Hope in the New Year Virtually - OA Virtual Region

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Hope in the New Year Virtually - OA Virtual Region
1st Quarter 2021 – Vol. 17

      Hope in the New Year Virtually                                           I experienced being apart from in the physical world.
                                                                               I have felt one-dimensional in a three-dimensional
Hearing Other People’s Experience                                              world, even non-existent. In active addiction I was
In 2020, I witnessed the Virtual Region blossom and                            physically, emotionally, and spiritually distant, let
come into its own. It rose to the challenge laid down                          alone socially. Program helped me address those,
by a virus and led the way in recovery from a virtual                          helped guide me to a fundamental shift in how
platform. Here was challenge and possibility walking                           I perceived space, presence, how I used my body.
hand in hand. Virtual Region helped me acclimatize                             Program brought me back to Higher Power. Because
to the virtual world so that I could help my local group                       of this, I have been well prepared to migrate to the
continue to hold meetings. It also showed me that the                          virtual platform: online meetings may be remote, but
spiritual principles of the OA Steps, Traditions and                           I feel a part of. I may appear disembodied, a head in
Concepts, could remain and thrive in a different kind                          an oblong box, but I feel fully present. With this new
of space. And so could I. I saw this most clearly                              telepresence, I have become more aware of my
demonstrated at the Virtual Region Convention                                  body. Given the nature of my disease, this is helping
where I witnessed tech glitches handled with even-                             me see my body in another way which is improving
temperedness and humor and translators who                                     my relationship with it.
worked tirelessly to unite us all in our common bond.                          Happy Our Program Exists
But I was reminded that a tech-mediated program is                             In 2020, Virtual Region gave me a reason to believe
nothing new. Back in the day, fellows used the                                 that I can continue with my recovery and deepen my
medium of letter writing, telegrams, telephone. The                            relationship with Higher Power, and I take this hope
program had already demonstrated its adaptability                              with me into this unknown period of time which we
and robustness in the face of change whilst                                    call 2021. I take this hope to my meetings, to a space
preserving the potency of the message. I learnt that                           that has no physical existence as such but does not
global lockdown was no different in that regard. As it                         prevent me from connecting with and experiencing
says in the Big Book: “Modem-to-modem or face-to-                              myself, fellows, and Higher Power. As my experience
face, A.A.’s speak the language of the heart in all its                        has taught me, Higher Power is able to dwell in any
power and simplicity.”                                                         space, at all times.
The Language of the Heart has indeed translated                                                                     —Sarah L, COE
well into the Virtual. No matter which meeting I go to,
whatever time zone, I am welcome. I belong.
Hold On, Pain Ends
I have known chaos, unmanageability, unpredict-
ability in my life due to the disease. I have known
isolation and the loneliness and despair that took
me to my rock bottom, my jumping off place.

“OA Virtual News” is the quarterly newsletter of the Virtual Region of Overeaters Anonymous. The newsletter presents experiences and opinions
of individual OA members and is not to be attributed to Overeaters Anonymous as a whole, nor does publication of any article imply endorsement by
Overeaters Anonymous. Comments, suggestions, and articles sharing your personal experience, strength, and hope of recovery in the OA fellowship
are encouraged, as well as technical expertise. Articles submitted will not be returned and are subject to editing for clarity, brevity and anonymity.
Hope in the New Year Virtually - OA Virtual Region
www.oa.org – 1st Quarter 2021 – Vol. 17 – www.oavirtualregion.org

