Service Matters • June 2021

Hello Fellow GreySheeters,

Writing this column for Service Matters, it gives me time to reflect on my gratitude for GreySheet abstinence, the GreySheet fellowship and for the opportunity to give back what I’ve been given by doing service as the treasurer of GreySheeters Anonymous World Services, Inc. (GSAWS).  It’s an exciting time to be part of GSAWS.  We have a World Service Conference in October where delegates from registered groups will gather to vote on matters that will help us move into the future.  Conference committees will present resolutions for projects and policies that we have worked on since the last World Service Conference.  All these things will serve to carry out our primary purpose to reach the next compulsive eater with the solution that works, the GreySheet food program.  (You can read all about the working resolutions at greysheet.org under the World Service Conference 2021 tab.)

GSAWS committees have been busy with updating the greysheet.org website, publishing literature, establishing ways to reach out to the public by using social media, developing a podcast, archiving historical documents to maintain our history for posterity and for future members, formalizing our structure and processes to ensure the continuity of our vital fellowship, and meeting with an attorney to protect the GreySheet itself.  In many ways, I see parallels to the growth that AA underwent as their fellowship matured.

As Treasurer of GSAWS, I am charged with the responsibility of creating a budget to ensure that the fellowship has the means to move forward on their projects.  The GSAWS Board receives the budget proposal, decides whether we can fund all the good work that needs to get done, or only part of it, and approves or asks for revisions.  We can estimate and manage the costs involved in these areas, but our ability to carry the message and have the means to do so is totally dependent on the generosity of our members.  And you have come through!  We have recently accumulated bank balances that are higher than they’ve ever been before due to your commitment and passion to carry the message.  Thank you!  We have received donations from intergroups, groups, and individuals.  Some groups and intergroups have made one-time donations of funds that were being saved to send a delegate to an in-person conference.  Since our conference is on zoom this year, these groups and intergroups were able to send in larger donations than usual. 

Some of you may ask why GSAWS keeps asking for more donations, especially considering the tradition to remain “poor”.  Along those lines, we believe that our operating expenses are quite minimal to support the fellowship.  We keep a prudent reserve of 50% of our annual operating expenses.  The prudent reserve is not a large amount.  However, to accomplish the projects that have already been voted on at past World Service Conferences, and to have funds for anticipated growth, the Board has established additional reserves that are set aside for specific purposes and won’t be used anywhere else.  These are noted as a footnote on our Statement of Financial Position that is published each month at greysheet.org and labeled “board designated restrictions”.

Here’s a projection of our cash balances for the rest of 2021:

Bank Balances, 5/18/2021			86,000
	Change in Net Assets 2021 (7 months remaining, revenue less expenses)	9,000
Current Board Designated Restrictions:	50% Prudent Reserve 2021 (7 months remaining)	5,000
	Style Guide	1,000
	Website Rebuild	2,500
	Literature	10,000
	Podcast Microphone	2,000
	Total Board Designated Restrictions	29,500	29,500
Projected Bank Balance, 12/31/2021			56,500

At this point, as you can see above, thanks to your generosity, we think we will still have extremely healthy bank balances for the start of the next fiscal year.  Let’s, all of us, DREAM BIG.  This will allow us to hold an in-person World Service Conference in 2022.  The cost to GreySheeters Anonymous World Services of an in-person World Service Conference is around $15,000.  We’re all enjoying the gift of the newly published book, Living Abstinent.  Let’s move forward with the other literature projects that have been proposed, a daily reflection book (conference approved in 2019), a history book (conference approved in 2016), and maybe even a second edition of our 12 x 12.  Each book will cost around $2,000 to publish.  Let’s move forward with additional enhancements to the website which could cost as much as $10,000.  Let’s provide more than a new microphone for our podcast.  What other things can YOU think of to reach the next compulsive eater?

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