A.A. Timeline with Significant Rochester Events

1879 August 8: Robert Holbrook Smith (Dr. Bob) born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont

1895 November 26: William Griffith Wilson born in East Dorset, Vermont. The house behind the trees in this photo is the Wilson House where Bill was born in a room behind the bar

1917 Bill called up by Army; has first drunk. It was a Bronx Cocktail made up of gin, dry and sweet vermouth and orange juice. Bill passed out, threw up and was miserably sick the next day. He wrote to Lois that he loved the experience with alcohol

Young Bill in Uniform

1925 Bill starts work as securities analyst; drinking worsens

1929 Stock market crashes, and so does Bill

1930 Dr. Jung pronounces Rowland H. medically hopeless and suggests he find a spiritual experience. Rowland does, in the in NY; first link in A.A. formation

Roland H. Dr. Carl Gustav Jung

1934 August: Rowland H. introduces Ebby T. to the Oxford Group in NY, where he sobers up

November: Ebby visits Bill Wilson and tells him his story, suggesting Bill find his own concept of God, laying the groundwork for a spiritual rather than a religious program

Ebby T.

1934 Bill admitted to Towns where he has a spiritual experience and stops drinking. He participates in Oxford Group meetings and begins trying to help other drunks

1935 May 11: Staying at the Mayflower Hotel on business in Akron, Bill feels in danger of drinking and calls the Reverend Walter Tunks, hoping to find a drunk to talk to. This call leads him to Henrietta Sieberling who has been praying for a way to help her friend Dr. Bob with his drinking problem Mayflower Hotel Dr. Walter Tunks

1935 May 12: Bill and Dr. Bob meet in Henrietta Seiberling's house in Akron. The 15-minute meeting that Dr. Bob agreed to lasts six hours

Henrietta Sieberling’s Gate House

1935 After Bob’s brief relapse in June of 1935, Bill and Bob begin trying to help other alcoholics recover

June 10, 1935 becomes the date celebrated as the beginning of A.A.

Late June 1935 Bill and Dr. Bob carry the message to Bill D., "the man in the bed," in Akron City Hospital. He becomes A.A. number 3

Akron City Hospital Bill D.

Later in 1935 Bill returns to NYC and helps Hank P. and Fitz M. sober up at Towns Hospital

Hank P. Fitz M.

1936 Origin of Tradition 8 - Charles Towns offers Bill the use of Towns Hospital to treat alcoholics for a share of the profits. At a group conscience meeting at Bill’s home in , the offer is turned down

Charles B. Towns

1937 NY alcoholics break away from the Oxford Group

Bill joins Hank P. in the Honor Dealers business at 17 William Street, Newark NJ. Ruth Hock serves as office secretary

17 William Street Newark, NJ

1938 In April 1938 the writing of the Big Book begins at the New Jersey office

Bill writes draft outlines on legal pads and dictates the expanded text to Ruth who types the original manuscript

Ruth Hock

1938 February: Origin of Tradition 7 – John D. Rockefeller suggests A.A. be self-supporting

May: The Alcoholic Foundation established as A.A. trusteeship

John D. Rockefeller Jr. 1939 Membership reaches 100

Publication of the Big Book

May 11: Cleveland starts a group, calling it

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1939 August: Dr. Bob and begin work with alcoholics at Akron’s St. Thomas Hospital. She becomes known as the “Angel of Alcoholics Anonymous”

Sister Ignatia and St. Thomas Hospital

1940 March: A.A. opens its first official headquarters at 30 Vesey St, NYC. Ruth Hock serves as A.A.’s first national secretary

June: The first A.A. Clubhouse opens at 334 ½ West 24th Street in Chelsea, NYC. A year prior, Bill and Lois are evicted from their home and live in over 50 locations including this th Vesey St. Office 24 Street Clubhouse clubhouse

1940 Bill meets Father Ed Dowling, who becomes his spiritual advisor

1941 March 1: Jack Alexander’s Saturday Evening Post article brings A.A. national recognition; membership jumps from 2,000 to 8,000

