NOTABLE DRUNKS
He came from a powerful & wealthy Albany, NY family, summering in Vermont where he first met Bill and they shared many drinking escapades together. After getting sober through the Oxford Group he visited Bill, intent on carrying the message of sobriety through religion to him.
Who was Ebby T (Thatcher)?
This is said to be the number one offender, destroying more alcoholics than anything else. From it stems all forms of spiritual disease.
What is resentment?
This member has the job of linking his or her group to AA as a whole. They represent the voice of the group conscience, reporting the group’s thoughts to the district, area and the delegate, who in turn, carries that to the conference. They are also responsible for bringing back to the group any district, area and conference communications.
What is a GSR?
A brief definition of the Fellowship was written by the first editor of the Grapevine, using portions of the Forward to the First Edition of the Big Book. It made it’s debut in the June 1947 issue and quickly gained popularity. Today it is used as the standard opening to most AA meetings.
What is The Preamble?
Bill W.'s essays on 24 principles of the program. They discuss the values and doctrines of individual recovery and group unity.
What is The Twelve & Twelve?
Fondly known as “AA #3, he was 12 stepped in Akron by Bill W & Dr. Bob and is also known for being depicted in the infamous “Man in the Bed” portrait.
Who was Bill D (Dodson)?
When half measures availed us nothing we stood here and asked for his protection and care with complete abandon.
What is The Turning Point?
Part of the services this committee is to provide a temporary contact program designed to help the alcoholic in an inpatient program make the transition to AA meetings once released.
What is Bridging the Gap?
Between 1944 and 1971, Bill wrote 150 articles for the AA Grapevine, helping to unite the Fellowship’s new groups and hammering out the principles of AA. These articles gave a living history of Alcoholics Anonymous and the story of Bill W.’s emotional and spiritual growth are all captured in this compilation available for purchase in printed version, ebook and Audiobook.
What is The Language of the Heart?
This book was originally published under the name, The AA Way of Life. It carried that title for the first printing only and then was changed to the title it has today. This collection of Bill's writings is a daily source of comfort and inspiration.
What is As Bill Sees It?
He was a salesman, an agnostic, a former Standard Oil of New Jersey executive, who had lost his job because of drinking and wound up at Towns Hospital, where Bill found him in the fall of 1935. He was Bill’s first success story. He stayed sober for 4 years the first time around. He was the man Dr. Silkworth described who "seemed to be a case of pathological mental deterioration. ... He wrote the chapter, “To Employers”.
Who was Henry (Hank) P (Parkhurst)?
When harboring feelings of resentment we shut ourselves off from this enlightenment from our higher power.
What is the Sunlight of the Spirit?
At every level (district, area & GSO) this entity serves as a repository for every aspect of AA history. Records, oral histories, news articles, and the like are compiled and preserved to be viewed and shared for years to come.
What is Archives?
Featured in the front of the magazine, this section displays photographs of AA meeting places around the world sent in by Grapevine readers.
What is If Walls Could Talk?
This manual opens with a history of A.A. services; explains the Conference structure and its year-round importance. It includes the Conference Charter and General Service Board Bylaws. The Concepts - principles of service that have emerged from A.A.'s service accomplishments and mistakes since its beginning - are set forth by Bill W and are also included.
What is The AA Service Manual?
She was the author of “Women Suffer Too”. Although she was not the first woman to get sober in AA, she was the first lesbian woman welcomed into the fellowship at a time when gays and lesbians were not accepted by society. She organized the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism (NCEA), now the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence or NCADD. In part because of her life's work, alcoholism became seen as less a moral issue and more a health issue.
Who was Marty M (Mann)?
Now observed as Veteran’s Day, this fateful day was the beginning of Bill’s final drinking spree.
What is Armistice Day?
The conference observes this custom to help ensure that no single member ever becomes the seat of power or wealth; at the group level it ensures that group tasks, like nearly everything else in A.A., are passed around for all to share.
What is the Spirit of Rotation?
Known today as, “At Wit’s End”, the first humor section appeared during the second year of publication and was given this slang name, a term that Bill also used in the Big Book to personify king alcohol.
What is Barleycorn?
In this pamphlet, experience, strength and hope is shared by agnostic and atheist, highlighting that there is room in the Fellowship for people of all shades of belief and non-belief.
What is The God Word?
Although not an early pioneer of the society, this gentleman stood out through his big book story, originally published under the title Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict in the 3rd edition but was changed to Acceptance is the Answer in the 4th edition.
Who was Paul O (Ohliger)?
In 1929 Bill claimed to contract golf fever and set out at once to overtake this well-known golfer of the time.
Who was Walter Hagen?
This special type of electoral process, used primarily for the election of delegates and trustees. It has also been adopted in many areas and districts as the process for electing trusted servants at those levels.
What is the Third Legacy Procedure?
This character made his debut in the July 1962 edition of the magazine. He has stood before the saloon doors over and over throughout the years but has yet to pick up a drink, thanks to the intervention of his Higher Power.
Who is Victor E?
This booklet is reproduced yearly and outlines the annual meeting of the General Service Conference.
What is The Final Conference Report?