TRGAdm continues to adminster TRG with the help of an advisory committee.

There have been a couple of big changes this month in The Recovery Group (TRG). One is that OA has acknowledged online groups for the first time. TRG meetings had been listed as a "courtesy" for the past few months, but now they are just listed as meetings. And the TRG online meetings are flourishing.

The other change concerns spam in some of our loops, which none of us likes, but which is also hard to avoid in this day and age. TRGAdm is doing its best to help alert Yahoo! to this issue on our loops. A special Yahoo group has been created, to which coordinators can send copies of offending emails. These will then be sent to Yahoo administration to try to help them work on this issue.

Newcomers has been hopping with many people new both to OA and TRG. The newcomers then find permanent homes on general sharing loops such as OA Friends, The Recovery Loop, and Journey to Recovery. The Big Book loop is finishing Chapter Five (How it Works). WTS and WTS Study will be starting with the first Step in July. Anorexia and Bulimia, Relapse and Recovery, and HOTJ (Heavyweights on the Journey) continue with their missions. The Recovery Loops will be recruiting for new service positions.

The ODAT loops are Twelve Step Special Focus Loops for those with special interests to share their program of recovery with others who share that same interest.

Are you a diabetic with an eating disorder... DiabeticsODAT is the loop where you can discuss your special needs and how you are using the 12 steps of recovery in your life with others who will understand.

If you practice the Grey Sheet plan of eating there is an ODAT loop for you. The HOW_ODAT loop is available for those who are following that program. In these loops, you are free to talk about how you are working the 12 steps and share your experience, strength and hope.

Please check out the website included at the end of this article and see which of our many other loops might be on interest to you.

A very big thank you to all of those who volunteer as Trusted Servants for these loops.

There are a lot of changes happening on the Discovery side of things at The Recovery Group. The once slow and quiet loops are finding new life and growth under the leadership of Cody and Mary, and now even some additional Trusted Servants.

Exercise & Discovery now has a full staff of Trusted Servants (two co-Coordinators, a Greeter, a 12th Step With-In and a Web Servant who will be sure to publish their URL so many more will hear about them.) The sharing volume has definitely increased and there is so much hope, strength, and experience being shared everyday! Kitchen Archives is another great Discovery loop that has added an additional Co-Coordinator to help Mary. This is a wonderful loop to go to and share different ideas about struggles concerning food choices, to give helpful hints when asked about recipes, to talk about food plans, or about anything related to struggles in the kitchen area.

We also have two "kids" loops: Kids & Discovery which is primarily (just) for kids, those that have issues with overeating, undereating, binging, purging etc. The only adults in this site are Coordinators. This loop has had some rough-going but progress is being made as that url is sent to the search engines. Now more kids are joining, and sharing between them is increasing, as are shares directly to the coordinators.

Finally, Co-kids which is basically a loop for parents, teachers, doctors, clergy, etc.; really, for anyone who is affected by a child's eating patterns. This group has gotten stronger in the last few months with a few moms writing, but it is a great goal and dream to have many moms writing each other, and sending their kids to Kids and Discovery for the help the child can best get from us. These are just goals, but we strive for progress and that is what we are getting on the kids and Discovery loops right now! Thanks, everybody!

In loving service,
Cody & Mary W.

We are pleased to report that there is an increase in the numbers of members present at meetings, as well as more members volunteering to become meeting leaders. It is heart warming to witness this solidarity of fellowship and recovery.

Generally, sharing has been spontaneous and on-topic. Although there is no set time limit on sharing, most of the members respectfully post their shares in reasonable time, allowing plenty of time for others to do the same. It is wonderful to see so many different people sharing and this certainly contributes to the ESH of the meeting.

Unfortunately this month, we have experienced some interruptions by a few "unwelcome guests", but our meeting leaders have done a magnificent job of riding through these difficulties where necessary, with the willing assistance of Starchat.

Our thought for today: "The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have discovered a common solution. We have a way out, on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action". AABB 4th Edition p.17.

See you at the meetings :o))

In loving service,

On-Line Meeting Coordinators Terri, Barry and Christine

~ SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ~

~ NEW WTS (WORK THE STEPS) STUDY BEGUN ~

Hello, everyone!

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to present our new step study leader, Rose. Rose has been a co-coordinator of the WTS loop for a few months and has been in recovery for many years. She will share her experience, strength and hope with us throughout the next 12 weeks.

But first, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank John for his insightful step essays and questions and for his commitment to our WTS Study. John was among the first to participate in these WTS studies and has guided us through the steps several times over the past few years. Thank you for all you've done for us, John.

