Stepping Stones picnic: hope, recovery, celebration

Clockwise from top, the sign outside the Katonah homestead where Bill and Lois Wilson lived from 1841 until their deaths. “Wit’s End,” the studio where Bill Wilson drafted many of Alcoholics Anonymous’ seminal documents, is seen at left. (Robert Brum Photo) Lois (far left) looks on as Bill (far right) unpacks soda pop for 1955 picnickers.  (Courtesy Stepping Stones archive) Lois and Bill Wilson in the garden in front of their home at Stepping Stones, 1953.  (Courtesy Stepping Stones archive) The historic plaque outside Bill and Lois Wilson’s Katonah home.  (Robert Brum Photo)

By ROBERT BRUM

In spring 1954, Al-Anon Family Groups co-founder Lois Wilson invited members and their families from across the country to a picnic at her Katonah home.

The house on Oak Road, where she had launched the 12-step recovery program for families and friends of alcoholics in 1951 had come to be known as Stepping Stones, named for the steps leading downhill to the garage.

Lois Wilson, known as Lois W., suggested that her husband, Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson, invite his AA friends. Lois would supply refreshments and guests could pack a picnic lunch. 

The gathering under a bright, cloudless sky drew a crowd of local folks and out-of-towners for a day of sharing experiences about the transformative changes in their lives, according to “When Love is Not Enough,” William Borchert’s biography of Lois Wilson.

Thus began a tradition that continues this year on Saturday, June 7. The 74th annual Stepping Stones Lois’ Family Groups Picnic for Al-Anon, AA and Alateen members, their families and supporters, usually held on the first Saturday in June.

“The Stepping Stones picnic is the longest-standing celebration of family recovery and a highlight every year not only for people in recovery but for their loved ones who support them,” said Sally Corbett-Turco, executive director, Stepping Stones. “Not only does the picnic allow us to recognize the serious importance of recovery, but also allows people to gather joyfully, just the way they did with Bill and Lois Wilson here for many years.” 

The relaxed event typically brings 300 to 400 people to the property, although last year’s picnic drew 479, the largest crowd since the historic marker was unveiled in 2015. Attendance via Zoom ranges from 800 to 5,000 households.

The picnic, now a hybrid event held in person and virtually, will feature speakers from Al-Anon, AA and Alateen, other recovery-related programs, and touch on the home’s history and ongoing preservation efforts.

The in-person event takes place on the grounds of the 8-acre homestead where the Wilsons lived from 1941 until their deaths (Bill in 1971, Lois in 1988). Before she died, Lois established the nonprofit foundation to oversee Stepping Stones.

The Dutch Colonial Revival home, which has national landmark status, is a treasure trove of writings, mementos and artifacts tracing the Wilsons’ journey of hope and recovery that blossomed into a worldwide movement with millions of members. The desk where Lois penned correspondence that helped form Al-Anon sits in an upstairs gallery.

The grounds display Lois’ flower garden, which is at its peak at picnic time, and the expansive lawn leading to “Wit’s End,” the studio where Bill labored over some of AA’s seminal publications.

“We will be celebrating that AA is turning 90 just days later,” Corbett-Turco said. “We will be celebrating that the home the Wilsons moved into in 1941 has now reached 105 years old, and we’ll put an emphasis on the need to support that aging building.”

The picnic’s message of recovery is underscored by the fatal consequences of the disease of alcoholism. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 178,000 people die from excessive drinking each year.

“One of the reasons why it’s important to include the whole family is that the CDC also tells us alcohol is the most common substance used among people 12 and older in the United States,” Corbett-Turco said. “Lois firmly believed that if you could reach people young enough, you may be able to alleviate more suffering.”

The in-person event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and includes tours of the house and garden, and a talk by the producers of  “Bill W.: Conscious Contact,” a new documentary tracing the AA founder’s spiritual journey.

Reviving a picnic tradition started by Bill, who would play his fiddle, acoustic musicians will roam the grounds.

In keeping with the inaugural gathering, beverages are provided but guests bring their own lunch. The picnic takes place rain or shine under a large tent. 

There is no event parking at the site; guests must park at the Bedford Hills train station where free shuttle service is provided. Accommodations are available for visitors with mobility impairments.

Those attending via Zoom, from 1 to 5 p.m., will enjoy presentations about Stepping Stones and view items from the foundation’s vast digital collection, which boasts some 100,000 items. The live feed will include speakers from the picnic.

Both events will include readings of Lois’ vignettes recounting the early days of Stepping Stones and presentations on newly added archival material by writer Marty Mann, one of the first women to share her story of 12-step recovery.

The programs, which will be presented in English with Spanish interpretation, are free, but advance registration is required. In-person visitors should note that attendance is capped at 500 people. 

For more information, visit steppingstones.org/visit-events/events/.

The foundation is seeking volunteers for the event, who don’t have to be part of a 12-step program, and will include lunch. Sponsors and donations of supplies and refreshments are also needed. For more information, visit steppingstones.org.