OPENING REPORT
C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2013
WORLD SERVICE OFFICE REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:
It is our privilege to report to you on the status of YOUR World Service Office operations and special projects of the World Service Office Board of Directors (WSOB).
First and foremost, thank you for letting us be of service.
This year, the World Service Office (WSO) and the WSO Board of Directors have been extremely busy with a multitude of projects we have been charged with by our fellowship as spoken through this Conference. We have continued to focus on spreading the word around the world through our services to all exisiting areas and meetings, as well as new and developing ones. Most notably, we have completed a number of publication and translation projects and made them available to all members of all languages and locations. Additionally, we have
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worked with our attorneys to protect our trademark and logo both in the U.S. and internationally; we have revised and renewed royalty agreements and contracts; we have monitored budgets and expenses and sought ways to increase efficiency and cut costs without cutting services to the Fellowship; and we have put together a business plan for a European Fulfillment Center. These are just a few of the projects worked on over the year.
We are very pleased to report a very successful Convention year in 2013. Thank you to the CAWS 2013 committee members and the Florida Area for hosting such a wonderful event. Now, on to Long Beach for 2014!
I am pleased to report that the WSO is working very efficiently and effectively due to the continued dedication of its three employees: Linda, Sheila and Nicole. We have continued to revise and improve office procedures and policies, better communications among the staff, the two boards, and the fellowship. We are very pleased with the progress we have made and look forward to continued growth and improvement in these areas, as we seek to provide the best possible service to our members.
A major concern of the WSOB is declining income that does not meet the expenses of the fellowship. This continues to be a topic of ongoing discussion between both the WSOB and the WSBT. It has become apparent that 7th tradition donations MUST increase if we are to continue to provide basic and necessary services to you – to the fellowship, as a whole.
We are very proud and grateful for our WSO staff. Sheila our Special Worker in Customer Service, Nicole in Shipping and Receiving, and or course, Linda, our Director of Operations (DOO). We are also extremely grateful to those volunteers that continue to help the WSO manage its various tasks and projects.
A very special thanks to Heidi J for her work as the editor of the NewsGram. The quality of the NewsGram remains high, and as always, requires the participation of all of our fellowship. Thank you to the WSBT for its consistent participation and to the many members who have submitted articles and other material for inclusion.
I would like to thank Ryan E, who has rotated out of the position of WebServant, for all of his work over the past couple of years.
We wish to welcome and thank Paul Y, who recently joined our volunteer team as C.A.’s new WebServant.
Per California Corporate Regulations, all members of the WSOB were ratified this past year.
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The WSOB shall remain focused on all key issues including inventory, revision, production, translation and distribution of C.A. literature, new/existing royalty agreements, The NewsGram, and Web Operations.
COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS:
Chair – Teresa N
Vice-Chair – Richard L
Treasurer – Barry J
Secretary – Susan D
Paid Director of Operations – Linda F
Director-at-Large – Bob C
World Service Office Trustee – KathyJo R
World Service Trustee – Ira L
Director-at Large – vacant
Director-at Large – vacant
Sub-Committee Chairs:
NewsGram Editor – Heidi J
WebServant – Paul Y
Fin-Fun Ad-hoc Committee – Richard L
WSOB Treasurer Report
Barry J
Aug 22, 2013
I want to thank the fellowship for the opportunity to serve.
Have been in constant touch with Both Chairs, DOO, Paid Bookkeeper and the WSOT and acting WST regarding need of banking and financial needs (signing checks and going over financials etc.)
I have been working diligently with the DOO and the paid bookkeeper to try and get the books in order.
I am Happy to report the CAWS2013 Convention in Florida did very well and is reporting a $75,271.75 profit. Thank you ALL. Now 2014 is in session let’s go Long Beach!
Sales of Chips Lit and Merchandise seem to be steady; we have increased the variety of some of the merchandise and now have more languages for chips and lit available. HFC and HFCII are
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still available and now HFCII also in Swedish and a few new items you can see them on the website.
7th Tradition this past year has seems to have taken a step backwards and coming up much shorter than we would have liked. The total of 7th including the World Contribution program is only 122,906.75 a little down from last year. I hope we can change that over the next year. 7th Tradition and Merchandise sales are the means that we operate your CAWSO office on a day to day basis. I am sad to announce the our expenses exceeded our income by $41,395.41 this year. We haven’t had to dip into our Prudent reserve and are expecting some fine 7thtradition in the near future, we hope that you will take this back to your areas to help support your CAWSO office.
| 7th Tradition | |
| 2007-08 | $161,501.08 |
| 2008-09 | $145,971.05 |
| 2009-10 | $128,395.38 |
| 2010-11 | $91,172.58 |
| 2011-12 | $144,869.09 |
| 2012-13 | $122,906.75 |
I have been in contact with the Chair and the Trustee of the Finance committee throughout the year with any concerns and we will be working diligently on budgeting for the next fiscal years.
We on the board and myself have been in touch with both the Chairs and Treasurers of the 2014 and 2015 conventions. We are working diligently with both to have very successful conventions.
