Board Changes And
The State of NABWMT
Norbert Young, Co-Chair
I want to begin by saying hello to board members, chapter chairs, life members, members, and friends of NABWMT. My goal is to share with you my perspective of the NABWMT. In our attempt to keep you well informed and our decision making transparent, I would like to resume the practice of an annual report to our constituency. This will be written by the co-chairs, and will be delivered during our national convention. However, in the absence of such a report last summer, I believe we all need to be brought up to speed with everything having to do with the NA. This article will highlight my impressions of the “state of the NA."
I wrote this article with mixed emotions, as our previously elected co-chair, Dave Siereveld, resigned on January 3, 2009.
It has been daunting to find a person with tenacity and driven toward perfection, as well as someone who can share in our vision for the NA. Success! I am happy to announce I selected board member Scott Duty to fill the position as my co-chair for the 2009-10 term. His position was affirmed by the Board of Directors in a unanimous vote in accordance with our Bylaws, at our January teleconference. Scott will bring a great deal of executive managerial experience and long time affiliation with our local and national chapters.
Our financial infrastructure is in grave trouble. In 2008, we lost an estimated $32,000 in the stock market due to worldwide economic conditions. Upon my election in July, my past co-chair and I felt that the purse strings needed to be tightened for our survival. We reduced the deficit considerably, but it was not enough. The amount in our reserves continues to pose an incredible challenge for our new board, due to a projected $21,000 deficit. We need to use this information and define how we can create a structured plan for a bright future.
We cannot do this alone, as all of us need to work together as we have in the past to survive. I am sure looking at the past this will not be something that we are not use to; it is time for all of us to band together to withstand the tough times that are coming. Analyzing our present situation, we have enough residuals to support us for about another 5 years using our present budget as a gauge and taking into account our anticipated membership growth along with donations and pledges of support.
I am very proud of our new Board. All of the Board's committees have developed a list of goals and objectives that will help us set a course to lead us to a more secure place. Committees have identified certain measures of effectiveness to help ensure that we will stay focused and accomplish our goals over the next year.
The Fundraising and Finance Committees are investigating alternative funding streams and helping the NA attain greater fiscal responsibility. The Public Relations and Membership Committees are hard at work to make us more visible and show the world that we are being proactive in our postures. The Membership Committee is progressive in their goals to set up new membership benefits.
The Bylaws and Standing Rules Committee is clarifying and modernizing our organization's operating documents to improve how we operate. This is a new day, and we take pride in our new structure and in the fact that we are moving forward.
Now that we are in the twenty first century, we are commemorating it by making our newsletter available electronically for the first time. The Publications Committee is visionary in their goals.
The Health and HIV Committee is staying on top of medical and scientific things and is reporting important information in The Quarterly that can benefit us all.
With your help we are creating a new NABWMT that will endure these tough times that you and I, our local chapters, and our nation are experiencing. In closing, I think the words from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt are so fitting for the new directions the NA is embarking on:
“We shall strive for perfection. We shall not achieve it immediately--but we still shall strive. We may make mistakes-- but they must never be mistakes which result from faintness of heart or abandonment of moral principle. We can gain it only if we proceed with the understanding, the confidence, and the courage which flow from conviction."
Please join with Scott and me in writing our next chapter, to make the NABWMT a better and stronger organization. We truly welcome your participation. Please feel free to call us at the National office.
Yours In Brotherhood,
Norbert Young, NABWMT Co-Chair
Posted: modified by:Del Korte Modify date:2009-03-21 19:11:02