       Diversity in OA
Hello virtual region!!!!! Lots of
wonderful things are happening
since the region began three years
ago, and I am blessed that I can be
here to see this region growing,
growing, and growing.
Since I came to OA in 2010 through
the virtual meetings here in Brazil
I understood that I can recover
through these virtual meetings.
Recovery is possible, and I can
virtually carry the message to more
and more people around the world,
not only here in Brazil.
When the pandemic came the
virtual region was ready to carry the
message and give helping hands to
all regions, and now we have more
than 1000 virtual meetings. This
morning I attended a meeting in
region 5 and tomorrow I will attend a meeting in             We will have the Virtual Region Assembly on April
Canada! How amazing that we can recover through              10th which you can attend as a visitor; please think
virtual meetings, workshops, conventions and more!           about giving service at the region level in one of the
                                                             committees. We need you!
These last months the virtual region received the gift
of 2 more virtual intergroups! ‘BIPOC Virtual IG’ and        At the World Service level, this year’s World Service
‘La Brigade du rétablissement’ have started! If you          Business Conference will be held virtually. I will miss
are part of an unaffiliated meeting, have you thought        the hugs, the shares, and all in-person service but we
about starting a new intergroup or affiliating with an       will have it virtually. This year my country is sending
existing intergroup? Together is better! There is a list     9 delegates (3 affiliated with the Virtual Region and 6
of existing OA Virtual Intergroups on the last page of       from Region 8) this would be impossible if the
this issue of the newsletter with contact information.       conference were meeting face-to-face and I am trying
                                                             to see the big opportunity at the OA service level.
In February we had our second VR convention
and the OA Virtual Region rocks! I could share and           I am running for more one term as Virtual Region
I could translate to Portuguese; how difficult this          Trustee. I am grateful for the opportunity, for the
service of being an interpreter is and I am thankful for     diversity and inclusivity that I found at the Virtual
all people who gave service at the convention to             Region. The more I give service the more I recover!
host, organize, and translate!!!! It is amazing seeing       Thanks to OA for this opportunity!
lots of people having the same opportunity! Many
                                                                              —Dora P, OA Virtual Region Trustee
thanks to the Virtual Region Board Members who are
                                                                                   Visit our virtual region website
working to have a worldwide region that is welcoming
                                                                                          www.oavirtualregion.org
to everyone.

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   Our Experience, Strength & Hope                            experienced in the very rooms where compulsive
                                                             overeaters seek safety. Although she is no longer a
Last summer, I was invited to attend an Ebony OA             member, her legacy lives on. It is because of her
meeting. It had been many years since I last                 that the first Ebony OA meeting was established.
attended one. However due to the tragedies that              She also was instrumental in the production of
were occurring in the world, I like many other OA            the pamphlet Black OA Members Share Their
members who look like me sought refuge in meetings           Experience, Strength and Hope. Imagine what else
that were created to be safe spaces for people of            she could have accomplished if she had received
color. We identified and shared without the threat of        acceptance and support instead of racism and
zoom bombers using the n-word or having to justify           trauma.
that race and racism are not outside issues. In              Now that BIPOC VIG is a registered virtual intergroup
addition to several weekly Ebony OA meetings, new            we intend to hold additional events in the future as
people of color meetings continued to pop up. And            well as support the people of color meetings. All OA
week after week, these meetings were discovered by           members are welcome to attend. Each of us has
other people of color seeking refuge and safety.             earned our seat at the table and in the rooms of OA!
I continue to attend these meetings to hear and share
experience, strength and hope. As I heard a member                                   —Atiya, Member of BIPOC VIG
share, "Recovery is Revolutionary!"                              (Black, Indigenous & People of Color Virtual Intergroup)

Almost by accident, I found
myself at a service meeting
that was spearheaded by two
male OA members of color
who wanted to create a
service board. Their idea
was to bring together the
numerous people of color
meetings. The stated purpose
was to carry the message of
recovery to people who look
like us outside of the rooms
of OA while simultaneously
giving a voice and visibility to
those of us in OA.
Before we were even a
registered OA virtual service
body, we held our first special
event “A Seat at The Table”
held on Dr. Martin Luther
King's birthday. Three former
OA trustees of color shared
their experiences. One of the
women has left the fellowship
due to overt racism she

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Hope in the New Year Virtually - OA Virtual Region
www.oa.org – 1st Quarter 2021 – Vol. 17 – www.oavirtualregion.org