I have been working on the Fin Fund committee to help find FUN ways to fundraise for CAWSO. I am also contributing to the exploration of a satellite fulfillment center
Thank you for letting me be of service.
Barry
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CAWSO – Director of Operations
2013 World Service Conference Report
Respectfully Submitted by: Linda F
My name is Linda Francisco, I am not an addict, however, I am the Director of Operations for Cocaine Anonymous World Service Office (CAWSO) and I have one vote.
This is my third 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.
- Our office continues to serve you with a very small but extremely dedicated staff: Sheila S, Customer Service, Nicole B, Shipping/Warehouse along with Michael T, our bookkeeper, and John W, our Special Projects Coordinator.
- We continue to work with our trademark attorney to be sure we stay current with all our trademarks, registrations and licenses.
- Our relationship with the Volunteer Center continues to provide us with volunteer help for both the office and the warehouse.
- CAWSO continues to work on projects concerned with Translations. We are currently working on translations into Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, as well as others.
- With the help of Russell , Siobhan Ayer, “New Delegate” Richard Eklind from Sweden and John Whitaker – we have published and have in stock:
- HFCII, 2nd edition – In Swedish
- New Plastic Chips in Swedish from Newcomer to Year 10 are in Stock
- Plastic Chips in Swedish from Year 11 to 15 in production
- Thanks again for the help of those folks I mentioned…I say this most affectingly…they are truly dedicated “Service Junkies” Yahoo!
- This year the National Association of Drug Court Professional (NADCP) was in the Washington DC area at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center at National
- I had the pleasure of working with Trustees Yves White, Rob and local C.A.
- Drug court continues to be exciting and I continue to feel more productive each year. o We had the opportunity to speak with and get follow-up information from over 300 people who work directly in the Drug Court System.
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- In fact Rob convinced a judge in Ohio to use the 90 meetings in 90 days in his courtroom. If you are from Ohio – please let us know if you see an increase in newcomers to your meetings!
- We gave our HFCII book, C.A. pamphlets, posters and pens to folks from over 34 different states and areas outside the US
- We gave out and will follow up on Starter Kits/information given to areas currently without C.A. meetings
- Next year – NADCP 19th Annual Training Conference will be at the Anaheim Convention Center right here in California … May 28-31, 2014 (Immediately following the CAWS Convention in Long Beach)
- We are working with LCF on the new exciting Meditation Book.
- Once we obtain the Copyright and ISBN Registration it will be off to the printer
- If you wish to pre-order your copy of the Meditation Book please pick up an order form from the table in the Office.
- We are excited to announce that the European Fulfillment Center is moving forward. With the incredible teamwork of John W, Kathy Jo R, Russell S and me a Business Plan has been developed and forwarded to the Trustees. I am sure you will hear much more about this project later this conference.
- Since the last conference, I am happy to report that the CAWSO has opened our doors to the Archive Committee on several occasions to host work days to begin the process of taking inventory, logging and packaging C.A.’s archive for preservation (to date approx. 40 boxes have been secured) .
- In addition to hosting Archives work days…we were able to negotiate with our landlord to build us a temperature controlled room to house our archives (along with our computer servers that hold our 800 number information and files from CAWSO)
- We are excited to announce that 33 Starter Kits have been sent out from the World Service Office since our report last year.
- 30 in the United States to 19 different states as well as to the Virgin Islands
- 3 to other countries including South America (Peru), Spain, and West Australia
- We have reached out with 43 Inmate Outreach letters.
- An additional 43 people in need have received our Welcome Kits
- The CAWS 2013 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida was a fun and successful convention! I 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 are working with the 2014 CAWS Convention Chair, Steering and General Committee members in planning our next Convention in Long Beach, California. They are
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working very hard to provide a wonderful convention experience with a “Voyage into Recovery”!
- The CAWS 2015 Convention Chair and Committees are busy getting with fundraising and event planning…so we are looking forward to being in Las Vegas in 2015.
- Then back to the Middle – for a 4th of July Convention in Chicago for 2016.
Respectfully submitted by: Linda L Francisco, Director of Operations
NEWSGRAM EDITOR REPORT AUGUST 2013 HEIDI J
To the 2013 WS Conference:
Here is the NewsGram’s 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 |
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| Submission Category | Responsible Contributor(s) |
| 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 |
Here are some of the locations that I have received articles from in the past year:
The Netherlands, Spain, UK, Scotland, Alberta Canada, and all over the USA.
The committee, which consists of Sheila in the office, Jeanne-Ann P. serves as one of my proofers, Deborah G. from Northern California, my husband, (whether he wants to be on the committee or not), a NewsGram Trustee, Terry M. on the WSBT; Teresa N., Chair of the WSOB and me. I also have assistance from other members of the WSOB and WSBT who send out e-mails to solicit articles for the NewsGram I have a great deal of assistance from the WSO and our DOO.
