From the Treasurer:
Book Review
Keeping Records and Making Reports
“In Our Own Words”
An important part of a group treasurer’s responsibility is
In Our Own Words is a collection of recovery stories by
to keep records of group income and expenses, and to make
alcoholics who came to AA early in their lives, some as
regular reports to the group about that activity. Why?
young as thirteen. Some of the writers, now in their thirties,
Because a responsible group needs to know about its
have spent over half their lives in sobriety. How they worked
finances, so that it can make informed decisions about future
the AA program, and their perspectives on AA, is a good
expenditures.
read for anyone, young or old. This book, from The
Questions like Do we have enough to make the rent this
Grapevine, is for sale at Nassau Intergroup.
month? or Can we afford to give “Big Books” to newcomers?
Sharing the Message:
can only be answered in light of good information.
For most purposes, we can keep records and reports
The Good Name of AA
simple. Make a note at each meeting of the basket
Two thoughts: First, Step Twelve suggests we go
collection. Keep receipts where available and a list of
forward in recovery to “practice these principles in all
expenses paid out. Sort this information into broad and
our affairs.” To me, this means the true measure of my
logical categories (on the income side, basket collections; on
recovery is taken, not in just by how I conduct myself in
the expense side, things like rent, literature, refreshments,
and approved trusted servant expenses). Make a monthly
AA meetings, but in how I behave day to day in my
summary, income on one side and expenses beside it. Some
ordinary relations with my fellows.
treasurer’s use computers to keep their records and make
Second, any time and any place that an AA
reports, but a simple note-book for records and handwritten
member as such steps outside his or her group, he or
reports will serve as well.
she becomes a representative of the Fellowship to any
For the report, the group needs to know how much
onlooker. How well then am I practicing these
money it had at the start of the month (remember to include
principles and how well do I represent the fellowship?
cash on hand and any money in a bank account in this
I remember a group getting kicked out of its meeting
“opening balance”), add to that the total basket collection
place because some members insisted that the “no
that month, and subtract from that the total month’s
expenses. The resulting figure is what the group has at the
smoking” admonition was intended for others, and
close of the month (both on hand and in the bank, the
thought that the cigarette butts in the church bushes were
“closing balance”). Receipts and bank statements (if an
no big deal. For some, when the smoking problem was
account exists) should be available for group review. This
pointed out, the answer was to throw the butts in the
does not reflect a lack of trust in the treasurer, but a gesture
street in front of the church instead of in the bushes.
of support from interested members. A complete treasurer’s
Another time, I attended a business meeting where a
report should be made at every business meeting.
very heated argument broke out. While no punches were
Where a group declines to ask its treasurer for regular
thrown, the shouting match which had erupted spilled into
reports, that group is putting a special burden on the
the street outside the church that evening and trailed off
treasurer, since spending decisions are then being made in a
down the street to the parking lot more than a block away.
vacuum, without benefit of an informed group conscience,
I recently attended Nassau Intergroup’s Exchange
and opportunities to correct mistakes are missed.
Meeting. Members participating in this event have long
AAWS offers several resources for treasurer’s, all
been asked to wait until the Exchange opens its doors to
without cost. These include pamphlets like Self-Support:
begin conducting their business, so as not to disturb the
Where Money and Spirituality Mix (F-3), The AA Group
neighborhood. Despite the repeated reminders, some
(P-16), and The AA Group Treasurer (F-96), and service
members nevertheless met outside the church well before
pieces like AA Guidelines: Finance (MG-15). All of these
the doors opened and exchanged meetings. The fact that
may be found online at www.aa.org. I also can provide
this was Intergroup’s first meeting in a new location and
copies on request.
that the groups had been reminded that the neighborhood
Hope this is helpful. Feel free to get back to me with any
would not tolerate activity on the streets before the
questions.
meeting, simply didn’t seem to matter to some of those
In service,
AAs.
Treasurer
How is AA seen by outsiders — church elders picking
treasurer@nassauny-aa(dot)org
our cigarette butts out of the church shrubbery and having
From Ed, the Literature Guy
to clean the gutter before Sunday service, or neighbors
listening to two AAs fighting as they move down the street
We have a small selection of Large Print books for
following a meeting, or finding their Saturday morning
sale at Nassau Intergroup, including The Big Book,
disrupted by AAs outside a meeting place? How have I
The 12 & 12, Daily Reflections, and a few others.
represented the fellowship in these instances? How have
Please have the exact amount ready when you
I presented my recovery in these matters?
purchase books, since the phone reps do not carry
It’s just something to think about. Looking at my own
change for literature sales.
recovery, there is always room for growth and change.
Nassau Intergroup does not take phone orders.
A member of the,
The office is open 9am-4:30pm for the sale of books.
Baldwin Group
