A Step Ahead - Overeaters Anonymous

®
A Publication of:
Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.
P.O. Box 44020
Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4020
USA
Phone: 1-505-891-2664
Fax: 1-505-891-4320
Email: info@oa.org
Web site: www.oa.org
INSIDE
Dr. Marty Lerner Receives
OA Appreciation Award
2010 World Service
Convention Testimonials
What’s New From WSO
WSBC 2011 First
Conference Mailing
Web Links
Winning With Service
12/12 IDEA!
Finance Committee
Needs Translators
WSBC 2011
Important Deadlines
Attention
Intergroups and
Service Boards:
Please inform the
WSO whenever you
have meeting changes
to your directory.
Attention
Group Secretaries:
Please make copies
of this newsletter
to share with your
group members.
DATEMINDER
November 20
IDEA Day
International Day
Experiencing
Abstinence
11:00 a.m. PST
December 12
Twelfth-Step-
Within Day
A Step Ahead
Fourth Quarter 2010 Volume 14, Number 4
Funfest in Los Angeles
Convention 2010—Now Playing: 50 Years of OA Recovery
From August 26–29, in sunny Los Angeles, California
USA, more than 800 OA members from around the
world gathered to share their experience, strength and
hope, as well as their love and enthusiasm for the program
that has saved their lives.
The theme for the Convention, “Now Playing: 50 Years
of OA Recovery,” served as the backdrop for numerous
workshops, such as “Play It Again Sam: What Worked
For Me,” “Behind the Scenes: Learning to Sponsor,”
“In Full Technicolor: People of Color” and “I Want to
Thank: Gratitude.” Other workshops included topics on
abstinence, bulimia and anorexia, 100-pounders, youth,
long-term recovery, men in OA, sexuality, body image,
and diversity. Several workshops were in Spanish.
Members also browsed the boutique room, where
local service bodies sold OA items, such as t-shirts and
mugs. A meditation room provided sanctuary to participants
who needed a moment of quiet reflection, and a
marathon-meeting room ran OA meetings every hour.
The Grand Opening on Friday night included an abstinence
countdown, a flag presentation of all countries in
which OA has a presence, an Appreciation Award to Dr.
Marty Lerner, and speakers and entertainment. Attendees
felt great joy when Rozanne S., OA’s cofounder, reflected
on how OA began and how much it has grown over the
past 50 years.
On Saturday evening, attendees enjoyed an abstinent
banquet, as well as entertainment and dancing late into
the night.
The successful event had participants express excitement
for the next World Service Convention, which will
convene August 1–4, 2013, in Cleveland, Ohio USA.
Look here for answers to your questions
OA Guidelines: An All-in-One Reference
Are you wondering how to approach a disruptive
member in your meeting? Or how to create a budget,
conduct a group conscience meeting or manage an OA
event?
You can find answers to these questions and more
in the OA Guidelines. This collection of 16 documents
provides guidance for the following topics:
• Budget Guidelines for Service Bodies
• Fundraising and Prudent Reserve Guidelines for
Groups and Intergroups
• Group Conscience Guidelines/Suggested Group
Conscience Meeting Format
• Guidelines for Addressing Disruptive Behavior
• Guidelines for Health Fair Participation
• Guidelines for Locally Produced Literature
• Guidelines for Membership Retention
• Guidelines for OA Events
• Guidelines for OA Newsletters
• Guidelines for Public Information Events
• Guidelines for Writing the History
of Your Local OA Area
• Guidelines for Professional
Outreach Committees
• Intergroup Treasurer Guidelines
• OA-Approved Literature List
• OA CARES Inmate Correspondence Program
Guidelines
• Web-Site Development Guidelines
The OA Guidelines are available for download at www.
oa.org/services-for-members/oa-guidelines.php. You
can also purchase the packet of guidelines (#570/$7
plus shipping*) by going online at bookstore.oa.org/
products/570-oa-guidelines or by calling the World
Service Office at 1-505-891-2664.
*US Shipping: $5 for orders up to $24.99; 20% for
orders $25 to $59.99; 17% for orders $60 to $99.99;
12% for $100 and up. Email info@oa.org for shipping
charges outside the US.

Dr. Marty Lerner Receives OA Appreciation Award
The OA
Appreciation
Award is
a way to recognize
those
who have been
instrumental in
advancing our
primary purpose
of carrying the
OA message. To be eligible for the award, a
nominee must be a non-OA member whose
efforts have significantly increased awareness
of the problems of compulsive eating and the
effectiveness of the OA program as a solution.
