World Service Office Board
2014 World Service Conference Opening Report
Submitted by: Richard A. L, Chairperson
Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve as the Chair of the World Service Office Board.
Our board has been hard at work on many projects throughout the year. We are excited to announce C.A.’s new meditation book, A Quiet Peace, which is now being sold for $9.95! Thank you to LCF for all of their hard work to complete this wonderful book.
We are also happy to announce a new, pocket-sized edition of the Newcomer Booklet. It is available for sale at $1 each. We hope this provides an easier way of sharing some of our literature with new members.
The board has also been working in conjunction with an international ad-hoc committee, on a new website. We are very excited and making great progress. We have pretty much concluded the collection of materials and content and have put 90% of the pages together. We have developed a simple site map that allows for the actual site builder to construct the site easily. All literature, guidelines and thumbnail artwork has been collated.
This has been a demanding workload and we are very positive we will be completing this task over the next few months. PLEASE note, when this site is ready for review, it will be delivered for such feedback. We are NOT inviting feedback at this time with regards simple housekeeping. That is a respectful request… lets not get too lost on the miniscule and loose site of the necessity to get a new site online.
The European Fulfillment Center is coming along. There has been much communication with several companies and a presentation showing comparisons of rates and a suggested ‘favorite’ vendor. The WSOB and the TNC will be presented with a recommendation that includes and falls in line with the three-bid process. This project is near finished and we are excited to serve the fellowship in new capacity.
We would like to encourage members, meetings and areas to sponsor a new group around the World! Meetings helping meetings is a new program where larger meetings are able to sponsor and assist new meetings around the world. They can do this by purchasing chips, literature and banners and donating it to the meeting. We also hope to make communication between the two meetings available for experience and growth.
Thank you to Heidi J. for all of her hard work and dedication to the NewsGram. Another Thank you to our former Directors at Large Bob C. and Phyllis C. for their great contributions throughout the year.
Board Members:
Susan D – Vice-Chairperson
Laurie R – Treasurer
Morgan T – Director at Large
Frank P – Director at Large
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Jay H – Director at Large
Kathy-Jo R – World Service Office Trustee
Ira L – World Service Trustee
Referrals we have worked on throughout the year:
#6870
Please endeavor to facilitate the translation of the PI Handbook and the Archive Committee Guidelines as soon as possible.
Response: Thank you for your referral. The current translation policy is for the local translation committee to determine their order of priority for translated material. We hope they will get to these pieces soon, and we are happy to assist them when they are ready. If your committee knows of any members who are ready to begin this translation, please encourage them to submit translations to the office.
#6928
H&I needs small version of HFCII for jail meetings like the Little Red Version of the AA Big Book. Currently, the regular version of HFC II is costly for H&I to take into and give away in the jails and other meetings.
We are getting the mini version of the AA Big Book from the Anonymous Press, (800) 800-4398, P.O. Box 1212, Malo, WA 99150 for around $1.15/each. Maybe there could reprint the HFC II in an affordable cost for all of C.A. to take advantage of.
Response: Thank you for your referral. At this time, we are unable to reprint a new version of HFC or HFC II until we have depleted our current inventory.
#6929
Set up national account with Kinko’s to produce the C.A. bookmarks for H&I meetings. So that the local H&I committees can purchase them in their local areas around the world of C.A. We are able to get them printed at our local Kinko’s and cut to size for a very affordable cost to our Area. As we have found the finished quality of the bookmarks to be of poor quality for after all we would like to be represented as a quality 12-step program.
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NEWSGRAM EDITOR REPORT AUGUST 2014 HEIDI JONATHAN
To the 2014 WS Conference:
First I’d like to apologize for not being able to be with you this weekend. It breaks my heart to not be able to see all my friends and future NewsGram article writers! I want to thank Deborah G. for giving you my report.
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Here is the NewsGrams Statement of Purpose from the NewsGram Guidelines approved on 3/22/2007: The Cocaine Anonymous NewsGram is a quarterly publication of the C.A. World Service Office Board. Its purpose is to be both informational and inspirational, and to help foster a sense of unity throughout our increasingly diverse worldwide Fellowship. The NewsGram should keep the Fellowship informed about upcoming C.A. events, important developments occurring at the World Service Conference, and significant actions taken by the World Service Board of Trustees and World Service Office Board. The NewsGram should also communicate a message of hope, faith and courage by publishing articles from members sharing their experience with recovery, unity and service in C.A. The overall content should convey the experience, strength, and hope of its contributors and reflect a broad geographic spectrum of current C.A. experience. Articles are not intended to be statements of C.A. policy, nor does publication of any article imply endorsement by either C.A. or the NewsGram.
