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Third Quarter 2008 |
Volume
18, Number 3
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IN THIS ISSUE
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2008 World Service Business Conference a Success
Virtual Meetings Become a Reality
 Over 200 delegates from around the world gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA, May 5 to 10, for OA’s 47th annual World Service Business Conference (WSBC).
Workshops and discussions this year centered on the theme “The Road to Recovery — A Team Effort,” focusing on OA’s Strategic Plan. The Conference included workshops such as “A Bicycle Built for All: Different Approaches to Working the OA Program,” “Pedaling Together: How Sponsorship Strengthens OA as a Whole,” “Recovery Through Literature: A Team Effort” and “Can We All Read the Map? A Forum on Language in OA.”
Delegates engaged in productive roundtable discussions at a forum titled “The Map to Guide Our Way: How We Live OA’s Strategic Plan.” The forum focused on the Strategic Plan’s four areas: Committed Service Bodies, Financial Health, Public/Professional Awareness and Strong Meetings. Each delegate agreed to focus his or her efforts in one of these areas over the next year.
At WSBC 2007, delegates referred all bylaw amendments related to virtual (online and telephone) meetings to a subcommittee appointed by the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT). The subcommittee reworked and resubmitted those amendments to WSBC 2008. Delegates approved the creation of virtual groups and virtual service boards. Virtual groups may affiliate with intergroups without regard to geographic proximity.
The regional structure will not include virtual service boards. Instead of creating a separate region for virtual service boards, the Conference directed the BOT chairman to appoint a current regional trustee to this position. The appointment will rotate annually among the 10 regions. Di C., Region Ten trustee, will serve as chair for the 2008–2009 year.
Delegates also approved the following:
- Minor revisions to an existing pamphlet, Treatment and Beyond
- Motion allowing the BOT Executive Committee to discontinue printing low-demand Conference-approved literature (members can download low-demand, out-of-print Conference-approved literature from the OA Web site)
- Production and sale of marked recovery chips to celebrate recovery years one through 20 and years 25, 30, 35 and 40
- Policies regarding media, public relations, public service announcements and paid ads
- Recognition of people from various cultural backgrounds as a special focus group
- Transfer of Central Illinois Intergroup to Region Five
Delegates defeated the following motions:
- Combine Professional Outreach and Public Information Committees
- Recognize “Overeaters Anonymous Awareness Week”
- Change the definition of abstinence
- Investigate the lack of qualified people of color to fill leadership positions
Time constraints prevented delegates from considering a motion to change the name of the Unity With Diversity Policy (1992a) to Special Concept Meetings Policy.
New region trustees elected this year are Ev A. (Region One), Teresa K. (Region Four) and Esti O. (Region Nine). Delegates elected Wanda S. as Region Three trustee for a remaining one-year term, and reelected Donna A. as Region Seven trustee for a three-year term and Bob F. and Kayla W. as general service trustees for three-year terms.
For more information on Conference voting results, read the 2008 Wrap-Up Report. In September, the WSO will send the Final Conference Report to all delegates who attended WSBC 2008 and to those service bodies not represented at Conference. The Final Conference Report is no longer available for purchase from the WSO.
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New Bank Fees Impact Payments From Non-US Accounts
Fees Become Prohibitive
 Recent changes in our bank’s fee structure are impacting the ability of the World Service Office (WSO) to accept checks and money orders written on any non-US bank account, even if the funds are in US dollars. The fees charged for processing international checks have become prohibitive, so some of the support you intend for Overeaters Anonymous instead supports the banking industry.
You may use a variety of alternatives when sending money to the WSO. If you have Internet access and a credit card, you can go to our Web site at www.oa.org. From there, go to the area of interest to you — literature, Lifeline or contributions — to complete the form. The credit-card company will take care of the currency conversion, and your credit information remains secure.
You can also call, fax or mail your order with your credit-card information to the WSO. Soon we hope to offer the option of paying by check through our Web site, so before the end of 2008, please look for updates in A Step Ahead and in What’s New on the Web site. Until this option becomes available, a well-known Internet payment processor now permits the use of its service on sites that usually do not accept this processor as payers, making its service possible on our site.
You can reduce the overall fees for OA by making less frequent payments in larger amounts. Consider pooling your funds with your local intergroup or service board to take advantage of economies of scale.