At the Grand Opening of the recent 2010
World Service Convention in Los Angeles,
California, trustee Kayla W. presented Dr. Marty
Lerner with the OA Appreciation Award for being
a staunch supporter of OA for many years.
Dr. Lerner is a licensed and board-certified
clinical psychologist and is the executive director
of an eating-disorders recovery facility in
Florida. He has specialized in the treatment of
eating disorders since 1980 and has authored
several publications related to eating disorders,
as well as numerous magazine and newspaper
articles on the topic.
Dr. Lerner appeared in the video titled,
“American Medical Review Profiles Overeaters
Anonymous.” He has contributed articles to
the Courier, our newsletter for professionals,
2010 World Service
Convention Testimonials
What a great, fantastic time at the Convention.
I met so many friends from different places in
the world. I thank my HP that I could be here.
Awesome workshops.
— Carol, Melbourne, Australia
I had a fantastic time at this, my first Convention
of hopefully many more. It has given
me a wonderful blast of recovery at just the
right moment.
— Kabe, London, United Kingdom
This Convention has been a huge spiritual
awakening for me. I feel so much love for all
of you. I’m looking forward to seeing you in
Cleveland, Ohio [World Service Convention
2013].
— Mette T., Denmark
The World Service Convention was even
better than I expected! Inspirational stories of
and was quoted in the 2002 OA Membership
Survey pamphlet. His treatment facility encourages
participants to attend OA meetings and
provides transportation to and from the meetings.
In addition, the residents of the facility
attend local recovery conventions and other OA
events. Dr. Lerner has made attendance at these
part of the recovery process for his clients at
the treatment center.
In his acceptance speech at the Convention,
Dr. Lerner said:
“The piece that was missing was that
although science knew a lot more about the
physiology and the biochemistry and the physical
part of this disease . . . , and we knew a lot
about the psychological makeup, there was
nothing there on the spiritual side of it. And the
fact of the matter is that it’s not an intellectual
disease. It’s a three-legged stool, and basically
the piece that put it together for me, and what
you all have done for me in my profession and
for the people that I work with, is . . . that final
piece. And the final piece is everybody here
is [part of] a Fellowship. There is a power in
[the] room, and there’s a power that we all
kind of cultivate—our own Higher Power—
and that’s unequaled. Without that piece people
are “white-knuckling” it, but there is no recovery;
there is only a kind of abatement of maybe
some symptom[s] . . . It is the missing link . . .
No profession that I know of . . . has been able
to do what you all have been able to do.”
challenge and recovery abounded. Ideas, tips
and plans to take home, ponder and apply,
were many. Humor, both formal and informal,
helped us laugh at ourselves and at the
so-called real world. Meeting and connecting
with OAers from all over the world and with
old friends—this Convention had it all. And
HP was present everywhere. My recovery has
been strengthened and raised to a new level
thanks to all of you who made it happen,
attended and gave of yourselves. Thank you,
thank you, thank you.
— Suzanne M., Santa Cruz, California
USA
Four years abstinent in OA and this was my
first WSC. What a great experience! I felt the
miracle of the presence of HP surrounding
me in each session and in meeting with fellow
OAers from around the world. I was hoping
Rozanne was going to speak at our grand
opening. I knew she was in frail health and
in her 80s, so when I realized she was about
to be introduced, my heart started racing.
She and the movement she started literally
saved my life. Then, when the nearly 1,000
assembled members rose to greet her, my
heart swelled and tears came to my eyes. I
will never forget the abstinence countdown.
When members with 35, 30, 25 [years of
abstinence] and others started to stand up,
I realized I was witnessing a miracle. The
three-year cure rate for obesity in the U.S.
is essentially zero. Yet, here I was seeing
members bearing witness that our program
of recovery indeed defies the statistics and
the common wisdom. I am reminded of the
words in “Our Invitation to You”: “What
deserves the attention of the still-suffering
compulsive overeater is this: there is a
proven, workable method by which we can
arrest our illness.” These words gave me
hope when I entered the rooms in 2006.
This WSC confirmed that hope. We do have a
proven, workable method to arrest our illness
of compulsive eating.
— Sander B., Marietta, Georgia USA
I had the time of my life. Spending time
with other recovered and recovering compulsive
overeaters is good for my recovery. The
workshops were wonderful. This was my first
Convention and my first time speaking at a
Convention, so I didn’t quite know what to expect.