Most importantly, the NewsGram is YOUR publication! We need your input in what you’d like to see changed, added, taken out, articles you’d like to see, etc.
Categories: The following are considered standard contents when publishing the C.A. NewsGram:
| Submission Category | Responsible Contributor(s) |
| 7th Tradition Report | WSO |
| Articles re: Concepts of World Service | WS Delegates, WSOB and WSBT |
| Articles re: Recovery Experiences | C.A. Fellowship |
| Articles re: Steps, Traditions and Principles | C.A. Fellowship (incl. Delegates and Trustees) |
| Calendar of Events | WSO/C.A. Fellowship |
| CAWS Convention | Host City/WSC Convention Committee/WSO |
| Financial Information | WSOB |
| H&I Corner | WSC H&I Committee |
| Note from the WSO or WSOB | WSOB Chair/Office Staff |
| WSC Committee Corner | WSC Committee Members |
| Trustee Corner | WSBT NewsGram Subcommittee |
| God Shots | Members of the CA Fellowship |
Anyone can write an article for the NewsGram. And, if you can’t write, call me on the phone and dictate it to me! It’s my job as editor to help you clean it up for publication. We want stories on Recovery, Service, Conventions you’ve attended, how C.A. has changed you, the history of your Area, how H&I moved/changed you, what your sponsor did, or how you sponsor someone, how God moves over your life. We also accept poems, jokes, cartoons, puzzles, or God Shots. Here, in my hand, are copies of our Release Form. If you think you’d like to write an article, please take one from Deborah right now, and she’ll collect them and get them back to me. I’ll contact you during the next year with NewsGram themes, and perhaps you could write something for us.
Here are some of the locations that I have received articles from in the past year: UK, Germany, Canada, one about the new Area in South Africa, and all over the USA. I’d really love to see more articles come from our European Region, if anyone is interested in writing something for us!
The committee, which consists of Sheila in the office, Jeanne-Ann P. serves as one of my proofers. This past year’s Regional Delegates who serve on the NewsGram committee are: Deborah G. from Pacific North Region, Ginger L. from SW Region; Buster C. from Atlantic South; Gary M from Atlantic
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North; Jim S from European Region; Michael A. from MidWest Region. My husband Bob L. (whether he wants to be on the committee or not). The NewsGram Trustee Terry M. and myself. I also have assistance from other members of the WSO and WSBT who send out e-mails to solicit articles for the NewsGram I have a great deal of assistance from the Chair of the WSO and our DOO, Linda F.
Here’s what the NewsGram needs from you:
- Each region could have a NewsGram Delegate. That is someone I contact each quarter, who then solicits articles from their Region.
- They can be from members of the Fellowship, Delegates, Committee Chairs, Trustees, WSO Board members and former members of the WSBT, WSO, and Delegates. They can come from members of your fellowship. They can come from members of our fellowship that are incarcerated. Along with the submissions needs to be release forms.
- WS Conference Chair persons should fee free to write an article in the next year for the NewsGram, so our membership knows what goes on in each committee.
- We need to get more God Shots. There have not been God Shots in the past 2 NG issues, because I don’t have any that have been submitted. If you have a spiritual story to tell, or know someone who does, submit it directly to the NewsGram, and mark it for “God Shots”.
- It would be great if each Conference Committee wrote 4 “Committee Corner’s” for the next four NewsGram issues. So far, Unity, H&I, LCF and Archive have been the most active. They don’t even have to be typed! Just written out on paper, I’ll type them for you. You could turn those into Deborah G. before the end of the Conference, and she will get them to me.
- I would like to have committee rosters, so that I can contact members of the Fellowship to solicit articles. You can e-mail these to me at newsgram@ca.org.
- I would like it if everyone actually submitted articles to me by the due date below!
- If you have a favorite quote from our literature that you’d like to see in the NewsGram, please forward that information to me. I often have small spaces that are perfect for quotes from our literature.
