Celebrating 75 Years Of Unity, Service And Recovery

Today marks what is commonly referred to in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as “Founders Day.” On this day in 1935 Bill Wilson, a stockbroker at the time, and Dr. Bob Smith met for the first time. Wilson and Smith were to only meet for 15 minutes but ended up talking for hours. This meeting, on the day that Dr. Bob would have his last drink, would set the stage for what is now an international fellowship with over 2 million members worldwide.

AA was just 15 years old when Fr. Alfred Boedekker opened the doors to St. Anthony Dining Room in 1950. Since then countless people men come through the doors looking for a hot meal and found hope by later entering St. Anthony’s Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program, a year long program that emphasizes the tools and 12-steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.