We welcomed 21 delegates, 7 of which were Green Dots on Thursday September 18th, 2014, representing 16 of our 24 Intergroups. Two additional delegates were able to perfect their Eligibility Forms by the end of the first day of Assembly, bringing our total to 23 delegates representing 18 of our Intergroups.
In addition to our full board, we were joined by our Trustee, Margie G., our Parliamentarian, George A. and during the event, guests Louise A. and Richard G.
The Region 1 Board believes that part of our responsibility at our annual Assembly is to provide our delegates with some of the experience they would receive at World Service Business Conference. One of business processes of that conference is the review, discussion and voting process of amendments to the Bylaws. Some of that is accomplished with a Consent Agenda which is determined by the Chair of the Board of Trustees. The Consent Agenda would normally contain Bylaw Amendments that are considered as either “housekeeping” matters or non-controversial matters.
A Motion was proposed and voted on to accept a Consent Agenda in the Assembly Standing Rules. Some of the proposed Motions for amendment to the Region 1 Bylaws were then dealt with via a Consent Agenda. The balance of the Motions were discussed and voted upon by the Assembly Body, resulting in the new 2014 Region 1 Bylaws, which are attached for your reference. They will also be posted on the Region 1 website in due course.
I would like to personally thank the members of the 2013-2014 Region 1 Committee Members:
Lorri B; Kyra B; Carrie A; Beverly M; Suzan B; Mary S; Candace O; Sue H; Sara H; Rhonda S; Debbie G; Royann G; Wendy S; Dori B; Joan R; Pat O; Brooks Mc; Pat M; Cayley W; Alice W; Tracy S; and Catherine B.
The Assembly Body also accepted the Region One Committee Manual as a guide for our Committees, noting it was not a static document, more of resource to help focus efforts over the year and help them make note of any deadlines in their processes. The Manual will be posted on the Region 1 website in due course.
An important change to the format of the Region 1 Committees was also adopted on a one-year trial basis. Rather than the Board Members serving as Liaisons to the committees, they would serve as the Chair person and the driving force of the group’s goals for the year. We will check in on this process at Assembly 2015 to see how it worked.
2014-2015 Region 1 Committee Members
Assembly Binder: Merry, Lorri B, Guy M.
Audit Committee: Merry, Guy M, Carrie A, Kyra B
Budget/Finance/Delegate Support: Deborah, Beverly M, Morrie S
Bylaws: Merry, Sue H, Faye D
Convention Binder: Ruth, Merry, Rhonda, Sara H, Robin R
Convention Chair: Central Oregon IG – with assistance from Ruth
Membership Outreach/12 Step: Pat, Martha, Stacey
Nomination: Merry, Pat, Maxine
Professional/Public Information: Pat, Candace, Dori
Quilt: Pat, Carol, Arlene
Virtual Sponsor: Catherine, Cayley W, Alice W.
Ways & Means: Deborah, Pat M, Tracy S
The Committees had time to discuss what they would like their focus to be in the 2014-2015 year:
Assembly Binder – Lorrie and Guy presented their focus according to the steps as follows:
- I am powerless over technology - create timeline.
- Sanity – create a committee email account to allow sharing documents.
- Final documents are turned over to the God of our understanding.
- Note corrections in current binder and change.
- Admit there is room for improvement.
- Willing to try new approaches as technology changes.
- Be open to new approaches
- Remember that reprints & missing pages create confusion at assembly.
- Commit a living amends to make changes as needed.
- Continue to focus that our service enhances our recovery.
- Remind ourselves that we are “not in charge”.
- Document our learning and pass it on to the next committee through the assembly binder.
Audit Committee – Kyra, Guy, & Carrie
- Committee members should be rigorously honest with their food and finances.
- Focus is that auditing is spiritual because it is giving service.
Budget & Finance – Beverly & Morrie
- Ask board to fund OA sponsorship packets
- Advocate donations for scholarship fund for assembly by posting on Yahoo Group, R1 website target donations with Pay Pal, and email flyers to IG Chairs
- Fund a project that says, “Ask Me What Step I am On” and could be worn with “I Am Abstinent” buttons. Could be sold as a fundraiser.
Bylaws Committee - Sue & Faye
- Require completion of the 12th step to serve as a rep to assembly or trustee.
- In most cases, change "the 12 steps" to "all 12 steps".
- Make sure that the binder and convention guide ensures that at least one track of workshops is dedicated to the 12 steps.
- Session speakers should be required to have worked all 12 steps.
- Grab one word and work a step, specifically; step one is hope.
- Grab one word and work a principle, specifically; tradition twelve is the principle of anonymity
- You will be hearing from us as we plan to search fearlessly for nominees.
- In 2015, the Chair and Treasure will be up for nominations and we will interview current officer holders by February 2015.
