“News Circuit”
From the section called “News Circuit”
Copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., December 1948
More than 2,000 members of Alcoholics Anonymous and guests jampacked the main ballroom of the Hotel Commodore, New York City, recently to celebrate the organization’s 14th anniversary.
The event, an annual banquet, was sponsored by the New York Intergroup Association of A.A.
For the first time in A.A.’s history many of its earliest friends and supporters met under one roof with Bill W. and Bob S., founders of the movement.
Among the early friends were Dr. W.D. Silkworth, formerly of Towns Hospital, Manhattan, and now in charge of the alcoholic ward of Knickerbocker Hospital, Manhattan; Dr. Harry M. Tiebout, well-known psychiatrist of Blythewood, Greenwich, Conn.; and Dr. Samuel M. Shoemaker, pastor of the Calvary Episcopal Church, Manhattan.
Austin MacCormick, former commissioner of correction for New York City, and now the director of the Osborne Association, Manhattan, was the principal speaker. Mr. MacCormick spoke of the good A.A. had done and also of the excellent work the organization is doing in many penal institutions throughout the nation.
Other speakers were members who told personal stories of experiences in living before and after joining A.A.
The NONAS Group of Richmond, Calif., started off the Fall season recently with a buffet dinner and bingo-party. They are now planning for a High Jinx party on New Year’s Eve.
Spear-fishing and folk dancing (no one can say A.A.’s aren’t versatile) featured a picnic held recently by the West Palm Beach, Fla., Group. At about the same time the Arlington, Calif., Group was eating chicken, playing baseball, and generally having fun at a picnic given at, of all places, the Merry-go-round Picnic Ground.
The Kansas City, Mo., A.A.’s have started the fall season by renewing their enthusiasm for travel. Sixty attended the fourth-anniversary party of the Jeffereson City, Mo., group, and 75 heard Bill at Des Moines, Ia., on successive weekends. Several plan to attend the third anniversary at Columbia, Mo., and the fourth anniversary of the Wichita, Kans., group in November. Continuing last year’s plan of having monthly parties the Women’s Auxiliary opened the fall season with a Halloween tacky party which was well attended by the members and their families. The parties were so well attended and enjoyed last year that the ladies feel that it is time and effort well spend in 12th Step work and have planned a series of such parties for this winter.
This may sound like a blend of irresponsible reporting and alcoholic exaggeration, but the young Metuchen, N.J., Group has an average attendance of better than 500%. Founded by Claude L., Lew R. and Johnny G. six months ago, the group now has a membership of seven and an average weekly attendance of 39. Good programs and a central location are credited with this unusual attendance record – Frank.
About 200 members and friends of Alcoholics Anonymous recently attended the fourth-anniversary dinner of the Montpelier, Vt. Group. Guests were present from all parts of New England and Canada.
There are now two large hospitals in the Philadelphia area where alcoholics are accepted in the wards of semi-private rooms if sponsored by A.A. They take no alcoholic patients in single private rooms and the hospital treatment is physical only, mental rehabilitation is A.A.’s responsibility.
The potato empire of the world, Houlton, Me., Aroostook County now has its third group of organized 24-hour plan men and women. In six months’ time, membership in the Houlton Group has grown to 43 “solid senders” in the A.A. way of life. The boys and girls from the potato country extend a cordial invitation to all A.A.’s who may be traveling in the territory.
A.A. in Anchorage, Alaska reports splendid progress in the last year. The group meets every Thursday night and for the past month has had one or more newcomers at each meeting.
Since January the State Hospital for the Insane, Jamestown, N. Dak., has been working with the Jamestown A.A. Group. Patients from the alcoholic ward are taken to the group’s weekly meetings. Hospital authorities feel that they have been doubly repaid for this effort in the continued sobriety of many of the patients.
Copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., December 1948
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