History of The Serenity Club
The Dream
No money. No assets. No problem. In the early 1970s a small band of determined recovering alcoholics in Sierra Vista began planning a clubhouse suitable for meetings and large events.
Alcoholics Anonymous General Service clearly stipulates that A.A., as such, cannot own property. In 1975 a non-profit corporation was subsequently formed to manage and direct the new Club's activities.
The Board of Directors of what was to be called the Serenity Club began meeting that same year.
Fund raising began when a tent was borrowed from the Army and pit barbecues with all the trimmings were held at nearby Cactus Corners.
Through donations and dues from paying members, the Serenity Club was eventually able to purchase the present property from one of its own members. We had our land!
Progress Not Perfection
As soon as funds became available, concrete for the foundation and flooring was poured.
One member dug a hole for the septic tank with his backhoe. Other members dumped rocks into the hole until it was declared "ready."
The roof and most of the building were completed by volunteers, with cinder blocks for the walls donated by a local businessman.
Construction did not always go smoothly. Walls came up. Walls came down. Gradually, however, the building became ready to move into and by October 1978, the first meeting was held.
By the late 1980s sufficient funds had been raised to enlarge the building and the Alateen Room was built. Dry wall was done by a member of the Serenity Club using his own work crew at no cost to the Club. Volunteers with specialized skills likewise did all the necessary wiring.
Growing Pains
In the beginning, there was no hot water. An ultimatum by several dishwashers saying they would no longer wash a dish until there was hot water sparked a new drive for more donations. When the hat was passed, several members threw in $10 or $20 until there was money enough to purchase a hot water tank.
In the early 2000s the Club's failure to receive tax exempt status precipitated a financial burden that was finally overcome when the proper Club status was reestablished
Then came the flood of 2011, not from the heavens, but from a broken pipe in the ceiling, rendering the building unusable for three months. While insurance covered the damage, estimated at $19,000, members stepped up to repair the ceiling and pipes.
The COVID pandemic in March of 2020 forced the Serenity Club's closure.
By the summer of 2020 meetings were starting up, but members, masked or unmasked, remained hesitant to return for most of that year and the next.
Three outside water line breaks in 2020 proved so costly that the entire water line had to be replaced. Estimates ranged from $2,000 to $4,000.
Again, members came through with the necessary equipment and expertise to save the day-for a huge savings!
From This Day Forward
Club membership dues and fundraisers keep the Serenity Club afloat.
Various fundraisers have included such activities as speaker meetings with potluck dinners, arts and crafts bazaars, garage sales, silent auctions, 50/50 raffles, social nights, movie nights, talent shows, Halloween night, and the annual chili cook-off.
Every year we hold a free Thanksgiving dinner with participants bringing a covered dish and the Serenity Club and Highway 92 Group donating a turkey and a ham.
Mini Alcathons are held over the Christmas and New Year's holidays, with groups all around Sierra Vista sponsoring a two-hour time slot.
Serenity Club By-Laws specifically state the Serenity Club is, and was, formed exclusively for Alcoholics Anonymous members and the family groups of Al-Anon, Alateen, and Adult Children of Alcoholics. There is no need, however, to be a Club member to attend any of these meetings.
Our Serenity Club is a testimonial to our commitment to the Responsibility Pledge: "When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there, and for that, I am responsible."
Hats off to the many members who voluntarily gave, and continue to give, their time and talents to see our dream materialize.