          Were There Three or Four Elephants in the Room ? – January 19th 2021
My reflections after the “A Seat at The Table” Day of Service Workshop hosted by OA BIPOC VIG on Monday,
January 18th 2021 with three former Black OA Trustees.
Three or was it four elephants in the room? Racism in OA; anger over this racial injustice; a few white people
barely acknowledged; the sadness over a fellow compulsive overeater who has left this Fellowship, after all her
hard work, and tears, I imagine. I know these elephants are technically in the room.
I read Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech after the workshop which sought to honor him and his work. He said,
"In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds." This work of justice is for
all of us to participate in. Yes, let us "gain our rightful place" as Black, Indigenous, People of Color in Overeaters
Anonymous "on the high plane of dignity and discipline" as Dr. King described the struggle.
We can and we must work together, all of us in OA for justice to prevail. No one can be left out. Those of like-
minds can accomplish so much in unity.
My sadness rose for the injustice in OA. I heard the heart-cry of a lone voice of a white participant after the
Martin Luther King Event was over. I felt the pain of my Sister no longer a part of our Fellowship because of what
she had endured. Let’s stop and have a moment of silence for her. Stop. Hear the voices of the possible millions,
crying out, who are waiting for us to rise to “majestic heights” in this process of creating a Fellowship that
includes and welcomes us all.
“Overeaters Anonymous is a Fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength, and hope, are
recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively…” (The
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition)
                                                                                  —Janet D, member of BIPOC VIG

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Hope in the New Year Virtually - OA Virtual Region
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              BIPOC VIG                                      discrimination since I spent many summers in rural
                                                             Alabama.
     My Fellowship-Our Fellowship
                                                             Experience matters, it shapes who we are and how
Hi, I’m Evangelyn a grateful Compulsive Overeater            we cope in the world. My experiences as a young girl
and a member of Overeaters Anonymous since                   included traveling on trains from NY to Alabama that
1977. I am also an African American member of the            were segregated, and being prohibited from eating in
“Black Indigenous and People of Color Intergroup”            the dining car. It was always a puzzlement and sense
(BIPOC VIG). As a group we were invited to share             of shame to see my dad after we started traveling by
with the fellowship why we believe it is important to        car, purchase gas at service stations in the state of
have special focus meetings for BIPOC and a BIPOC            Georgia but not be able to use the WHITE ONLY
IG to support those meetings.                                bathrooms. We would have to relieve ourselves in
I attended my first OA meeting in the Mid-Hudson             fields on the side of the road.
Valley Region of NY State, which is a very rural area
                                                             The majority of members in OA, only in their wildest
approximately 75 miles north of New York City. When
                                                             imagination, could think about not being able to drink
we moved there from Westchester County there were
very few people of color in the area, so it was not a        from a public water fountain in a store where my
surprise to find myself the only person of color in          grandfather had taken me to buy milk, only to be
my first OA meeting. Being the only person of color          directed to a pail of water on the floor next to the
in the meetings I attended was not a new experience          water fountain with a common dipper in it as the
for me. All through elementary, high school, and             place I would have to get water if I wanted it. These
college I was often only one of two possibly three           and other experiences too numerous to mention in
other African American students in my classes.               this article shaped my early life. Whenever I asked
Additionally, I am old enough to have experienced            WHY? I was always given the same answer. “It’s just
the dehumanizing effects of segregation and                  the way things are!”