1941 A.A. becomes aware of the in 1941 when it is printed in the Tribune newspaper. Ruth Hock is immediately taken with it, and the headquarters staff comes up with the idea of printing the prayer on a card to include with mailings

1941 Bill and Lois move into home in Bedford Hills, NY

December 1941 A.A.’s Rochester Beginnings: Dr. Kirby Collier, a psychiatrist from Rochester, travels to NYC to investigate A.A., visiting with Bill W. and attending a meeting. He returns with pamphlets and a Big Book, gathers 3 or 4 of his most hopeless patients in his office in the Sibley Bldg. on East Ave. and Alexander St., and tells them about the Dr. G. Kirby Collier program of recovery (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1942 April: Three of Dr. Collier’s alcoholic patients begin having A.A. meetings in the lower right apartment at 192 North Goodman Street in Rochester

192 North Goodman Street (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1942 May: The first Rochester A.A. group moves its meetings from North Goodman Street to Room 103 on the Mezzanine at the Hotel Seneca at 26 South Clinton Ave. The first meetings are held on Wednesday evenings; later more meetings are added. Eventually, an answering service is established: Hamilton 3347. As of 2019, the Seneca group remains the oldest group still operating in Rochester

Hotel Seneca July: Rochester A.A. membership grows to 6

1942 The “4 Absolutes”, spiritual principles developed by the Oxford Group, are read at Rochester meetings in the 1940’s and 1950’s

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1942 Start of the first prison group, San Quentin, California, with the permission of Warden Clinton Duffy

The success of A.A. at San Quentin led to the spread of A.A. in prisons across the country

1942 October: the first A.A. newsletter, the “Central Bulletin”, is published in Cleveland

1942 November: Group membership grows to

23

1943 Florence V. becomes the first secretary of the Rochester A.A. Service Center (the original name for the Central, or Intergroup office). She serves on and off for 20 years. Many early members from the 1950’s remember her gruff, no- nonsense style. She helps many people over the years

Monroe County Hospital, later renamed Monroe Community Hospital, opens a Monroe County Hospital ward for treatment of alcoholics

1943

May: Rochester A.A. holds its first annual dinner at the Seneca Hotel “Alcoholics Anonymous today began another year in their constant campaign to aid alcoholics who sincerely wish to forswear use of intoxicating beverages to achieve their goal of total abstinence. * Their first annual banquet last night at the Seneca Hotel brought The full text of an article that together 60 members, men and women, who formulated plans for the new year. There are no officers. There are none of the usual dues and club activities. Voluntary contributions appeared in the Rochester Times- finance the unit's work. Members are on call 24 hours a day. They work with the civil Union newspaper following that authorities and the clergy to assist victims. After applying for membership a former alcoholic must go through a 90-day period of probation, after which he receives a certificate of occasion is shown on the right membership in the Anonymous Alcoholics. To retain membership he must never again touch alcoholic beverages.” Also shown is the Rochester A.A. membership card referred to in the article

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection) 1944 March: First women’s prison group meets at Clinton Farms, Clinton, New Jersey

June: Publication of first issue of The Grapevine, A.A.’s “meeting in print”

1944 “Inspired largely by the efforts of Marty M., Dr. E. M. Jellinek, America’s premier researcher on , joins two other medical authorities to form the National Committee for Education on Alcohol (NCEA). NCEA is headquartered in a Yale University Building in New Haven, CT. On behalf of the NCEA, Marty embarks on a nationwide tour to tell of her struggle with alcoholism” (source: aa.org) NCEA Headquarters at Yale

1944 Public Information/Cooperation with the Professional Community efforts begin in Rochester as early as the mid-40’s, with an information session held for members of the media. Later, PSA’s created by GSO are used, and a local speaker’s pool is developed. Speakers visit medical professionals, schools, and the media

