TRI-COUNTY COUNTY CENTER WAS FOUNDED IN DECEMBER,1982. IT WAS STARTED BY BIG JOHN, CLARENCE, YANCY AND SEVERAL OTHERS. YANCY HAD A VACANT 15′ X 30′ ROOM FOR RENT BEHIND HIS BARBER SHOP ON LIPPLEMAN RD NEAR KEMPER. MEETINGS STARTED HERE. THERE WERE SOME HURDLES WHICH WERE ADDRESSED AS BEST AS POSSIBLE BY ADHERING TO “PRINCIPLES BEFORE PERSONALITIES”.
THE BEGINNERS MEETING WAS STARTED NEARLY A YEAR LATER IN NOVEMBER,1983 WITH BILL R AS THE FIRST CHAIRPERSON. MARY M WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THESE MEETINGS OFF THE GROUND. THE ORIGINAL CHAIR-PEOPLE WERE SYLVIA, BILL R, MARY M, LARRY M AND SEVERAL OTHERS.
IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER OF 1984, LARRY M WAS APPOINTED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO FILL A VACANCY.
IN OCTOBER,1984, AN ELECTION WAS HELD WITH THE REQUIREMENTS TO SERVE ON THE BOARD TEMPORARILY CUT FROM 2 YEARS SOBRIETY TO 1 YEAR BECAUSE THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WILLING TO PERFORM THIS SERVICE WORK TASK. BILL R, JACK L, LARRY M AND FRED M WERE ELECTED. YANCY AND A COUPLE OF OTHER MEMBERS SERVED THEIR SECOND YEAR WITH THESE NEW TRUSTEES.
YANCY (AS THE LANDLORD FOR THE MEETING SPACE) WAS GOING TO RAISE THE RENT FROM $300 TO $600 PER MONTH. MARY M PROPOSED THAT WE FIND A NEW SITE FOR OUR MEETINGS. MARY WAS SURE THAT “IF WE TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS, PEOPLE WILL COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK TO SUPPORT US”. A STATEMENT WAS POSTED ON THE WALL ASKING IF WE SHOULD STAY AT THE CURRENT PLACE ON LIPPLEMAN OR FIND A NEW HOME. THE VOTE WAS WAS 45 – 0 IN FAVOR OF MOVING. THE SEARCH WAS ON! IT’S USEFUL TO REMEMBER THAT THE OAK STREET CLUB OPENED IN 1945 AND THAT UNTIL THE 1980S, NO OTHER CLUB EXISTED. THE concept OF OPENING A BRANd NEW CLUB WAS PRETTY RADICAL. WOULD PEOPLE WHO LIVED NEARBY BUT WHO HAD BEEN ATTENDING MEETINGS IN CLIFTON START COMING TO SHARONVILLE FOR THEIR MEETINGS?
A NEW BUILDING WAS IDENTIFIED AT 2051 E KEMPER RD (NOW KNOWN AFFECTIONATELY AS “THE OLD BUILDING”). IT HAD 1,520 SQUARE FEET (SF); THE SPACE WE LEFT AT THE BARBER SHOP SPACE HAD ONLY 450 SF. THE RENT ON THE NEW PLACE WAS $600 PER MONTH. WE HAD NO IDEA IF WE COULD PAY THAT MUCH. BILL R, LARRY M AND JACK L WENT OUT ON A LIMB AND SIGNED THE LEASE FOR THE FIRST YEAR. THESE MEN GUARANTEED THAT IF THE RENT WAS SHORT, THEY WOULD MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE OUT OF THEIR PERSONAL FUNDS; HOWEVER, THERE NEVER WAS A SHORTFALL. MARY M HAD BEEN RIGHT… PEOPLE CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK TO SUPPORT THE FLEDGLING CENTER. THERE WAS $1000 IN THE BUILDING FUND WHICH WAS UTILIZED TO REMODEL THE OLD BUILDING TO MAKE THE SPACE APPROPRIATE FOR MEETINGS. MOST EVERYTHING WAS DONATED AND THERE WAS NO SHORTAGE OF VOLUNTEERS TO COMPLETE THE WORK.
