Unity Weekend began when Bob P. of Tifton, Georgia, and a couple of AA’s got together to bring a better understanding of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Program of Recovery to South Georgia. The first meeting was held in March of 1988 in Albany, Georgia, and was named Sowega Big Book Study. The program consisted of a Big Book Study by Joe McQ. of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Charlie P. of Maysville, Arkansas, with the late Frank Mauser of World Services in New York being the keynote speaker. Rollie S. was the Al-Anon speaker. The attendance was 530 happy AAs and Al-Anons. It continued every year in Albany, Georgia, averaging about 300 in attendance.

The Second Unity Weekend was in March of 1989 with the late Jim Williams of Aledo, Texas, conducting a 12-step study. Jim’s theme was “You cannot retreat if you are marching ahead.” The name was changed to a more dignified “Unity Weekend” because some attendees did not like to write “Sowega” on their checks. Imagine that. 300 AAs were in attendance. There was no Al-Anon speaker, but quite a few Al-Anons were in attendance. The Third Unity Weekend was held in Albany, Georgia, in March of 1990 with Wille B. of Spring, Texas, leading a 12 and 12-Step Study. It was very sucessful with 300 AA’s and Al-Anons attending. The Fourth Unity Weekend was held in Albany, Georgia in March of 1991. A Big Book study was led by the renowned Paul Revere, Carry the Message Gang. The gang members were Joe McQ, Little Rock, Arkansas; Charlie P., Maysville, Arkansas; (Big Book Study) John W., Pompano Beach, Florida; Willie B., Spring, Texas; the late Frank Mauser of New York World Services; Joe C., and Travers C. of England was the keynote speaker. 500 AAs and Al-Anons were in attendance.

The Fifth Unity Weekend was moved to Jekyll Island in March of 1992. Moving to Jekyll Island was the best decision that Bob P. and his committee ever made. The now very popular Big Book Study was led by Charlie P. of Maysville, Arkansas, and Joe McQ, of Little Rock, Arkansas. Clancy I. of Los Angeles, California, was the keynote speaker. This was Clancy’s first talk at Jekyll Island, and Unity Weekend grew to 605 in attendance.

The Sixth Unity Weekend at Jekyll Island was held in March of 1993. The format changed to six speakers consisting of Ken D., La Mesa, California; Ray M., Kannapolis, North Carolina; Francine W., Mill Valley, California; Johnnie H., Rossmore, California; Clancy I., Los Angeles, California; and the late Jim Williams, Aledo, Texas. 654 were in attendance. The Seventh Unity Weekend was held on March 4, 1994, and continued with the new format of six speakers. They were the late Rip Smith of Georgia, Nancy M., Minneapolis, Minnesota; Dennis N., Greer, South Carolina; Keith L., Wilmington, North Carolina; Bob D., Las Vegas, Nevada; and Clancy I., Los Angeles, California. Attendance grew to 665. Unity Weekend with Bob P. and his committee continued to grow on Jekyll Island, hosting some of the more popular motivational AA speakers from around the world.

In 1998, Bob P. became ill and turned it over to Fred B., who changed the format to five speakers with Saturday afternoon off for fun and fellowship. Fred, Martha, and the committee have added Saturday and Sunday sunrise meetings on the pool deck, an ice cream social on Saturday night, candlelight meetings on Friday and Saturday nights, plus a golf tournament, which started in March 2006. They added a Jekyll Island Gratitude Weekend in November of 1998, which actually started in Daytona Beach and has the same format as Unity Weekend without the Golf Tournament. The first weekend in March 2007, Unity Weekend will have a 20th Anniversary Celebration, which will host eight speakers over four days.

In March of 2008 Martha's health would no longer allow her to attend the conference so Fred began looking for someone else to host the conference. That July he turned it over to Ray G. March of 2009 Unity weekend helped celebrate Clancy's 50th anniversary (on the east coast) and honored Fred and Martha for their years of dedication in hosting the conferences.

The Committee offers financial assistance (scholarship) to those who cannot afford the registration fee. The Committee requests that you write a letter stating your hardship at least 30 days prior to the event for evaluation.