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Even now in 2021 there is still no person of color that      better than the White applicants to get a job or being
attends my home meeting on a regular basis.                  told at age 12 by a White teacher after I told her that
I continue to attend this meeting, now virtually,            I wanted to be a doctor that my parents could never
because here and in the OA fellowship overall, I have        afford to send me to medical school. Then to be told
been fortunate enough to feel welcomed and                   I could not talk about how any of these issues were
accepted.                                                    affecting my emotions was devastating to me.
This past year there have been two instances that            Race and Racial injustice are often difficult topics for
opened my eyes and unearthed long buried                     most people and these difficulties are experienced
memories that I now realize have probably been               differently by Black, Indigenous and People of Color
catalysts for my eating disorder.                            and people who identify as White or Caucasian.
The first incident happened as our country and this          However, we in OA know that our eating habits are
world struggled to make sense of two global                  very much tied to our emotions and how we cope
pandemics, COVID-19 and Social and Racial                    with stress.
Injustice. The weight of these two pandemics could           In the fall of 2020, I started to hear about BIPOC
not be ignored, as many in our Twelve Step meetings          meetings and the vision of some members to start a
shared the negative impact on our lives by the               service board for Black, Indigenous and People of
deaths, isolation, and uncertainty of what was going         Color. Our trustee Dora came to one of our meetings
on around us. In all the meetings I attended COVID-          and helped us through the process of becoming an
19, something that affected all of us, was discussed         Intergroup.
over and over again. Not once did I hear an objection
to this topic or anyone refer to it as a violation of        BIPOC meetings are not meant to divide our
Tradition 10. However in one meeting as a member             membership but to increase our fellowship. Adhering
started sharing her emotional distress at the racial         to our Unity with Diversity policy means that
unrest, protests, and disturbances occurring around          EVERYONE is welcome at our meeting. The BIPOC
her, she was immediately interrupted and shut down           meetings allow all that attend an opportunity to gain
by another member as she was told she was in                 a deeper understanding of the unique and common
violation of Tradition 10. I was shocked and felt like I     experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of
had been punched in the chest.                               Color. Black, Indigenous and People of Color are
The second occurrence was an OA meeting on                   so underrepresented in our meetings worldwide and
Tradition 10 where the leader also referred to the           especially on the levels of decision making like the
riots going on at the time as an outside issue. These        World Service Business Conference (WSBC). I am
two experiences were not only my experience but              very happy that BIPOC IG will be sending a delegate
also the experiences of other OA members who were            to WSBC this spring.
in meetings where they were told the racial conflict         Yes, it is important that we have people of color
was an outside issue and they were breaking                  meetings and BIPOC IG to support those members
Traditions.                                                  and meetings. We need the help of the whole
Recently at our Virtual Region Convention one of the         fellowship to help us attract and retain people of color
speakers said she believes Tradition 10 is the most          globally who are suffering from this disease of
misunderstood tradition of all the traditions, I agree       compulsive overeating. Please keep in mind Tradition
completely. After years of hearing “It’s just the way        Three and Tradition Five. The only requirement for
things are”, I had a visceral reaction at hearing that       OA membership is a desire to stop eating
I could not talk about the issues that I am now sure         compulsively and each group has but one primary
are a big part of my eating disorder. I cried for days.      purpose to carry its message to the compulsive
The many years of emotional trauma I have                    Overeater who still suffers.
personally experienced, like being told I had to be                        —Evangelyn R., Grateful Member of OA

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             Editor’s Response                               place to discuss them because OA is not political.
                                                             Holding a workshop is a good idea as people would
Hi Evangelyn,                                                know coming into the workshop what the topic
I read your article and my personal experience with          was, but I was taught that the most important person
somebody in a meeting being told their share was an          in the room was the newcomer and having people
outside issue/tradition 10 violation came years ago at       bring up potentially divisive issues like politics or
a face-to-face meeting where I was a guest qualifier         religion could cause a newcomer to turn away from
and someone was talking about problems in the                OA. I have heard meetings request people not wear
middle east and how they affected her because she            political buttons or shirts to a meeting, not mention
had friends there but was told that was outside issue,       specific churches, pastors, or religious customs as
her response was that if somebody else talked about          they could be considered promoting them and make
a relative in the hospital causing them worry that she       those of other faiths uncomfortable. We all ate for a
could talk about what troubled her. My sense was             reason and we each had a personal reason why
that this person brought up this issue frequently and        we ate. I would leave it at that and save the other
that the other members of the group were sick of             discussions for workshops, the parking lot after the
hearing about it and that is why it was causing              meeting, or a gathering called for the purpose. OA
dissension in the group. Several people suggested            has no opinion on outside issues and we want to
she talk to her sponsor about it instead of the              avoid the appearance of outside issues. We need
meeting.
                                                             unity in the meeting room.
I think it goes back to Step 1, that we are powerless
                                                             Thanks for reading this! I hope it made sense.
over many things (war, racism, other people's
actions, etc.) but an OA meeting may not be the best                              —Jean B., OA Virtual News Chair

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                                                              Sponsored by Virtual Intergroup of Overeaters Anonymous
                                                                712-432-5200 PIN: 4285115#
                                                                 Meetings every hour from 8:00am to 12 midnight ET
                                                                           2021oamarathons@gmail.com

                                                                                   Saturday, June 19
                                                                                     Juneteenth
                                                                                    Let Go, Let HP.
                                                                                 How Do I Work Step 6?

