What is the Pima Alano Club?

The Alano Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) Arizona Corporation owned by its General Membership and governed by an elected Board of Directors. It. Is dedicated to supporting those in their journey to sobriety.

We provide a space for AA and other recovery meetings. As outlined in its original charter, the club's primary purpose is “to maintain a private club room where regular sobriety meetings shall be conducted.”

What does Pima Alano Club do?

Serving over a thousand Tucsonans and visitors weekly, the Alano Club hosts speaker and discussion meetings for recovery groups. During major holidays, the club remains open 24/7, offering hourly meetings and free holiday meals. Many members also use the club for social activities and attend meetings throughout the city. Activities include dances, barbecues, holiday parties, and small group meetings.

How does the Pima Alano Club fund its operations?

The club's funding comes from membership dues, meeting room rentals (though fees are often waived for groups unable to pay), sales of food and beverages, public bingo games, club-sponsored fundraisers, and donations.

What is the history of the Pima Alano Club?

The Alano Club on Pima Street, established in 1947, is Tucson's oldest independent non-profit focused on alcoholism. Founded by a group of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members, it initially hosted three meetings a week on Alvernon Avenue.

In 1950, members' families contributed to the club's efforts by writing "Triple A Family Group," a booklet for families of alcoholics, which gained nationwide attention. By 1970, the club moved to its current location at 4405 E. Pima Street, featuring a main hall and an annex with meeting rooms, a kitchen, and a fenced yard.

As Tucson grew from a small town to a major city, the recovery community expanded. The Alano Club became a hub for those seeking sobriety, welcoming anyone attending recovery groups. Today, it offers a safe space for both newly sober individuals and long-term recovering people and their families.

The Alano Club remains a vital support system, providing a social network and guidance for those committed to a sober lifestyle. In AA's words, it is "the last house on the block."

Who founded the Pima Alano Club?

Ham B. was transferred to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base as an Army Air Corps captain from Van Nuys, Los Angeles in the winter of 1942-1943. Ham and his wife Marian moved to Tucson, but he missed his Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) support group in California. Determined to find support, Ham sought out someone to share AA's message with. After reaching out to various places, he met Frank C. in the City Jail. Despite initial doubts about Frank's ability to stay sober, Ham's persistence paid off. Frank not only became sober but remained so for years.

Ham and Frank held Tucson's first AA meeting on February 22, 1943. The group slowly grew from two to about ten members. Less than a year later, on January 5, 1944, Bill Wilson, the author of AA's Big Book, visited Tucson.

By the end of 1946, Frank O. donated a house at 237 E. Third (now University Blvd.) for meetings, leading to the incorporation of the Alano Club. Initially, the club struggled without proper guidelines and eventually closed. Meetings continued at various locations, including the Music Club and Trinity Church.

In March 1954, Bob B. and Flip B. opened a new club at 1030 North Palo Verde Boulevard. The Alano Club moved again in 1960 to 1425 N. Alvernon and finally to its current location at 4405 E. Pima Street in 1970, now known as The Pima Alano Club.