GreySheeters Anonymous (GSA)

Reykjavik, Iceland May 17. 2010
Dear fellow GSRs. delegates, alternate delegates, writers  and others,

We are approaching our second dialogue meeting.  Following are information about time and phone bridge, along with the agenda for the meeting and minutes from our last meeting.

Please view attachments:  Job description for Board members, Cynthia JMM's suggestions for the dialogue meeting,  European intergroup group conscience.

Look forward to hearing you.

Yours in service Esther H.  GSAWSB Chair

Dear GreySheeters,

• GSAWS Board had their monthly meeting on May 8, 2010 and set the date for the next meeting to be June 12, 2010.
• The Board commended the development of the Board, Delegates, GSRs and writers. The first meeting clarified some of the procedural questions while establishing a conversation among the participants. It is hoped that the spirit of open dialogue will continue to build trust and the primary concern, that unity sufficient to proceed with the planning/implementation of the World Service Conference will soon be developed.
• The Board adopted the job description for candidates to fill the Board positions that remain to be filled. There is an emphasis on candidates who can work to develop/represent the unassigned liaisons to Intergroups. In some instances, the Intergroups will need leadership in uniting the meetings. The Intergroups were developed based on the number of meetings within a region. Some regions are more developed than others. The assignment of delegates is a topic that will be discussed in the dialogue meetings in the future. The board is hopeful that the current Board, delegates, GSRs and writers will propose candidates with the qualifications and willingness to fulfill the responsibilities.
• The next Board, Delegates, GSRs and writers dialogue is scheduled for May 23rd 11:00-2:00 EST. The Board fully supports the dialogue but not all members have been able to attend because of work schedules. Some of the Delegate, GSRs and writers who have not been able to attend may have the same issues. We all will make our best efforts to participate.
• Board, Delegates and GSRs who have issues that should be included in the dialogues should send them to Esther Helga, Board Chair.
• Later his month, the Board treasurer is meeting with an accountant/CPA, who will assist in the development of financial reports for the GSA community.
• The Literature Committee has received the delegation to develop proposals for the design of the GreySheet that indicates the ownership by GSA. The people who have been responsible for the distribution of the GreySheet will continue to do so. Conference approval is needed for all GSA literature.
• The Literature Committee is looking for someone to assist in the distribution of Literature. The volunteer who has done that work had to resign. Ari can be contacted by any interested volunteer.

 

Dear GSRs, Delegates, Alternate delegates and Writers to the GSA service manual:

Attached are the minutes from our last open discussion meeting between GSRs and the GSAWS Board.

The Board introduced upcoming dialogue sessions in order for us to decide on our fellowship's next steps toward service and structure.

Bob F., a consultant who has previously worked with the GSAWS Board has agreed to facilitate these sessions "pro bono," the first one to be April 18th 2010, 12:00 - 2:00 pm EST.

Date and time: April 18, 2010,  12:00 - 2:00 pm EST

Phone bridge number:  712 432 3900 / 605218#   A volunteer moderator is needed.

Who is to attend:  Voted in delegates and alternate delegates from intergroups around the world, GSRs with 3 years back-to-back GreySheet abstinence and writers to the WS Conference manual.  All other GSRs and preferably longtimers having a desire to serve at this level.

Look forward to hearing you

Yours in service Esther Helga
Chair GSAWSB

GSAWS BOARD suggestions for dialogue meetings:

The Board has recommended that a facilitator(s) assists with dialog meetings and uses a consensus model in a series of monthly (1 - 2 hour) meetings with members following guidelines in AA handbook. (this is a working/business meeting).

The Board approved a delay in holding the World Service Conference.  This provides an opportunity to:

• Recruit six members to the Board
• Encourage delegates and GSRs to offer candidate names to the Board
• Seek qualified people with 5 years back-to-back GreySheet abstinence, who are able to work with Board responsibilities, e.g. bilingual speakers to work with Mexico, someone who can work with Israel, etc.

