News and Announcements Coordinator Report
The Assembly will be start at 8am on Wednesday 30th of September, in order to feel refreshed we enourage members to arrive Tuesday 29th of September in the late afternoon or early evening. The assembly will finish around 4pm on Friday 2nd October 2026. Convention will then start on Friday 2nd October 2026 in the early evening and finish no later than 2pm on Sunday 4th October 2026.
Names, acronyms, and short forms have been removed or edited for consistency with OA Policy
My main responsibility as News and Announcements Coordinator is assembling the News and Announcements page for the Region 9 website.
Region 9 extends its hand in fellowship, reaching out to OA members across the four continents it serves. The News and Announcements page is updated almost twice a week with event invitations, workshops, literature, podcasts, translations from A Step Ahead and OA.org, as well as news and updates from the Region 9 Board and committees. By bringing these resources together in one place, the webpage makes it easier for our fellows to stay informed and connected.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my service is working closely with the Digital Officer. Each day I gather information from across Region 9 and other OA service bodies and pass it on for publication. Through the Digital Officer’s dedication and collaboration with the Digital Committee, this information is transformed into a valuable communication resource that keeps our fellowship informed and connected. News and Announcements are then distributed regularly by email to service bodies and, ultimately, to members throughout the Region.
Over the past few months, we have shared announcements about events across our Region, including:
- Heart of England Intergroup 25th Recovery Convention
- International English spoken annual retreat Bacharach, Germany
- Looking for your Experience, Strength and hope about Service Concepts by the Service, Traditions and Concepts Committee
- Just for Today Только на сегодня by the OA Israel National Service Board
- A day of Recovery and Service, Sunday 12th July by the OA Rainbow LGBTQ+ Specific Focus Body
We have also published anonymous recovery stories written by OA members, including:
- Fully Reliant on God A Path through Recovery
- My ears were my enemies
- Living Step Three Trusting in the Process
- Not Terminally Unique
- My OA Journey Living Life Beyond My Wildest Dreams
- Abstinence is a spiritual practice
- This is a Spiritual Hunger, Intertwined with Physical Hunger
- Recovery brings me closer to peace and self-acceptance
In my role, I also have the privilege of being part of the Digital Committee, something I deeply appreciate. Through this role, I have also become more comfortable with technology and expanded my technical skills by learning to use tools that were completely new to me…
Thoughts
I am grateful for this service because I am learning to listen instead of react, to trust instead of control, and to work with others instead of trying to do everything on my own. Sometimes I make mistakes, sometimes I feel uncertain, but I know I am not alone. Help will come as long as I am willing to reach out. I am grateful for the people I serve with. Their experience, patience, honesty, and dedication inspire me to keep showing up and striving to live “a life of sane and happy usefulness.”
News and Announcement Coordinator
Maria KV
