ABOUT US
Before the Club was formed, AA and other twelve-step groups held meetings in Greenbelt and surrounding areas. However, the nearest twelve-step club facility that offered meetings throughout the day and provided a social gathering place for those in recovery was miles away. Therefore, in the late 1980s several Greenbelt residents who had benefited from twelve-step programs made it their mission to create a club that would serve both as a meeting place for twelve-step groups and a positive social environment for those seeking recovery.
The First Meeting
The first meeting at the Club, held at noon on February 1,1990, was offered by NA. This was one of three NA meetings initiated at the Club. In addition, from the beginning, CDA offered two meetings and AA offered several meetings. While the NA and AA meetings originated at the Club, the two CDA meetings had previously been held at the Mowatt Memorial United Methodist and St. Hugh's Catholic churches in Greenbelt. Al Anon, Co-Dependents Anonymous, Clutterers Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, and Overeaters Anonymous, although not presently represented at the Club, have also held meetings at the Club in the past.
Not Just for Alcoholics
Since day one, the Club has been available for any approved twelve-step recovery group wanting to hold meetings and support people seeking recovery through such groups. The Club’s name was selected accordingly. Although the name “Greenbelt Sobriety Club” was initially considered, the founders thought that the word sobriety might suggest that the Club was available only for alcoholics. The name Greenbelt Step Club was therefore chosen in the spirit of emphasizing the Club’s commitment to host any group founded around twelve-step principles.
The Founders' Dream Comes True
The Club’s founding organizers chose the location at 155 Centerway Road in Greenbelt after first considering the Old Greenbelt Theatre in the Historic District of Greenbelt, which was shut down at the time. For a number of reasons, its founders located the Club in the basement of the building at 155 Centerway Road where it has continuously operated since opening day. Constructed in the 1930s as a firehouse, the building is one of Historic Greenbelt’s oldest facilities. Before the Club took possession, the building’s basement had previously gone through a series of occupancies by various businesses but was not being used or usable at the time. Making the facility usable demanded the sweat, toil, dedication, and personal donations of many volunteers working long hours. They had to remove mounds of dirt that the builders deposited during construction and also disassemble and haul off an old pottery-making kiln used by a ceramics business that once occupied the basement. They installed flooring and plumbing and put a new furnace in the basement and an air-conditioning unit on the roof. They replaced the windows, put up walls, and applied gallons of paint to the walls and other structures. They furnished the facility with tables, chairs, and other items they had obtained through donations. Finally, they acquired one of the essential items for any twelve-step meeting: a reliable coffee maker! Then, they ran a story in the Greenbelt News Review (Thursday, January 25, 1990, Volume 53, No. 10) to announce the Club’s opening. Thanks to the vision, hard work, and altruism of the founders, a place where people battling alcoholism, drug addition, and other problems could go to seek twelve-step recovery became a reality. February 1, 1990 marked a great day of celebration as the founders saw their dream come true.
Tradition One Has Endured
As expected from any twelve-step organization with a comparable past, the Club has faced some setbacks along with triumphs. There have been financial difficulties, especially in the early days. The Club was confronted with an eviction notice in 1993 on grounds that the lease was invalid and the rent should be increased. The old structural facility has continuously required upkeep and still needs improvement. Some of the group meetings have waxed and then waned to the point of discontinuation. There have been disagreements among the Board members and Club members about how to conduct Club affairs. Recruiting unpaid volunteers to work the office desk and perform other tasks has not been easy. However, the Club has endured and continues to thrive despite the difficulties. This has been due to its unwavering vow to function in accordance with twelve-step traditions. Tradition One, which emphasizes that “our common welfare should come first – that personal recovery depends upon unity,” has always been at the forefront of Club operations. Thanks to the Club’s commitment to the traditions, the triumphs – helping thousands in recovery and making the difference between life and death for many – have overshadowed the problems. Upholding these traditions will guarantee a future of effectiveness and permanent unity in twelve-step activities at the Club.