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A monthly newsletter from the Board of Region 3 of Overeaters Anonymous

Serving Arizona • Colorado • Iowa • Kansas • Nebraska • Nevada • 

New Mexico • Oklahoma • South Dakota • Texas • Utah

Meet Karen S.
Region 3's Treasurer

Karen’s path to Overeaters Anonymous began 12 years ago in an unexpected place: her first Al-Anon meeting, 15 years ago. Standing at the literature table, she was asked how she was doing. Out popped the truth: “I am using my drug of choice—food.” The woman beside her replied, “I know where you need to be,” and told her about OA.

Karen attended her first OA meeting a few days later, but she didn’t stay. When her sponsor left, Karen decided she didn’t need the program. Three years later, she returned—and service at the meeting and intergroup levels helped her become connected. She hasn’t left since.

Early in recovery, Karen questioned whether she belonged or really was a compulsive eater. Her sponsor observed, “I don’t think ‘normal’ people sit around wondering whether they are compulsive eaters.” Karen realized that her obsessive thinking about food was itself the answer.

Recovery and service are dismantling Karen’s belief that she must do everything herself. Service reinforces that she can ask for help—and help others. It also lets her practice principles before personalities. Members may differ, but they share a purpose: helping the still-suffering compulsive eater.

Karen wishes more people understood that struggles with food and body image are not moral or willpower issues. They are not signs of laziness, badness, or a lack of intelligence. For Karen, food is only a symptom of a spiritual ailment—a God-shaped hole that only God can fill.

Outside OA, Karen finds joy in family and service. One surprising blessing is the close friendship she and her husband share with her ex-husband’s parents. They even co-owned a cabin in Utah. Others may find it unusual; Karen considers it a gift.

Karen is also a CASA—a Court Appointed Special Advocate—for a brother and sister in foster care. Assigned through the court system, she will have served on their case for two years on August 19. The children, now five and seven, are living with a family completing the steps to adopt them, with the adoption expected in October. Karen sees this as another way to serve and make a difference in their lives. She initially didn’t want to take on the role, but she couldn’t stop thinking about signing up and sensed God directing her to say yes. The experience has taught her about herself and helped her grow. She believes she has made a difference in the children’s lives, and she is deeply grateful.

Today, Karen describes her recovery as “perfectly imperfect.” Connecting with God every day is vital to her program. She no longer fantasizes about graduating from OA or being finished. She does the next right thing, turns to her sponsor, and keeps coming back.

To anyone suffering but afraid to reach out, Karen offers a simple truth: together we get better. Sharing what troubles her with others brings relief. The fears—“What if I bother them? What if they don’t like me?”—are lies her mind uses to keep her isolated. Fellows are glad to lend an ear and perhaps share a laugh.

As Region 3 Treasurer, Karen hopes her example encourages others to serve. To her, the Seventh Tradition means far more than financial contributions. OA remains fully self-supporting when members offer their time, energy, and talents.

Meet Kelli F.
Las Vegas OA Intergroup's NEW Region Rep
 

Kelli once believed weight-loss surgery would solve all her problems. Instead, the supposedly simple and easy procedure went seriously wrong, and she nearly died. Devastated and desperate, she felt she had nowhere to turn.

Then she saw how Overeaters Anonymous had worked for others. She found a sponsor, began working the Steps, and slowly developed an abstinence she could follow. With those actions came something she desperately needed: hope.

As Kelli continued working the Steps, she began to understand that accepting a situation did not mean approving of it. She also recognized how expectations of others had contributed to her disappointments. Those realizations helped lift her resentments and remove a weight from her shoulders, clearing the way for further recovery.

Today, recovery means practicing self-love, honesty, abstinence, and compassion. It also means improving her conscious contact with a Higher Power, seeking knowledge of that Higher Power’s will and the strength to carry it out.

Service has become an important part of that recovery. Kelli who recently moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas stepped into the role of Region Representative for the Las Vegas OA Intergroup because she wanted a deeper connection with the OA community.  “To continue recovering from compulsive overeating, I needed an additional connection to this community,” she explains. “Service strengthens the program.” Through service, Kelli has developed greater compassion for others—and for herself. It keeps her involved in OA on a deeper level while giving her another way to carry the message of recovery.

Kelli wishes more people understood just how common struggles with food and body image are. Those who suffer may believe they are different or alone, but Kelli knows otherwise. “We are not alone,” she says. “It’s critical to carry the message of recovery, as suggested in Step Twelve.” To someone who is suffering but afraid to reach out, Kelli would offer reassurance: You are precious. Love yourself. You are not alone, and people are here to help. Your Higher Power is here for you. There is no need to compare yourself with others because everyone’s recovery is individual.

Outside OA, Kelli stays grounded through meditation, swimming, music, laughter, gardening, and time with her pets. She also finds joy in simply being in awe of nature. When she thinks about the people who shaped her most as a leader, she looks to her parents and grandparents.

As the Las Vegas Intergroup’s new Region Representative, Kelli hopes her service will support the recovery of others—and perhaps encourage someone else to consider this kind of service in the future.  What does accepting this position mean to Kelli at this point in her journey? Her answer is brief, direct, and powerful: “I’m taking the program seriously.”

