Entries by Kristin Sample

Christmas Tree Sale Fundraiser

October 12, 2025 in /by

Christmas Tree Sale Fundraiser begins the weekend after Thanksgiving!

As one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, we work hard to make it a successful event for our customers. We love serving the community and the people who support us.

We have a variety of trees and sizes:

Balsam Fir 
Concolor Fir 
Fraser Fir 
Blue Spruce 
Scotch Pine

Trees are on sale everyday during normal business hours until Christmas day or until trees sell out, whichever comes sooner.

Support your local nonprofit and buy your Christmas Tree with us this year!

#GivingTuesday

November 19, 2024 in /by

Dear Washtenaw Alano Club members, Patrons, and Allies,

As we approach the holiday season, it is with gratitude and excitement that I reach out to our recovery community and allies on this special occasion of #GivingTuesday.

In a world that often moves at a relentless pace, #GivingTuesday serves as reminder of the power “we” hold as a recovery community to make a positive impact. #GivingTuesday encourages us to slow the hustle and bustle of our daily lives and inspires us to come together and create meaningful changes.

The Washtenaw Alano Club mission is to provide a facility and an environment conducive to spiritual growth for recovery from addictive behavior.  We achieve our mission by owning and operating a support center that is home to the largest and most diverse offering of 12-step recovery meetings in Washtenaw County.  We have witnessed firsthand the transformative effect that collective kindness and generosity can have on our community.

As we embrace the true spirit of #GivingTuesday, I invite YOU to join us in making a lasting impact. This year’s goal is to raise $6,000.  Your support will contribute to our shared vision of maintaining our club for another 50+ more years. Here’s how you can get involved:

Donate: Every contribution, no matter the size, plays a crucial role in fueling our mission. You can donate through our website or in person at the counter.

Together, we can create a ripple effect of compassion and kindness that extends far beyond this single day. Thank you for being an integral part of our recovery community and for your unwavering support of the Washtenaw Alano Club.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season,

Julie Curtis

Washtenaw Alano Club, Manager

WAC Newsletter – July 2021

June 29, 2021 in /by

UPDATE ON CLUB OPERATIONS

As you all know, things at the Club have been very different since the pandemic hit.

First, we had to make the difficult but necessary decision to close the Club in accordance with CDC recommendations and State mandates from March 14th to June 15th, 2020. During that time, many meetings went online, and the people of the Club had to stay connected primarily virtually. It was truly amazing to see what our community would do to keep each other afloat.

After a long three-month closure, we were able to reopen our doors to in-person meetings on a limited basis. Capacity restrictions, mask requirements, and social distancing measures were implemented as recommended by state and public health officials. Hours were temporarily reduced until the Club was back to full staff and had a better idea of how operations would look during a pandemic.

Fast forward to June 2021, as vaccines become widely available and community spread continues to decrease, statewide COVID-related restrictions are being lifted. As such, restrictions at the WAC are being lifted as well…

WAC Newsletter – July 2021

WAC Newsletter – February 2020

February 19, 2020 in /by

“I came to the Alano Club for the second time in March of 2016. My success in “sticking with it” had a great deal to do with getting a sponsor right away and slowly but surely working the steps. Just as important, and for me possibly even more so, was getting involved through service work…

WAC Newsletter – November 2019

November 1, 2019 in /by

As much as we can’t believe it, the 2019 Holiday Season has arrived. Before you know it, every store from here to Texas will be playing the same Christmas music playlist on repeat ad nauseam. And don’t even get me started on the Hallmark Christmas movies!

Some don’t care for the holiday season because it can be difficult on many levels. Family relationships are tough; some have no family; some are working on their first sober holiday season; and so on.

Others love the festivities and look forward to the time with friends and family.

Most of us fall somewhere in between.

The good news is, no matter what category you fall in there’s always a safe place to fall back on. The Club offers a warm and inviting place for recovering friends to gather and enjoy the holidays no matter what your circumstances are.
If this is your first sober holiday season, or if you struggle through the holidays in general, I’d like to lend a few reasons why staying sober through the holidays might be a good idea. . .

WAC Newsletter – September 2019

September 2, 2019 in /by

Congratulations! If you’re reading this you’re either bored, dying for the long-winded guy at your table to clam up, or you care about news at the Club more than your average Joe. Either way, you’re in the right place!

There are some issues that crop up from time to time that I want to remind all of our valued patrons . . .

WAC Newsletter – July 2019

July 8, 2019 in /by

Our Club was founded 50 years ago, when a small group of people in recovery decided this area needed an Alano Club and began the process of creating what we have today.

After several years of work establishing ourselves as a nonprofit business, we finally found our first home on Fourth Avenue in 1975. . .

WAC Newsletter – May 2019

June 5, 2019 in /by

Newest Board Member: Jeff Cox

I have been an active member of the Club since I got sober in 2012. The Club is a very important part of my recovery. It is where I attend all of my meetings, see my friends, and get to be of service.
I have enjoyed doing service work at the Club since I became a member. I have helped with painting, grounds clean-up, and social events. Most recently, I was elected to serve on the Board of Directors. I very much look forward to being of service to the Club in a way that is new to me.
The Club has been a second home to me for several years and I hope to always be a contributing member of the Club.

Thank you for the opportunity to be of service!

WAC Newsletter – March 2019

April 2, 2019 in /by

I was driving around in my car. I had been drinking for 3 solid days and was sure I was going to be fired from my job for no call/no show. I wanted to go to the bar, but I knew that the chances of blacking out again were very high and in that divinely-inspired moment of clarity I knew that I had no control over what would happen to me if I picked up another drink. It was 1981. . .

WAC Newsletter – January 2019

January 11, 2019 in /by

First, we want to give a special shout out to a couple members of our Club who have gone out of their way to assist the Club on a few needed projects.

Joe D. continues to volunteer at the Club on a regular basis. Most recently, he put in a ton of work helping with our Christmas Tree Fundraiser by getting the sale area set up and organizing help for the duration of the fundraiser. With his help, we sold out of trees for the second year in a row!

Andy B. was kind enough to lend us his time and skills to build and install a hand rail for our new patio. It looks wonderful and makes our patio steps safer for our patrons. Andy is a great example of an involved member. We are lucky to have so many skilled members willing to help the Club!

Thank you, Joe and Andy  for your continued dedication to the WAC!

Read more to see the rest of our newsletter and upcoming events!