                                                                                    Sunday, June 20
                                                                                     Father's Day
                                                                       Spiritual Principle of Step 6 – Willingness
                                                                What Am I Willing To Do To Go to Any Lengths Necessary
                                                                                 To Work My Program?
                        Friday, April 2
                        Good Friday                                                  Sunday, July 4
           Spiritual Principle of Step 4 – Courage                              Independence Day
            Do I Have the Courage to Be Me?                             Spiritual Principle of Step 7 – Humility
                                                              What Do You Do When Food Thoughts and Cravings Occur?
                    Sunday, April 4
             Easter - End of Passover                                              Saturday, August 14
     What Does Renewal Look Like in My OA Program?                                 Sponsorship Day
                                                                      Spiritual Principle of Step 8 – Self Discipline
                     Tuesday, April 13                               The Rewards of Being and Having a Sponsor.
                    Ramadan Begins
           Is Every Day A New Beginning for Me?                                   Monday, September 6
                                                                                       Labor Day
                        Sunday, May 2                               Spiritual Principle of Tradition 7 – Responsibility
                     Orthodox Easter                                Am I Contributing My Share At My OA Meetings?
        Spiritual Principle of Tradition 4 – Autonomy
    How Am I Taking Responsibility For My Own Actions?                          Tuesday, September 7
                                                                                 Rosh Hashanah
                        Sunday, May 9                                    Spiritual Principle of Step 9 – Love
                       Mother's Day                                 How Do I Show I Care About Myself and Others?
           Spiritual Principle of Step 5 – Integrity
        How Does Integrity Show Up In My Program?                               Wednesday, September 15
                                                                                      Yom Kippur
                     Tuesday, May 11                                  Spiritual Principle of Tradition 8 – Fellowship
             EID al-Fitr – Ramadan Ends                               How Does My Participation In the Fellowship
          Day to Day Living in Steps 10, 11 and 12                           Help My Program and Others?

                       Monday, May 31                                              Monday, October 12
                       Memorial Day                                          Indigenous Peoples' Day &
         Spiritual Principle of Tradition 5 – Purpose                          Canadian Thanksgiving
         How Do I Carry the Message of Recovery?                      Spiritual Principle of Step 10 – Perseverance
                                                                                    Keep Coming Back
                       Sunday, June 6
                      Gay Pride Day                                               Sunday, October 31
        Spiritual Principle of Tradition 6 – Solidarity                               Halloween
    ~ What Does “First Things First” Mean To Me Today?             It’s Not What You Are Eating, its What’s Eating You

