April 26- May 1, 2010
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Half a Century -- One World of Growth
Janice S. 2010 COLA Delegate’s written Report
There were 15 trustees at the beginning of Thursday ‘s Business Meeting , and 166 delegates. For a total of 181 voting. At times it varied.
? Overeater Anonymous now has a “Ninth Tool.”
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? The motion that was submitted to Conference was “A Plan of Moving.” The Reference Committee at Conference (which consist of 20 members.) Two from each of the ten regions. Each motions goes to the Reference Committee before it comes to the floor of Conference. The Reference Committee moved to change the motion to “Action Plan.”
This amended motion was passed and then became the main motion. There was a closed ballot taken. The motion needed a majority to pass. It was a adopted 90 for; 82 against. It passed by three voters.
The revised pamphlet, “Tools of Recovery” was adopted. The “Ninth Tool” (Action Plan) will not be in this revised pamphlet. The Conference Literature Committee will work on the words under the tool and this will come before conference 2011, for approval. WSO will only order one year supply of the revised tool pamphlet. In the mean time the “Ninth Tool” will be added to online resources (example: Item 7 - tools in Suggested Meeting Format). Articles would be written for A Step Ahead and Lifeline. One may write to the WSO if they have input to the wording that will go into the definition of the new tool.
There were seven literature items that were procedural motions to obtain the Conference Seal of Approval. The words “compulsive overeater ‘and “compulsive overeating “were taken out of most of the pamphlets submitted. The pamphlets were being postpone because of a motion submitted on behalf of the Unity with Diversity Committee to change the Current Wording of the Continuing Effects Motion which was adopted in 1991.
? This is the current Continuing Effects Motion wording: “The terms ‘compulsive overeater, compulsive eater,” and ‘compulsive eating,’ ‘compulsive overeating” be used interchangeably in OA literature, as determined to be appropriate by the Literature Committee during the regular literature writing, editing and approval process.”
? The motion to rescind the above effects motion read; “The OA world service Conference suggests that in all new or revised OA materials the words “compulsive eater” and “compulsive eating” be used to describe our disease in general terms, except in the personal stories of OA members.”
? Because of all the work that the Conference Literature Committee and the disturbance of a lot of the delegates about taking the word “over” out of “overeater” it appeared that the revised pamphlets might not pass. And it was taking to much time away from the business at hand the maker of the motion withdrew the motion the conference referred to as Proposal Item G.
? The delegates’ were told that editorial changes could be made on the proposed pamphlets following the current 1991 Policy . Six of the seven pamphlets passed with this information that of putting the words “compulsive overeater” and “compulsive overeating” back in. . The Board Of Trustee will help make the editorial changes using the words interchangeably.
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The pamphlet, A Common Solution: Diversity and Recovery, was defeated. It needed 2/3 votes. There were 113 for, 64 against. It was felt that it could be better and that more work needed to be done on this pamphlet
The following pamphlets were granted the Conference Seal of Approval: They needed 2/3 votes. It will be three or four months before the approved literature will be available. It will be on the web site under new information.
? Question and Answers (revised)
? Sponsoring Through the Twelve Steps (This is a complete rewrite of the pamphlet A Guide to the Twelve Steps for You and Your Sponsor) 125 for, 49 against.
? The Tools of Recovery (revised)
? To The Family of the Compulsive Eater. (revised)
? To the Teen (revised)
? Welcome Back (revised)
A motion passed that the WSBC Final Conference Report be made available electronically, all delegates and service bodies will continue to receive the printed version unless otherwise requested.
Motion was adopted to establish a “Youth in OA Conference Committee.” Majority needed 92 for, 74 against.
Motion to insert “AA Conference approved literature” in the WSBC Continuing Effects motion 1993b was placed on the Consent Agenda (items for the Consent agenda can be considered if they are of a routine, non controversial, or housekeeping nature.)
? This is the policy statement that was adopted: “It is the group conscience of the 1993 World Service Business Conference that the sale or display of literature other than OA-approved literature and AA Conference-approved literature (as described in WSBC Policy 1982b) is an implied endorsement of outside enterprises, and therefore in violation with Tradition Six.”
Motion adopted to require all groups (face-to-face and virtual) and service bodies (Intergroups, service boards, regions) wishing to register with the World Service Office to provide at least one email contact and name when submitting their registration electrically. (The required email address is for use within the OA organization and will not be published.)
This motion was adopted “In accordance with out Traditions, we suggest that OA groups maintain unity and honor our Traditions by selling and displaying only approved books and pamphlets at their meetings. This includes OA Conference - and board approved literature; AA Conference-approved literature: and locally produced OA literature. Locally produced literature must be developed according to the OA Guidelines for Locally Produced Literature, and should be used with the greatest discretion. Local literature should be considered temporary and discontinued when OA literature approved for general use is available to cover the topic.”
