The Story Of Toodles
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.
