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The Alano Club of Victoria1402
Broad Street Victoria BC V8W2B1 |
Supporting recovery in Victoria since 1949 Become A Member Renew Your Membership |
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About the Alano Club
Next to the clock in the photo above hangs an autographed photo of Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, who came here to speak in 1948. Our Club was officially organized the following year, by members of AA who wanted a central place to hold meetings, as well as a place to socialize and encourage one another.
Right from the start the Club became the focal point for recovery in the city of Victoria. Over the years, as AA evolved and grew, we hosted intergroup meetings, rally committees, institutional committee meetings and many other AA activities. The club served as a central office and a literature center as well as a social and recreational facility for members. In the early 1960s a prominent psychiatrist and early friend of AA passed away, leaving a small bequest to be used for an annual Christmas party for the children of alcoholics -- the unwilling victims of this disease. Since that time the Club has hosted and raised the funds for gifts and a wonderful party for all the children of AA members and (more recently) NA members. Al-Anon has met at our club for many years. The wives of early members were instrumental in making our club more liveable by volunteering and helping furnish and decorate the club. The Metropolitan group that has met at our club for almost 60 years welcomes members of Alanon and Alateen to an open meeting on Friday nights. This is a family disease and the club wants all family members of the recovering alcoholic or addict to feel welcome and wanted at our club. The first AA picnic was co-ordinated and sponsored by the club groups. Since that time many activities such as mini-rallies and special NA and AA functions have been hosted at our club. The same slogan, "Life begins with Sobriety," which met the first recovering alcoholics at the door when they arrived at our club, remains as true today as it was in 1949, although today's club sobriety definition has been changed to read "not under the influence of alcohol or drugs." NA members attended open AA meetings at the club prior to starting their own NA meetings outside the club in 1968. The club constitution was amended many times over the years to be more inclusive of all that suffer from alcoholism or drug addiction. Our relationship to Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Al-Anon and other Twelve Step groups is one of "cooperation, not affiliation." Like many Alano Clubs around the world, we serve a unique and special function in our community, at very little cost to our members. The need for what we provide has never been greater. Sometimes it's nothing more than a safe place to sit for a while, away from what goes on in the streets. If you think what we're doing is worthy of your support, we could use all the help we can get. Please come and visit us. You don't have to be an alcoholic, or even a Club member, to walk up the stairs and enjoy a cup of coffee (or an inexpensive lunch) with us. If you're a newcomer, the first cup's still on us, just as it was in 1949. |