Here are the Publication dates that we attempt to follow:
| Quarter | Deadline | Draft to WSO | WSBT Review | WSOB Approval and Printing |
Fellowship |
| First | 1/10 | 1/22 | 1/29-2/9 | 2/10-2/17 | 2/17 |
| Second | 4/10 | 4/22 | 4/29-5/5 | 5/6-12 | 5/18 |
| Third | 7/10 | 7/22 | 7/29-8/5 | 8/6-8/13 | 8/17 |
| Fourth | 10/10 | 10/22 | 10/29-11/5 | 11/6-11/13 | 11/16 |
Yours in Service,
Heidi J
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CAWSO – Director of Operations
2014 World Service Conference Report
Respectfully Submitted by: Linda F
My name is Linda F, I am the Director of Operations for Cocaine Anonymous World Service Office (CAWSO) and I have one vote.
This is my fourth CAWS Conference and I would like to thank you for the privilege to continue to learn and serve. It is my pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with many of you and I look forward to meeting others for the first time. This is just one more incredible step in my journey of working with Cocaine Anonymous and the World Service Office.
I am excited to continue to share the communication, the coordination and Information for the World Service Office:
- Our office continues to serve you with a very small but extremely dedicated staff:
- Although, all our staff is part-time we are able to get an amazing amount of work done.
- If you have ever been around me when someone asks – what is the World Service Office? You will hear me explain, “CAWSO is the business side of a 12-Step Recovery Program. We are responsible for making sure that we have chips, metal coins, literature (over 24 pamphlets along with other publications), books and tons of other miscellaneous items available to all our Regions, Areas, Districts and Meetings throughout the world.” This is done with a hard-working dedicated staff:
- Customer Service is provided by Sheila S
- Shipping and Warehouse chores are done by Nicole B
- Our bookkeeping is done by Michael T
- A special Thank You to Jay H, Farron B and Jacy P – for stepping up and helping at the office while Sheila was on sick leave or when needed.
- Last year we reported that we were working with LCF on the new exciting Meditation Book.
- This year we are happy to announce – “A Quiet Peace” is here!
- “A Quiet Peace” will sell for $9.95 ea. Or $179 a case of 24 books (a 25% savings)
- If you pick up your copies here at conference we will have our “the CAWSO Store” open during breaks on Thursday and Friday. For all items purchased at this time…we are waiving shipping and handling fees!
- If you wish to order “A Quiet Peace” or other chips and literature for your area to have shipped home…please pick up an order form from the WSO table. Items will be shipped the first week of September (and will include shipping and handling).
- We are also excited to introduce our new sized “Newcomer Booklet” at a new lower price of only $1 ea. We will have a limited supply of these as well to sell, this evening, Thursday or Friday. They will also be available on our Online Store.
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- CAWSO continues to work on projects concerned with Translations. Did you notice that we have a new table skirt? Our logo in Portuguese, French, Spanish, Farsi, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, German, and English!
- We are currently working on translations into Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, as well as others.
- The new mediation book “A Quiet Peace” is currently being translated by the local groups from Sweden and French (Montreal)
- We continue to work with local groups to get as much of our literature translated in languages to continue to help the addict that still suffers.
- We continue to work with our trademark attorney to be sure we stay current with all our trademarks, registrations and licenses.
- We are in the final steps to have C.A. trademarked in the European Region.
- Our relationship with the Volunteer Center continues to provide us with volunteer help for both the office and the warehouse.
- This year the National Association of Drug Court Professional (NADCP) was in Anaheim, CA
- Trustees Duane M and Rob W along with members of local C.A. Fellowships worked together to give our information and HFC II books to over 275 people who work directly in the Drug Court Systems.
- Drug court continues to be exciting and continues to be more productive each year.
- Next year – NADCP 20th Annual Training Conference will be back in the DC area at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, MD… July 13-16, 2015
- We are excited to announce that 35 Starter Kits have been sent out from the World Service Office since our report last year.
- 30 in the United States to 18 different states as well as to the Virgin Islands
- 5 to other countries including South Africa, Denmark, Canada, Thailand and Australia
- We have reached out with 47 Inmate Outreach letters.
