The Brown Bag Group started in 1979. If memory serves correctly, we had our first meeting on Saturday, January 27th, at 10:30 A.M.

 The Brown Bag Groups first service officers were: WALT J -Treasurer (he's still around the AA Halls); Barbara S. -Secretary (she moved up Country nine years ago. and I was the first G.S.R.

 Our group's first meeting coordinators were: WALT-Saturday, BARBARA- Wednesday, and I took care of Friday.

 The meeting was held in the largest room on the 2nd floor in the now torn down Nuns' House on Locust Street, where our Sahara Club was then located. The meeting room held 26 chairs and the coffee table had to be put in the hallway to seat the ever-increasing recovering alkies.  

Soon, we saw the need for another meeting day for members standing in the hallway and sitting on the stairs to hear the meeting. To accommodate the overflow, a group conscious was taken and the Wednesday noon meeting came into being. At this meeting, we also chose our group name and our Secretary registered us with the G.S.O. in New York.  

Eventually, another meeting day became apparent and I became the Friday meeting coordinator. I believe NORMA M. and her husband, DAN, coordinated the Monday and Thursday meetings when they started up. 

In 1984, at the Sahara Club's new home at 1274 Congress St., Portland, Me., some members wanted to see the Saturday meeting become a Speakers' Meeting and with our well wishes the Saturday Morning Live Group was born.  

The Brown Bag Group service officers for a few years following, that I can recall were: Wednesday Coordinator-BOB S. (the best on-time, perked coffee maker ever! He's still active in the Westbrook meetings and still makes super AA Coffee). I was the G.S.R. and the Bussi-Bathroom cleaner! Professor DICK was the alternate G.S.R. and the business meeting note-taker (he's still very much active in AA at the age of 75 on June 3rd, with "Howdy you do my name in LOU" roundabout the same age. He was our Tuesday coordinator, I believe. TIM who still comes to our meetings was our trusted treasurer.  

During the Brown Bag Group's thirteen (13) year history, many caring members gave of their time and energies in many fine ways to the Group, to other members and to the newcomer so that the AA recovery message could be there in the daytime (ours was the first daytime meetings in the area) for ourselves and for those yet to come. And with the present group service workers like DOUGHY, WALT, and others, I feel positive that it's still in caring hands and will be for many more promising years to come!

 

* Submitted by Jo-Alice B. – May 1992 *