Uptown
| Meeting Location: | Knox Presbyterian (Elgin at Lisgar) |
| Meeting Day(s): | Mondays |
| Meeting Type: | Open speaker meeting for both AA members and the public. |
| Meeting Entrance: | On Lisgar at rear of the church |
| Meeting Time: | 8:30pm |
| OC Transpo Service | |
| Meeting Image | church
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| Group History | The Grapevine, Volume 5, Issue 3 dated August 1948 reflected that the following new groups reported organization to the General Service Headquarters during the month of June, amongst others: CANADA--Ontario, Ottawa, UPTOWN Group.
Due to the increasing AA membership of original Ottawa groups such as The Tuesday/Friday and Ottawa Group (now the West End Group), new groups were established to accommodate the growing need for more meetings. In April 1948 the Uptown Group was established and met on Monday nights, although its location has changed several times. Initially it met at St. John's Church, Elgin Street, then St. Andrew's Church at Kent and Wellington Streets for 35 years before moving to Christ Church Cathedral on Sparks Street for two years and then to Knox Presbyterian Church on Elgin and Lisgar, where it still meets today. Charlie S. stated that he joined the fellowship of A.A. in 1952 and became a member of the Uptown Group. In 1952, the Uptown Group was one of five groups in Ottawa , one being a French group. He mentioned that a chap by the name of Jack F. was probably one of its first members, possibly even its founder, but unfortunately Jack did not stay sober. However, Jack was a member of Uptown group when Charlie first arrived at the doors of A.A. Early Uptown members included Jack F. and Roy G. (1948) (this is second Roy G). Roy was the first GSR for the group. His wife, Lillian, answered the AA telephone for 12 years. Eventually she was paid $45.00 a month for her TAS role. Ken M. from Brockville was another early member, he sponsored Cletus H. Three early members of the Uptown Group were women -- Ruby S., Kay H. and Edna C. Edna died sober at the age of 83. She had, in 1952, sponsored Charlie S. Note: We are very grateful to Pauline K-S who took time to document a conversation she had with Charles (Charlie) S. in November of 2003 regarding the beginnings of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in Ottawa, and more specifically his recollection of the early years of the Uptown Group. Today, our meetings are open speaker type, starting at 2030 hrs and are attended by 80 to 120 persons each week. Instructions sheets for the duties of the meeting chairperson and for the meeting secretary do exist. Each month group members volunteer to be the meeting chairperson, secretary, setup/coffee person, literature person and greeters. The meeting chairperson is responsible to find speakers and persons to read the 12 Steps and Traditions on a weekly basis. We do not use the "chip" system. We do recognize our members' first sobriety anniversary and each multiple of five years with a cake and card. Our business meetings are held on the last Monday of each month at 7pm in the kitchen of our meeting place. We will continue to carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic by holding meetings on a regular basis and supporting Ottawa Intergroup, District 58, Area 83 and GSO. |
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