Group No. ____________________

GROUP MEETING RECORD BOOK

This permanent record book contains the suggested duties of the group secretary, treasurer and

intergroup representative. It also contains sheets for recording information about each meeting

with spaces for attendees to sign in.

When maintained properly and currently by the group secretary, this book will provide a

compact record of the group's activities. Our trusted servants need records to fulfill their Seventh

Tradition and Twelfth Step responsibilities.

This record book is a valuable aid to the stewardship of the group’s elected officers, and OA

suggests officers use it and pass it on to the next officers at the completion of their terms.

Meeting Name:

Meeting Place:

Street:

City:

Day:

Time:

This record book may be obtained from the World Service Office. OA suggests that all meeting

records be retained for a minimum of three years to conform to government tax regulations.

© OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS 1982, 1995, 2007

Street Address: 6075 Zenith Court NE

Rio Rancho, NM 87144-6424 USA

Mailing Address: PO Box 44020

Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4020 USA

Phone: 1-505-891-2664

Fax: 1-505-891-4320

www.oa.org

Groups may make extra copies of the meeting record sheets.Other material contained in this document may not be reprinted without the

express permission of the World Service Office of Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.

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GROUP SECRETARY

What Does the Secretary Do? In most groups, the secretary is the principal service volunteer for a stated period of time.

Like other group servants, the secretary should be actively working the Twelve-Step program

of recovery and be abstaining. Other group service experience before tackling this job is also a

plus. Many groups have found these guidelines work best.

The secretary coordinates group activities and may substitute for other officers occasionally.

The secretary may call steering committee meetings and preside at them.

Unless other officers or committees have some of these specific jobs to do, or the secretary

delegates them to other group members, these may be typical responsibilities of the secretary:

• Seeing that the meeting place is unlocked and set up for the meeting by the scheduled

time.

• Making announcements about important OA activities and informing the full group of

steering-committee decisions.

• Keeping the weekly sign-in sheets of names, cities and telephone numbers of group

members showing which persons are sponsors and which are newcomers who should

receive a friendly call the following week.

• Allowing time for the World Service Business Conference delegate, region representative

or intergroup representative to make reports during the meeting.

• Appointing (or having the group elect) a literature chairperson to keep up literature

supplies and a refreshments chairperson to maintain coffee supplies.

• Seeing that the meeting place is left in order after each meeting.

• Conducting all necessary elections.

• Assigning telephone calls for newcomers and calls for Twelfth-Step help (unless your

group has a Twelfth-Step chairperson for this duty).

• Making sure rent is paid on the group’s post office box. Groups have found this a much

safer, easier and more reliable mailing address than a member’s home or the meeting

place. Note: Literature orders are not sent to a post office box.

• Keeping a file of OA birthdays, if the group wishes. Birthdays are celebrated for each

year of continuous abstinence.

• Helping the treasurer count and keep a record of each meeting’s collection and cosigning

the group’s checks.

• Maintaining a bulletin board for posting OA bulletins and announcements, and notices of

related activities.

• Sharing with group members mail from the World Service Office, the region and the

intergroup (unless the designated representatives do this).

• Providing safekeeping for group records.

• Making sure the local intergroup, the region and the World Service Office know of any

changes of address, meeting place, new officers and other group information. Meeting

information updates may be submitted via the OA Web site at www.oa.org. (The World

Service delegate, region representative and intergroup representative may do this, but the

secretary will make sure it is being done.)

• Doing whatever else needs to be done.

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Many groups have found it helpful for the outgoing secretary to remain as cosecretary for a

few weeks to assist the newly elected secretary. The incoming secretary should be made aware of

the following:

• The WSO group number. This number is issued to every group that registers with the

World Service Office and should be clearly written or typed on all literature orders and

correspondence with WSO. It’s a good idea to have this number imprinted on your group

checks.

• Keeping group registration information up to date. It is necessary to inform WSO, the

region and your intergroup of any meeting changes (always using your group number)

such as time, place, telephone number of contact person and secretary. Group registration

forms to submit changes may be obtained from WSO, from the OA Web site and from

other service bodies. Accurate records enable WSO and other service offices to pass on

information about your group to those who inquire about meetings in your area.

• The importance of reading this handbook. Many group problems may be resolved by

studying this handbook, The Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous pamphlet, The

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous book, and the AA books.

• Business transactions such as banking and ordering literature, if the group has no

treasurer or literature chairperson yet.

• The availability of five sources of help:

1. the nearest intergroup

2. the local national or language service board (where one exists)

3. the region and region trustee

4. the World Service Office

5. www.oa.org

The secretary contributes greatly to the smooth functioning of the group. Although it doesn’t

really matter which service volunteer does a particular job, it is very important for everybody to

understand who is to do what.

