Check the NEWS page for the latest ways to get involved! For example,

Attend one of the new meetings or other meetings that need support listed on that page.

At the virtual Area 24 Fall Election Assembly on October 21, nobody stepped up to serve as Area Secretary, Treasurer, or Delegate to serve for the next three years. See descriptions of the positions here; email the chairperson with questions or to volunteer.

Come to the next meeting of the Baltimore AIS, November 14 at 7 PM virtually or in person (see flyer for directions): elections for a co-chair, health fair coordinator, social media coordinator, and AIS Alateen coordinator. See the Area Information Service tab below for job descriptions.

If you have served in any of these roles, this is a great time to share your experience with those who might take them on: attract others to the gifts of our third legacy, service!

---

One of the easiest ways to provide service is by helping out the meeting you attend regularly. Most meetings have basic responsibilities that need a small commitment so that meetings run smoothly. Consider what may be a good fit for you, and discuss them with someone before or after a meeting, or listen for announcements when there is an availability:

Meeting Chair/Secretary – Opens the meeting by reading the Preamble or the Welcome and leads the group in reciting the Serenity Prayer; follows the group’s meeting format. Introduces speakers or announces the subject of the meeting. Invites members to take part.

Speaker Seeker – For speaker meetings, responsible to schedule fellow members to visit the meeting to speak.

Treasurer -Manages the contributions collected at meetings, and meeting expenses. Submits a financial statement to the group at regular intervals.

Literature – Manages the literature orders as needed.

Group Representative – Acts as liaison between the group and the district and between the group and the Assembly.

Alternate Group Representative – Attends meetings of the Al-Anon Information Service (AIS). Acts as a liaison between the groups and AIS, and reports AIS activities to the group.

An Alateen group must have two AMIAS present each time they meet, so many more AMIAS are needed. These Alateen sponsors sponsor the group, not individuals. They help guide the group, sharing their experience when appropriate, especially with the  slogans, Twelve Steps and Traditions. Having more than two sponsors committed to a meeting allows them to rotate and lightens the load. If you have found the Al-Anon program helpful, imagine how vital it can be to a child living with alcoholism. You may be amazed by their insights as well!

If you are at least 21 years old, have been an active member of Al-Anon for at least two years, and you are willing to share your program, Alateen sponsorship may be for you. Find out more by reading p.4-5 of the Alateen Service e-Manual  or by visiting the area Alateen website.

If you are interested, please email Kristin, the Area 24 Alateen Coordinator.

Al-Anon Information Service (AIS) exists to aid the groups it serves in the common purpose of carrying the Al-Anon message to the families and friends of alcoholics. AIS is a workgroup which serves as an avenue for local public outreach cooperating with the professional community and public institutions. The Baltimore AIS serves groups in Baltimore City and the following counties: Baltimore, Harford, Cecil, Carroll, and Howard. The monthly meetings (ten meetings per year) attended by all Alternate Group Representatives and Baltimore AIS service positions. All AIS positions are held for three year terms. Alternate Group Representatives are elected by September 1st and then participate in the AIS elections at the October meeting.

Baltimore AIS meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month – except June & December – at 7:00 pm, and are now hybrid. In person, go to Hiss United Methodist Church, 8700 Harford Rd in Parkville, 21234. The Zoom meeting ID is 819 8280 9606; the password is baltoAIS.

Baltimore AIS Service Positions: those with ** are available, as of April, 2024

Baltimore AIS Chairperson – responsible for directing monthly meetings, organizing and supporting the work of AIS coordinators, maintaining notes on items that remain open at the end of an AIS meeting, proofreading/editing the bulletin and minutes after they are written by the secretary, attending the Spring and Fall AWSC meetings each year., monitoring alanon12@gmail.com and forwarding/answering emails as appropriate.

Baltimore AIS Co-Chairperson – responsible for officiating in the absence of the Chairperson, assisting the Chairperson during meetings, proofreading/editing the bulletin and minutes after they are written by the secretary, attending the Spring and Fall AWSC meeting in the event that the Chairperson cannot attend, and serving out the term of the Chairperson if necessary. The Co-Chair also collects information from new AGRs and maintains a list of current AIS members.