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       Sponsor-Protégé-Sponsor:                              candy in one sitting. I lost hope. After attending
                                                             several OA telephone meetings in late summer,
          Hope for the Future                                I heard my sponsor introduce herself and there was
                                                             something about her voice. I wrote her number down,
From the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book: “But the
                                                             but within 2 days she contacted me. We talked, she
ex-problem drinker who has found this solution who
                                                             told me about her recovery. I was most anxious to
is properly armed with facts about himself, can
                                                             begin the program!
generally win the entire confidence of another
alcoholic in a few hours. Until such an understanding        Why do newcomers need sponsors?
is reached, little or nothing can be accomplished.”          A Sponsor is a recovered Compulsive Eater whose
(page 18)                                                    primary role is to guide the Protégé (newcomer)
In Overeaters Anonymous (OA) the 12 Steps of AA              through the 12 Step program. A Sponsor plays a key
are used for recovery. The view is that Compulsive           role in the successful recovery of a newcomer.
Eating is an illness, and that one must rely on a            According to the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book,
Higher Power to recover. In addition, following the          “Even though your Protégé may not have entirely
exact steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book             admitted his condition, he has become very curious
allows overwhelming success for Compulsive Eaters            to know how you got well. Let him ask you that
(CE).                                                        question, if he will. Tell him exactly what happened
                                                             to you.” (pp. 92-93) There are guidelines,
How does a Compulsive Overeater (newcomer)                   procedures, and formats for success that must be
find a Sponsor?                                              shared with the Protégé by the Sponsor. Protégés
Sometimes this happens in outreach by OA                     must be willing to follow these guidelines to be
Sponsors. Sponsors reach out by text or phone call           successful.
to newcomers who leave their names and phone
numbers in meetings. It can happen through word of           As the Protégé works Steps 1-12 guided by the
mouth, recommendations by OA members, or even                Sponsor, a personal relationship develops. The
through Facebook other social media.                         Sponsor encourages and sometimes must redirect
                                                             the protégé when missteps occur. The Protégé
A Personal Note                                              begins to respect, admire, and positively respond to
Through the years I tried at least 23 different diet         the Sponsor. Trust is a key factor in this relationship.
plans/programs, but none worked. Or, if they did             The Protégé develops admiration for the success
work, after the diet, I went back to eating with my old      experienced by the Sponsor. The Sponsor respects
habits. If I was stressed, I ate. If I was sad or mad,       the Protégé’s successes and progress, while
I ate. If I was nervous, I went through large bags of        providing positive feedback and support.

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Once the Protégé successfully completes the 12               Protégés complete the 12 Steps. At this point, I have
Steps, then the Protégé – now a recovered OA                 been recovered for 5 months, and have released 28
member – may serve as a Sponsor. This newly                  pounds. I have a long way to go, but I am working
recovered Sponsor continues to live in Steps 10, 11,         one day at a time to stay recovered and to help
and 12 through constant guidance from his/her                others.
Sponsor. The newly recovered Sponsor begins
                                                             There is Hope
coaching a newcomer through Steps 1-12. The newly
recovered Sponsor learns how to guide the Protégé            CEs have struggled with various types of weight loss
from his/her Sponsor. The cycle begins, again with           programs, embarrassment regarding their outward
recovered OA members sponsoring newcomers.                   appearance, and isolation; not to mention long-term
The “Grand Sponsor” (Sponsor’s Sponsor), like a              health maladies. Most of them feel that there is no
family grandparent, becomes familiar with the                hope for their recovery. By working the 12-steps with
Protégé through his/her former Protégé. The “Grand           a Sponsor, a newcomer (Protégé) makes friends with
Sponsor” also serves as a back-up for the Sponsor in         other CEs, finds a voice in meetings, and begins to
the event of an emergency. The beauty of the                 experience recovery. OA helps people in all areas of
process is in moving from recovery to giving back            life. Leadership skills are developed in meetings,
“service” to the OA community. The philosophy of OA          through sponsorship, and working one-on-one with
is that “carrying a message” to struggling CEs               Protégés. Sharing one’s story of recovery is another
(Compulsive Eaters) is a key to continued recovery.          area of leadership and service experienced as
So, the Protégé is fundamental in the Sponsor’s              individuals qualify and share their personal recovery
continued recovery, as well!                                 successes. Gratefully recovered CEs carry a
                                                             message in meetings, on Facebook, in texts, and
A Personal Note                                              phone calls. Participants in meetings, struggling CEs,
As a recovered CE, I am currently sponsoring two             and interested individuals, gain the gift of hope from
Protégés. My Sponsor (the Grand Sponsor) has                 the ones carrying a message. The message of hope
shared materials and procedures for working with             shared by a recovered CE has an immensely
these two recovering CE’s. I strive daily to develop         powerful influence on those still struggling. “Rarely
close personal relationships with each of them and           have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly
they bring me hope and joy in my own recovery. My            followed our path.” (Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book,
recovery is strengthened by my work with them.               p. 58) Hope is the cornerstone of the Protégé-
Also, my Sponsor and I have developed an even                Sponsor relationship.
deeper relationship through this “cycle” of                                                            —Dianne H.,
sponsorship. We work together to help the struggling                  Gratefully Recovered Compulsive Over Eater

