Positive Action Changes Everything

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Region 6 Convention Shares

"We Light the Way" was the theme of the O.A. Region 6 convention, held in Portland Maine this year. Staring on Friday and ending on Sunday there was something for everyone. There were many workshops, each on a particular subject. So many in fact it was hard to choose which ones to attend! There was even “Speed Dating for Sponsors.”

“Keynote speakers” spoke throughout the convention. An entertaining talent show was held and raffles for baskets and items donated by the Intergroups in Region 6. Many OA and Convention related items for sale.

Opportunity for service was available by sighing up to help out with all the activities, everything from greeting folks to selling raffle tickets for an hour or two.

A meal plan could be purchased for breakfast and lunch. You could bring your own food if that’s your preference and there was an area to prepare it and eat it, and there was a banquet on Saturday night followed by a dance with music provided by a DJ.

It is a great place to meet fellow OA people from Canada to New Jersey and to network for recovery! I had a great time and I learned a lot.

Next year’s convention “Rooted in Recovery” will be in White Plains NY. A hop skip and a jump from our area. Registration is already available at a discount by visiting oaregion6.org/2019.

I am registered already and look forward to seeing everyone from the Mid -Hudson who can attend. See ya there or be square!
 

— Chuck P.

Reflections of Region 6 OA Convention Portland, Maine October  26-28, 2018

     Easy Does It; First Things First; When you Fail to Plan you Plan to Fail; HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired); EGO (Easing God Out); The list goes on and on, all sayings and acronyms serving as reminders to keep us on track in order to receive the rewards of the Overeaters Anonymous Program.

     On October 26-28, 2018, I was blessed to attend the Region 6 OA Convention in Portland Maine. I added a few more acronyms to my OA list: PROGRAM (People Relying on God Relaying a Message); PAUSE (Pray and use Spiritual Energy); and TRUST (Truly Relying Upon Step Three).

     The theme of the Convention was “We Light the Way” and lighthouses were the predominate decorations as our hotel and meetings which were right on the bay.

     I traveled with a dear OA friend and one of the advantages to being retired is the ability to add on a few days before and after the convention to explore the area. On our way to Maine we stopped in Newport, RI and visited the historic Breakers and Rosecliff mansions. After seeing the beautiful ocean views in Newport we then headed on to Portland.

     Now life happens, and on our way from Newport to Portland we managed to have not one, but two flat tires.   We were both so thankful for program as we waited for tow trucks and UBERs and, in addition, we were also blessed to find a hotel in this busy area right outside of Boston. We were able to get the car to a dealer, get new tires put on it and be on our way by the next afternoon. Again, we thanked God for program and continued our trip to Portland.

     We arrived Friday evening just in time for the start of the Convention. That night there were workshops, a keynote speaker, and a talent show put on by OA members. The show was a lot of fun complete with singers, dancers, and a magician, too. All were all very entertaining.

    There were workshops all day Saturday as well as Sunday morning and there were four general sessions with a keynote speaker for each session. Each speaker had to have three or more years of abstinence to share their experience, strength and hope. Each session started with the Serenity Prayer, first in English and then in French and, I must add, I loved hearing the Serenity prayer in French. 

     Some of the expenses for the conventions are raised by raffles. We were told that this year the raffle baskets were more plentiful and nicer than ever before and I was very happy that our Mid-Hudson Intergroup voted to donate a basket in order to help with the expenses. All the items in our basket were made in the Mid-Hudson area and all proceeds from the raffle baskets totaled $4,900.00.

     I am so glad I was able to go to the Convention this year. I was able to co-lead a workshop on virtual meetings   and I got a lot out of the convention in order to help strengthen my program. It was so nice to see other OA members that I have met at other conventions and at World Service Business Conferences, too. I attend OA meetings virtually on the telephone and it was very nice to meet some members that I have never met face to face.

Next year the Region 6 Convention will be in White Plains, NY ... a lot closer for us to get to from the Mid-Hudson area. I hope that more of our members will be able to experience the Convention and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed this one.

— Evangelyn R.   

Region 6 Assembly Report

Overeaters Anonymous – Region 6 Assembly
Wolf Rd, Albany NY
September 29, 2018

The usual chaos of opening an Assembly occurred, the welcoming table was not
ready to receive delegates and guests. But a well-run meeting quickly followed. I
was given a place at the Welcoming Committee meeting which explained the
procedure for the Assembly.

The Assembly was to vote in new officers who gave a little introduction of their
qualifications and the positions they were seeking. A copy of the Officers Reports
can be obtained at OARegion6.org. All documents can be found at this
website. I was not able to vote as I was just a guest but welcomed just the same.
From my perspective I listened and felt comfortable with the presentations. If
nominated to be your representative at the Assembly, both for the Spring and Fall
Assemblies, I will be more prepared . I will join the By Laws Committee as it is the
area that I know very little about, so it will be a learning experience.
 

