SOUTHEAST GEORGIA INTERGROUP HISTORY

1966: There were two AA groups in Glynn County. TC H. and other early AA members paid for a daily newspaper ad in the Brunswick News classified section: “If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, that’s ours. Alcoholics Anonymous: 265-0892”, and hired a local answering service to handle calls.
Sixteen years later, there were nine A.A. groups in Glynn County and the need was apparent for all groups to share in paying for coordination of service work crucial to AA’s survival - particularly the telephone answering service and publication of a meeting schedule.
Intergroup Established
September 1982: At the request of Don L., AA’s from all nine groups in Glynn County met at
the National Guard Armory in Brunswick to discuss forming an AA Intergroup, and the Glynn County AA Intergroup had its beginning. By-Laws were drafted and the Intergroup was registered with the state of Georgia as a non-profit entity. (By-Laws were revised in 2009)
The purpose of Intergroup is to provide a centralized AA “Hot Line”, publish a current meeting directory, coordinate Twelfth Step calls and PI/CPC activities, conduct AA meetings in local correctional and treatment facilities, and maintain a web-site and newsletter — in addition to hosting annual “sober celebrations” for AA members and their family and friends.
Having an Intergroup or Central Office ensures that when anyone reaches out for help, our local AA’s are there. This prevents the confusion that would ensue if each group published its own meeting schedule, had its own telephone number, etc.
Intergroup depends on the financial and service support of individuals and groups.
District 3 Rezoned
In 1982, the year that Intergroup was formed, AA Area 16 District 3 included AA groups in nine counties, with a total of more than 15 groups. (McIntosh County was in District 5 - Savannah, although it was closer to Brunswick.)
Don L., DCM, put in a motion at the Assembly to have the District Rezoned, requesting that McIntosh County be included in District 3, and dividing the District into three zones. The motion was voted on at the Area Assembly and District 3 was divided into: Zone A (Glynn, McIntosh and Wayne), Zone B: (Brantley, Charlton and Camden), and Zone C: (Ware Atkinson and Clinch).
By 2006: there were 30 groups in Zone A (Glynn, McIntosh and Wayne) so Arthur M., DCM, requested re-zoning, and Zone D was created (St. Simons and Jekyll Island)
Telephone Hot Line
2003: As AA grew in our area, we began to have problems with the answering service handling
our calls. Callers were being given the wrong information about meetings and meeting times, 12 step calls were being ignored or mishandled, and we were not given a report about how many calls were received.
2005: After much discussion, it was decided that we would eliminate the answering service and phone calls would be answered by individual AA members. To accomplish this and still maintain our listing in the telephone directory, we procured a cell phone and arranged to have the calls forwarded to our original phone number.
Geographic Composition of Intergroup Expands
August 2005: The AA groups in Wayne County (part of District 3-A) requested to join
Intergroup, and be included in the meeting directory.
January 2006: The name of Intergroup was changed from Glynn County AA Intergroup to Golden Isles AA Intergroup to reflect the inclusion of groups in other counties/zones. September 2011: Art W., Alternate DCM for District 3 Zone B (Charlton, Camden and Brantley Counties) requested that his Zone be included in Intergroup. This zone includes meetings in Kingsland, St. Mary’s, Nahunta, Hoboken and Blackshear.
September 2013: Representatives from District 3 Zone C (five groups in Waycross and Homerville) requested that their Zone be added to Intergroup. With the inclusion of these groups, the Golden Isles Intergroup now encompassed all of District 3. As a result of having groups a member that were not on the coast, the name of our intergroup was changed to Southeast Georgia AA Intergroup.
Newsletter
1985 through 1991: Intergroup published a monthly newsletter called The Glynntergram.
2008: The newsletter was “resurrected” as Sober Times, with Vanessa W. as editor.
Website
2003: Bernie A. set up and maintained an internet website for Intergroup – goldenislesaa.org -
as a way of informing interested persons of meetings and events in our area.
Establishment of Central Office
In the late ‘80’s, Tom D. donated part of his office space on Reynolds Street to serve as a physical Central Office for Intergroup. However, due to the lack of volunteers to staff the office, Intergroup discontinued the use of the space.
2004: Discussion began regarding re-opening a central office for answering the phone and selling AA literature. A committee was appointed to investigate possible sites.
June 1, 2005: Intergroup rented office space at 2302 Townsend Street (the “old bread store”). The rent was $80.00 per month, and included water, but not electricity (which ran about $20.00 per month). It was decided that keeping the office open Saturdays from 10 am till 2 pm would be a good place to “start small”.
Deb C. volunteered to be the office coordinator and handle the phone. She was also available to sell and deliver literature to various groups as needed.
Sept. 2007: Due to lack of volunteers to staff it, the office closed. Arthur M. kept the remaining inventory of literature and other items in the trunk of his car and sold them from there until he became too ill to do so. Items were also sold at the annual picnic.
HISTORY OF INTERFROUP’S SOBER SOCIAL EVENTS
Anniversary Celebration
June 1985: AA’s 50th Anniversary) Intergroup held its first official “Birthday Celebration” at
the Ritz Theatre in downtown Brunswick with about 200 people in attendance. The speaker was Father Leo Booth. A “Gratitude Collection” was taken, and $490.00 was sent to GSO from AA’s in Glynn County.
June 1986: (AA’s 51st Anniversary) The Intergroup Birthday celebration was an “Eatin’ Meetin’” held at Jane Macon Middle School. Each Group gave a brief presentation and a Big Book was raffled off. A history of AA in Glynn County was presented by Tom D. A Gratitude Collection was taken for GSO.
June 1987: The Intergroup Birthday Celebration was a “Hee-Haw” Show held at Jane Macon Middle School. AA Members produced, directed and performed the show, and called themselves the “Glynn County Country Cousins”. Lou L. was Minnie Pearl and Don L. was Grandpa Jones. Various popular Country/Western songs were lip-synched by AA’s’. A Gratitude Collection was taken for GSO.
The Country Cousins performed the show again in September, 1987 on Saturday night at the Serenity Weekend on Jekyll Island.
June 1988: Intergroup again held the “Hee-Haw” Show at Jane Macon Middle School. The songs, script, etc. were new, but the format was the same.
At some point (no records available) the annual June AA anniversary celebration evolved into a picnic. Initially it was held at the St. Simons Casino, and eventually was moved to the Blythe Island picnic area.
Christmas Party
In the late ‘80’s, Intergroup members decided to host an annual Christmas party. One of the first Christmas events was held at the VFW Hall at Epworth by the Sea, complete with an outdoor bonfire.
By1991 the VFW hall had been “outgrown” and the party was held in an empty restaurant – the old Emmeline and Hessie - on St. Simons. When that venue was no longer available, the party was held for a couple of years at the Stellar Center at I-95 Exit 38 in Brunswick, and also at the St. Simons Casino.
As attendance increased, the party was moved to the Thompson Center in Lanier Plaza in Brunswick (the old Lanier Theater). In 2009 the Thompson Center was closed and the party was moved to Selden Park in 2010.
The format of the party evolved several times over the years—from a speaker/covered dish event, to a talent show, to a dance and various other formats.