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      The OA90 Virtual Intergroup,                           We still have work to do, like a policies & procedures
                                                             manual to fill out the spots not covered in our bylaws,
          a continuing saga…                                 since we can’t have every contingency in the bylaws.
Our intergroup had a successful transition following         Bylaws changes need to be approved by our region
elections and now we are full speed ahead! We have           trustee while policy/procedure changes can be
a Zoom account and are fundraising for the                   changed by the intergroup, so OA suggests we only
development of a website which we expect to go live          put things in our bylaws that we are not likely to
in a few months. I am collecting information on the          change. As we continue, the need to create a
history of OA90 for an article to be posted on our           document to cover what we do on a day-to-day basis,
eventual website, we will also include information           what decisions we’ve made, and how we will go
explaining what OA90 is (and isn’t, like it isn’t 90         forward is becoming clearer and will be one of my
meetings in 90 days), meeting lists, basic OA info,          next projects.
events, and anything else we come up with. We are            Thanks for reading!
using our Zoom account to start workshops for
newcomers (Sat. 3/20, 4/17, and 5/15, noon EST,                 —Jean B., OA90 Phone Meeting Virtual Intergroup
email oa90vig@gmail.com for more information).                                        jean.oama@yahoo.com

                                               NEW! Young Persons Podcasts
                       The Young Persons' Committee and some individual young OA members who joined our
                       program by age 30 have produced five powerful new podcasts. These are shares that
                       shine with hope for recovery through OA’s Twelve Steps while speaking to the concerns
                       and experiences of younger OA members. Even if you are of “average age” in our
                       program you will surely find a lot to love in these 20–40 minute podcasts. Listen to them
                       now at www.oa.org/young-persons-podcasts.

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                  GROUP NAME & NUMBER                                    Contact                   LANGUAGE

            The Non-Real-Time Virtual Intergroup                                                      English
                                                                    oanrtsm@gmail.com
                  in Social Media (#09656)                                                          (Translatable)

                  Perseverancia Intergroup
                                                                  anasofiavelez@gmail.com            Spanish
                         (#09658)
              12 Step 4 COEs Virtual Intergroup
                                                                  info@oa12step4coes.org              English
                          (#09659)
         OA HOW Two-Hour Format Virtual Meetings
                                                              oahowphonemeetings@gmail.com            English
               Virtual Intergroup (#09660)
       The Virtual Intergroup of Overeaters Anonymous
                                                                   09661chair@gmail.com               English
                            (#09661)
       Ebony Overeaters Anonymous Virtual Intergroup
                                                                   vlouise55@yahoo.com                English
                         (#09662)
            Spiritual Fitness & Serenity Intergroup
                                                                     sfsvsb@gmail.com                 English
                            (#09663)
                CCA Online Virtual Intergroup
                                                                  jsvccaonline@outlook.com          Portuguese
                         (#09664)
               Despertar Abstinente Intergroup
                                                                  cca.whatsapp@gmail.com            Portuguese
                          (#09665)
           CCA Café Abstinente Virtual Intergroup
                                                                ccacafeabstinente@gmail.com         Portuguese
                         (#09666)
         R9 WhatsApp Group Conscience Committee
                                                                   r9chairgcc@gmail.com                Varies
             (GCC) Virtual Intergroup (#09668)
           90 Day Phone Meeting Virtual Intergroup
                                                                   jean.oama@yahoo.com                English
                         (#09669)
                   OA Foot Steps Virtual IG
                                                                   info@oafootsteps.com               English
                          (#09670)
                 The Men’s Intergroup of OA
                                                                 dave12step.oa@gmail.com              English
                         (#09672)
                       BIPOC Virtual IG
                                                                   BIPOC.IG@gmail.com                 English
                          (#09986)
                La Brigade du rétablissement
                                                                     info@oabrigade.org               French
                          (#09672)

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