I went by myself to the Assembly but my husband decided he would visit his
summer vacation area. His family had a home in Hoosick Falls., NY. Why do I tell
you this because I had to sit at a lunch table with strangers not one of my favorite
things, but I was welcomed and we discussed our experience, strengths and hopes
with each other. I had a wonderful time and listened very carefully to the chair of
the By Laws Committee.
 

There are two scholarships available for the 2019 convention, one in the name of
Robert D. Memorial Scholarship for $500 for one OA member from Region 6 in the
USA, and another Memorial Scholarship for an OA member from Region 6 in Canada
in the name of Mary Rose. The requirements and timetable are on the OA Region 6
website.

— Madeline H.

MHIG Info

Intergroup meeting dates for 2019 

Please go back to your meetings and invite all to attend.

Gardiner Library

133 Farmer's Turnpike, Gardiner, NY 12525  

12pm-2pm

1/19/19

3/23/19

5/11/19

7/20/19

9/21/19

11/16/19  The November meeting will be held at the hosting IDEA Day location. 

Thank you all for your Service!!

Meeting Updates

OA WSO News

A Step Ahead Newsletter

A Step Ahead is a free quarterly newsletter for OA members, groups, and service bodies. It provides information about issues important to the Fellowship, including descriptions of new and revised literature and specialty items, news from the WSO, and helpful information such as the Lifeline Monthly Topics. A Step Ahead appears online every quarter, usually in January, April, July, and October. 

Lifeline Magazine Story

Season’s Greetings from Program

Happy, joyous, and free is what we can be in this Twelve Step program.

Attitude change—the only person we focus on changing is ourselves.

Prayer is suggested as a form of meditation—a strong component of the Eleventh Step.

Problems begin to lose the magnitude they once had (when we do the necessary Step work).

You need never be alone again—we have a Higher Power to guide us, and we have other people around who understand us.

Hunger will become physical hunger, not emotional hunger.

Occasions such as holidays are about friendship and family instead of food.

Love for self is about self-caring—taking care of ourselves, setting healthy boundaries, and saying “no” when necessary.

In the beginning (and as long as necessary), it is important that our recovery come first in all we do.

Do you have a sponsor and a support group? Both are necessary for recovery. If not, find them. You won’t be disappointed.

Accepting what cannot be changed is a stepping stone to changing what can.

Yes, our recovery is dependent on actively working the Twelve Steps. Start and continue working Steps One through Twelve to be amazed before “we are half way through” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 83)

Size and weight are not our real issues. The Big Book says clearly, “When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically” (p. 64).

— Norinne M., Fort Myers, Florida USA

Click here to subscribe to the OA Lifeline Magazine.

"TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS"

(with apologies to Clement C. Moore)

T’was the night before Christmas when all through the house

A creature was stirring but it wasn’t a mouse.

My stocking was hung by the chimney with care

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

I was nestled all snug in my bed

While visions of sugarplums danced in my head.

I had on my PJ’s and also my cap

And had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.

When inside my stomach there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed-I knew what was the matter!

Away to the cupboard I flew like a flash…

Threw open the doors with a resounding crash.

The moon shown on the goodies,

I want you to know,

Gave a lustre of midday

to treats in a row.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

But my OA 12&12, then the phone rang loud and clear

With my little old sponsor so lively and quick

She knew exactly what made me tick!!

More rapid than eagles her words how they came.

And she whistled and shouted and called them by name:

No pretzels, no popcorn, no cookies, no fixin’,

No candy, no sugar, or whatever you’re mixin’.

If you do, you will climb to the top of the wall.

Now throw away, throw away, throw away all!

As dry crumbs before the wild hurricane fly

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So into the garbage my goodies they flew:

My cookies, my candy and my sugarplums too.

And then in a twinkle I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I raised up my head and was turning around

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot.

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of goodies he had flung on his back

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled.

His dimples how merry.

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry.

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow

And he said, “Ready to eat? Come on, here we go!”

The stump of a candy cane he held tight in his teeth

And he munched and crunched it,

And then a Hersey bar He opened and stuffed in his round little belly

That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf

On the surface, that is, in spite of himself.

A tear in his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know what I had to dread.

I spoke several words, I went straight to my work.

I gave him the 12 steps; he was nearly berserk.

I said, “This is the solution which everyone knows.”

And giving a smile, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle,

But I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight,

“One Day at a Time” and to all a good night!

Reprinted with permission —

Donc | November 15, 2018 at 12:23 pm | Categories: Abstinence | URL: https://wp.me/p6a9VS-dt