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Bylaws of the Red Dragon Intergroup (09673) of Overeaters Anonymous

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this organisation shall be the Red Dragon Intergroup (IG)

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

The primary purpose of Red Dragon IG of Overeaters Anonymous is to carry the message of recovery to those with the problem of eating compulsively, by fostering the practice of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, guided by the Twelve Concepts of OA Service; and to serve and represent member groups and/or Intergroups.

A. Twelve Steps

The Twelve Steps suggested for recovery in the Fellowship of Overeaters Anonymous are as follows:

1. We admitted we were powerless over food—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to practice these principles in all affairs.

B. Twelve Traditions

The Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous are:

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon OA unity.
2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
3. The only requirement for OA membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or OA as a whole.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the compulsive overeater who still suffers.
6. An OA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the OA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7. Every OA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Overeaters Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9. OA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10. Overeaters Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence, the OA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, television and other public media of communication.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all these Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

C. The Twelve Concepts of OA Service are:

1. The ultimate responsibility and authority for OA world services reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.
2. The OA groups have delegated to World Service Business Conference the active maintenance of our world services; thus, World Service Business Conference is the voice, authority and effective conscience of OA as a whole.
3. The right of decision, based on trust, makes effective leadership possible.
4. The right of participation ensures equality of opportunity for all in the decision-making process.
5. Individuals have the right of appeal and petition in order to ensure that their opinions and personal grievances will be carefully considered.
6. The World Service Business Conference has entrusted the Board of Trustees with the primary responsibility for the administration of Overeaters Anonymous.
7. The Board of Trustees has legal rights and responsibilities accorded to them by OA Bylaws, Subpart A; the rights and responsibilities of the World Service Business Conference are accorded to it by Tradition and by OA Bylaws, Subpart B.
8. The Board of Trustees has delegated to its Executive Committee the responsibility to administer the OA World Service Office.
9. Able, trusted servants, together with sound and appropriate methods of choosing them, are indispensable for effective functioning at all service levels.
10. Service responsibility is balanced by carefully defined service authority; therefore, duplication of efforts is avoided.
11. Trustee administration of the World Service Office should always be assisted by the best standing committees, executives, staffs and consultants.
12. The spiritual foundation for OA service ensures that:
13. no OA committee or service body shall ever become the seat of perilous wealth or power;
14. sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, shall be OA’s prudent financial principle;
15. no OA member shall ever be placed in a position of unqualified authority;
16. all important decisions shall be reached by discussion, vote and whenever possible, by substantial unanimity;
17. no service action shall ever be personally punitive or an incitement to public controversy; and
18. no OA service committee or service board shall ever perform any acts of government, and each shall always remain democratic in thought and action.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERS

Section 1: Membership 

1. Membership of the Intergroup (IG) with voice and vote includes the following: 
2. Intergroup Board Members; Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Region 9 Representative(s) and World Service Business Conference Delegate(s).
3. Intergroup Representatives (IRs) or their alternates from each group, which consists of one (1) member from each group. 
4. Intergroup Officers & Committee Chairs including but not exclusively; Public Information Officer, Phone Officer, Webmaster, Meeting List Officer, Special Events Coordinator, Literature Officer, Fundraising Officer. 

Section 2 – Qualifications

1. Qualifications for group membership in the IG: Groups registered with the World Service Office (WSO) that are within its region or geographic proximity may affiliate with an IG. OA Red Dragon IG has the autonomy to determine which groups may affiliate with it but that decision should always be guided by OA Traditions and Concepts. (For the purposes of these bylaws, Red Dragon serves North Wales and groups operating within 50 miles of the Welsh border).

• OA Red Dragon IG endorses the definition of an OA group in Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Bylaws, Subpart B, Article V, Section 1, as written and as it may be amended by a future World Service Business Conference.

• An Overeaters Anonymous group may be formed by two (2) or more persons meeting together as set forth in Article V, Section 1 of the World Service Bylaws. These points shall define an OA group:

1. As a group, they meet to practice the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, guided by the Twelve Concepts of OA Service.
2. All who have the desire to stop eating compulsively are welcome in the group.
3. No member is required to practice any actions in order to remain a member or to have a voice (share at a meeting).
4. As a group they have no affiliation other than Overeaters Anonymous.
5. It has affiliated as an Overeaters Anonymous group by registering with the World Service Office.

