Virtual Region Board Meeting Minutes

Date: February 2, 2025

Time: 1:30 PM ET (UTC-5)

Members Present:

Chair
Vice Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Intergroup Outreach Committee Chair
Digital Coordinator
Digital Committee Chair
Twelfth Step Within Workshop Committee Chair
Data Committee Chair
Language Services
Visitor from Poland

Strategic Vision:
The function of the Virtual Region Board is to serve and support its committees, intergroups, service boards, meetings, and members and to carry the message to those who still suffer.

Opening:
The meeting opened with the Serenity Prayer in French and English.

Approval of Minutes from the January 2025 board meeting with no objections.

Treasurer's Report:  Redacted Please contact Treasurer@oavirtualregion.org for any financial questions.  

OLD BUSINESS

Feedback Regarding Possible Use of Social Media Platform “X”:

The Data Committee had reservations but remained open to further information.

The VR Chair acknowledged the lack of 100% anonymity on social media but did not oppose its use. Comments can be shut down, but reposting cannot be prevented. However,  the Chair does not feel this is the right time to make a decision because of the upcoming convention. The board decided to defer further discussion until after the convention to address post-convention social media follow-up and to focus on outreach to unaffiliated (non-real-time) meetings.

2025 Board Meeting Schedule:

There was a motion to cancel the May 18, 2025, board meeting due to anticipated low attendance and conflicts with the WSB virtual conference and Assembly 1 preparation. Seconded.

There was a motion to reschedule the July 6, 2025, board meeting to July 13, 2025. Seconded.

The 2025 board meeting schedule was confirmed:

January 5

February 2

April 6

June 1 (Meeting at Assembly 1, which is May 31/June 1)

July 13

August 3 (Note World Service Convention is August 21-23)

September 7

October 5

November 16 (Meeting at Assembly 2, which is November 15-16)

December 7 (Fellowship)

Assembly 1: May 31-June 1, 2025

Assembly 2: November 15-16, 2025

VR Convention 2026

There was a motion to schedule the VR Convention 2026 for February 20-22, 2026, to avoid scheduling conflicts. Seconded.

Status of the Literature and Translation Platform

From the Chair: The Board of Trustees and Executive Committee will discuss the literature and translation platforms at their February meetings. The Chair has met with the Region 9 Chair and Trustee about the platform. The Board of Trustees and Executive Committee chairs have met as well. The Chair will propose the formation of a subcommittee to the Region Chair’s Committee to facilitate collaboration on the platform and include the Virtual Region.

The next Region Chairs meeting is in March. Between this meeting or the Board of Trustees meeting, there will be more information regarding how the Virtual Region may move forward in terms of distribution platforms.

There is also a motion before the Board of Trustees from the VR Trustee liaison that the Board of Trustees manage these efforts instead.

The Virtual Region Board determined, after discussion, to vote on its stance before presenting information to World Service.

Valor Para Cambiar, a Virtual Region service body, has a license to translate into normative Spanish.

The board acknowledged that the Valor Para Cambiar normative translation license is separate from the discussions with the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee, and can continue. Funds were already approved by World Service and the license has been granted.

NEW BUSINESS

Convention 2025 Updates and Planning:

The Digital Committee Chair reported 100 fellows registered to date.

Support is needed in these areas: Digital Committee, Webmaster, Data Chair, and Public Information Professional Outreach/Unity with Diversity.

Public Information Professional Outreach/Unity with Diversity outreach efforts will include printed flyers with QR codes linking to the Newcomer Center webpage and OA.org, and flyers for the Newcomer Open House and Registration. Flyers will be distributed to service bodies and posted on social media.

The Vice Chair will manage the convention@oavirtualregion.org email, but will not provide follow-up.

Committee Reports:

Finance: Absent.

The Chair will contact the Finance Committee Chair directly to discuss outreach initiatives, which generate funding.

Twelfth Step Within Workshop:

The WSBC Twelfth Step Within Committee  voted to hold the 12/12 Worldwide Marathon again in 2026. The Virtual Region has a critical role in the success of these events but the hope is that we will have far more service from across the globe now that our fellowship has seen how it’s done.

Public Information Professional Outreach/Unity with Diversity:

The chair position is vacant. Script reminders were given for radio PSA outreach.

Intergroup Outreach and Renewal:

The committee is updating the intergroup renewal process into five or six workshops, as requested by the Board of Trustees and the Region Chairs Committee.

Workshops will be recorded and submitted to the Region Chairs Committee for comment and revision, and then to the Board of Trustees for review.

Workshop dates:

• March 23: Carry the Message (2x)
• May 17: How Service Bodies and Meetings can Support Sponsorship, Abstinence and Membership Retention
• July 13: All About OA
• September 14: Best Practices for Meeting and Service Bodies Inventory

Website posting regarding the workshops will follow.

Board Reports

• Chair: See committee chairs and liaisons for assistance prior to the convention. Outreach to fill vacant committee positions is ongoing.
• Secretary: Assembly 1 meeting scheduling is required. The Chair, Finance Committee Chair, and Secretary will coordinate. The treasurer requested that any new motions involving finances be run by the Treasurer prior to being presented to the Board.
• Vice Chair: A written motion will be presented at the next meeting.

Closed with the serenity prayer in French, and English.