A BIT OF HISTORY
Gregg Millett, Founding Board Member
SOS started as an idea  -  the idea of an institution that would encourage life-long opportunities for personal enrichment and social contact   The idea has such relevance for single people, because so many singles are in transitional states that make them open to personal growth, willing to risk the challenges of new experiences, and interested in expanding their social connections.
My first attempts to work with the idea were aided by Diane Watts in the formation of small support groups and home-based workshops and by Mary Ellen Fullum in helping with the first dances and social gatherings.    There were some great early events and there were times when no one showed up!   I remember one evening when our meeting place had been rented for a more lucrative function. The back up facility,  besides costing a lot more,  forced the participants to drive unexpectedly half-way across town.    That night  I  expressed my doubts about continuing .   The encouragement of that small group carried tbe idea forward.  Their caring was invaluable.
During the summer of 1985 three of the active participants joined me to turn   our beginnings into a formal organization.  It is interesting to reflect upon what each of the four Founding Board Members brought to the enterprise.  Larry Klepper wanted the organization to have a solid foundation  -   a board-directed, non-profit organization based upon by-laws and connected to the human services of the Capital District   Randy Fasnacht wanted a calendar packed with activities and a public relations effort that let people know we existed.   Lois Haignere wanted the organizttion to represent a strong moral force - to make a meaningful statement about the positives of being single, with a membership that cared about the issues and about each other. And I wanted  "interaction"  -  people meeting people, people expressing thoughts and feelings, friendliness tempered by common sense caution.
It has been one of the great challenges and joys of my life to have joined with these people and 100's of others in making me idea of SOS a reality.

                                                                                              RISK, CAUTION & COMMON SENSE
      The vast majority of our members are friendly and responsible. However,    this does not mean that you should leave your common sense at home. The thousands of SOS  members probably reflect the same range of personality traits one will find in the community at large.  When socializing and meeting new people, use that same degree of care and caution you would use in your normal day to day activities.

       We recommend getting to know people at SOS events before socializing with them privately.   Balancing risk and caution is one of the difficult challenges of life and especially single life!

                                                                                             BY-LAWS & FINANCES
     The   nine-page by-laws of SOS follow the general   non-profit corporation structure in defining purposes, membership, board of directors, officers, committees, and finances. The purposes include the establishment of a program of activities designed to provide members with opportunities for  social interaction,  personal growth and cultural enrichment.

The SOS treasurer gives a full financial report to the Board of Directors every month and the financial statement is published quarterly in the Newsletter. For a copy of the by-laws or more complete information on any aspect of the organization, just send your request to SOS.

REVOCATION OF MEMBERSHIP
  The By-laws of Singles  Outreach  , Inc. states that SO  membership may be revoked by the Board of Directors for intimidating, exploitative,   or  harassing   actions which place members in jeopardy, interfere with program activities, or prevent members from enjoying the benefits of their membership.
Some examples of such actions include:
1.   The unauthorized use of SOS events to solicit gifts or sell goods or services.
2.  The use of romantic encounters for the purpose of gaming financial or other material favors,
3.  Subjecting others to embarrassment via persistent ridicule or falsehoods which impune another's reputation.
4.   Unsolicited and unwanted, persistent phone calls.
5.  Unsolicited and unwanted physical contact of an offensive nature.
6.   Threats of physical harm to a person, his/her car or other property, or family members.
7.   Unsolicited and unwanted, persistent requests for or demands for social or sexual encounters.
8.    Inappropriate sexual behavior, including unsolicited and unwanted comments of a sexual nature directed against another                                                                                         member            
      We hope you enjoy the many positive posibilities within SOS. but if you do find yourself encountering difficulties, please seek out members of the Board or Staff for consultation. If you feel you need to have a situation dealt with formally, please submit the details in writing to the SOS Board of Directors.
                                                                                                       New Member Guide,      Page 2