- Committee members are committed to abstinence and working all 12 steps
- Tradition 11, we don’t “promote”, we “attract”
- Disseminate information about OA as a 12 Step program.
- Committee Report theme from “despair to enlightenment and peace”.
- Recommend the quilt has 3 squares per step when assigning IG their squares.
- Pick brain of previous quilters and professional quilters.
Virtual Sponsorship Committee – Cayley and Alice
- Adding a question to both the sponsor and sponsee questionnaires:
- Sponsors – Have you worked or are you working through the 12 steps?
- Sponsees – Have you had any experience with the 12 steps?
- Under the definition of a sponsor, include “An OA member who helps another member through the use of the 12 steps of recovery.”
Ways & Means – Pat M. and Tracey would like to recommend:
- That raffle baskets include workbooks, journals, and program literature.
- That OA fundraisers promote the 12 steps.
- That meeting groups pass a separate envelope along during the 7th tradition baskets for assisting members to attend retreats, conferences, and conventions.
Several of the committees have set up regular times to meet via conference call. So far, our schedule is:
- Bylaws – First Monday of each month 6pm PST or as needed
- PI/PO – First Thursday of each month 7:30am PST
- Audit – Second Monday of each month – 6PM PST
- Assembly Binder – Second Wednesday of each month – 6pm PST
- Convention Binder – Third Sunday of each month – 3:30pm PST
- Nominations – January 2015 for first monthly call
- 12 Step – Monthly Email
- Quilt Committee – Monthly contact
World Service Business Conference – WSBC – April 27th – May 2nd, 2015 – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Delegate Support – We are pleased to announce we have been able to provide partial funding to three Intergroups who applied to Region 1 for assistance to have their delegate attend WSBC in 2015. The deadline for applications to World Service for possible additional funding is fast approaching – November 1st. If you are looking for additional funding (WSO will hope you applied to Region 1 first) please go to
http://www.oa.org/world-service-events/world-service-business-conference/ and click on the link to Delegate Support Fund Application.
If you are planning on attending WSBC in 2015 – please ensure your registration form – link found at the same location as noted above, is completed and submitted prior to the deadline. I can advise the hotel books up quickly as well so you will want to ensure your booking is completed as soon as you are able. (In previous years, rooms with 2 queen beds have been booked up by mid-January)
One of the requests the Board of Trustees makes of Region Chairs is that we provide the names of two volunteers to serve on the Reference Committee for any proposed Motions that receive three amendments during the Business Meetings at WSBC. I am very grateful to Cayley W and Guy M who will serve as the Region 1 representatives on this committee. Thank you!
The Board
We said thank you and farewell to our Secretary Cyntha W-P; who had served a one year term as our Communication Coordinator and then was elected to and completed a two-year term as our Secretary. We are grateful for her wonderful contribution to our Board.
Elections were held for the positions of Vice Chair, Secretary and Communication Coordinator and I am pleased to advise Ruth D was elected to her second two-year term as Vice Chair, Pat O was elected to her first two-year term as Secretary and Catherine B was elected to her first two-year term as Communication Coordinator. Catherine was previously elected to complete the final year of a two-year term.
2015 will see the positions of Chair and Treasurer up for election.
Region 1 Board In-Person Meetings:
Date Hosting Intergroup Location
January 16th – 18th, 2015 Pierce County Intergroup Lakewood, Washington
March 13th – 15th, 2015 Snake River Intergroup Boise, Idaho
June 26th – 28th, 2015 Jefferson State Intergroup Ashland/Medford, Oregon
Ruth D, Deborah R and Margie G presented a 7th Tradition skit – What’s It Worth.
It can be found on the oa.org website by following this link:
http://www.oa.org/membersgroups/group-support/
Click on Seventh Tradition Skits.
The Assembly Body reviewed the 2014 Financial Statements and approved the 2015 Budget – a copy of which is attached to this report.
We had an opportunity to chat about the various challenges facing Intergroups and some of the possible solutions other Intergroups have tried.
We were pleased to hear about the Region One Convention 2015, hosted by the Central Oregon Intergroup in Bend, Oregon. Our thanks to Robin R for presentation.
The draft minutes of the 39th Region 1 Annual Assembly are attached. I welcome your comments and confirm the final approval of the minutes will be completed by the Region 1 Board at their first in-person meeting – January 17th, 2015.
I have attached a few reports that were not part of the initial printed Assembly Binder package, for your general information.
If you believe I have missed something, please let me know. Thank you again for your attendance. Your dedication to our fellowship of OA, the time you take away from your family, your employment and your home for the benefit of your Intergroups is sincerely appreciated.
Respectfully and with love,
On behalf of the Region 1 Board
Merry R – Chair
Region 1