History
Pages - The Story of Toodles
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The Minutes of a Meeting of Delegates to the Intergroup Association of New York held
on January 30, 1950, indicated that ninety-three groups were represented, and Bill W. was
the guest speaker.
Bill told the story of
Toodles, who came into the program during late 1939 or early
1940.
"One day a girl showed up in our Vesey Street (New Jersey) office and she said
'My name is Toodles, and I am down to my last three million dollars. I'm so damned fed up
that I don't know what to do. I guess I am a drunk all right. I read some of your
publicity in the paper. I got in touch with Dr. S., and she sent me down here.' She had a
doorman, a chauffeur, a maid, and a secretary. Well, A.A. caught on with a bang."
Toodles found sobriety, but died suddenly of diabetes several years later. She left
$10,000 to Alcoholics Anonymous of New York, Inc. Prior to this, the Alcoholic Foundation
had passed a resolution stating that it could no longer receive contributions from
individuals or outside sources. However, since the money was left to Intergroup, Bill felt
that "It's your money to do with as you see fit."
"Now, you must remember that New York is one of the strongest and finest
Intergroup Associations. You must realize that the eyes of the rest of the groups in the
country are on you and what you do. If you people were to take the gift, you would have
set a precedent and everyone would say 'Why certainly, put some money into your will for
A.A. The Foundation does it, the Intergroup does it, why should not you?' Some rich man
may make a nice will in favor of A.A. It would mean that this movement could be enormously
rich, enormously complicated, but it would divert us from the primary purpose of helping
drunks.
Now since this is a democracy, I would like to have you people here freely express your
views. I would not like to have you say "We won't take it because it would hurt
Bill's feelings.' We ought to have a little talk on this. Let's hear what you folks have
to say."
After much discussion, those in attendance established a Motion to refuse this and all
future bequests and outside donations.
- Minutes of Special Meeting of Delegates of Intergroup Association of A.A. of New York
Inc. January 30, 1950) 4-5.
- Ibid., 5.
(from BUT, FOR THE GRACE OF GOD ... by Wally P.)
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