{"product_id":"young-people-s-group-a-a-12th-anniversary-banquet-youngstown-ohio-1964","title":"Young People’s Group A.A. — 12th Anniversary Banquet — Youngstown, Ohio — 1964","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOffered here is an original miniature program from the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e12th Anniversary Banquet of the Young People’s Group of Alcoholics Anonymous in Youngstown, Ohio\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, held Saturday, March 21, 1964.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeasuring only approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2½–3 inches tall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this small folding booklet was produced as a keepsake for those attending the anniversary dinner. Despite its diminutive size, it contains the complete evening program along with early A.A. text and the Serenity Prayer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTwelfth Anniversary Banquet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe front identifies the occasion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTwelfth Anniversary Banquet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYoung People’s Group — A.A.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYoungstown, Ohio\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSaturday, March 21, 1964\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe interior records the evening’s program:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWelcome:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Ray T.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eToastmaster:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Dick R.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInvocation:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Father Riley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDinner\u003cbr\u003eSpeaker:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Ross S.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenediction:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Rev. B. R. Lewis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClosing:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Lord’s Prayer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEarly Young People in A.A.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne of the more interesting aspects of this program is its connection to a specifically identified \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYoung People’s Group\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBecause the event celebrated the group’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e12th anniversary in 1964\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the program indicates that the Youngstown group traced its beginnings to approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1952\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—an early period for an A.A. group organized specifically around younger members.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe booklet therefore provides an interesting piece of evidence of young people’s participation and organization within Alcoholics Anonymous well before the later growth of young-people-focused A.A. conferences and events.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA.A. Statement and Serenity Prayer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe inside cover carries a “Reminder” describing Alcoholics Anonymous:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe back features praying hands above the heading:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA.A. PRAYER\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003efollowed by the familiar Serenity Prayer:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“God grant me the serenity\u003cbr\u003eTo accept the things\u003cbr\u003eI cannot change,\u003cbr\u003eCourage to change\u003cbr\u003eThe things I can\u003cbr\u003eAnd wisdom to know\u003cbr\u003eThe difference.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTogether, these elements make the tiny program a particularly evocative example of the type of locally produced A.A. material distributed among members during the 1960s.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eItem Details\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEvent:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Twelfth Anniversary Banquet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGroup:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Young People’s Group — Alcoholics Anonymous\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLocation:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Youngstown, Ohio\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e March 21, 1964\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatured Speaker:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Ross S.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Miniature folding program\/booklet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Approximately 2½–3 inches tall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContents:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Anniversary program, A.A. fellowship statement and Serenity Prayer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe program is in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVery Good vintage condition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe mustard-yellow paper remains bright and attractive, with clear black printing throughout. There is light age toning, minor handling wear, and a few small marks and creases consistent with age and use. The original folds remain intact, and all printed material is clean and readily legible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlease review all photographs carefully for the most complete representation of condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCollector Significance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLocal A.A. programs were generally ephemeral pieces intended for a single meeting or celebration, and many were simply discarded after the event.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis surviving example is particularly interesting because it documents the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e12th anniversary of a Young People’s A.A. group in 1964\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, tracing the group’s history back to approximately 1952. Its unusually small format, attractive period typography, complete banquet program, early A.A. fellowship statement, and Serenity Prayer give it considerable character as a piece of grassroots A.A. history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn appealing piece for a collection focused on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eearly A.A. groups, Young People in A.A., Ohio A.A. history, anniversary programs, or Alcoholics Anonymous ephemera\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Recovery Collectibles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67575143039218,"sku":null,"price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0328\/4625\/0120\/files\/A47A99DF-15AA-4E38-9FA7-4931C7AC253D.jpg?v=1790482859","url":"https:\/\/recoverycollectibles.com\/products\/young-people-s-group-a-a-12th-anniversary-banquet-youngstown-ohio-1964","provider":"Recovery Collectibles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}