Now, to help you get to know Rose, here is a brief intro which she has prepared for you. You can read Rose's story in the (new this month!) section called "A TRG Story".

Yours in recovery,
Barb
Co-coordinator, WTS and WTS Study loops

~~~~~~~

Hi everybody, my name is Rose, and I am a compulsive overeater.

First, I want to acknowledge those of you who are taking these twelve steps for the first time. You are embarking on a life-changing journey, and I promise you that it is a change for the better; a lot better. For those of you who, like me, have been up and down the steps many, many times, I hope to make this step study quarter relevant for you. I hope you will find the questions help you reflect on where you've been, and where you'd like to be in your program, and that you will share with us how you are working the steps today.

For those of you who don't have them, I strongly urge you to get and read the AA "12 Steps and 12 Traditions", as well as the Big Book of AA. Those are the texts which I will be using for this step study. If you have them, (or as soon as you get them) read Step One, and I will post an essay and questions in a couple of days.

I look forward to working together with you this quarter.

Love in recovery,
Rose

~ Rose ~

I'm writing this in June, which is a special month for me; my OA birthday is June 9th.

I walked into an OA for ACOA meeting on a Tuesday evening 17 years ago, sat down and cried .. for the rest of the summer. I'd been going to Alanon and ACA, for a few years off and on, but it wasn't until I got to OA that I really began to see that the 12 steps are a program for transforming and growing into the person God wants us to be. There really *was* an answer for me; there really was a higher power there for me, and my life could be different than it was. If I hadn't found OA, I'm pretty sure I would be either dead or extremely ill today. I was 24 years old then, extremely immature, and had no clue how to take care of myself; spiritually, emotionally, and least of all physically. The winter before I found OA, I was sick, constantly ending up in emergency rooms more than once, mainly because I would not take the time to care for myself appropriately, and became more and more rundown. The fact that I ate very little besides sugar, trashy carbohydrates, and grease didn't help matters. I was over 220 pounds. I'm not sure what my top weight was; I stopped looking at the scale. I was borderline diabetic, and I have no doubt that I would be diabetic now, if I hadn't been able to surrender my eating and will to a higher power.

I've had my ups and downs in the program. I was abstinent and maintained a 90+ pound weight loss for almost nine years. In that time, I began a new career, finished my degree, and met and married a wonderful man. But I became very complacent in my program; I stopped going to meetings as much, didn't call my program friends much, and didn't have a sponsor. I found out what happens when a real life challenge comes along when we are not spiritually fit. I lost my abstinence when I became pregnant w/ my first child, and then after two years of struggling, was able to maintain some long term abstinence. Two years later, I had another baby, and again found it very hard to maintain abstinence for any length of time. For the past year, I've been on a foodplan that has really helped me stay mostly abstinent and mostly craving free, which is truly a miracle and a blessing. Thank God I didn't gain backall 90 pounds from my original weight loss 17 years ago. But, I'm older now, and those 25 pounds that are left from my relapse are coming off slowly. I have learned to let God be in charge of my weight, and that's where a daily program of working the steps comes in. Even more importantly, I've learned what it means to put my program and my abstinence first, which is the foundation of any long-term recovery. It is a mindset and a way of living that I am willing to commit to today, because I now understand it's really not that difficult. And I know in my soul how truly miserable the alternative can be. It is just a matter of being willing to make that phone call, or even just stop and sit down, instead of taking that bite. Really.

Today, I'm married with two young children and I work full time. I volunteer a lot at my childrens' schools, and have a very full, rich life. There is *no way* I could be on the path I'm on now, if it weren't for the tools for living which I've developed through working these 12 steps, and relying on my HP for everything I need.

Love in Recovery,
Rose

~ FROM OUR RECOVERY GROUP MEMBERS ~

~ Saying Farewell ~

Hi, everyone!

This is Mary; I am leaving my Trusted Servant positions and active participation in the Recovery Group. I am moving on August 3/4 and not taking my computer. The building I am living in is infested, and even spraying the computer and putting it in bags would not get rid of the bugs. I will be checking in at the web sites. I will be going no mail and cancelling my ISP on July 20, since my billing cycle starts on July 21. I will have access through a friend's computer for four hours a day. My friend moved into the building where I will be moving, on Friday. Before she moved, she would come up and be on my computer for four hours and when I move, we will reverse it. I have appreciated all the help, support and friendships I have made along the way. I will be back. A friend is having her ex look for a used computer for me. He knows where to look for free. I will also be saving for one.

Sending everyone the very best; I will miss you.

Mary in Albany, NY