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1944 October: Rochester A.A. holds its first annual picnic at Mendon Ponds Park. For many years following, the annual picnic, usually held at Seneca Park, is an extremely popular family event

1945 On February 12, 1945 the New York office sends a letter to the groups notifying them that because of paper rationing needs for the war effort, the War Production Board reduced the weight of the paper to be used for the Big Book. Rationing reductions in paper also cause the office to sharply cut the overall size of the book by trimming margins to a minimum. There are 2 editions, printed in limited quantity, which are rare editions. The one to the left is in the Rochester A.A. archives (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1945 Rochester A.A. reaches 75 members "It has been our observation that bringing men into the group indiscriminately and without adequate preliminary training and information can be a source of considerable grief and a cause of great The Genesee Group is formed, with an harm to the general moral of the group itself. We unusual and controversial way of feel that unless a man, after a course of instruction indoctrinating new members. and an intelligent presentation of the case for the Their approach is outlined in the September AA life, has accepted it without any reservation he 1945 Grapevine article titled “Rochester should not be included in group membership.” Excerpt from September 1945 Grapevine Prepares Novices for Group Participation”

Mrs. Marty M., an early member of A.A. and founder of the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism, makes her first of many trips to Rochester. Working with local leaders, she hopes to establish a local committee here

Mrs. Marty M.

1945 Dr. Silkworth and Teddy R. begin working with alcoholics at Knickerbocker Hospital in NYC, treating 10,000 over the next ten years

1945 The success of “The Lost Weekend,” an Oscar- winning film about a struggling alcoholic, prompts Hollywood to offer A.A. $100,000 for rights to the Fellowship’s story; Hollywood is turned down, in keeping with Traditions Six, Seven, and Eight

1946 The precursor to the 12 Traditions, “Twelve Points for A.A. Tradition”, is published in the April 1946 Grapevine

1946 February: Plans to form a Rochester Committee for Education on Alcoholism are announced; Dr. John L. Norris of the Kodak Medical Department will serve as director

July 6: The Committee opens at 1140 Granite Bldg., with William D. Plant joining Dr. Norris as

Executive Secretary Dr. John L. Norris (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1946 Ace G., a city policeman with a heart for skid row bums, becomes secretary of the Rochester A.A. Service Center. In addition to his extensive service within the A.A. community, Ace is active in several widespread community efforts to aid the alcoholic. According to old-time member Dewey D., Ace takes good care of him when he is newly sober in 1956, bringing him to the Men’s Service Center at 83 Andrews St. where he gets a room on the second floor. Ace gets him clothes and shoes from a pawn shop on Front St and arranges for him to get food and cigarettes at a place across the street. Ace’s 5th A.A. Anniversary in 1950 is celebrated with a poem written by the wife of member Bob N. (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1946 July: Rochester A.A. Service Center moves into the Taylor Building, 328 E. Main St.

The Seneca Group grows and several groups split off from it, including the Cumberland Group, Christ Church Group, and the Academy Group (which still meets in 2019)

Taylor Building 328 East Main St.

1946 Pleas for help pour into the A.A. service center from families and friends of alcoholics. The standard response from the office is that the alcoholic must reach out themselves, when they are ready

December: Rochester A.A. Service Center moves to 12 Andrews Street

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1947 January: Peggy B. becomes secretary of the Rochester A.A. service center

May 3, 1947: Rochester A.A. celebrates its fifth Anniversary at the Brick Church Institute

Brick Church Institute N. Fitzhugh St.