It exceeded my expectations and didn’t
come anywhere close to my fears. The closing
with hundreds of other compulsive overeaters
saying the OA Promise together brought me
to tears.
— Mike E., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA
This was my first OA convention, and it sure
was a WOW experience. So many speakers,
so many topics, so much recovery! Hearing
Rozanne speak and the many speakers during
the opening and closing events, being in a
room of over 800 overeaters all feeling
Continued on page 5
2

What’s New From WSO
Rewritten and Updated!
Welcome Back
Offers inspiration and guidance for members
recovering from relapse. Covers topics of “Fear
and Denial,” “Powerlessness vs. Responsibility”
and “The Myth of Perfection.”
#190/$.20 plus shipping*
New! Podcast #20:
Interview With Kaitlin
In this edition, 21-year-old Kaitlin talks about
her relationship with food and her recovery in
Overeaters Anonymous from bulimia, anorexia
and compulsive eating. To listen, go to www.
oa.org/podcast/.
New! Email-News
Sign-up for Service Bodies
All service bodies are invited to sign up for
periodic email-news updates from WSO. Please
fill out the form on the OA Web site at www.
oa.org/services-for-members/service-body.php.
WSO will send updates on new products and
services, OA events and other news items as
they occur.
Coming Soon! TV PSA
This fall you can purchase OA’s new TV PSA,
“Many Symptoms, the OA Solution,” and also
two newly revised pamphlets: Questions and
Answers and The Tools of Recovery. When
these materials become available, WSO will
post an announcement under What’s New
on the OA Web site and will send an emailnews
update to service bodies registered for
that service.
* US Shipping: $5 for orders up to $24.99; 20% for
orders $25 to $59.99; 17% for orders $60 to $99.99;
12% for $100 and up. Email info@oa.org for shipping
charges outside US.
12/12 IDEA!
WSBC 2011 First Conference Mailing
On September
13, 2010, the
World Service
Office (WSO)
mailed the
first documents
for
the 2011 World Service Business Conference
(WSBC), which will convene April 25–30 in Albuquerque,
New Mexico USA. “Celebrating Our
50th Conference: A Tribute to Service” is the
2011 WSBC theme, which will mark 50 years of
OA Conferences.
The mailing includes the delegate registration
form and instructions, trustee application
form and instructions, and sample
motion/amendment forms. Also included is
the 2010 Final Conference Report, distributed
only to the 2010 WSBC delegates and to
service bodies that did not send a representative
to WSBC. All first-mailing documents,
including the Final Conference Report, are
available on the OA Web site at www.oa.org/
world-service/conference.php.
Are you or someone you know interested
in running for a trustee position? Download
the trustee application form at www.oa.org/
pdfs/trustee_application.pdf. The following
positions are open for 2011 elections:
Region One—3-year term
Region Four—3-year term
Region Five—2-year term
Region Seven—3-year term
Region Ten—2-year term
General Service Trustee—Two 3-year
terms
The Board of Trustees appointed new
trustees to fill the following vacant positions,
to serve until the end of Conference 2011:
Region One—Margie G.
Region Five—Allen B.
Region Ten—Janice S.
Web Links
Discover interesting and helpful OA Web-site links.
Daily Meditations—Every time you open OA’s home page, you’ll see “Daily Meditations” in
the lower right corner. You can read all of the meditations by going to www.oa.org/meditations1.php.
(Links are current when A Step Ahead is published online; however, some pages will be
updated during the quarter.)
December 12, Twelfth-Step-Within Day
Our Saturday morning Derry, New Hampshire group will not feature our regular
speaker meeting on December 12. Instead we are asking six speakers to give fourminute
shares on their experience, strength and hope with recovery from relapse. Some of
those members left the OA rooms and some kept coming back even when they were eating.
It should be enlightening to hear OA members’ unique experiences and to learn how some
were Twelve-Stepped or were in contact with only one person. We will also provide laminated
bookmarks for distribution with the Twelfth Step and Twelfth Tradition on one side and the OA
Promise on the other. We are fortunate our intergroup Twelfth-Step-Within chair attends this
meeting.
I hope others send their ideas. A big “thank you” to the 2009 World Service Business Conference
for passing the motion for this wonderful idea of a Twelfth-Step-Within Day!
— Beth M., Nashua, New Hampshire USA
Winning
With
Service
At the 2010 World Service Business Conference
(WSBC) Forum, delegates discussed the theme
“How Service Serves Us.” At the end of the session,
the forum leaders asked delegates to fill
out cards with comments on how they’ve given
service and what it has meant to them.