Here’s what the NewsGram needs from you:
- Each region could have a NewsGram Delegate. That would be someone I could contact each quarter, who would solicit articles from their Region. Pacific North Region is the only Region currently who has a NewsGram Delegate. It used to be that all regions had someone. Perhaps you could address this in your Regional meetings.
- They can be from members of the fellowship, delegates, Committee Chairs, Trustees, WSO Board members and former members of the WSBT, WSOB, 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 feel 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. 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 Committee here worked on a “WSC Committee Corner” in each upcoming NewsGram. So far, Unity, H&I, and Archive have been the most active, with one from LCF, PI and one from Convention.
- I would like to have committee rosters, so that I can contact members of the Fellowship to solicit articles.
- I would like it if everyone actually submitted articles to me by the due date below!
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- If you have a quote from one of the C.A. books or 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 | Submission Deadline | Draft to WSO | WSBT Review | WSOB Approval & 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
REFERRALS THAT WERE WORKED ON DURING THE YEAR:
Referral # 6868
The Committee send the C.A. business cards in the PI Handbook to the Ad Hoc Translation Committee for translation and inclusion in the PI Handbook. The Spanish version was approved by the WSO a few years ago. Referred from PI to WSO.
Response: Thank you for your referral. The CA business cards have been translated and added to the PI Handbook.
Referral # 6934
PSA – Is there a system for placing individual Area information on new approved PSA, ie. Phone number, website info. Referred from PI to WSO.
Response: Thank you for your referral. Yes, we are able to do this. Please contact the Director of Operations at the World Service Office who will be able to handle these needs.
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Referral # 7064
Please add “Diversity Policy” link on the front end of our website. This to address: Disability, Age, Gender, Race, Sexual Orientation, etc. etc. Thank you.
Response: Thank you for your referral. The WSOB opinion is the diversity policy is answered within the third tradition: “The only requirement for C.A. membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances.”
Referral # 7111
I would like to see both HFC books in electronic formats for eBooks, and for iPhone and Android use please.
Response: Thank you for your referral. The WSOB does not currently have a policy for electronic downloads. We are currently investigating the fisability of eBooks, and the IT challenges.
Referral # 7112
We, on the Meditation Book subcommittee of LCF, would request that the WSO make available usable/searchable Copy of HFC I please.
Response: Thank you for your referral. We do not have a computer version of HFC I, and it is not feasible to create one at this time.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
We continue to recruit for new Board members and are actively seeking resumes. Should you have any questions about the WSOB, requirements for consideration of directorship or the commitment, please feel free to approach any member of the WSO board. Please also know that our meetings are open to all members. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at the WSO at 7:00pm.
I would like to thank the Conference and the entire fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous for allowing me to be of service on the WSOB for the past 7 years, and for welcoming a young, scared little addict to the World Service Conference over 10 years ago. It has been a journey of lessons learned with times of painful growth mixed in with times of joyful celebration. I will never forget those of you who encouraged me to participate on this level, and those of you who continued to encourage me and support me along the way. To my Board, thank you for putting up with me and for loving me even when I wasn’t so lovable. You are all amazing and I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to work with all of you. —-Thank you, all.
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This, my final opening report to Conference, is respectfully submitted.
Teresa N
World Service Office Board Chairperson
Tony D: Any questions?
Joy H: Where is the Roger Brown report and are our tax returns current?
Barry J: Tax returns are in progress.
Tom P: Thank you. Do we have levels of sales of pamphlets and books?
Barry J: The sales of books are holding steady as are chips and literature.
Jason L: Can you explain how we can go over budget but not go into the prudent reserve?
Barry J: We utilize other accounts before we go to our prudent reserve.
Elizabeth S: Where did the budget overage difference go?
Barry J: We used more electricity and paper doing our own printing. We had an extra employee and healthcare costs.
Elizabeth S: Will we get an opportunity to address the financial report when it is distributed?
Tony D: Yes.
Jay F: Has the publisher been selected?
Teresa N: Yes.
Jason L: I am having problems with auto 7th tradition.
Barry J: We know we are having problems with collecting funds from international accounts and are working on it.
Cynthia C: Do we have a timetable for the current 5 year backlog?
Teresa N: We have a new webservant and he is working hard to get the website up to date.
Russell S: Has our “going over budget” come down?
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Barry J: Last year our 7th tradition was higher but …
Jay F: Who will be the publisher of the meditation book?
Tom P: Have you thought of new ways to get local members to come to the board?
Teresa N: Yes. We have talked about perhaps doing mileage reimbursement and some other things.
Jay F: Does the WSOB have an online forum?
Teresa N: Yes
Jason L: Referral #7064 …can the response be readdressed as it is not compatible with UK laws.
Teresa N: Please send a referral to the Trustees to readdress referral #7064.
Cynthia C: ?
Teresa N: ?
Bob C: We have been using Skype. We do need to check into the legal aspect.
Jason L: Has the issue of copywrite been addressed with the meditation book?
Richard L: That question will have to be directed to the Trustees.
Tony D: Any other questions? Let’s thank the committee. The financial report will be distributed tonight and questions can be asked tomorrow morning.
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