Here is a report from Evelyn S recapping our March Region 5 Assembly in Cleveland

Region 5 Spring 2024 Assembly
Cleveland, Ohio
March 8-10, 2024
Representative Report – Evelyn S.
Friday 3-8-24

  • Evening Group Session – Discussion by attendees about how to make Region 5 service better.
    Thoughts/ideas – More in-person meetings; Bring region events to local IG’s; Be enthusiastic about
    service; Explain what service looks like; Have goals for region & IG’s; Maintain/provide Speaker &
    Sponsor lists.
  • Intergroup Sharing – This event involved all attending IG reps sharing about what they are doing in
    their areas to pass on OA’s message of recovery.
    Examples/ideas: In person retreats; Quarterly Newcomer Zoom meetings; Group secy emails outreach
    messages to missing members; Follow up with newcomers after meetings; Provide Zoom sessions
    before or after meetings for fellowship; Use questions from workbooks & literature for meeting topics;
    Job share service/officer positions; IG reps attend all their meetings, in-person & Zoom; Do Sunday
    Funday events; Take meetings to homebound; Have outings for fellowship after meetings.
  • State Meeting – This event is where all IG reps to Region 5 from their own states can share ideas &
    ways they are sharing the recovery message in their areas.
    Examples: Share info of each other’s program events they are doing; Have joint workshops & events
    with other IG’s; Distribute event flyers among other IG’s; Review/Create IG mission statements; Do
    meditation events; Do service training events.
    Saturday 3-9-24 (my Birthday!)
  • Morning Session – Abstinence Mini-Countdown 40 yrs to 1 yr); Recognitions – new reps, former region
    officers & trustees); Executive Committee Reports – Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Trustee
    Liaison.
    Committee Meetings – Reports of work done since Fall Assembly; Breakout of current committees –
    Bylaws; Convention; Finance. I attended the Media Committee & took minutes. Our tasks involve
    checking Region 5 website & providing submission to our newsletter “Freedom from Bondage”.
  • Afternoon Session – Parliamentarian Gerri M. presented importance of Roberts Rules of Order.
    Outreach Committee discussed ways to get our message out through Public Information, Media, IG’s to
    IG’s, & groups. Several good ideas were given. Three new committees were formed to work on this
    goal: Everything Intergroup(I’m on this); Sponsorship/Speakers/Renewal; Virtual/In-person Meetings.
    Sunday 3-10-24
  • Committee reports from Saturday sessions were presented by their chairpersons.
  • Emergency New Business – one Region 5 Bylaw change to align with WSO Bylaws was presented &
    passed by voting attendee reps.
  • Announcements of upcoming OA events were made; Recognition of outgoing reps & 1st time reps
    (“Green Dots”); Raffle of fun prizes & OA literature.
  • Assembly Closing with OA Pledge – “I put my hand in yours….”
  • Attendees – 18 region voting reps from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, & Kentucky; 4
    region officers; one trustee liaison; parliamentarian; 6 alternates & visitors. Total – 30.