1947 May 30: As recorded in the August 1947 Grapevine, the Northwest Groups of Rochester begin holding special holiday meetings

August: Gil H. becomes secretary of the Rochester A.A. Service Center Excerpt from the August 1947 Grapevine

1947 “Subscriptions received from the Fairport-East Rochester Group make all 9 members subscribers. Formed early this year, the group has started a policy of giving a year’s subscription to the AA Grapevine to each member reaching a 3-months period of sobriety and hopes to keep up its 100% subscription record in this manner” (AA Grapevine, December 1947)

1947 December: The Rochester groups receive what has become a customary Christmas letter from Bill W. and Dr. Bob

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1947 Upstate NY native Nell Wing begins work at the Alcoholic Foundation, 415 Lexington Ave., and stays for 36 years, becoming Bill W.’s administrative assistant and secretary, and, later, A.A.’s first archivist

Nell Wing

1948 January: Bill and Lois Wilson travel to Rochester to speak at the areas first regional conference. Lois’s talk sparks the start of a precursor to Al-Anon here

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1948 Following Lois’s suggestion, a group for spouses of alcoholics is formed in Rochester

Excerpt from the July 1948 Grapevine 1948 Young Men’s Group formed: “In order to reach the man under 30 with a drinking problem a new group was recently formed in Rochester NY.” (AA Grapevine, June 1948)

1948 Dr. Bob is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Always a car buff, he fulfills his dream of owning a convertible

1948 First Rochester A.A. Clubhouse, “The Alano Club of Rochester Inc.”, opens. This marks the beginning of a long history of flourishing clubs in the Rochester area. Many A.A.’s fondly remember a specific club where they got their start in recovery

Rochester A.A. Service Center moves to 85 W.

Main St, Room 201 View of West Main St 1946

1948 Under the direction of the Reverend Thomas Richards, The People’s Rescue Mission at Front and Andrews Street becomes the Men’s Service Center housing various services and AA meetings for alcoholic men. Richards is one of Rochester’s strongest non- alcoholic advocates for A.A. Reverend Tom Richards (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1949 On June 1, 1949, Anne Ripley Smith (age 69) dies at Akron’s St. Thomas Hospital. Her last years are spent nearly blind due to severe cataracts. Loved and revered by A.A. members, Bill regards her as “quite literally, the mother of our first group.. and one of the founders of A.A.” (AA Grapevine, July 1949)

1949 “At the invitation of Dr. Kirby Collier of Rochester, New York, one of A.A.’s earliest admirers in the psychiatric profession, Bill W. participates in an alcoholism symposium at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in Montreal, May 1949. His address marks the acceptance of A.A. by yet another major American medical organization.” (source: aa.org)

1949 May: Rochester A.A. continues its tradition of an annual banquet, holding its 7th at the Brick Church Institute

Program from the 1949 Rochester A.A. Banquet

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection) 1950 Second A.A. Clubhouse, The Area Artists Club, opens in the Milner Hotel at 104 South Ave. As of 2019, the Area Artists Club is the oldest A. A. club still operating in the Rochester area

March 1: A.A. Service Center moves back to the Taylor Bldg., 328 E. Main St., Room 215

1950 July 28-30: First International A.A. Convention meets in Cleveland; adopts Twelve Traditions; Dr. Bob makes his last appearance reminding us with his remarks that “Our Twelve Steps, when simmered down to the last, resolve themselves into the words love and service.”

1950 August: A.A. Service Center moves to the Granite Bldg., 130 E. Main Street

Circa 1950, the Rochester Pioneer Group of Skid Row, meeting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Men’s Service Center, produces a small wallet card containing the Serenity Prayer, 12 steps, Man in the Glass, and a morning prayer

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1950 November 16: Dr. Bob, beloved co-founder of A.A., dies at Akron City Hospital. During his fifteen years of sobriety he worked with over 5,000 alcoholics

1951 January: Dr. John L. Norris, who will become affectionately known as Dr. Jack, becomes a Class A Trustee of the Alcoholic Foundation (later known as the General Service Board). He will remain on the board and serve as Chairman from 1962 until he steps down in 1978

1951 March: Rochester area corrections service work begins when Alfred Treat, Superintendent of the Monroe County Penitentiary on South Ave., grants permission for A.A. to bring meetings to the inmates

1951 April: Meeting of the First General Service Conference

October: A.A. receives the prestigious Lasker Award “in recognition of its unique and highly successful approach” to an “age-old public health and social problem, alcoholism.”

