in an area
where over the years everything around it had been rezoned to
commercial.

Many times the Pacoima Group approached the owner trying to 'buy' the
property. He always refused. When he died in 1984, in his "Last Will and
Testament" he left the whole property to The Pacoima Group. Un-
fortunately, World Services said the Group could not accept it as the
value was way over $500.00. World Services sent that letter to the
Group and to the Executor of the estate.

Now unless that dollar amount has changed, I would suspect the
writer of the 'check' even if it was a 'cashiers check' and the issuer
was 'anonymous' would be tracked down by World Services and the
money returned.

That 'ruling' came about fairly early in AA so that no person or an
organization or a company could have undue influence over a meeting
or a group because of financial donations.

If it were me, I would immediately call a Business Meeting, report the
money, and report that I was forwarding it to World Services. Then it
would be up to a Group Conscience meeting for the "group" to over ride
my decision as Treasurer.

J M H O

Love and hugs,

[keithj]

This is a fun question. It falls under the 7th Tradition obviously, being self-supporting through our own contributions. So, the question is, is it your own contributions? Was this a group member who left it? I would take pains to find out. If it's an outside donation, it clearly must be returned, if possible.

Even if it's a member contribution, it would be difficult to keep in good conscience. Even GSO has set maximum donation limits and lifetime contribution amounts. We assure that no undue influence is granted by refusing even the appearance of favoritism. Some things are more important than money.

[TSDD]

Viva Las Vegas!


Actually I'd be too paranoid that whoever left it would show up at the next business meeting to see if it is mentioned.

Very interesting post above about the 500$ limit for donation!

I belonged to a group many years ago, and when a member died his family was so happy about what AA had done for him they sent us a large check.

There was much heated debate at the business meeting, but at the end we decided that we could not take it and elected a group member to explain the importance of our 7th tradition to them, thank them, but let them know that we could not accept it.

That's the closest I've seen to this scenario. Of course the bright side is if it's a check you can always send it back, or just tear it up.... with cash a week in Vegas is very tempting.

[Db1105]

The current limit for a personal donation to GSO is $3000. I don't think there is a limit for individual groups or Intergroups, etc.. As far as the Exercise goes, it would be up for our group's conscience to decide. I have a better chance of hitting Powerball than to find 5K in my Homegroup's collection basket.

[WakeUp]

Well, here's my take on it.

Obviously, $5000 is way above the group and individual contribution limit.

I was thinking scatter it. We don't know who put it in the basket, so how do we know who to return it to? I would say give x amount to every group in the area, some to the home group's district, some to area, and the rest to GSO.

Someone else said, give it to another charity, like the Salvation Army. That wasn't such a good idea. "Hey, AA is giving away free money!"

Plus, how do we know the contributor is an AA member? Maybe a guest put the money there. That would be an outside contribution.

In the end, you just couldn't accept the money. The GSR and Treasurer should explain that to the group, and just every effort humanely possible would have to be made to return the money to whoever donated it.

[sugarbear1]

I'm not a treasurer....something about 30-60-10 percent...some goes to the local intergroup, some to GSO, I think some goes to a charity.

As for the large check....I dunno, it would be up to a group conscience and not the treasurer..... you can always rip up the check (and if it were a check, wouldn't someone's name be on it?).

[2granddaughters]

When I was treasurer of our group, the relative of a deceased member wanted to donate $5000 to AA through the Funeral Home. GSO said sorry, can't do that.

If your money is truly "anonymous" then you can't return it and you know that it was intended for the AA coffers..... so, if I bow my head and ask my Higher Power what I should do with the funds, I am moved to send it to GSO from our group.
Asking for a group conscience vote at the next business meeting should clear up the dilema.

All the best.

Bob R

[Tommyh]

I would suggest sending 40 % to intergroup,40 % to aaws,10% to the district,10 % to the area

I don`t think I would send it to other groups or keep it for my group,that could possibly hurt a group.Each group should be self supporting
it they got slack in giving,they may remain slack in giving

[omegasupreme]

"Anonymous donation" implies it would be impossible to return the money...that being said, it also seems arrogant of me to do something other than what was intended with someone's money (see current 8th step list for examples).

Every group I have ever attended has had financial "fun" for lack of better words...I know groups with a $0.00 prudent reserve and groups with $11,000.00 prudent reserve....business meetings sound the same at both of those groups.

Is the group's common welfare coming first? I know some hurting groups that are struggling to keep the doors open, maybe it's God's will for those doors to close...or to create some pain to cause growth...either way it is not for me to decide...

...What I can say thus far is that if I Seek through prayer and meditation the Direction will come...and I suspect no blanket answer exists due to circumstances being so vastly different wherever, if ever this has occurred/is occurring.

"What if" exercises are always entertaining to the most delusional group of people on the planet.

[Boleo]

Originally Posted by WakeUp

Let's toss this around some more...what would you do with an anonymous 7th Tradition contribution of $5000? (Let's say it was a check.)

Again - Is this a trick question?

Checks must include a signature and therefore can not be anonymous. OK, lets say it was a money order?

Made out to whom? I doubt it could be made out to the Group unless the Group was a LLC.

[WakeUp]

Not a trick question...more like stretching your Traditions knowledge with some challenging scenarios.
I really wish I was at the meeting where this scenario was discussed.

[NYCDoglvr]

A Rabbi, Priest and Jew were talking about how they divide up the collection plate. The Jew says "I draw a line on the floor, throw the plate in the air. What's on the right is for God, on the left it's for me (the church)". The Priest says "I draw a circle on the floor and throw the money in the air. What's inside the circle goes to God, what's outside goes to me". The Minister says "I throw the money in the air. What God wants God keeps"

Next business meeting ask for a a group conscience.

[sugarbear1]

AA Service Structure--Australia

"The local AA group is connected to AA nationally via its local district and/or area to the AA National Conference, where AA delegates discuss and develop policy to guide AA as matters affect AA as a whole.

The AA World Service Office recommends that groups support these TWO arms of service for AA’s healthy functioning
ONE ARM – Central Service Arm (CSO)

To reach into the local community to do 12th step work

SECOND ARM – National Arm (AA National Office and the District/Area/National Committee Structure)

To organize the printing and distribution of AA books and Literature, and make decisions on behalf of AA nationally

Under the World Service Model it is suggested that after all group expenses are met (rent, refreshments etc) contributions be made on the 60: 30: 10 plan, that is:

60% to the Group's local Central Service Office
30% to AA National Office and
10% to the District (National Committee structure)


Each AA group is autonomous, so is be free to make its contributions to whatever CSO and/or other part of the AA Structure as it sees fit."

From The Triangle Club (Washington, D.C.)

"Each Meeting is Self Supporting

Individual meetings manage their own monies, keep prudent reserves, and may contribute to their respective 12-step organizations according to guidelines set out in AA's Pamphlet: Self-Support. To support AA’s essential services, the General Service Conference recommends that Groups follow the “60/30/10” plan. This downloadable Intergroup contributions form will be useful when making contributions to the Washington Area Intergroup Association, the General Services Office in NY, and the Washington Area General Services Assembly. We recommend 12-step groups become familiar with the following additional materials distributed by Alcoholics Anonymous:

The AA Group Treasurer
AA 12 Traditions - from AA World Services
Traditions Checklist - from the AA Grapevine
Concepts Checklist"

[sugarbear1]

If it were a check, it would need to be returned, gently but firmly.

An anonymous contribution would follow the 60/30/10 Plan.