Changing the word “above” to “beyond” in the Bylaws of OA, Inc., Subpart B; was placed on the Consent Agenda.
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We need all remember and respect that the Conference shall serve as the collective conscience of the Fellowship of Overeater Anonymous as a whole.
Strategic Planning; the second year of the board’s five year strategic plan was 2009, and it was a very productive year. Some of the major items completed were : Web site and e-commerce redesign; distribution and tracking of a new radio PSA, as well as making it available for the Fellowship to purchase; script development and production of a new TV PSA; attendance at two health fair trade shows; production of nine new Podcasts, including three in Spanish; and record Delegate Support Fund distributions.
The board will continue it’s public awareness efforts thought-out 2010, including distribution of OA’s new TV Public Service Announcement to over 600 stations in the US and Canada; more Podcasts; continued press releases and follow-up with the media; increased monitoring and optimization of pay-per-click ads; and placement of articles about OA in print and online publications. Several television shows are including OA in their scripts this year, this is being carefully monitored to ensure that Traditions are upheld and OA is cast in a positive light.
Electing trustees is a major part of WSBC
? Region One; did not have a candidate. (This position is vacant.)
? Meg H , from Santa Cruz, CA, was reelected Region 2 Trustee
? Region 5; did not have a candidate. (This position is vacant.)
? Gerri H, from Titusville, Fl, is Region 8 Trustee
? Region 10 candidate did not meet the Bylaw requirements so the application was withdrawn. (This position is vacant. )
Application are being accepted for these vacant positions to be in the WSO by July 1, 2010,
There were five candidates for General Service Trustees (GST‘s) to fill two positions.
? Vicki W. from Nephi, Utah was reelected and Barbara B, from San Francisco, CA was elected.
A few comments that I found interesting from our Managing Director, Naomi’s Report:
? OA, Inc. , ended 2009 in the black , with a 14 percent increase in revenues. OA is required by law to have a full audit every year. Our auditors have again given us a clean bill of financial health, and reported that our inventory and accounting practices are the cleanest and most well organized of all of their non-profit clients.
? Lifeline first appeared forty-four years ago. Our continued support will help OA eliminate Lifeline’s operating deficit and continue to fill its pages with experience, strength and hope vital to recovery.
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? Our web site continues to be the primary avenue through which many people find OA and get support for their groups and service bodies. On average we have 87,000 visits per month, 65,300 of those are unique visitors, and about half of all visits are new to the site. Over 78 percent of OA’s literature sales now come through the Internet.
? The new Conference Technology/Web Site Committee took on last year’s mandate to make web site templates available to service bodies that need them. After much work and testing, the templates are
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now available by request, and members of the committee will provide assistance to those service bodies
that use them
The WSO is now in its 16th year in its New Mexico location. It is time to upgrade or replace items.
The 7th Tradition passed on Thursday collected $1,227.29, on Friday, $946.14 and Saturday ,$1,816.31 for a total of $3,989.74.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 the Forum was held from 8am to 10.30am the title “HOW DOES SERVICE SERVE US?.” There were 19 tables each had a question. The question and ideas will be posted on the OA web-site.
After the Forum the committee meetings were held. I attended the Unity with Diversify Committee. The
committees are a big part of WSBC. The work goes on into the year.
The dates have not yet been set for the WSO Convention 2013, in Cleveland, OHIO, but dates and other information should be available at the 2010, 50th year Convention celebration in Los Angeles.
The revised TWELTH-STEP-WITHIN HANDBOOK is available. It was rewritten and expanded to include ideas for Twelfth-Step-Within Day; suggestions for individuals, groups and service bodies; the Twelve Concepts of OA Service; and rewrites of the Recovery-from-Relapse Meeting Format, the “Twelfth-Step-Within Skit” and “Been Slipping and Sliding? A Reading and Writing Tool”
Attention COLA: If COLA would like to request funding for the 2011 WSBC the forms are mailed to all service bodies in July, and must be completed and received by the WSO no later than November 1, 2010. The form is also available for download on the Conference page at www.oa.org.
Next years Conference, April 25- May 1, 2011
The Saturday afternoon Board of Trustees meeting elections for the officers were held.
? Bob F, is the new Chair of the Board
? Cheryle T, is 1st Vice Chair
? Vicki W, is 2nd Vice Chair
? Joe L, is Treasurer.
50 Years of OA recovery. Experience 50 years of worldwide unity at OA’s 2010 World Service Convention (WSC). Its theme reflects the joy found in the physical, emotional and spiritual journey of recovery in OA. Join OA members for fun and fellowship at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel. August 26-29, 2010.
Respectfully Submitted with Love and Gratitude,
I remain your humble trusted servant,
2010 COLA Delegate.
Janice S.