1952 At the suggestion of Bill W., Lois Wilson and her friend Ann B. unite the loosely organized groups of family members of alcoholics into a separate organization called the Al-Anon Family Groups

1952 March: Letters are regularly received by the A.A. Central Office from clergy, doctors, judges and other officials recommending individuals as good candidates for Rochester A.A. and asking that they be welcomed. New “prospects”, as they are called, are matched with a volunteer member who takes them to their first meeting

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1953 Publication of the book The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

1953 June: Bill W. writes Dr. Kirby Collier with a request. He’d like to include a portion of a speech Dr. Collier gave before the NYS Medical Society for an Appendix - the Medical View on AA - that Bill is planning for the 2nd edition of the Big Book

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1954 12 Step House is established at 14 North Water St. which serves as a meeting and gathering place for A.A. members

Dr. Kirby Collier, the caring psychiatrist who brought A.A. to Rochester and who advocated locally and nationally for alcoholism as an illness, dies

Condolence Letter from Bill W. to Mrs. Collier

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1955 July: 20th Anniversary International A.A. Convention in St. Louis where Bill affirms A.A.’s coming of age and passes responsibility to the membership for the Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1955 Second edition of Alcoholics Anonymous is published

1957 First overseas General Service Board of A.A. is created in Great Britain and Ireland

Publication of Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age: a Brief History of A.A.

A.A. membership reaches over 200,000

1958 The 1958 TV production,“Days of Wine and Roses”, will be turned into a movie in 1962, with A.A. cooperating in both

1960 July: 25th A.A. Anniversary, Long Beach, California. Some 8,900 attendees are joined by many pioneers — among them Bill and Lois, Sister Ignatia, Marty M., Dr. Jack Norris, Warden Clinton Duffy, and Dr. Harry Tiebout

1961 Bill writes Dr. Jung to thank him for his contribution to A.A. Bill is overjoyed with Jung’s response. The great doctor’s opinion that alcoholism is essentially a spiritual malady affirms what Bill believes, and confirms for Bill the legitimacy of the fellowship and the steps as a solution to alcoholism

Excerpt from Dr. Jung’s letter to Bill

1962 The 1962 General Service Conference unanimously approves Bill W.’s manuscript “Twelve Concepts for World Services”

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1963 Area Artists Club moves to 174 South Ave. The club boasted a coffee bar, lounge with television and radio, and a recreation hall with ping pong, shuffle board, two pianos, and a jukebox for dancing

1963 Map of Downtown Rochester

1965 30th Anniversary - 4th International - Toronto, Canada - July 2-4, 1965. Over 10,000 people gather to celebrate, with the theme of “Responsibility.” A.A. members from 30 foreign countries attend

Souvenir Book from 1965 Convention with intro by Dr. Jack

1965 The responsibility declaration is introduced on Saturday night at the 1965 Toronto Convention. Led by Bill and Lois, the crowd join hands and recites this pledge

1966 The 1966 Conference approves a restructuring plan which changes the Board ratio to 14 alcoholic and 7 non-alcoholic Trustees. This ends Bill W.’s 10-year campaign to have alcoholics make up a 2/3 majority of the General Service Board

1967 Rochester has 2 hospital groups, both meeting at Rochester State Hospital: the Cloverleaf Group with 40 members, and the State Hospital Group with 5

1967 Publication of The A.A. Way of Life, now titled As Bill Sees It

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1967 November: The Work Shop is established at 251 East Ave. Bill sends an autographed photo to the clubhouse upon its opening

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1970 Over 10,000 attendees from 50 states and 27 countries meet in Miami, FL in July 1970 for A.A.’s 5th International Convention and 35th Anniversary. The Declaration of Unity is introduced

1970 Oct: Rochester area A.A. grows to 42 individual groups with an estimated 750 members

1970 Despite steadily weakening health due to emphysema, Bill flies to Miami with Lois a few days before the convention. He is confined to a wheel- chair and requires the administration of oxygen. Bernard Smith, non-alcoholic trustee since 1946, fills in for Bill for most of the convention until the last day when Bill rises to the podium for his final A.A. talk

1971 On January 24, 1971, William Griffith Wilson (age 75) co-founder of A.A., 36 years sober, dies at 11:30 PM at the Miami Heart Institute in Miami Beach, FL.

