One of the best ways to protect the future of the Al-Anon fellowship in an Area is to look to the past. Of course, our primary purpose remains—to carry the message of hope to the families and friends of alcoholics. The collection and preservation of our past renews our sense of purpose and serves as the thread that links the generation of stories that are to follow.  The purpose of an Area Archives is to preserve the experience, history, and memorabilia of the Al-Anon fellowship from the beginning of the family movement in that locale. This history should be preserved so as to be available to the membership and the serious researcher, within the framework of our Traditions, for the good of Al-Anon as a whole.  (From the Area Archives WSO Guideline, G-30.)

Part of the role of the Area Archivist is to keep group histories among the Area’s historical documents.  Please ask your group to consider making it a priority to record its history while members are still available to share memorable and important events.  Some groups read their history when celebrating their anniversary, updating it periodically to reflect recent changes.  Consider these questions as a framework for getting started: 

Which members started the group, and when? Why did those members want to start a group? Who has served as the group’s GRs and other trusted servants over the years?  What kinds of formats has the group had?  Has the group met in different locations? Are there any interesting, funny, or unique stories to relate about the group?  Has the group undertaken various service projects? Has the group had special programs for anniversaries? Have members been active in service outside the group?  You certainly don’t have to answer all those questions and you might think of other things to add. There are a variety of ways to write a group history.  Some of the most interesting ones are narratives that just tell the story of the group. It is always helpful to go to the old timers and record their memories of the group in its early days.