Purpose
This site is maintained by Area 28 Public Information Committee General Service for the purpose of providing information to GSR’s, Area Committee Members, and other interested AA’s within Area 28. The site is maintained by members of Area 28.This site is maintained through volunteer efforts and we only ask that information posted not require frequent update.
This site is in line with the April 1997 General Service PI conference action where AA now includes “Electronic Media” as yet another method to carry the AA message.
This site is not endorsed nor approved by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. or any given Internet Service Provider. It is an AA service solely provided by the Area 28 General Service Website Committee. To adhere to our tradition of personal anonymity, last names of AA members will not be listed nor email addresses that include full last names. Some of the items at this site may have been published by AA World Services, but do not assume that this implies continued approval by the General Service Conference for their use.
Alcoholics Anonymous®, AA®, and The Big Book® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. The Grapevine® and AA Grapevine® are registered trademarks of The AA Grapevine, Inc.
The Committee expresses its heartfelt thanks to Area 54, Northeastern Ohio, for assistance with this website. Much of the material is adapted from their excellent effort. Problems and inaccuracies are, of course, solely our responsibility.
The Committee and Area also express thanks for the invaluable help of the Portland Central Service Office. The CSO performs many valuable services including keeping the online meeting lists current and listing events from throughout the Area.
For more information on the relationship between CSO and the AA service structure, please see Intergroups.
Personal Anonymity and email
There is a very clear difference between posting last names on a website and using them within an email or email address. A website is a public communication vehicle not unlike “Press, Radio, and Films”. Carrying our AA message on a website or other media is within our traditions as long as last names or facial pictures are not posted.
The Area Web page has taken great pains to ensure that last names are not used anywhere, including within the website address. On the other hand, personal email between members and/or non-members is no different than using the US Mail (snail mail) or telephone. Disclosing AA membership in this way does compromise our tradition of maintaining anonymity at the public level.
For more information, see Understanding Anonymity and Anonymity Online.
Guidelines
The General Service Office has published Guidelines on the Internet which we strive to follow. Other than what’s been covered, these will be established as needed.
Events
Events taking place in Area 28 are listed by the Portland Central Service Office. They use the same criteria for including AA events as is used by the General Service Office and the Grapevine: that the event is put on by AA members, for AA members and about AA:
Q. What are the criteria for listing A.A. conferences, conventions and similar events in Box 4-5-9 and the Grapevine?
A. G.S.O. defines an A.A. event as one put on by A.A.s, for A.A.s, about A.A. These events must be two or more days long. There would not be enough room to list one day events or group anniversaries. (BOX 459, GSO, February-March, 2008)
To submit an event, please go to http://www.csoaamaine.org/submitevent.htm.