Retreats Policy Procedures 12/14/2014

Purpose

This committee organizes retreats for OA members to strengthen their recovery with focused fellowship. Retreats also function as fund-raisers for Intergroup to carry the message of recovery to current, past and future members.

Email Address and Accepting a service position

There are three mailing addresses set up for the retreat committee: retreat@triangleoa.org,retreat_registrar@triangleoa.org, and retreatchair@triangleoa.org. Click on the following link to learn about setting up and using mailing addresses for this committee. Read important information about starting a service position , reporting to Intergroup and leaving a service position. .

Document Purpose

This document is designed for and by the Triangle OA Intergroup's Public Information / Professional Outreach committee and describes the policies and procedures past members used.

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 bylaws have some specifications on how the Retreat Committee is organized and how it functions.

Budget

The Retreat Committee has a bank account and budgets for all expenses related to putting on weekend retreats.

Resources

This committee has the following resources

BB&T Bank Account
A bank account with a reserve to fund expenses for an upcoming retreat before the money is recovered from paid registrations
Art Supply box
beads, markers, paper, glue sticks and other arts and crafts. This is stored by the committee chair and the location should be reported to the Intergroup.
Retreat Center List
A list of retreat centers within driving distance of the Triangle OA Intergroup. {Where is this?}
Registration Packet
Information sent after a person has registered for a retreat with information about food, safety, directions, schedule
Retreat Flyer
an advertising media
Registration Form
a form completed by a registrant
Registration Information
Usually a spreadsheet kept by the registrar to track registrations, payments, deposits
Emergency Contact Information
Information on each registrant in case of emergency
Facility contract
A legally binding agreement with a retreat facility for a specific date and place
Retreat mail box
Retreat registrations, if mailed, can be sent to the registrar or to the Triangle OA Intergroup post office box in Raleigh. If mailed to the Intergroup mailbox, the treasurer will give the registrars to the designated person on the retreat committee, usually the registrar. Many retreats have had registrations sent to the home address of the retreat registrar. As more and more registrations are processed on line this may be unnecessary in the future. {Describe how the online process is working from a bank deposit and getting the information stand point}

Links to Retreat Resources from OA World Service and SOAR 8

The following links are from world service

Retreats

Historically the Triangle Intergroup has hosted one or two retreats, one in the spring and one in the fall at locations convenient for members in the Triangle Intergroup. Beach retreats are popular and tend to cost more for lodging. The Intergroup has also hosted retreats at hotels. A retreat is usually a weekend get away from daily life to focus on recovery. Typically retreats start Friday night after dinner and finish before lunch on Sunday. Some retreats have included dinner Friday night and/or lunch Sunday morning. The Retreat Committee has a checking account with a balance established by the Intergroup. The amount in the checking account is used by the retreat committee to pay for expenses that occur before monies are collected from the participants for the cost of the retreat. Generally the pre-paid expenses are a deposit for the facility and transportation for the speaker(s). The retreat committee also has an Arts and Crafts Box that is currently stored ???. (signs)

The overall process is to

  1. Draft a tentative Budget – tentative costs, tentative charges (Link to sample from another retreat)
  2. Determine possible dates
  3. find a facility that will provide food and lodging at the reasonable rate on a weekend that is favorable to the Intergroup and negotiate a price and contract details.
  4. Determine a Theme / focus for the retreat. This is needed to spark topics for workshops, create the flyers, plan activities and may help narrow the speakers
  5. Find a Speaker. (List suggestions)
  6. Set the price participants will pay and determine the details necessary for the flyer such as whether to mail the registrations to the registrars home or to the Intergroup PO Box, whether scholarships will be given, how that will work,( link to sample flyer for details).

    7. Can we register and pay on line??

    What service will you need. The registration form is the time for volunteers to sign up for service. What will the policy be for last minute cancellations, day participant cost, policy

  7. Create and distribute Flyers
  8. You can ask to have flyers printed and inserted in the newsletter. It will be a cost that the Retreat Committee will have to reimburse the Intergroup Treasurer.
  9. Inventory the Arts and Crafts Supplies if these will be used.
  10. Create a packet for people that send it registrations. This usually includes materials from the facility such as directions, safety rules, whether bedding/towels are included,. Include what to bring (bug spray, suntan lotion, rain gear) Telephone and internet service. Email or mail the packet to those registered.
  11. Deposit the registration money. Update the budget.
  12. Find people to lead workshops and define the workshop topics and schedule. The facility information is useful because it determines how many break out rooms are available and where they are located.
  13. Get people to create packets for people when they arrive at the retreat. This is a lovely opportunity to create pretty, nice mementos.
  14. Figure out how to assign rooms.

    15. Contract Considerations. The contract should deal with a possible emergency that may cause us or the center to cancel the retreat. Residential centers have a capacity may charge per person (e.g. $150 per person with a capacity of 100 people and no penalty if only 5 people show up) a charge for the center (eg 2000 to reserve the center and 75 per person for a certain number of people, or a combination of a guaranteed price for 0 to a define d number of people. For instance, 3000 for 0-30 people and spring and fall retreat

    Advice from Experience. Do not do anything alone. Make at least two people visit the facility and are aware of the contract details. Plan as much as possible and be flexible when the retreat happens. For instance, you may offer multiple workshops at a given time and have assigned workshops to specific rooms. During the retreat the participants may want to meet elsewhere.

    Retreat Chair Procedures

    retreatchair@triangleoa.org

    Coordinates the activities to find a location, plans fall and spring retreats for OA members, registers and plans retreat activities, produces reports for Intergroup and is the go to person for anything having to do with the retreat.

    Retreat Registrar Procedures

    retreat_registrar@triangleoa.org

    The retreat registrar deposits registrations, tracks the registrations and deposits, and produces reports as needed by the committee.