Intergroup Minutes from 9/12/25 Meeting: 1. Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm by our CJIOA Chair - Ross Ross opened with the Serenity Prayer 2. Ross followed with reading the Welcome, Consensus, Cell Phone Usage, Raise Hand Function and Crosstalk Explanation 3. Tradition 9 and Concept 9 read by Mikey 4. Introduction of Attendees: Ross, Mikey, Lee Ann (not voting tonight), Lucille, Nick (Web-master in Training asked that you continue to send to Alex and him at this point), Barbara Jean, Frank, Babs, Joan, MaryBeth, Barbara Mu, Sima, Jill, Lusk, May 15 in attendance, 13 Reps, 1 Officer, 38 Meetings, 15% is 6, Quorum 5. Review of August Minutes: No corrections or changes - Motion to Accept, Lucille, Seconded - Barbara Jean - Unanimous 6. Intergroup Principles - A to G Read by Joan 7. Strategic Goals - 1 - 7 Read by Sima 8. Pamphlet Project - MaryBeth - 5 minute qualification: MaryBeth began overeating at 8 years old, had 5 helpings and thought it was great, but got sick, and her mother asked “What’s wrong with you”? MaryBeth had an odd relationship with food up until now because she is still a COE and still has to deal with food everyday. During adolescence she was yo-yo dieting, overeating and undereating, and bingeing up and down. She thought thin was happy and well, but being happy and well is an inside job. She developed another addiction in college, and came into AA 38 years ago and then realized she had two problems. She began to talk about her weight, and her sponsor’s husband in AA told her about OA. 36 years ago she began OA. She is back 5 years now without that chronic relapsing. She thought “God has this alcohol, but told herself in everything else, MaryBeth had this!” She told her AA sponsor that her greatest fear was to die fat. Eight years ago she went through the steps in her other program, and her sponsor ended up telling her to go back to OA. That beefed up her program (pardon the pun), and 5 years ago she came back. She loves being in recovery and living in recovery, and will always be grateful. Thank you for letting me share. Thank you MaryBeth. Joan was supposed to qualify next month but has to be in PA for an awards banquet on the night of 10th of October for our daughter. I would be happy to qualify in November. 9. Reports: Chair - Ross: Alex isn’t here tonight as VC, she supervises events and will talk about Idea Day later. In the meantime, a quick report - Idea Day is 11/22/25, will be held in person at Aldersgate Methodist Church in East Brunswick, a fantastic venue procured by Mikey. We need volunteers to help all day beginning at 8:00 am to help set up. Are there any raised hands here tonight? Not yet. We will have a zoom planning meeting to organize. Please spread the word to your meetings that we really need helpers. Vice Chair - Alex - not present, but Nick is taking care of the invoices,phone calls and payments for the Internet Treasurer - Barbara Mu already submitted a written report to Ross, but has a few reminders: Be sure you mark your group # on the donation check from your group so Barbara can give your group credit. She has two large donations from the past month with no Group numbers so there is no credit going to either group. Region 7 finally cashed the $2,000.00 check we sent several months ago. Sima had a question about when the cut-off date to donate is for 2025. Barbara said 10/31/25. Who will volunteer to review the Treasury? Nick and Barbara have picked a date for later this week. Motion to Accept Treasury Report: Nick, Seconded: MaryBeth - Unanimous Way and Means - 9/8/25: Income Projections - Marathon Committee and 12-Step Within Committee - added to each an extra $100.00 for the upcoming year. Income is nearly exact with income for next year’s budget. Alex helped with that. Fund Raisers: $500.00 added to budget for maybe doing T-Shirts,etc. Donations to Region 7 from $500.00 previously to $1,000.00 for 2026 Donations to World Service from $400.00 to $1,000.00 for 2026 Outreach will be receiving an extra $600.00 to their budget bringing the new amount up to $3,300.00 for 2026. We received extra money from Region 7 so this gave us more to put into our budget. Website fees have increased from $850.00 annually to $950.00 Zoom will stay the same across the board Budget meeting went very well. It is on target for what is going in and coming out. Ross asked if we can vote on the budget at our October meeting. Barbara said it is all ready to go. It was agreed that Alex, Ross, Barbara Mu and Nick would meet 9/20/25 at the bank to sign over all cards in order to pay bills by checks ,etc. LeeAnn said that Region 7 donations must be paid by PayPal since they can’t navigate cashing checks. Their Treasurer agreed to stay on temporarily to assist with this. Ross got a call about Outreach and billing for the month and doesn’t want to ignore these things but wants to make sure he doesn’t have to do anything about them. He will double check with Alex and Barbara Mu. Recording Secretary - Joan was able to access the Intergroup recording through a different server and able to type these notes. Thank you, Ross and Nick. Corresponding Secretary - MaryBeth - Lakewood Wednesday Night Hybrid has changed times and become Face to Face only. New meeting times - 8:00 pm - 9:15 pm. MaryBeth sent Ross and Nick an updated list. She will put her text and email in the Chat to be sure to send her a text first before an email. She will be in Maine in October and not present at the October 10th meeting. The Phone Report by Lucille has been removed and moved to Lucille’s Outreach report. Web-Site - Nick is still in training and can’t access the Region 7 Journals. LeeAnn said she could bring back journals from the Region 7 Assembly Retreat House if he sent her the money to buy them. CJI Outreach - Lucille, Joan, Mikey, Mary Beth, Jill : NJ Psychological