Region 3 eBlast

Powerlessness and surrender are the topics of the August eBlast from the Twelfth Step Within committee.  You'll find the document attached with the suggestion that the information could be used at a meeting or a workshop.

Service in Region 3

Could You Be Region 3's Next Leader?

Region 3 Board Elections • November 6th, 2026

Chair • Recording Secretary

Grow in recovery. Build friendships. Make a difference.

This November, Region 3 will elect a new Chair and Recording Secretary. Serving on the Board is an opportunity to grow in recovery, build lasting friendships, and help carry OA's message throughout our Region.

If you've ever wondered whether regional service might be your next step, we'd love to hear from you.

Learn more. Ask questions. You may discover that service gives back even more than it asks.

Recovery gives us a new life. Service helps us give it away.

Ready to say YES?  Click here to for more information and/or to apply. 

Applications must be received by September 15th. 

Intergroup Service Offers Many Ways to Help

–One of them may be just right for you.

Your Intergroup needs more than people who attend meetings. It needs people willing to bring their experience, ideas, energy—and sometimes simply their willingness—to service.

You don’t have to be an expert. You don’t have to know exactly what to do before you begin. Most trusted servants learn from those who served before them, receive support along the way, and discover strengths they didn’t know they had.

Could you serve as an Intergroup Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, World Service Delegate, or Region Representative? Perhaps one of the committees is calling you: IR Trainer, Meeting List, Website, Zoom, Newsletter, PIPO, TSW, Retreat, Special Events, or the Diversity Community.

There are opportunities for organizers, encouragers, writers, listeners, number-lovers, computer-comfortable people—and those who are simply willing to learn.

Attend your next Intergroup meeting. Ask where help is needed. Raise your hand. You may discover that service gives back even more than it asks.

Region 3 Events

OA HOW RETREAT:  Recovery Begins Here
 

Friday, August 7th through Sunday, August 9th

Holy Retreat Center, Houston, TX

Looking for a fresh start with food and a deeper connection to recovery? Join fellow OA members August 7-9, 2026, for the OA HOW Retreat at the beautiful Holy Name Retreat Center in Houston, Texas. This three-day retreat will guide participants through all Twelve Steps in a supportive and encouraging environment designed for healing, growth, and fellowship.

Beginning Friday evening and concluding after lunch on Sunday, the retreat includes a private room with an attached bathroom, all meals, and multiple opportunities to connect with others who share the common goal of freedom from compulsive eating. Whether you are new to OA, returning after time away, or looking to strengthen your recovery, this retreat offers a chance to step away from daily distractions and focus on the solution. 

OA First Ten Days Meetings

WHO? Beginners, abstinence strugglers, returnees, program boosters, everyone 
WHAT? Tools, food plans, action plans, cross talk/discussions, questions answered, and a new lease on life 

WHEN? 10 consecutive days starting on first day of EACH month; each session is about 60 minutes. In all odd months it is held at 6 PM Central time; in all even months it is held at 8 AM Central time.  
WHERE? On Zoom with your camera on (Zoom details will be provided after registration). 

TO DO?  Get a notebook for the Workshop. Obtain the “Where Do I Start” pamphlet at oa.org/what-to-expect/where-do-i-start/

HOW? Register by sending an email to Shelly F at [email protected] with your first & last name, cell phone number, email address, and time zone.

Colorado OA State Convention | Freedoms in OA

September 25th from 8 AM to 4:30 PM

A day of recovery at the tranquil and beautiful Franciscan Retreat Center at the base of the mountains in Colorado Springs.  All are welcome!

Step into the Realm of the Spirit | OA Silent Retreat
 

October 23rd through 25th:  Step into the Realm of the Spirit

This Silent Retreat includes a 24-hour period of shared silence. The Retreat offers including a number of contemplative activities including walks, yoga, arts & crafts, meditations, and OA meetings before and at the end of our 24hr of shared silence – all as you so choose to participate. The Norbertine Spirituality Center and Abbey is a very private and beautiful location in the Albuquerque – just perfect for this retreat.  Come join us!

R3 Assembly and Tri-County OA Retreat

November 6th through 8th:  The Sunlight of the Spirit R3 Assembly & Tri-County OA Retreat

Step into a weekend of connection, renewal, and a little bit of magic under the Texas sky. The Sunlight of the Spirit R3 Assembly & Tri-County OA Retreat invites you to Glen Rose this November for heartfelt fellowship, inspiring speakers, and moments of quiet reflection that just might change everything. Whether you’re coming for the full experience or just a day, you’ll find laughter, serenity, and a community that understands the journey. With a speaker bringing 45 years of abstinence and a schedule full of meetings, meditation, and even a bonfire gathering, this is more than an event… it’s a place to breathe again.

Other News & Resources

• List of OA Events Worldwide: https://oa.org/event-calendar/
• Find a Meeting Any Time, Anywhere: https://oa.org/find-a-meeting/
• Read A Step Ahead News: https://oa.org/news/
• Recovery Resource Library: https://oa.org/recovery-resource-library/