Big Book Dave - Archivist Interior Alaska
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Big Book Dave - Archivist Interior Alaska
December
Interior Alaska
Report

The Following is a holiday message from our co-founder Bill W, December 1957.

..."Is sobriety all that we are to expect of a spiritual awakening? No, sobriety is only a bare beginning; it is only the first gift of the first awakening. If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on. We find that bit by bit we discard the old life for a new one that can and does work under any conditions whatever.

Regardless of worldly success or failure, regardless of pain or joy, regardless of sickness or health or even death itself, a new life of endes possibilities can be lived if we are willing to continue our awakening, through the practice of AAs Twelve Steps."
 

Interesting December Dates
 
1790 - December
The "Big Liquor Era" in North America lasted for 50 years between 1790 and 1840. The Revolutionary War was over - the Civil War hadn't started, and Americans drank on average one pint of whiskey everyday. The heaviest in American history.
  1893 - December 27th
Rev. Sam Shoemaker born. He will become an important figure in Bill Wilson's life and in AA. history.
 
1913 - December
Thousands of people marched on Washington D.C. demanding a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of liquor in the U.S.
 
1923 - December
Bill Wilson wrote to Lois in their family bible the pledge that he would not drink for one year. This promise lasted eight weeks and was the first of many attempts to stay sober.
 
1934 - December 11th
Sobriety date of our co-founder, Bill W. His spiritual experience in Towns Hospital will happen three days later, December 15th.
 
1936 - December
Bill is elated by a job offered to him by Charles B. Townes to be a professional therapist at Towns Hospital, but turns it down after talking to his group.
  1939 - December
Bill and Lois leave New York on a holiday trip to visit groups in Cleveland, Detroit and to spend some time with Dr. Bob and Anne in Akron.
 
1940 - December
There are 50 groups and 1,500 members with 3,000 copies of the Big Book sold as of this date.
 
1943 - December
 The newsletter published at San Quentin reports Bill W. will be the guest speaker at their Christmas meeting. There are 300 active inmates in the group.
 
1945 - December 20th
Roland Hazard dies in Waterbury, Connecticut at the age of 64.
 
1949 - December 25th
Dr. Bob on Christmas Day will make his last visit to the alcoholic ward at St. Thomas Hospital where he treated thousands of alcoholics free of charge.
 
1970 - December
The comprehensive alcoholism treatment act is signed into law by President Richard Nixon which released millions of dollars into the study and treatment of alcoholism.
 
1987 - December
The Alaska Area Assembly passed a motion to establish and appoint the first State Archives chairperson and the two-year rotation need not be observed.
 
1995 - December
A new AA archives location is dedicated in Akron, Ohio, the birthplace of AA.
 
Big Book Dave
Elected Archivist - Interior Alaska
24-Hour Number
(907) 456-7501