Section 3 – Intergroup Representatives

1. Intergroup representatives (IR) will be selected by the group conscience of the group they represent.
2. The duty of the IR is to represent the group at IG meetings and to serve as a contact to carry communications between the IG and the represented group.

ARTICLE IV – THE INTERGROUP (IG) BOARD

Section 1 – The Intergroup Board

1. The board consists of the following Intergroup Board Members: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Region 9 Representative(s) and World Service Business Conference Delegate(s).
2. Meetings shall be chaired by the Chair of the board. In the event the Chair is unable to chair any meeting, the Vice Chair will adopt the role of Chair for that meeting. If both Chair and Vice Chair are not present the Secretary will open the meeting and hold an election for a temporary Chair.

Section 2 – Nominations & Elections of Board Members

1. Nomination for Intergroup Board Member roles may be made from the floor at an Intergroup Meeting by those present at the Meeting. 
2. Nominees must be present at the Intergroup Meeting. 
3. For election voting will be by show of hands. To be elected, the candidate must receive the majority of votes cast
4. . An elected Board Member should normally serve no more than one Intergroup role at a time.  In exceptional circumstances Board Members may temporarily hold dual roles in order that the Board can continue to function.

Section 3 – Qualifications for the Intergroup Board3

To qualify for election to the IG board, an individual must:

1. Be working the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of OA Service to the best of his/her ability.
2. Have six (6) months of current abstinence except as follows (each person shall be the sole judge of his or her abstinence):
3. World Service Business Conference delegates must comply with the abstinence and length of service requirements in the OA, Inc. Bylaws, Subpart B, Article X, Section 3c 1). Current requirements are one year current abstinence and at least two years of service beyond the group level.
4. Region representatives must comply with the abstinence and length of service specified in the Region 9 bylaws. Current requirements are six (6) consecutive months of current abstinence.
5. Be a regular member of an affiliated group.

Section 4 – Term of Office

1. The term of office for a board member is normally for a two (2) year period
2. Board members may serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same position.  A member may serve again after a leave of one (1) year from the position.
3. IG Board members should not serve also as their group representative at the intergroup: small groups with high proportions of new members, however, may appoint a representative who is also on the IG Board on a temporary basis .  

Section 5 – Responsibilities of the Intergroup Board Members,

1. Serve as guardians of the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts with respect to the functions of the intergroup.
2. Perform the duties of their offices in accordance with IG policies and procedures.
3. Serve as guardian of IG funds; participate in an annual financial audit.
4. Provide a forum for the interchange of ideas and information among member groups.

Section 6 – Vacancies and Resignations

1. If a board member is absent from an IG meeting more than twice (2 times) in calendar period of six (6) months he/she may be removed from the position by a majority vote of the ballots cast either at a regular IG meeting or a meeting announced for that purpose.
2. Any board member may resign at any time for any reason by giving the chair of the IG written notice.
3. Any board member of this IG may be removed from office for due cause by a 2/3 majority vote of the ballot cast at a regular or special meeting announced for that purpose.

Section 7 – Filling of Vacancies

1. Vacancies shall be filled by a majority vote at the next meeting or special meeting of the IG after the vacancy occurs. 
2. A person chosen to fill any vacancy on the board shall meet the qualifications as defined in Article IV, Section 3.

ARTICLE V – MEETINGS

Section 1 – Regular Meetings

The IG will meet four times annually at a time and place designated by a majority of the voting members.

Section 2 – Annual Meetings

An annual general meeting (AGM) shall be held yearly typically in May.

Section 3 – Special Meetings

A special meeting may be called at any time by a majority vote of the IG board, or by a quorum of IG members, provided sufficient notice is provided to the membership.

Section 4 – Method of Notification

The IG will provide at least ten (10) days notice to each member group.

Section 5 – Quorum

The quorum for voting purposes shall be, at a minimum, one (1) Intergroup Board Member and at least a quarter (1/4) of the other voting members.

Section 6 – Meeting Procedure

The Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts shall be read at the beginning of each meeting.

ARTICLE VI – INTERGROUP OFFICERS INCLUDING COMMITTEE CHAIRS

COMMITTEES 

The board may establish committees as are needed for the welfare and operation of the intergroup. Each committee is responsible to the IG board and will report to the Intergroup.

INTERGROUP OFFICERS

Intergroup Officers include (but are not exclusive to) the following positions; Public Information Officer, Phone Officer, Webmaster, Meeting List Officer, Special Events Coordinator, Literature Officer, Fundraising Officer.

