{"product_id":"a-call-to-service-bill-w-1951-aa-general-service-conference","title":"A Call to Service by Bill | May 1951","description":"\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Alcoholic Foundation | General Headquarters — Alcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eOffered here is an original May 1951 Alcoholics Anonymous service document titled \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Call to Service\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, written by \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBill W.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and issued from \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Alcoholic Foundation, General Headquarters — Alcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e in New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eThis two-page communication was sent during one of the most important transitional moments in A.A. history. Just weeks earlier, the \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003efirst General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e had met in New York. In this letter, Bill reports directly to the Fellowship on that historic gathering, the financial condition of A.A.’s General Headquarters, and the developing transfer of responsibility for A.A.’s worldwide services from its founders and early trustees to the Fellowship itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A.A. Accepts Its Third Legacy”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eOne of the most important passages appears under the heading:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A.A. ACCEPTS ITS THIRD LEGACY”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eBill explains the significance of the first General Service Conference and writes that A.A. was beginning to take responsibility for its own affairs. He describes the moment as the point at which the Fellowship’s \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThird Legacy of Service\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e began passing from \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDr. Bob and Bill W. to A.A. as a whole\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eThe document provides an unusually immediate view of the General Service Conference while the new service structure was still being tested and established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eBill notes that the first Conference consisted of \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e37 delegates from approximately half of the states and provinces of the United States and Canada\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, meeting with Alcoholic Foundation trustees and members of the General Office and \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eA.A. Grapevine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e staffs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe First Conference and A.A.’s Financial Challenges\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eMuch of the letter reports what those first delegates discovered after examining A.A.’s national service operation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p4\"\u003eAmong their findings:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe delegates believed the services provided by the General Office were essential and should not be curtailed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey considered the financial condition of the Alcoholic Foundation \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e“very unsound.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBill reports that only about \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eone-third of A.A. groups\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e were contributing financially to the Foundation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Conference proposed temporarily increasing the suggested contribution from \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e$1 per member per year to $1 every six months\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe delegates discussed losses being experienced by \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe A.A. Grapevine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and the need to increase subscriptions and direct sales at A.A. meetings.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe document records the rapidly increasing administrative demands created by A.A.’s extraordinary growth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eBill also describes the organization’s financial difficulty during the preceding year, noting that the Foundation had faced the possibility of running approximately \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e$45,000 in the red\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e before contributions from the Fellowship helped avert a serious crisis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eThis is much more than an early fundraising appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Call to Service\u003c\/i\u003e documents the creation of the system that would eventually become one of the defining features of Alcoholics Anonymous: a Fellowship governed through collective responsibility rather than through permanent control by its founders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eThe first General Service Conference had convened only the month before this letter was written. Bill was therefore reporting on events essentially as they happened, while A.A.’s service structure was still evolving.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eFor collectors of early Alcoholics Anonymous history, the document offers a particularly important connection to:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBill W.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDr. Bob\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Alcoholic Foundation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe first General Service Conference\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA.A.’s Third Legacy of Service\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe General Service Office\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe A.A. Grapevine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublication Details\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTitle:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Call to Service\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Bill W.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDate:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e May 1951\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIssued by:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e The Alcoholic Foundation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLetterhead:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e General Headquarters — Alcoholics Anonymous\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAddress:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e P.O. Box 459, Grand Central Annex, New York 17, N.Y.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Two-page service communication\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eOriginal two-page document showing age toning and light handling wear consistent with its age. Both sheets retain the original three-hole punches along the left margin. There are small edge tears\/notches and minor creasing, most noticeably along the margins. The first page has \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e“1951” handwritten at the top\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eThe document remains complete and highly legible, with the printed text strong throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003ePlease review all photographs carefully for the most accurate representation of condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCollector’s Note\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eEarly A.A. material relating directly to the creation of the General Service Conference is especially significant because it documents the Fellowship’s transition from founder-led organization to the service structure that would carry A.A. forward after Bill W. and Dr. Bob.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eThis May 1951 \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eCall to Service\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e captures that transition almost in real time and stands as an exceptional piece of early Alcoholics Anonymous service history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Recovery Collectibles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49982243471602,"sku":null,"price":895.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0328\/4625\/0120\/files\/8BC03977-A68A-47FE-B410-91C635AFC308.jpg?v=1787681120","url":"https:\/\/recoverycollectibles.com\/products\/a-call-to-service-bill-w-1951-aa-general-service-conference","provider":"Recovery Collectibles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}