The Face of OA

Recently, I came home after running a bunch of errands and realized I’d been wearing my name badge the whole time. Not only that, I had conducted my last transaction at a supermarket with mustard on my nose. I couldn’t help but wonder what people thought of me. What kind of impression did I make, and what would people think about the organization whose badge I wore?

At a recent OA event, members presented a humorous skit that portrayed OA members misbehaving at a restaurant. During interactions with the waitstaff, these representatives of our program made complete pests of themselves. They were rude, demanding, messy, and didn’t tip well. After the meal, one member said, “We’re from Overeaters Anonymous. If you have a problem with food, we invite you to come to one of our meetings.” She fished a beat-up OA information card out of her purse and presented it to her server in lieu of a tip.

After such a fiasco, what are the chances of that person ever coming to OA? Probably in the negative. She’d probably even tell her friends how awful OA members acted and warn them against OA.

In some situations, we are the only face of OA that people know. This carries a lot of responsibility. Many of our meetings are held in community churches and public meeting halls. When I attend a meeting, a huge part of my service includes staying afterward to help put the room back into its original condition or better. I am careful not to touch anything that doesn’t belong to OA. In my interactions with others in these public places, I am always polite.

During meetings, I provide service by sharing not only my struggles but also how working the Steps and using the Tools helps me work through my difficulties without resorting to food or other compulsive behavior. Do others see how the OA program is helping me live happy, joyous, and free, or do they only see my hopelessness? Maybe a person sitting in the room is desperate for encouragement and needs to hear how this way of life can give them hope—not just about their food behaviors and self-esteem but for life itself.

When OA holds special events and workshops, we often meet in public: in churches, in medical centers, and also in restaurants and hotels. For me, that means taking care. When I use a hotel room, I take care of it. When I check in or out, or if I need something, I’m polite to the staff, not demanding. Constantly, I remain aware that the facility is not there solely to meet my needs; they have other clients and goals as well. I want OA to be respected. I want OA to be noticed positively, as a place that someone still suffering would check out on their own or recommend to family or friends.

Since Tradition Eleven states “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion,” I want OA to be attractive. This also means not causing others to reject Overeaters Anonymous because of my personal behavior.

— Rosanne K., Beaverton, Oregon USA