OA worldwide is broken up into 10 regions, each region working within their own geographic service area to carry the message of OA to compulsive overeaters. NYC is a part of Region 6, which holds Assembly meetings in Albany, NY twice each year. Here is an update from the recent Fall Assembly, held in September 2016.
I had the privilege of being one of the Intergroup’s representatives at the Region 6 Assembly on Saturday, September 24.Unfortunately Metro IG only had six representatives instead of the eleven registered. For various reasons five people were unable to attend. Nevertheless we still were the largest single delegation at the Assembly.
The Assembly itself was, as always, a great experience. I arrived on Friday afternoon and was able to attend the regular OA meeting that the Assembly always holds on Friday night.
On Saturday morning the newcomers registered at 9:00 am and attended orientation. The rest of us convened at 10:00 am. Each representative serves on a committee and the morning session was devoted to individual committee meetings. I was asked to mentor a newcomer who had signed up for my committee, the By-Laws committee. We were introduced at the start of the opening session. I explained what was going on at the general meeting and what to expect at the committee. We both then attended the By-Laws committee meeting.
The Committee had been asked to prepare policies and procedures for a new committee that was being formed to reach out to minority and other underrepresented groups. We had the motion ready. All other By-Laws and Policies and Procedures were up to date.
It became a short committee meeting when we were advised that the people forming the new committee had decided to not do so but to function as a sub-committee of the Outreach Committee, called the Unity with Diversity Committee. We then adjourned to lunch.
At lunch I had the great opportunity to talk with and compare OA experiences with delegates from Maine, New Hampshire and Nova Scotia. After lunch we attended a general business meeting where we elected a new group of officers and trustees. As always, I had a wonderful service experience and strongly urge attendance at Region for all OAers.
By Jeff S.