All cards submitted during the WSBC
became part of a drawing for Lifeline gift sub–
scriptions, with one winner, John B., selected
at Conference. Those who didn’t have a chance
to turn in their cards at Conference had until
July 1 to send their cards to the World Service
Office (WSO). The additional 52 cards produced
three more winners: Janice S., Helen K.
and Nicky R.
The comments will appear under “A Call
to Service” in Lifeline Weekly in the next
few months.
Congratulations to the winners, and many
thanks to everyone who participated!
3

Finance Committee
Needs Translators
Most of you are probably aware that the World Service
Business Conference (WSBC) Finance Committee and the
Board of Trustees (BOT) have revised the pamphlet Seventh
Tradition of OA. Hopefully you have had the opportunity to
see it and distribute it in your area. The BOT and the Region
Chairs Committee (RCC) made a serious effort to widely
distribute it with the hope it will spark conversation at the
local level about our Fellowship’s financial health and, more
important, will show what we can do locally to ensure that
health.
While the pamphlet is excellent, it is not easy to
translate into other languages. A board member broached the idea that in the interest of our
collective financial health, we should make a sincere effort to reach out to members of other
languages with this Seventh-Tradition message. So the WSBC Finance Committee created a
single-page, easy-to-translate document. The good news is the World Service Office (WSO)
has posted this document on OA’s Web site at www.oa.org/pdfs/seventh_trad_of_oa-translatable.pdf.
The bad news is it’s in English! We need to translate it into as many languages as
possible.
The WSO and the WSBC Finance Committee are asking for your help with this translation
project. We are looking for people who can make top-quality translations because this
Seventh-Tradition document will have wide distribution. The translations must be accurate
and appropriate. Do you have this ability? Or do you know someone who does? If so, we
would love to hear from you. Just send an email to the WSO at info@oa.org with “Translatable
7th Tradition” in the subject heading, and we will work out the details.
Thank you for your service.
— Joe L., General Service Trustee/Treasurer
Seeking the Spiritual Path:
A Collection from Lifeline
“I just purchased this new piece of
literature. I can’t put it down. It’s AWESOME!”
That’s the feeling this OA member had when this book
hit the shelves. Why not discover the awesome stories
she found within. #978 US$8.35 plus shipping*
*US Shipping: $5 for orders up to $24.99, 20% of orders $25 to $59.99, 17% of orders $60
to $99.99, 12% of orders $100 and up. Expedited orders can only be placed by phone. Email
info@oa.org for shipping charges outside the US.
Lifeline Reps Make All the Difference
The following appeared in the December 1978 WSO Notebook, precursor to A Step
Ahead: “Last January, when Lifeline began monthly publication, the magazine’s subscription
list totaled 4,747. The January 1979 issue is expected to be distributed to some 12,000
subscribers . . . To what do we owe this tremendous growth? In part, it reflects the continuing
growth of OA itself. Much of the credit, however, must go to those Lifeline representatives.”
Today, Lifeline’s circulation is 6,605 print and 1,035 electronic subscribers. OA has 6,480
groups and only 219 Lifeline reps. Encourage your group to have a Lifeline rep, and let’s see
if we can increase our circulation in 2010 as they did in 1979. For more information and rep
materials, contact info@oa.org and put “Lifeline Rep” in the subject line.
WSBC 2011
Important Deadlines
November 1, 2010
Delegate Support Fund Applications
(due at WSO)
December 10, 2010
New Business Motions and
Bylaw Amendments
(postmarked deadline)
December 27, 2010
Delegate Registration
(due at WSO)
January 10, 2011
Second Conference Mailing Distributed
(documents will be available for download)
January 25, 2011
Trustee Applications
(postmarked deadline)
Free Bonus for
e-Lifeline Subscribers!
As of January 2010
and continuing
every week, e-Lifeline
subscribers receive
Lifeline Weekly, a
special bonus
just for being an
e-Lifeline subscriber.
Lifeline Weekly
features archived
Lifeline articles; inspirational quotes; and
spotlights on important OA issues, events and
deadlines. Become an e-Lifeline subscriber,
and you will receive Lifeline Weekly via email.
Be sure the World Service Office has your current
contact information. You can also forward
Lifeline Weekly to OA members and other
friends who might be interested in subscribing
to e-Lifeline.
