Legacy Group History

Legacy Group was born out of necessity. The population explosion in Plano, Allen, Frisco and McKinney increased the number of AAs looking for a convenient meeting place. If one was a smoker, meetings were readily available in the vicinity. If one was okay with weekly meetings in a church or similar facility, their needs were also met. But, non-smokers who desired to be part of a group holding daily meetings had to join the “AA frequent flyers program” and head for distant groups like Cornerstone, Clean Air North or Georgetown.

Otto M. inquired at the Dallas Intergroup Office, “How does one start a group”? The office staff referred Otto to several AAs who had experience with starting groups. In talking with them, it became obvious that a resentment and a coffeepot are inadequate assets with which to start a new group. It also takes MONEY. The recurring suggestion for starting a group was to get a handful of AAs to make a commitment to fund the group during its infancy, whether they were to be active in it or not.

Otto presented this idea to member number two: Griff G., who immediately jumped on board and began soliciting benefactors. Member number three was Wade R., number four, Ed M., numbers five and six JoAnn and Harry M.. This core group began meeting in Otto’s home in June of 2001. They began to discuss what type of group they’d like to have and how to make it happen, all the while collecting funds from any willing AAs. Interest grew at a frantic pace and soon Jason T., “P. J.” H., Tony C., Jim J., Brandon C. (1st Group Chairperson), Chris D., Jennifer E. and Russell McK. were regular attendees. These members, the founders of the Legacy Group, weren’t having AA meetings, just business meetings. A budget was created and a Search Committee began the process of finding our current location.

As these founders desired to create an AA Group built upon AAs three legacies of Unity (The Twelve Traditions), Service (The Twelve Concepts), and Recovery (The Twelve Steps), they chose to name the group the Legacy Group (nothing to do with Legacy Street). They made application with the General Service Office asking to be recognized as a new AA Group and began to formulate the Group Guidelines.

Formats that would make Legacy the unique group it is today were decisions to have all literature-based or speaker meetings. “Tag” Meetings, “Popcorn” Meetings or unprepared topic/discussion meetings would be discouraged. To get newcomers to the middle of the “Wagon”, where it’s hard to fall off, Legacy established six months sobriety as the requirement to chair meetings. The Group opted for weekly birthday celebrations without introductions rather than the Dallas tradition of monthly birthdays. The founders also decided to attempt to build an attractive as well as functional facility. “Build it and they will come” was the thinking.

While searching for a place to start the new group, the Search Committee (Otto & Griff) had found only disappointment before they inquired at the current location. The space had previously been leased to a company with numerous small offices. They feared it needed more renovation than they could perform or afford. Then, Griff noticed a copy of the Serenity Prayer tacked to a column (where the coke machine is now). That discovery suppressed all doubt. Griff and Otto knelt at the front door, held hands and prayed, that if it was His will, for Him to give them the tools to make the space into an AA meeting place. Then they went about their business to make the Legacy Group a reality. The Group decided to hold meetings in the entryway and slowly expand and improve the facility as they could. To their surprise and relief, AAs came in droves to help. Contractors, electricians, heat & air guys, cabinet makers, generous donors, and lots of paint slingers; all of whom became our earliest members: Jim B., Shelley J., Mark A., Billy B., Bruce A., Hugh R., Bruce R., Todd K., Sheryl R., Freda W. and others.

In three weeks, all the old walls were down and new walls were up. In eight weeks there was new carpet, drapes and a coffee bar in place. Within three months the Legacy Group had hosted over 200 AA meetings and Al-Anon meetings were being regularly scheduled.

Our first meeting was held on November 1, 2001 at 7:30 PM.. Harry M. was Chairperson. Approximately seventy supporters from various groups showed up to help Legacy get started. Early meetings where chaired by members of other Groups like Geri G. & others from Dallas North. Today, we have over 300 members calling Legacy their Home Group. An extraordinarily large number of these members are new to AA and have found their sobriety within meetings and the Legacy Group fellowship. Since the the original schedule of fifteen meetings a week has grown to twenty one. To keep the Group out of issues of money and property, The Spring Creek Club was formed according to AA Guidelines to manage and maintain the facilities. The club rents space to Al-Anon and other groups using the Twelve Steps for their program of recovery. Not having to take care of maintenance and repair, insurance, legalities, the acquisition of furnishings, etc., has allowed the group to focus all its attention on its Primary Purpose.

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Dallas AA Central Office
Dallas Intergroup Association
All Rights Reserved.

This page last updated: 6/2/11