Alcoholics Anonymous History In Your Area
Washington D.C.
http://www.westsideclub.org/about/history.htm
History of the Westside Club, Georgetown
As Recalled by George T.
In the early spring of 1981, Doug M. asked Victor B. why we did not have a club on the West side of Washington DC. Victor’s answer was “We can do that if we don’t drink.” This came about because DC only had one club, the Metropolis Club. Other clubs had started in both Virginia and Maryland.
Doug and Victor approached Glenn T. who had gotten sober at the Metropolis Club. In the meantime, George T. had been associated with the Men’s Home in Virginia and had some business knowledge necessary for running a Club for Twelve Step recovery. The four of these men met after the 8:30 meeting held at Foxhall on Monday night for about six months. Others attended and it was decided that $5,000.00 in seed money would be needed to open the doors of a new club in northwest DC. They approached 100 people asking for donations of $50.00 each. When they had collected $2,900.00, they were anxious to start, but someone encouraged them to stick to their original goal for the money needed to start a club.
In October of 1981, these four men signed a lease for $15,000 per year for space in the basement of 2430 Pennsylvania Avenue. The first meeting brought in six dollars. The entrance for this room was through the lobby of a hotel, and the hotel asked the club to find another location. In February of 1983 we moved to the second floor of 1424 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. The original business structure had to be redone.
In January of 1990 we signed a 5-year lease with a 5-year option with the American Security Bank for space on the second floor of 1341 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. There was a three-month construction project to make the club what it is today. Since this is now a part of the real estate, the bank gave us free rent for 27 months. There was a period of time when we were behind in our rent and the bank had issued an eviction notice. Fortunately, God had the right people in the right places and we were able to overcome the situation.
The two strong meetings at the Westside Club, Attitudes and Actions at 7:00 a.m. and the Bagel Meeting at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays were both started at this new location at 1431 Wisconsin Avenue.
Like all clubs we live 24 hours at a time.
The list of “Defects of Character” hangs on the wall of the Westside Club in Georgetown. (pdf)
Copyright © Westside Club
Washington, DC
http://www.westsideclub.org/