Association Event in Livingston will take place on Oct. 17, 2026. Lucille needed help and has gotten 2 volunteers to help from NJIOA. The October 7th Tuesday meeting at New Hope Rehab Facility will be attended by MaryBeth, Kevin and Mikey. Lucille will be away, and MaryBeth will be the moderator. Mikey stressed the need for abstinent members to volunteer to attend the Rehab Facility to share for 10 minutes. They needn’t be members of the Outreach Committee but members from our local meetings. The committee is trying to reach out to colleges in NJ to attract students with various eating disorders. Paola has assembled a spreadsheet of Counseling Departments to contact at several NJ colleges and universities, and Joan will work with her in contacting each one. Mikey gave a detailed presentation report of the presentation to the Rutgers Medical School students and how well-received it was. He had sent them several pamphlet handouts and explanations before the meeting on September 2, 2025, so they would be familiar with what OA offers.There were approximately 18 Residents in attendance and 4 presenters: Alex, Leslie, Bob L, and Ross, and Mikey as moderator. They each shared for 10 minutes, and Mikey said they had many questions and showed much interest. They had stated they would like to repeat this presentation for next year at this time. Lucille said the OA phone received 3 calls last month - 1 for a meeting list, 1 didn’t respond when called back or leave a message, and 1 to say they reached a number no longer in service. Lucille also recommended that Joan add the CJIOA phone number to local blurbs at the churches along with her personal text number. Lucille said Monmouth County will possibly have a new Thursday night meeting, but so far no location or time. Lucille announced there would be a Region Level Outreach 2:00 - 4:00pm Sunday, Sept. 21st meeting from Regions all over the US. Joan attended and came away with various ideas and suggestions that other groups are doing for their outreach. Joan made a short report which was sent to Ross and Lucille. It was a very informative, interesting meeting with about 13 in attendance. Mikey thanked Lucille for her outstanding Outreach Work. 12 Step Within - Lusk said we are ready for a meeting News From Region - The Region 7 Fall Assembly will be held in person October 3-5, 2025, Registration by 9/19/25 at the Bon Secours Retreat House in PA, a spiritual and mindful community. We only have one active representative, and Lucille will be away during that time. The Vice-Chair of the Committee will be there. Ross said that in the past interim reps for the Assembly are allowed for one time. They can go through a nominating committee. No one was interested. It will begin on Friday evening, October 3rd and finish after lunch on October 5th. There will be 6 abstinent meals, a fridge if you want to bring your own food, and LeeAnn offered to drive up to 3 people from NJ if you need a ride. There will be zoom capabilities if you’d like to join, but at the voting portions of the weekend, reps must be there in person. There will also be face-to-face OA meetings mornings and evenings. Panel Meeting on Sunday will discuss Intergroup Challenges. It is an opportunity for everyone to do service. The Region 7 Convention will be held November 2, 2025 - Virtually only. Full one day - based on the Three-Legged Stool of Recovery - 9:30am to 4:00pm. Information on the CJIOA Website. News From World Service - Sima and Mikey - In person 2026 in Albuquerque. Mikey had nothing to add except a proposed business motion by the Outreach sub committee - 3 parts: Documents - Searchable Document list to provide documents, Supply Other Needed Info, Wild Card-Scan new ideas if done or not. Sima - By Laws Committee - Unity with Diversity - Pronouns using God, He, Him etc. suggested each meeting can vote on what they wish to do as they are autonomous. They won’t change the wording in the literature. The committee will decide in October whether it is a “go” or not. Mikey has made a detailed World Service Report which was sent to Ross. Thank you to Sima and Ross. Insurance Update from Mikey - Selective has been our Underwriter for 15 years. It has changed prices, and Baltimore has seen a three-fold increase in premiums. Mikey doesn’t have all the info yet, but there is no commercial insurance under $750.00 when we were paying $430.00 per year. Mikey may have to change Underwriters. Lucille asked if insurance was for all meetings or only Face to Face. Mikey told her only Face to Face. Nominating Committee - Sima and Mikey - Nomination for Treasurer - Barbara Mu - Accepted Nomination for Second Term. Ross asked if there are any other volunteers or nominees. None so far. OA Holidays - IDEA Day 11/20/25 - Nick and Ross need help Old Business - First edition of Newsletter sent to MaryBeth. She likes format and hopefully will be able to speak more about it soon. Outreach Committee blurbs were suggested. Reach out to your meetings for contributions of any OA stories or articles everyone would like to contribute. Robin took the last newsletter we had years ago and is planning to expand it. News from Groups: Barbara Jean said a newcomer to Tuesday Lakehurst had an issue with sugar, Googled Sugar Addiction, and OA popped up. Lucille said on Monday night Red Bank a newcomer heard from a psychiatrist about OA and was grateful it came from a mental health person. Sima said the Saturday morning meeting had a newcomer whose mother brought her Ross said we have a Sister Group in Richmond, VA, and we help one another. They use the green spiral workbook and had a 2 hour workshop on 9/20/25. Ross will include a flyer in case we want to do one like that. Ross did it, and it was great. Jill led us in the Serenity Prayer and meeting was adjourned at 8:30pm. Respectfully submitted: Joan T. Recording Secretary