Whatever method you choose, the WSO strives to use your funds to benefit the Fellowship of Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Please contact the WSO if you have any questions, and thank you for your support.
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New Board of Trustees Seated
After the 2008 World Service Business Conference in May, members of the 2008–2009 Board of Trustees held their first meeting to elect new officers of the board. Later, members of the board received their board- and Conference-committee assignments. Makeup of the board and committee chairs are as follows:
Officers
Chair: Kayla W.
First Vice Chair: Margaret Ann B.
Second Vice Chair: Craig R.
Treasurer: Bob F.
General Service Trustees
Dodie H.
Bob F.
Kayla W.
Cheryle T.
Vicki W.
Region Trustees
Region One: Ev A.
Region Two: Angela J.
Region Three: Wanda S.
Region Four: Teresa K.
Region Five: Craig R.
Region Six: Margaret Ann B.
Region Seven: Donna A.
Region Eight: Charles A.
Region Nine: Esti O.
Region Ten: Di C.
Conference Committee Trustee Co-Chairs
Bylaws: Craig R.
Conference-Approved Literature: Margaret Ann B.
Finance: Bob F.
Professional Outreach: Angela J.
Public Information: Cheryle T.
Region Chairs: Dodie H.
Twelfth-Step Within: Ev A.
Unity with Diversity: Teresa K.
Board Committees
Board-Approved Literature: Di C.
BRM Review: Craig R.
Conference Planning: Donna A.
Convention 2010: Angela J.
History and Archives: Charles A.
Internal Information: Wanda S.
International Publications: Esti O.
Literature Review: Margaret Ann B.
Matching Grants: Bob F.
Professional Exhibits: Angela J.
Public Awareness Campaign: Cheryle T.
Strategic Planning: Margaret Ann B.
Technology/Web Site: Vicki W.
Youth in OA: [new trustee to be appointed]
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Returned Check Fees Will Apply
At its May 5, 2008 meeting, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees voted to assess a US$10 fee on all checks returned to the World Service Office (WSO) by its bank for any reason. These reasons may include, but are not limited to, insufficient funds, closed account or improper signature. Because the OA program is one of honesty, this is an infrequent event. However, the bank assesses the World Service Office a fee for each occurrence, and part of our recovery in OA is taking responsibility for our actions. The Executive Committee feels this fee should be passed on to the original check writer, instead of being carried by the Fellowship as a whole.
The most common reason for returned checks results from members who write checks payable to Overeaters Anonymous for literature they bought from the group or who drop checks in their meeting’s Seventh Tradition basket. The group may hold onto the checks until it places another order with the WSO, or until it sends its regular group contribution. Problems can arise when checks are not cashed promptly. From now on, the notification letter from the WSO about the need to replace a check written to OA will ask for an additional US$10 to cover the bank fee. We rely on the honesty of members to pay the fee.
WSBC 2009 Important Deadlines
November 2, 2008:
Delegate Support Fund Applications due at WSO (postmarked deadline)
December 10, 2008:
New Business Motions/Bylaw Amendments due at WSO (postmarked deadline)
January 5, 2009:
Delegate Registration due at WSO
February 3, 2009:
Board of Trustees Applications due at WSO |
You Count!
Let Us Count You!
A survey to count the average number of members in OA is being sent to all registered groups with current addresses. It will be translated into nearly 30 languages for meetings outside the US. Watch for it in the mail and return the information to the WSO as soon as possible. |
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Public Awareness of OA Spreading
 The Public Awareness Campaign is in full swing, and the results are beyond our wildest dreams. Donations for the campaign continue to arrive at the World Service Office, topping US$46,000 thus far.
 Numerous publications across the country, including USA Today, have written about OA. Recently, the popular column Dear Abby mentioned OA. Three podcasts are available on the Internet, and more are in the works. To hear them, go to the OA Web site at www.oa.org/get_podcast.htm. And we are creating new radio public-service announcements for 3,000 radio stations across America and Canada.
At the 2008 World Service Business Conference (WSBC), delegates unanimously approved a series of public awareness motions. These motions will help guide and define future public awareness activities while honoring our Traditions. Your WSBC delegate will have a copy of these motions, or you can find them in the Wrap-Up Report.
— Member of the Board of Trustees
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