Section 1 – Election of Intergroup Officers and Committee Chairs

1. Nomination may be made from the floor at a regular or special meeting announced for that purpose. 
2. Nominees must be present at the meeting.  
3. Voting will be by show of hands. For election, the candidate must receive the majority vote cast.

Section 2 – Qualifications for Intergroup Officers and Committee Chairs

To qualify for election an individual must:

1. Be working the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of OA Service to the best of his/her ability.
2. Have six (6) months of current abstinence (each person shall be the sole judge of his or her abstinence).
3. Be a regular member of an affiliated group.

 Section 3 – Term of Office:

1. The term of office for Intergroup Officer or Committee Chair is twelve (12) months period.
2. Intergroup Officer or Committee Chairs may serve no more than four (4) consecutive terms in the same position. A member may serve again after a leave of twelve (12) months from the position.
3. Once elected, an Intergroup Officer or Committee Chair may also serve as an Intergroup Representative (IG) although will only have one allocated vote. 

Section 4 – Responsibilities of the Intergroup Officer or Committee Chairs

1. Serve as guardians of the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts with respect to the functions of the committee.
2. Perform the duties of their offices in accordance with IG policies and procedures.
3. If any monies are expended, a detailed and itemised report, together with receipts, shall be presented at the next Intergroup meeting and given to the Treasurer. 
4. Provide a forum for the interchange of ideas and information among IG members. 
5. Submit a written report to the Intergroup, preferably before each Intergroup but at least quarterly, and at the end of any specific event coordinated by that committee. 
6. Bring all major decisions to the Intergroup for endorsement. 

Section 7 – Vacancies and Resignations

1. Any Intergroup Officer or Committee Chair may resign at any time for any reason by giving the Chair of the IG written notice.
2. Any Intergroup Officer or Committee Chair may be removed from office for due cause by a 2/3 majority vote cast at a regular or special meeting announced for that purpose.

Section 8 – Filling of Vacancies

1. Vacancies shall be filled by a majority vote at the next meeting or special meeting of the IG after the vacancy occurs. Such persons chosen to fill said vacancies shall serve a full term of twelve (12) months. 
2. A person chosen to fill any vacancy on the board shall meet the qualifications as defined in Article VI, Section 2.

Section 9 – Committee Meetings

Each committee may prescribe its own rules for calling and holding meetings and its methods of procedures, subject to the guidelines of the Twelve Traditions of OA and the Twelve Concepts of OA service. 

ARTICLE VII – PRUDENT RESERVE

The IG treasurer will maintain a prudent reserve of half of the annual standard IG costs plus any further reserve deemed necessary, (provided there is a quorum at the meeting at which the additional reserve is agreed) to cover expected operational needs. Excess funds will be donated to OA service bodies as determined by the IG.

ARTICLE VIII – PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

OA Red Dragon IG, like all Intergroups, may conduct the business of their groups by any method they choose. Once chosen, however, the method will be adopted in the bylaws so that members may be confident that the rules will not be changed as circumstances change to benefit some at the expense of others. The parliamentary authority common in use throughout Overeaters Anonymous is the most current available edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised and where possible OA Red Dragon IG will endeavour to abide by the procedures set out in this guide.

ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS TO THESE BYLAWS

 (A) The bylaws can be revoked or amended at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which typically takes place in May with the exception of Appendix 1 (The Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of OA).

(B) Individuals and Groups must submit suggested amendments in writing to the Secretary of OA Red Dragon IG at least 10 weeks prior to the next AGM.

(C) Suggested amendments will be first considered by OA Red Dragon IG Board Members including the proposer of the amendments, and redrafted if necessary in order to ensure that their wording is in keeping with the intentions of the individual or Group submitting them.

(D) They will then be communicated in writing to each member Group at least 30 days prior to AGM, and if approved by a two-thirds majority at AGM, will be incorporated into the bylaws thereafter.

(E) These bylaws will automatically be updated to reflect any changes to OA Inc By-Laws, subpart B, made by the World Service Business Conference.

(F) These bylaws will be logged with OAGB, including any future amendments approved at AGM. 

ARTICLE X – DISSOLUTION

Section 1 – Deregistration

In order to deregister, an intergroup must submit a written request to the World Service Office, region chair and region trustee.

Section 2 – Disbursement of Remaining Funds

When this intergroup ceases operation and all debts have been paid, all remaining funds shall be distributed to other Overeaters Anonymous service bodies or the WSO in accordance with Tradition Six.