Baltimore AIS Secretary – responsible for recording the minutes of the AIS meetings, preparing the bulletin, and for ensuring that all notices and correspondence is distributed to the Bulletin Mailing Coordinator.

Baltimore AIS Treasurer – responsible for preparing a yearly budget, managing the finances, and safeguarding of financial records of the Baltimore AIS. Specific duties include but are not limited to: Retrieving mail from PO. Box, collecting/depositing funds from Literature Depot/Directory Chairperson/Committee Chairpersons/group contributions, paying bills, reconciling bank statements, and preparing and presenting financial reports at AIS meetings.

Baltimore AIS Answering Service Coordinator – responsible for maintaining a list of volunteers, keeping volunteer positions filled, compiling quarterly reports of calls received and ensuring that volunteers have current and accurate information about Al-Anon meetings in the Baltimore area.

Baltimore AIS Public Outreach Coordinator – responsible for educating the general public and media, the professional community, and institutions about Al-Anon. The dissemination of literature and information in the Baltimore area, including but not limited to: placing literature in Public Libraries and public places; scheduling Public Service Announcements with local stations; providing speakers for community events; maintaining contact with professionals in the related fields.

** Baltimore AIS Health Fair Coordinator – responsible for developing and maintaining a list of community health fairs in various sectors like churches, communities, hospitals, government agencies non-profit groups. Other duties include scheduling volunteers and ensuring the availability of literature to be distributed.

Baltimore AIS Directory Coordinator – responsible for maintaining the directory of meetings in the Baltimore area. Duties include, but are not limited to maintaining and printing a current list of Baltimore area meetings, providing updates as needed, and ensuring that the directory information is available for the Website coordinator, Answering Service coordinator, AIS Secretary and area groups.

Baltimore AIS Bulletin Mailing Coordinator – works with the Secretary and is responsible for printing, mailing and emailing bulletin and flyers as well as maintaining a current contact list for recipients.

Baltimore AIS Website Manager –  responsible for uodating the website and its content. This AIS has a contract for technical support to back up the site daily and answer questions.

Baltimore AIS Corporation Coordinator (Registered Agent) – responsible for the Baltimore AIS legal entity which is formally called the Baltimore Area Al-Anon Information Service, Inc. This includes protection of AIS assets, tax responsibility, maintaining non-profit tax exemption, and liability insurance for all associated Corporation indemnification including Membership-Volunteers.

Baltimore AIS Alateen Coordinator – a current AMIAS responsible for attending the AIS meetings to report on Alateen activities by collaborating with the Alateen Area Coordinator (AAC) for Area 24. The Baltimore AIS Alateen coordinator provides hard copies of Alateen flyers, if any, for the meeting. Working with the AAC, the Baltimore AIS Alateen coordinator can coordinate Alateen outreach and attend District meetings, as needed, in the area served by the AIS.

Literature Depot Coordinator – responsible for maintaining a prudent inventory of books, pamphlets and other CAL for distribution throughout Area 24 (and a few PA groups). This includes ordering the appropriate literature from WSO, receiving and filling orders for the various groups, collecting payment, delivery of checks and cash receipts to the AIS Treasurer, coordinating literature for sale at the Fall and Spring Convention and any other conventions that may request literature and filing the necessary form monthly for the payment of sales tax to the State of Maryland.

Birthday Luncheon Coordinator – responsible for coordinating all aspects of the Event. This includes but is not limited to the following: Securing luncheon facilities one year in advance; developing a theme; creating a flyer and ensuring the event is posted on the Baltimore AIS Website in a timely manner; creating an agenda timeline for the day of the event; emceeing the event (or finding an emcee), finding and coordinating with a ticket sales person, a decorations committee, a co-chair, a speaker seekers, and helpers for the day of the event such as greeters, ticket takers,decorations set up, and clean up

**Currently available positions.  Email Baltimore AIS  to express your interest in these positions, or to ask any questions.