The date is also Bill and Lois’ 53rd wedding anniversary

Telegram to Rochester A.A. regarding Bill’s Death

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1972 Nell Wing is appointed A.A.’s first Archivist. A.A. Archives opens at the General Service Office in 1973

1973 Came to Believe is published

April: One millionth copy of the Big Book is presented to President Richard Nixon in the White House by Dr. John L. Norris

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1973 Rochester A.A. Service Center moves to 183 East Main Street, Suite 1035, with Paul P. as secretary. Paul will be Rochester’s longest serving secretary, holding the post for nearly 30 years

1975 40th A.A. Anniversary - 6th International in Denver, CO on July 1975; approximately 20,000 attend; the first flag ceremony is held

1975 An entertainment committee is formed, organizing picnics, dances, bowling, hayrides, and other family events. It continues until 1998

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1975 Living Sober is published. Written by A.A. member Barry L. to whom Lois will later give Bill’s copy of the original manuscript

1975 The third edition of the Big Book is published

Worldwide membership is estimated at 1,000,000

1978 AA Grapevine circulation exceeds 100,000

Sales of Big Book surpass 2 million

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1979 Area Artists Club moves to 819 S. Clinton Ave., corner of Meigs St., where A.A. members enjoy meetings, card games, and fellowship

12 Step House becomes the Work Shop, 387 E. Main St.

South Clinton at Meigs

1980 40th A.A. Anniversary - 7th International Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana

33 countries take part in the flag ceremony on Friday night

1980 Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers is published in time for sale at the New Orleans International Convention

1981 The Work Shop moves to 161 St. Paul St. As with many clubhouses with street level entrances, it is not uncommon for active alcoholics to wander into the meetings

The first co-ed Young People’s meeting in Rochester is started at this location (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1981 October: Rochester A.A. has its first annual convention with the theme “What a Difference a Day Makes” at the Holiday Inn Downtown, with Bob C. as chair. Featured speakers are Jackie P., from Toronto, Ray O’K. from NYC, David A. from Texas and Pete W. from Mass. There are 787 in attendance (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1984 Publication of Pass It On: The Story of Bill Wilson and How the A.A. Message Reached the World

1984 June: The Work Shop moves to 141 Pearl St. in the Church of the Covenant; meetings are held on the second floor

1985 January: Area Artists Club moves to a storefront at 213 Monroe Ave

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1985 50th Anniversary, 8thInternational A.A. Convention, Montreal, Canada, with 45,000 in attendance. Ruth Hock, who had typed the original manuscript, is presented with the five millionth Big Book

On the final day of the 1985 Convention, Lois W., Bill’s widow and First Lady of Al-Anon, is escorted to the podium. The entire stadium stands as one and the ovation is deafening. A diminutive white- haired figure at age 93, Lois’ speaking voice is strong and she completely charms the huge audience. Sadly, this is to be her last International Convention

1985 Dr. Bob’s house at 855 Ardmore Avenue in Akron is opened to the public

1987 The Rochester A.A. Central Office moves to 10 Manhattan Square. Like every Central Office before it, this crowded space is always busy with volunteers, and members stopping in to talk over a cup of coffee

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection) 1988 August: The Work Shop moves to 36 S. Union St. Entry is around the corner and marked by a sign. Once inside, you discover a bi-level meeting place

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1988 Area Artists Club moves to 274 N. Goodman St, The Village Gate, Bldg. C. Clubhouse entry is on the second floor

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1988 On October 5, 1988, Lois Burnham Wilson (age 97), co-founder of Al-Anon Family Groups and a key player in the birth and development of A.A., passes away

1989 A collection of more than 150 of Bill W.’s Grapevine articles are published in the book titled The Language of the Heart

1989 October: The Work Shop moves to 410 Central Ave; new 12 Step House (splinter group from Work Shop) is established at 36 South Union St.