If you are an e-Lifeline subscriber
and did not opt in earlier for email
notification, please do so now to receive
Lifeline Weekly. Log in to your
e-Lifeline subscription.
Uncheck “unsubscribe.”
4

2010 World Service Convention Testimonials continued from page 2
gratitude at the same time, really touched my
heart and opened my path to even more recovery.
I loved the entertainment on Saturday,
and of course, the banquet was delicious and
abstinent for me! Thank you to all in Region
Two who worked on this; truly it was a gift
to all of us who could attend. For those who
couldn’t, there are some fantastic CDs.
In appreciation,
— Deb G., Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The World Convention was like a family
reunion for me! How wonderful to hug my
sisters and brothers from Guatemala, France,
Colombia, Puerto Rico, Israel, the UK. The
world has become a smaller place thanks to
Overeaters Anonymous! Thank you for this
wonderful opportunity!
— Gerri H., Titusville, Florida USA
New!
E-Publications
Three popular OA publications are available electronically. See What’s New on the OA Web
site. To purchase, visit bookstore.oa.org, or click on the links below.
The Twelve Steps and Twelve
Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous—
Comprehensive work provides a detailed, moving
exploration of how OA’s Steps and Traditions help
members recover and how the Fellowship functions
as a whole. E-publication works best on a PC or Mac
computer with Adobe Reader.
Also compatible with most
mobile devices. #990V/$9
The Twelve-Step
Workbook of
Overeaters Anonymous—
Thought-provoking questions
drawn from and page-referenced
to The Twelve Steps and
Twelve Traditions of Overeaters
Anonymous. E-publication
gives you unlimited space to
type answers to the questions.
You can save your answers
and reopen the file to make future additions or changes.
Works best on a PC or Mac computer with Adobe Reader.
Not compatible with mobile devices. #992V/$5
After 10 years in OA and experiencing
five relapses, I finally grieved and let go of
the false notion that I would ever become
a normal eater. The two sessions on “The
Obsession to Be Normal” helped me uncover
this hidden fantasy, and I was able to leave the
OA Convention being a grateful, recovering
compulsive eater one day at a time, for life.
— Aaron W., Santa Cruz, California USA
It has been an enormous privilege to be
at this Convention, to hear recovery shared
by so many people at so many workshops on
a great variety of topics—information I can
share with my home fellowship.
— Faith M., New Zealand
God is good! I am grateful for the opportunity
to see God’s grace manifest once again
as we carried the message of recovery in Los
Fourth-Step Inventory Guide—In-depth questions drawn from the OA “12&12” will
guide you through a Fourth-Step inventory based on specific character traits. E-publication
gives you unlimited space to type answers to the questions. You can save your answers and
reopen the file to make future additions or changes. Works best on a PC or Mac computer
with Adobe Reader. Not compatible with mobile devices. #491V/$3
Angeles, celebrating 50 years of freedom from
the bondage of compulsive eating. Watching
Rozanne read with animation from Beyond
Our Wildest Dreams was a highpoint of the
incredible weekend. How fortunate we all are!
Joyfully abstinent, recovered and emotionally
whole by the Grace of God,
— Atiya, Raleigh, North Carolina USA
Hi! I just wanted to share my experience
at my first Convention. With only 3.5 years
in recovery, this is just what I needed. It was
eye opening, spiritually fulfilling, so rich and
genuine . . . It was the best experience in my
life, and I am blessed to have this memory.
— Melanie, Barbados
A highlight of my 28 years in OA, 26 years
free of my obsession.
— Dinah, New Zealand
Many Languages Available
Many service bodies have translated OA
materials into other languages, including
Afrikaans, Arabic, Dutch, Finnish, Flemish,
Greek, Hebrew, Icelandic, Portuguese,
Swedish and Turkish. For more languages
and for information on obtaining copies of
translations, contact the World Service Office
at 1-505-891-2664 or info@oa.org.
Special Bookmark for OA’s
50 th Anniversary
Available online at bookstore.oa.org.
Commemorate OA’s 50 th anniversary with
a black-etched, gold-metal bookmark.
Packaged in an elegant white gift card
with envelope, it is two inches (5 cm) in
diameter. “Together We Can” and the 50 th
Anniversary logo etched on one side and “I
Put My Hand in Yours, 1960–2010” on the
other side. #676/$4, plus shipping*
* US Shipping: $5 for orders up to $24.99; 20%
for orders $25 to $59.99; 17% for orders $60 to
$99.99; 12% for $100 and up. Email info@oa.org
for shipping charges outside US.
5