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GROUP TREASURERWhat Does the Treasurer Do?

OA groups are self-supporting (Tradition Seven), accepting money only from members tokeep carrying the message. Passing the basket at meetings usually takes care of the group’s money needs, plus something

left over so the group can do its fair share of supporting the local intergroup, region and World

Service Office.

There is no requirement for any member to contribute, although most do. Those who can areusually willing to give generously to make up for those unable to give at present. Group funds generally go for such services as:

• Rent for the meeting place• Coffee, tea or sugar-free drinks• Equipment and miscellaneous expenses, such as OA signs, coffee cups, spoons, postage,

telephone, etc.• OA books and other OA-approved literature (which includes AA Conference-approved

literature)• Lifeline• Copies of A Step Ahead and other materials downloaded from the OA Web site• Local meeting directories• Supporting the intergroup• Supporting the region• Supporting the World Service Office, the central clearinghouse for all groups, which does

our worldwide chores. Suggested disbursement of group funds after expenses is 60percent to intergroup, 30 percent to world service and 10 percent to the region. (See thepamphlet It Takes Two: Through Our Own Contributions, OA Is Self-Supporting for anexplanation of how each service office spends its money.)

The treasurer usually keeps clear, simple records and keeps the group informed about howmuch is taken in and how it is spent. The treasurer makes a brief monthly report to the groupand/or the steering committee.

The treasurer may also have these responsibilities:• At the election, the outgoing treasurer should have on hand bank signature cards for

the incoming treasurer and other signatories to sign and return to the bank withoutdelay so the transfer is completed promptly.

• Bring the checkbook to all meetings.• Maintain the checkbook and issue checks for all expenses.• Receive and count collections at meetings assisted by the group secretary or

delegate.• Receive money in payment for literature.• Make deposits weekly, as soon as possible following meetings.• At each business meeting, make records available for any interested member.

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• At business or steering committee meetings, ask for instructions regardingdisbursement of surplus funds and try to establish percentages to be donated tointergroup, delegate fund, region and WSO.

Experience has shown that problems can be avoided by electing, if possible, a treasurer withperhaps six months of abstinence, a committed involvement in program and some familiaritywith bank statements. It is also a good idea to keep group funds in a separate bank account thatrequires two signatures on each check. Many banks provide checking accounts with no servicecharge to non-profit organizations. Most group steering committees find it makes good sense to budget all expenses in advance,setting aside sums from each collection to meet monthly expenses. It is not a good idea for a group to accumulate large sums in excess of what is needed. Prudentreserve is all that is required. Excess funds should be sent to the area service structures—theintergroup and region—and to the World Service Office to support its vital work. Groupproblems often arise when large donations, in money or goods or services, are accepted from anyone member. Group treasuries may be used for all group expenses, but it is suggested they not beused for individual members’ expenses in Twelfth-Step work.

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INTERGROUP REPRESENTATIVE

What Does the Intergroup Representative Do?

In areas where an intergroup has been formed, each group usually elects an intergroup

representative who meets regularly with representatives from the neighboring groups.

The intergroup representative represents the group in tasks undertaken jointly with other

groups in the area and tries to keep the group well-informed about the jobs the local intergroup is

doing.

Many group problems can be solved by sharing experiences with representatives from other

groups. It is sometimes necessary for the intergroup representative also to serve as the World

Service Business Conference delegate, as well as region representative.

OTHER SERVICE PERSONS

The OA Handbook for Members, Groups and Intergroups is a useful reference book for help

with group practices and procedures. It contains sections describing the activities and duties of

other persons who give service to the group. OA suggests that each group have a copy available

for reference by the secretary and other personnel.

Descriptions of the duties of the group secretary, treasurer and intergroup representative arereprinted from the OA Handbook for Members, Groups and Intergroups: Recovery

Opportunities, © Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. 1979 … 2005

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HOW TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS

Within Overeaters Anonymous are service offices. Each is a separate part of OA and functionsindependently. Ecause of this, contributions made to each office must be issued by individualchecks.

After deciding by group conscience how much is to be donated to each service office, writechecks as shown below:

1. Fill in the name and address of your local intergroup and its address:

2. Make check payable to “OA-WSO.” Mail this check to:Overeaters Anonymous, World Service OfficePO Box 44020Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4020 USA

3. Fill in the name and address of your region:

You may also contribute on the OA Web site athttps://secure.yourmis.com/oa.org/contribution.html

OA suggests that monies over your expenses and a small reserve be divided as follows:

60% to your intergroup30% to World Service10% to your region