1990 12 Step house renamed Bill and Bob’s 12 Step

House 36 South Union St.

1990 55th Anniversary, 9th International Convention in Seattle, Washington

The 10 millionth copy of the Big Book is presented to Nell Wing 1991 The east side gets a new clubhouse at the Yellow House on Jackson Rd. in Penfield. This club begins in 1976 at the Eastside Area Annex, a storefront at the corner of Five Mile Line and Penfield Rd., and then has several more locations before ending up on Jackson Rd. Over time, the club features meetings morning, noon, mid- afternoon, 5:30 and at night, and holds round- the-clock meeting events during holidays

1991 The Work Shop moves to 177 St. Paul St.

177 St. Paul St.

1993 April: The Work Shop and Bill and Bob’s combine at 36 South Union St. In November, Bill and Bob’s moves to 289 Monroe Avenue

1994 April: The Area Artist’s Club makes a short- distance move from Bldg. C to Bldg. B. at the Village Gate; it remains on the second floor

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

1995 A.A. in Canada celebrates its 50 year Anniversary with friends from the U.S., Asia, Europe and South America

Lapel Pin Commemorating 50 years of AA in Canada

1995 The theme of the 60th Anniversary and 10th International Convention - "A.A. Everywhere- Anywhere" - is borne out as nearly 56,000 people from the US, Canada and 85 other countries gather in San Diego, California in July 1995

The first-ever Convention Old-Timers Meeting on Saturday night features 129 members with 40 or more years of sobriety, 15 of whom tell their stories

1996 A Spanish edition Grapevine arrives in the summer of 1996

2000 July: 65th Anniversary - 11th International - Minneapolis, MN. Attendees from 86 nations walk a “Big Book Blue” line from the Convention Center to the Metrodome

2001 August: The Education and Participation Committee is established to “foster participation and membership in the Rochester Area Association of Central Office Groups” (later known as Intergroup), and to provide education for group secretaries and treasurers. Regular educational workshops are offered

(Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

2001 A.A. is at Ground Zero. By request of exhausted emergency workers, A.A. meetings are set up near the site

Members of that meeting craft the iron plaque shown on the left as a memento

2001 The fourth edition of Alcoholics Anonymous is published

2002 Kay D. takes over as Administrator of the Central Office. During her tenure, the Rochester Area Intergroup website is launched and the office is reorganized and relocated

https://www.rochester-ny-aa.org/

2005 The 70th Anniversary of A.A. is celebrated at the International Convention in Toronto, Canada

This event also marks 50 years since Bill turned over leadership to the General Service Conference

2010 The 75th Anniversary of A.A. is celebrated at the 2010 International Conference in San Antonio, Texas, with over 50,000 attending

2012 The “Yellow House” in Penfield is demolished and meetings move next door to the Mack Bldg

2013 The Rochester Area Intergroup moves its Central Office to 1000 Elmwood Ave. The new office has a dedicated room for committee and A.A. meetings

Mary S. comes on board as Office Administrator. During her time in office, the RAI online presence is strengthened through a redesigned website, meeting guide app, and online event registration (Rochester Area Intergroup Archives Collection)

2014 In celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the printing of the Big Book, A.A. World Services produces a replica of the original

2015 Over 57,000 A.A. members and guests from 94 countries around the world celebrate A.A.’s 80th birthday in Atlanta, Georgia, with the theme “80 Years – Happy, Joyous and Free!”

2016 Release of “A New Freedom”. Filmed inside correctional facilities in the U.S. and Canada, this video features stories from currently or formerly incarcerated A.A. members who are staying sober