ON DECEMBER 29, 1984 WE MOVED INTO THE OLD BUILDING. LARRY M WAS CHAIRING THE BEGINNER’S MEETING AT THE BARBER SHOP. AFTER THE MEETING, EVERYONE WAS ASKED TO PICK UP CHAIRS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT BELONGED TO THE CENTER, PUT IT IN THEIR CARS AND TAKE IT A FEW BLOCKS DOWN THE STREET TO THE NEW CLUB. THE BARBER SHOP WAS THEN CLEANED AND THE MOVE WAS OVER.
ON NEW YEARS EVE 1984, THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLUB WAS CELEBRATED. 92 PEOPLE WERE IN ATTENDANCE.
IN THE BEGINNING, 2051 E KEMPER HAD 13 PARKING SPOTS IN A GRAVEL LOT. THERE WAS A SMALL AREA ACROSS THE STREET AT WHAT LATER BECAME MOTEL 6. IN THE FUTURE MOTEL SPOT, THERE WAS A SMALL BLACKTOP LOT WITH ADDITIONAL PARKING.
A DRAWING OF THERMOMETER WAS PLACED ON THE WALL OF THE CLUB FOR THE PARKING LOT FUND. AS THE FUND GREW, THE “HEAT” WENT UP ON THE THERMOMETER.
MONEY WAS ALSO RAISED TO PURCHASE THE BUILDING. IN JUNE,1987, THIS BECAME A REALITY. 6 MEMBERS, INCLUDING LARRY M AND DAVE M, EACH GAVE $3K WHICH WAS PUT INTO ESCROW TO PAY FOR THE MORTGAGE IF THE CLUB PROCEEDS FELL SHORT. AFTER 5 YEARS, THE $3K WAS RETURNED TO EACH OF THESE PEOPLE WITH INTEREST. THE CLUB NEVER FELL SHORT ON THE MORTGAGE PAYMENTS.
EVENTUALLY, A PARKING LOT WAS INSTALLED AND THEN, IN SEPTEMBER,1990, THE CLUB PURCHASED THE BUILDING AT 2031 E KEMPER RD WHICH IS OUR CURRENT HOME. THE NEW BUILDING WAS REMODELED TO SUIT THE NEEDS OF THE CLUB. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE SUMMER WITH PLENTY OF DISCOUNTED LABOR AND MATERIALS FROM MEMBERS.
IN THE SUMMER OF 1997, DUE TO MEMBERSHIP GROWTH AND SOME DISCONTENT, A PETITION TO CHANGE THE CODE OF REGULATION WAS POSTED. THERE WAS ALSO A PETITION POSTED TO CHANGE TCC INTO A DUES-PAYING CLUB. AT A SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN AUGUST, 1997, THE REQUEST TO CHANGE THE CODE OF REGULATION TO FORM A MEMBERSHIP COUNCIL WAS ACCEPTED AND THE PETITION TO CREATE A DUES-PAYING CLUB WAS REJECTED.
in 2005, an addition was added to the existing building at 2031 e kemper.
OVER THE YEARS, SEVERAL OTHER CLUBS HAVE OPENED IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY, HAMILTON, EASTGATE, WESTERN HILLS AND OTHER TRI-STATE LOCATIONS. WHEN TCC FIRST OPENED, A LOT OF FOLKS FROM THIS AREA STOPPED ATTENDING OAK STREET TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT TCC WHICH WAS CLOSER TO THEIR HOMES. AS OTHER CLUBS HAVE OPENED, THE SAME EFFECT HAS HAPPENED TO TCC. THE ONE EDGE PEOPLE OFTEN CITE IN LEADS IS THAT TCC STAYS OPEN BETWEEN MEETINGS SO NEW PEOPLE (AND OUR LONGER-TERM FRIENDS AS WELL) HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO FIND OTHER LIKE-MINDED FOLKS.
THE CLUB CONTINUES TO FULFILL ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING SOBRIETY AND CARRYING OUT THE IDEALS OBJECTIVES OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS.
– RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED