March 27 in A.A. History

In 1940, Dave W. of Seattle, Washington [right: aerial view, 1939], had read about Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s interest in the organization. He wrote to Rockefeller, who had forwarded his letter to the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City. In his letter, Dave mentioned that he had stopped drinking three years earlier, had a strong faith in God, and had attempted to help others quit drinking, though without success. He seemed particularly interested in assisting those struggling with alcoholism. The Alcoholic Foundation responded by mail on 16 April 1940. Dave would go on to become one of the three founding members of the first A.A. group in Seattle.

In 1942, Irwin “Irv” Meyerson’s wife wrote to Clarence S. from Knoxville, Tennessee, stating that “Irwin started another club in Charleston, W. Va.”
    Irv [left] had gotten sober in Cleveland, Ohio and Clarence was his sponsor. Irv himself had already written the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City that three alcoholics—“Bill” S., George S. and Louis J.—were forming what would be West Virginia’s first Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) group in Charleston. Separately, Bill S. had written to National Secretary Bobbie B. at the Foundation and said that Irv was recognized as the “sponsor” of that first Charleston Group.

In 1960, the weekly half-hour radio program, The Catholic Hour, aired Part II of “Alcoholism: The Problem and the Hope”, featuring Marty M. [right, 1964], along with an unnamed staff member from the General Service Office.