- An additional 33 people in need have received our Welcome Kits
- The CAWS 2014 in Long Beach, CA was a fun and successful convention! We would like to thank the Convention Chair; steering and general committee members in addition to all volunteers who helped put together a wonderful event. We certainly did enjoy our “Voyage Into Recovery”!
- We are working with the 2015 CAWS Convention Chair, Steering and General Committee members in planning our next Convention in Las Vegas, NV. They are working very hard to provide a wonderful convention experience with a theme “We Absolutely Insist On Enjoying Life”! Mark your calendars and plan to attend – May 21-25, 2015
- Then back to the Middle – for a 4th of July Convention in Chicago for 2016. The CAWS 2016 Convention Chair and Committees are busy fundraising and event planning to make the 4th of July event one of the special holidays just for you…so we are looking forward to being with you in Chicago in 2016.
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- 2017 CAWS Convention will be in Seattle Washington…this committee is also very busy planning many wonderful new and exciting events to make your Seattle experience one of a kind!
Respectfully submitted by: Linda L F, Director of Operations
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Tony D – Are there any questions for the WSOB?
Cynthia C – Susan D gave LCF a shoutout about proofing the website. Was all the proofing we did on the existing website scraped because the new site will be coming?
Susan D – You might have more proofing to do.
Cynthia C – We are happy to help when it is ready.
Susan B – When will the standing committees be asked what they want on the site?
Richard L – That is a process that when we get to it, we will ask the committees. It will be easier to add information to the new site.
Susan B – Can you give me a timeframe?
Richard L – Hopefully by the end of the year. In the report it states a couple of months. Now we have an in-house IT person who will also be able to do this stuff.
Kevin M – Are you aware of the Amazon Smile program?
Richard L – No.
Kevin M – It is a program that allows an Amazon user to donate one half of one percent of their purchase total to a charity of their choice. Would that be something to make people aware of as I know that C.A. is on the list of possible charities?
Richard L – We are not allowed to take donations from outside members. On our new website, our donation button will have a place where we ask that before we accept donations.
Kevin M – I don’t think much would come from outside people.
Russell S – You mentioned that today or tomorrow each delegate will get a meditation book. If I wanted to make a contribution, would you suggest $10 is a good amount?
Richard L – YES.
Sheree H – What are the hours of the WSO?
Richard L – Gave the times. You can contact them by Skype also
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Sheree H – I did call several times, left messages, but am getting no answers which is why I’m asking.
Richard L – Do you have the correct number? Did you leave messages?
Sheree H – Yes.
Richard L– Is surprised about this as I’ve been at the office many times during operating hours and would have answered the phone too.
Joy H – Question about the new guidelines available online, they seem ambiguous. The line about ‘the chair will re-state the motion or pass to another director.’ Do you not have a vice chair?
Susan D – It is sometimes easier to pass to the Secretary or someone other than the Vice Chair, so the response was worded that way.
Susan B – It was pointed out to me, could the Office please ensure they are attaching the registered mark to all future presentations produced by the Office.
Richard L – Yes.
Kevin M – The current website is not easy to use on a mobile device. Will the new website be tested for mobile use?
Richard L – Yes.
Russell S – You mentioned in your report about a practical approach for assisting with outreach/support to help groups/areas that need a bit of help in obtaining chips/literature/etc. Other fellowships have a line item in the budget to help groups/areas offset the difference when there is a significantly different monetary exchange in their country as compared to the U.S. Dollar.
Richard L – Yes, we are working on that.
Patrick P – How many empty seats are the on the committee?
Richard L – 3-4
Stu E – There is a referral that is bouncing back and forth between committees about submitting 2 pieces of memorabilia articles for Archives, but Conventions kicked it back for financial reasons, then we sent it back to you. This issue needs to get resolved.
Richard L – Any World Convention usually gives the Office two of every item for Archives. We now ask that Fundraising give 2 items directly to Archives because it is a fundraising issue
Maria M– The Sponsor a New Meeting/Area program that you mentioned, how would that work without ‘earmarking’ funds?
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Richard L – The idea is for an existing area/meeting to be matched up to a ‘sister’ meeting/area. They could contact them, then take a group conscious to help them get chips/literature/etc.
Tony D –Are there any more questions for the WSOB? Seeing none, next up is the TEC.
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