General monthly dialogue meeting process:

• GSRs, delegates, and alternate delegates are invited to join Board meetings once a month for a dialogue meeting.
• The agreed-to meeting timeline will always be observed and follow the consensus process; a topic may be continued at a subsequent meeting, at the request of any participant in the meeting.
• The facilitator will begin the meeting by reviewing the agenda and topics to be discussed. (Submitted topics will be added to the list in sequence received.)
• At the end of each meeting the facilitator will summarize the meeting results and identify topics which have been resolved and removed from the discussion agenda. 
• The meeting outcomes will be posted on the GSA website.
• The goal for each dialog meeting is for each agenda topic to be discussed, in sequence, until each topic has been resolved and removed from the agenda.
• When resolution of all submitted topics has been achieved, the Board will move to set the date for the World Service Conference.

Agenda topics will be added to the meeting agenda by the following process:

• Members may submit agenda topics by emailing them to Esther Helga ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) with c.c. to Bob Foxworthy ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) one week prior to each dialog meeting.
• Submitted topics will be added to the list in sequence received.
• Any topics submitted which have already been discussed and resolved will not be added a second time.
• Agenda topics will be discussed one at a time.

Current agenda topics identified:

• Discuss any questions about the process and ask for clarifications.
• How to proceed with the GSA Service Manual and preparations for the WSC.
• Service Structure: agreement on number of delegates (phone bridge & how we get to a service structure)
• Structure Issue: Publications & Board By-laws need to be reviewed and accepted by World Service Conference.
• Nominating process agreement.
• How many delegates each group gets.
• Financial transparency.
• How participation is counted.

Board objectives:

• Set date for pre-World Conference
• Round-Up in New York City

FROM THE GSAWSBOARD

Dear fellowship,

It gives us great pleasure to announce that the Copyrights of Plan A. Low Carbohydrate Meal Plan is ours!

GSAWS Board Report Copyright GSA/OA Negotiations March 2010

Timeline:

April 1998

• Greysheeter Anonymous World Service Board published an explanation for GSA members in Shades of Grey recognizing that GSA could not be an Intergroup in the OA system because GSA would violate their practice (Tradition 10) of the food plan being a personal decision of the OA member.

January 2002

• In response to a request for permission to use the Greysheet, the legal representatives of OA sent a letter to GSAWS board stating that GSA had used the "OA Plan A" without permission of OA and that GSAWS Board was liable for damages, lost profits and attorney's fees.
• They asked that all materials be removed from the GSAWS website and all printed publications and that the materials could not be produced in live meetings, telephone meetings or internet meetings.
• GSA Board was expected to respond to these demands by February 2002.

Winter 2006

• Responding to a request for permission to use the Greysheet, the legal representatives of OA sent a letter with essentially the same expectations and added that the name Greysheet should not be used.
• The GSAWS Board initially agreed to meet the OA requests but within a month decided on another course of action.

Spring 2006

• GSAWS Board decided to seek legal counsel to understand the legal right of GSAWS Board and to protect the use of the Greysheet by our membership.
• The counsel for GSA procured the GSA Trademark and copyrighted the name Greysheeters Anonymous.
• They researched the OA copyright and copyright law that would protect GSA in the case of a suit.

October 2007

• GSAWS Board reported at the NY Round-Up on the copyright dispute and the Trademark.
• This report is on our website.

Spring 2009

• OA filed a suit against GSA in Arizona but withdrew the suit when contacted by GSAWS.
• OA decided to negotiate the purchase of the copyright of the Greysheet (OA Plan A) by GSAWS.

March 2010

• GSAWS Board announces the copyright ownership of the Greysheet Agreement.
• GSA and OA have entered into a agreement to transfer ownership of the Copyrights of Plan A. Low Carbohydrate meal plan from Overeaters Anonymous to Greysheeters Anonymous.
• GSA has agreed to offer Overeaters Anonymous unrestricted, royalty-free, perpetual licenses for use of the copyrights back to OA for use in their programs and literature.

Revised 3-13-10