The questions in this questionnaire are only ‘possible suggestions’ of what might be considered for inclusion in your group history. This questionnaire can be easily printed by clicking “Print This” above, top right.
The AA Group History Project
Prepared by:______________________________________Date submitted:_____________
Group Name:______________________________________ Area/District:_______________
Location: Town, City, County, State, Country, Province, Territory, Republic, etc…:
___________________________________________________________________________
A.A.W.S. Group identification number (if known):_____________________
Mainly Concerning ‘Back Then’
> The estimated date the Group started meeting, and location if it has changed from that listed above, otherwise the original location may not get recorded. Anything you want to share about how the group selected its name?
> The Place, Day, and Time of first (or earliest) Meetings, and the number of members
> How did your group come into existence – what needs brought it about? New location where AA was unavailable? New slot for meetings that another location couldn’t provide? Resolution of controversy at another group? Branched from another group that “had grown too big”? Did founders get sober in that group or somewhere else first? How many times has the Group moved? To what different sites, and under what circumstances?
> Did your Group separate from another Group, and why? Any other groups that may have branched off from your group?
> Early members, “founders,’ trusted servants—their recollections, or your Group’s recollections of them. Favorite memories of group members. Often these tend to be of ‘earlier days’ from long time members, consider polling newer members on this one too. It may suprise you.
> What kinds of growing pains, problems, or any “feuds” happened, and what were the solutions? Did any particular member lead the Group out of difficulties toward any resolutions?
> Money – seems most groups have stories about their money. From “it seems like it was safer when we kept it in a cigar box under the podium than it is now that we have this ?ton safe”. To stories about dealing with it ‘disappearing’.
> Has your group had to deal with ‘unavoidable’ outside issues? Smoking or non smoking, people with papers to sign, single parents with kids at closed meetings, etc. How did your Group cooperate with outside agencies in the past? How about today?—Treatment Centers, Courts, Probation and Parole Boards, for example—has this changed over the years?
> Expression of Group Autonomy – does your group do anything different, more (or less), than other nearby groups? What sets it apart? Examples might include different age, economic or ethinic makeup, larger/smaller meetings, more/fewer meetings of a particular type (Speaker-led, Closed Discussion, Open, Big Book Study, Step Meeting, Traditions Meeting, etc.) has the format changed over the years? Readings at meetings, chips or birthdays, and the list of possibilities goes on from there.
> Has the Group held any public Open Meetings?
Comparing “Then and Now”
> Did your Group ever assign sponsors in the past? How about today? Temporary contacts (from a volunteer list or Bridge the Gap list)? How did your group welcome first-timers in the past? How about today?
> How did Group members maintain contact with each other in between meetings over the years? Did your group have a list of members’ phone numbers available in the past? How about today? Was there any linkage to your District’s answering services in the past? How about today?
> How did your Group celebrate anniversaries, for both individuals and also the Group in the past? How about today? Any annual dinners, picnics, or special events over the years?
> Did your Group count off to break for discussion tables in the past? How did your Group change the jobs for set-up (making coffee, setting out literature) and cleanup in the past? How did your group change who chairs the meetings in the past? Did your group have “greeters” at the doors in the past? Did your Group have treats or snacks at the meeting in the past? Did your Group take a smoke break in the past? How about today to these same questions?
> Your Group’s Seventh Tradition practices: have the ‘passed basket’ contributions changed over the years? Did your Group give away any books in the past? How about today? Any fundraisers or special collections (events like holiday parties, picnics, weekend Conferences, AA Forums over the years)? Describe the amounts of contributions… What amount of rent did you pay in the beginning to the present? Did your Group support the expenses of your GSR and other trusted servants in the past? How about today?
> Business meetings— Many groups start out with a minimum of trusted servants (ex., Secretary, Treasurer and perhaps GSR), then as the group grows and becomes interested in other service work gradually add other positions. Would you like to document any changes in your group’s elected servants? How were your trusted servants elected or selected (your GSR, Treasurer, Secretary, Greeters, and so on) and how often in the past? Outside of the regular finance discussion and votes, were District, Area, and General Service Conference agenda items discussed for a Group consensus at your business meetings in the past? How about today to the same questions?
> Have any Group members rotated forward to District service in the past? To Area Service in the past? Did your Group assist with any general service committee work in the past? How about today to the same questions?
> On our SeventhTradition of sharing funds—How did your group contribute to District, Intergroup (if your location has one),Your Area #, and GSO (AAWS)? 60-30-10% in the past? How about today?
> Did your Group contribute literature to any libraries, hospitals, jails, or treatment centers in the past? What was your Groups percentage of literature purchases in your Group’s spending in the past? What were the items and pamphlets in your Group’s packets for newcomers in the past? How about today to the same questions?
> Generally, what has been your Group’s linkage to A.A. as a whole (with District, Intergroup, Area, and AAWS) in the past? How about today?
> The Day, and Time of your Group meetings today, and the approximate number attending.
> Why is your home group the best home group?