There are three mailing addresses set up for this committee
This document is designed for and by the Triangle OA Intergroup's Media Library Committee and describes the policies and procedures past members used. The basic purpose of the committee is described in the Intergroup's general policy document.
Information relevant to all committees and committee chairs is in the Triangle Intergroup Bylaws. It is recommended that all committee chairs review committee information in the bylaws at the beginning of their terms to understand basic Intergroup committee policy for budgets, authority, and responsibilities. Click on the following link to review the bylaws section on Standing Committees.
The abstinence requirements for committee chairs are contained in Qualifications for All Committee Chairs
The Intergroup Newsletter Committee does not have a budget, expenses are included in Intergroup as printing and mailing costs. The bills from the printer go to the treasurer. The Newsletter editor may request reimbursement for software needed for creating the newsletter.
This committee has the following resources
The following links are from world service.
The Triangle Intergroup Newsletter is written and published by the Triangle Intergroup Newsletter once a month. The Intergroup hires a printing service to print copies of the Newsletter and elects a newsletter editor to format and update the newsletter from basic events and news submitted by members and writings created by members on the topics like the member’s experience with the 12 Steps, 12 Traditions and 12 Concept of OA and the principles in them. The newsletter editor decides what program to use to edit the newsletter and creates or edits a template appropriate to the software program used. Past newsletter editors have used MS Word and MS Publisher to create the newsletter. Every month the newsletter focuses on the step, tradition and concept that maps to the number of the month. In the first month of the year, January, the newsletter has writings on Step 1, Tradition 1 and Concept 1 and other topics chosen by the editor. In the sixth month of the year, June, the newsletter features writings on Step 6, Tradition 6 and Concept 6. Newsletters are printed in black and white and we have budgeted for 8 pages of material every month. None of the material in the OA newsletter should be seen as endorsing an outside organization, therefore all writings and pictures should be from OA members or OA literature. Pictures such as clip art and images may be included in the newsletter as long as they appropriately cited if protected, do not endorse an outside organization and can be printed in black and white or displayed on the internet and still be legible. If you are in doubt, contact the Chair at chair@triangleoa.org the OA World Service Office at 505-891-2664.
Current Newsletter TemplateThe newsletter committee is not expected to submit an oral or written report on monies spent for printer or mailing costs for the newsletter if these are reported monthly by the treasurer.
newsletter@triangleoa.org
The newsletter editor position can be shared by more than one person. One person may inspire groups to write for the newsletter and collect material, another person might add clip art, do editing and format the text into an attractive and readable design.
Decide what software program to use and convert the current template to the program you are going to use if it is different that the one used by the last editor. If it is, please update this document with the new template for the next editor. If the software program needs to be purchased by the Intergroup check with the treasurer before you make a purchase to determine if there are already funds in the budget. If not, you will need to bring the motion to the Intergroup for approval. If the Intergroup purchases the software it should have a license that can be transferred to the next newsletter editor. Each standing committee chairman shall submit an oral or written report to the Intergroup, preferably monthly, but at least quarterly, and at the end of any specific event coordinated by that committee.
If any monies are expended, a detailed and itemized report should be included with the report. Publish abbreviated treasurer's report quarterly Publish list of IG positions in November newsletter, get group contributions quarterly from editor.
By policy the number of pages in the newsletter per month is eight (8) pages of newsletter a month including the meeting list and Intergroup meeting minutes.
Keep a folder of future writing for the newsletter as the writings become available.
This report should have been emailed by the Intergroup secretary. It may help to send a reminder to secretary@triangleoa.org
Add highlighting and clip art as you desired. A suggestion is to use different fonts to highlight different authors and clarifying their “voices”.
The writings should be emailed or mailed to the newsletter editor by OA member groups. Groups can be asked to commit to write for the newsletter at the Intergroup meeting or by visiting meetings or by asking group outreach to get groups to commit for a specific month. It may help to send a reminder out a few weeks before the writings are needed. Each group has its own mailing address and there should be at least one email associated with a group. If necessary, a request for writings can be made by sending an email to intergroup@triangleoa.org and asking for writings on a specific subject.
Writings can be used from previous newsletters. We have online newsletters in PDF format from January 2004 that can be copied. These are available on the Triangle OA Website(www.triangleoa.org from the Resources -> Newsletters link. Old Newsletters.
Group Outreach has a list of Intergroup representatives contact information for each group if needed to organize a year's worth of writing commitments. Writings can be emailed directly to the newsletter editor or mailed to the to the Intergroup Post Office Box and given to the newsletter editor at an Intergroup meeting. Contact the treasurer before the Intergroup meeting if expecting writings in the mail.
Flyers for events can be printed on a can be printed on a separate page and inserted to the newsletter. The extra expense will be by the committee requesting the printing. Ask the group or committee printing flyers for the number and the color.
The printers send a email when the newsletters are ready to be picked up. Pick up the printed newsletters at A Better Image Printing. If unable to get the newsletters before the printer closes on Friday, normally at 5 PM, Contact the printer and ask to have the newsletters left outside to pick up Friday evening or Saturday morning before Intergroup.
Bring the newsletters to Intergroup and have the Intergroup representatives present take newsletters and write the name of the group and the number of newsletters taken.
For all groups that do not have a representative present at the Intergroup and are located more than XX miles from the location of the Intergroup meeting 814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh, NC 27607, XX copies are mailed to the group's mailing address. {This was mentioned as a policy decision however it has not been what has been done and causes a problem of extra copies of newsletters.
Keep the receipts used for mailing costs. Send the treasurer an email with the mailing costs for the month before the Intergroup meeting.
Give the treasurer the receipts and collect the reimbursement from the treasurer. It is helpful to write on the receipt paid for the treasurer's records.