Celebrate IFAA’s 74th Birthday with Service!

Did you know that our Intergroup turned 74 this week!? That’s right, folks. See below for a little taste of IFAA Central Office history. Bon Appétit!

Central Office’s Beginnings
A February 1952 issue of the A.A. Grapevine detailed great turmoil at the Alano Club on Bush St., which opened in the 1940s, citing that, “strains had developed because of the uncomfortable overcrowding of A.A. meetings, drunks, panhandlers, wolves and Red Riding Hoods.” Tempers flared and relationships became strained. Then finally, in January of 1947, the first San Francisco Central Office was opened (pictured below).

Correspondence available in the GSO Archives indicates that the first Central Office Secretary (or manager) was named Anne C., and by 1948, Bob G. had taken over. There was a subsequent move to 406 Sutter St. in 1951, and three years later, in 1954, to 166 Geary St. where SF Central Office remained until 1981.

We’ve been at the current location on Sacramento St. since Nov 2001 – almost 20 years! Our lease expires this October and next week we’ll be looking to you for input to help inform our next steps. So, keep coming back!

Share in Service…

  • Technology Committee meets on Monday.

  • Twelve Concepts Study is on Tuesday.

  • Intergroup Orientation and Business Meeting is on Wednesday.

Shasta Winterfest is Now!

Shasta Winterfest is on! Today, tomorrow and Sunday. See the flyer below for details or visit the website listed on the flyer.

 

An Exploration of Steps 6 & 7

Join the Marin Fellowship on Sunday, January 31st, for an afternoon of shared experience, strength, and hope, followed by open discussion on Steps 6 & 7. Click the flyer below or see here for the event posting.
 
 

From the IFAA Archives…

The Lasker Award, pictured below, was presented to Alcoholics Anonymous by the American Public Health Association in October of 1951, and is currently on display at the General Service Office in New York
 

Bill W. visited San Francisco with the General Service Chairman, Bernard Smith, to accept the Lasker Award on behalf of Alcoholics Anonymous. Two events were held. One was on October 29, 1951, and was open to local A.A. members and supporters; in fact, over 3,000 A.A. members and their families attended to hear Bill W. and Bernard Smith share at the War Memorial Opera House. The next night was the public presentation of the award, also at the Opera House; Bernard Smith accepted the Lasker Award in order to protect Bill W.’s anonymity. This award was quite an honor for Alcoholics Anonymous and Central Office was instrumental in organizing the October 29th event, which A.A. members from around Northern California came to San Francisco to attend!

Have Your Cake and Eat it Too

For the love of CAKE, please share this information with your social media communities and encourage your A.A. fellows to subscribe to The Buzz. All of our prior updates can be found here.

Keep your group in the loop! Drop our subscription link in the chat at your meetings and tell your members to subscribe to stay in-the-know on what’s happening with SF/Marin A.A.    🐝
 

Your IFAA Intergroup | Central Office
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